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Practicalities
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Amalfi's most immediate focus is along the seafront, a humming, cheerfully vigorous strand given over to street stalls, a car park for the town's considerable tourist traffic, and an acceptably crowded
beach
, although once again the best bits are pay-areas only. There's a supremely unhelpful
tourist office
(Mon-Sat 8am-2pm & 4-7pm; tel 089.872.619), which may not even have so much as a map but it's worth a try; close by, at Corso delle Repubbliche 27, there's a
post office
.
Ferries
and
hydrofoils
to Salerno, Positano, Capri and Ischia
leave from the landing stage in the tiny harbour.
If you do want to stay - and Amalfi is the best place along this coast to find accommodation - there are a number of fair-priced hotels , among the cheapest of which are the centrally placed Sant'Andrea on the main square (tel 089.871.145; L90,000-120,000/€46.48-61.98) and the Lidomare , tucked away up to the left of the main square at Via Piccolomini 9 (tel 089.871.332, fax 089.871.394; L90,000-120,000/€46.48-61.98). On the western edge of the town is the swish Hotel Santa Caterina (tel 089.871.012, fax 089.871.351, www.hotelsantacaterina.it ; L300,000-400,000/€154.94-206.58), an elegant villa with period furnishings; it has a great lift which plummets down from the bougainvillea-wreathed terrace to an arc of rocky beach. You might also consider staying in the adjacent village of Atrani .
As for
eating
,
Trattoria da Gemma
, a short walk up Via Genova on the left (closed Wed), has a small, carefully considered menu, strong on fish and seafood, and a lovely terrace overlooking the street, although it's not one of the town's cheaper places.
Il Tari
(no closing day), a little further up on the left after Via Genova has become Via P. Capuano,
is
cheap and not at all bad; further up again,
Taverna del Duca
on Piazza Spirito Santo 26 (closed Thurs) has a cosy atmosphere, and their
fusilli del Duca
is well worth a try; while
Il Mulino
(no closing day), right at the top of the main street ten minutes' walk from the duomo, is a cheery and inexpensive family-run place used by locals that does good pizza and pasta dishes. If you fancy a bit of
nightlife
, carry on up the main street to the brand new
Roccoco Discopub
in the otherwise quiet Valle dei Mulini. Back in the centre of town, if all you want is a snack, the
Green Bar
, Via P. Capuano 46, has sandwiches, pizza slices,
calzone
and the like. Other useful information
for tourists (each section contains more specific sub-sections): |
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Italy,
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