The Amalfi Coast

The coast of Campania, taken singly by itself?

So blest with natural beauties and opulence,

that it is evident that when nature formed it

she took a delight in accumulating all her blessings

in a single spot - how am I to do justice to it?

Pliny the Elder Naturalis Historia

The famous Amalfi Coast is actually the south side of the Sorrentine Peninsula.  The road along the coast, SS 163, is one of the most spectacular in all of Italy.  It winds along for about 30 miles, from the intersection of routes 163 and 145, to Vietri Sul Mare.

The local tourism board describes the drive as "vertiginous slopes, sheer drops and precipitous cliffs"; driving along it is an adventure.

The coast is dotted with famous towns like Positano, Praiano, Amalfi and Ravello.   The last town before the end of the road in Salerno is Vietri Sul Mare, which is famous for its ceramics.

We'll spend an entire day exploring this beautiful area; in the meantime you can read about it in this brochure produced by the regional tourism board:  The Amalfi Coast

In 1997, the Amalfi Coast was recognized as a World Heritage site by the United Nations, cited as "an outstanding example of a Mediterranean landscape, with exceptional cultural and natural scenic values resulting from its dramatic topography and historical evolution."  You can read more about this and see pictures on the UN site here.