Amalfi Coast

Costiera Amalfitana *
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Country	Italy
Type	Cultural
Criteria	ii, iv, v
Reference	830
Region **	Europe and North America
Inscription history
Inscription	1997 (21st Session)
* Name as inscribed on World Heritage List ** Region as classified by UNESCO

The Amalfi Coast (Italian: Costiera Amalfitana) is a stretch of coastline on the southern coast of the Sorrentine Peninsula in the Province of Salerno in Southern Italy. The Amalfi Coast is a popular tourist destination for the region and Italy as a whole, attracting thousands of tourists annually.^[1] During the 10th-11th centuries, the Duchy of Amalfi existed on the territory of the Amalfi Coast, centered in the town of Amalfi, until it was sacked by the Republic of Pisa in 1137.^[2] In 1997, the Amalfi Coast was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as a cultural landscape.^[3]

Like the rest of the region, the Amalfi Coast lies in a Mediterranean climate, featuring warm summers and mild winters. It is located on the relatively steep southern shore of the Sorrentine Peninsula, leaving little room for rural and agricultural territories.^[4] The only land route to the Amalfi Coast is the 40 kilometres (25 mi) long Strada Statale 163 which runs along the coastline from the town of Maiori in the east to Positano in the west. Thirteen municipalities are located on the Amalfi Coast, many of them centered around tourism.^[5]

The Amalfi Coast is known for its production of limoncello liqueur as the area is a known cultivator of lemons, known as sfusato amalfitano in Italian, which are grown in terraced gardens along the entire coast between February and October.^[6] Amalfi is also a known maker of a hand-made thick paper which is called bambagina. Other renowned local products are a particular kind of sardines (local Italian: alici) from Cetara, and the colorful handmade ceramics from Vietri.

Municipalities

• Vietri sul Mare: Albori, Benincasa, Dragonea,^{[nb 1]} Molina, Raito.
• Cetara: Fuenti
• Maiori: Erchie, Ponteprimario, San Pietro, Santa Maria delle Grazie, Vecite.
• Tramonti : Campinola, Capitignano, Cesarano, Corsano, Figlino, Gete, Novella, Paterno Sant'Arcangelo, Paterno Sant'Elia, Pietre, Polvica,^{[nb 2]} Ponte, Pucara.
• Minori (Montecita, Torre): Attractions include the Church of Santa Trofimena and the ancient Roman villa.
• Ravello (Casa Bianca, Castiglione, Marmorata, Sambuco, Torello): Attractions include the Villa Cimbrone, Villa Rufolo, San Giovanni del Toro, and the Ravello Duomo (Cathedral).
• Scala : Campidoglio, Minuta, Pontone.
• Atrani:^{[nb 3]} Attractions include the churches of San Salvatore del Birecto and Santa Maria Maddalena.
• Amalfi (Lone, Pastena, Pogerola, Tovere, Vettica Minore): Attractions include the Amalfi Cathedral, and its cloister (Italian: Chiostro del Paradiso).
• Conca dei Marini:^{[nb 4]} Attractions include the main church of San Giovanni Baptist in Conca dei Marini and the Emerald Cave.
• Furore (Fiordo di Furore, Marina di Praia): Attractions include the Fiordo of Furore.* Praiano (Vettica Maggiore): Attractions include the churches of San Luca and San Gennaro and San Giovanni Battista.
• Positano (Montepertuso, Nocelle): Attractions include the church of Santa Maria Assunta.

Panoramic view of the town of Amalfi seen from the pier with the Amalfi Cathedral in the center.

In popular culture

The Amalfi Coast is a popular destination among tourists. It was featured in "Positano," a short story written by American author John Steinbeck in 1953.^[7] It was also the setting in "Finding Positano, A Love Story" written by author William James in 2010.

The Amalfi Coast also serves as a setting for fictional tracks in the Forza Motorsport 3^[8] and Gran Turismo 4.

The city of Positano featured prominently in scenes of the film Under the Tuscan Sun.

Transport

Airport

The nearest airport is the Salerno-Pontecagnano Airport. However the most used airport to reach the Amalfi coast from abroad is Naples' airport (Napoli-Capodichino).

See also

• Cilentan Coast — located on the Gulf of Salerno's southern shore

References

Notes

1. ^ Includes the localities of Iaconti and San Vincenzo.
2. ^ Polvica is the municipal seat of Tramonti.
3. ^ Atrani has no civil parishes.
4. ^ Conca dei Marini has no civil parishes.

References

1. ^ "BAY OF NAPLES & AMALFI COAST History". Unique Costiera. http://www.uniquecostiera.com/naplesAmalfiCoastHistory.html. Retrieved 28 June 2011. 
2. ^ Matthews, Jeff. "Naples". Around Naples Encyclopedia. University of Maryland University College. http://faculty.ed.umuc.edu/~jmatthew/naples/amalfi.html. Retrieved 30 June 2011. 
3. ^ "Costiera Amalfitana". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/830. Retrieved 28 June 2011. 
4. ^ "Amalfi Geography". Authentic Italy. http://www.authentic-italy.co.uk/amalfi_geography.php. Retrieved 30 June 2011. 
5. ^ "Amalfi People and Culture". Authentic Italy. http://www.authentic-italy.co.uk/amalfi_people.php. Retrieved 28 June 2011. 
6. ^ "National cultivars". Limmi. http://www.limmi.it/content/view/125/153/lang,en/. Retrieved 30 June 2011. 
7. ^ "Positano by John Steinbeck". FortuneCity. May 1953. http://www.fortunecity.com/littleitaly/amalfi/84/positanosteinbeck.htm. Retrieved 28 June 2011. 
8. ^ "Forza 3's Ferrari Collection, Amalfi Coast Track Pictured". ShackNews. http://www.shacknews.com/article/60481/forza-3s-ferrari-collection-amalfi. Retrieved 30 June 2011. 

Coordinates: 40°38′N 14°36′E / 40.633°N 14.6°E / 40.633; 14.6