Amalfi: top attractions & road trip guide
Amalfi is the historic town that gives the coast its name, a former maritime republic that rivaled Venice and Genoa in the medieval Mediterranean before losing power to a series of storms and political shifts. Its compact center is built around a cathedral square reached from the water by a monumental staircase, and the town remains known for handmade paper, limoncello, and the deep coastal ravine landscape around it.
On a road trip, Amalfi sits roughly midway along the SS163 coastal road, making it a natural midpoint stop between Sorrento and Salerno and a common base for day trips to Ravello, Atrani, and the Path of the Gods trailhead. Parking directly in town is very limited and expensive in season, so many drivers use a car park at the edge of town or in nearby Atrani and walk in, or arrive by the coastal ferry that runs between towns.
Top attractions
Amalfi Cathedral (Duomo di Sant'Andrea)
A striped Arab-Norman cathedral reached by a steep staircase from the main piazza, housing relics of St. Andrew the Apostle and connected to a striking cloister known as the Paradise Garden.
Museum of Handmade Paper (Museo della Carta)
A working museum in a converted 13th-century paper mill, explaining Amalfi's centuries-old tradition of handmade cotton paper using original machinery still driven by the local river.
Piazza del Duomo
The bustling main square at the heart of Amalfi, framed by the cathedral staircase and lined with cafés, granita stands, and shops selling local ceramics and limoncello.
Grotta dello Smeraldo
A partially submerged sea cave a short drive west of Amalfi, named for the vivid emerald-green light that fills the water when sunlight filters through an underwater opening.
Valle delle Ferriere
A lush protected ravine north of town, dotted with waterfalls and the ruins of medieval paper mills and iron forges, and reachable on a well-marked hiking trail.
Plan your route with EuroDrive Scout →