Five things you (maybe) don’t know about the Amalfi Coast
Suspended between a marvelous turquoise sea and the slopes of the Lattari mountains, the Amalfi Coast can rightly be considered one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world: it is all a succession of enchanting landscapes marked by cliffs overlooking the sea, villages perched on the rock and panoramic views breathtaking. Everyone knows it and dreams of visiting it at least once in their life. But it is also a place full of curiosities and legends that only a few know. Let’s discover them together!
1# – The janares of Conca dei Marini
Immersed in one of the most characteristic corners of the Amalfi Coast, Conca dei Marini is a delightful village with an ancient maritime tradition. According to a legend it was the place where the so-called janare once met. These were women, who, due to their familiarity with rites and hexes, were considered witches. It is said that in the 16th century these witches appeared at night in a field of olive trees near the Church of San Pancrazio Martire, near the Emerald Grotto, where they used to prepare love potions and potions against the evil eye. In reality, they were none other than the sailors’ wives who gathered together waiting for their husbands. Although, apparently, there are people who still today testify to having seen them.
2# – Atrani is the smallest municipality in Southern Italy
One of the most picturesque places on the Amalfi Coast is Atrani, a small fishing village enclosed between high rock walls that makes anyone who visits fall in love with it. Fully included in the circuit of the “Most beautiful villages in Italy“, it is considered a real jewel that has kept its original structure intact. Everyone knows it but few know that, with its 0.12 square kilometres, it is the smallest municipality in Southern Italy in terms of territorial extension and second only to Fiera di Primiero in the whole of Italy. However, in this small area there is a high concentration of beauty.
3# – Minori is called the “city of taste”
Positioned in a quiet cove, Minori is another pearl of the Amalfi Coast. It has been a holiday resort since ancient times, as evidenced by the discovery of a patrician villa dating back to the 1st century AD. But beyond this, it is also known for its gastronomy and above all for its renowned confectionery tradition, thanks to which it is called the “city of taste“. Famous are the “ndunderi“, which are believed to be the oldest of Italian pastas, and the lemon desserts. Staying on the subject, for years now this splendid town has hosted an extraordinary cultural and gastronomic event that revives its traditions and recovers old flavours: it is called Gusta Minori and is held in the last week of August.
4 – Furore’s murals
Another town on the Amalfi Coast included among the “Most beautiful villages in Italy” is Furore. It is defined as “the town that doesn’t exist” due to its inhabited area scattered on the mountainsides and is famous throughout the world for the Furore Fjord, a suggestive beach set in the rock. The village, perched on the top of a cliff, is a sort of open-air museum. In fact, among its narrow streets you can admire countless murals created by contemporary authors, which make it one of the most original painted towns on the peninsula. Those of Furore are “walls in search of an author”, which are embellished by Italian and foreign artists.
5 – Ravello is known as “the city of music”
Over the centuries Ravello has attracted writers, poets and artists, including Giuseppe Verdi, Edvard Grieg and one of the greatest musical geniuses of the 19th century, Richard Wagner, who according to a common belief composed his last opera, the monumental Parsifal , drawing inspiration from the garden of Villa Rufolo. For this reason but also for the many internationally renowned events it hosts, Ravello is known as “the city of music“. The Ravello Festival is held annually, an unmissable event for all music lovers.
