Archive for 'Amalfi Coast'

Maiori is a fishing town and peaceful bathing resort on the Amalfi Coast that boasts one of the largest beaches in the area, a colourful nightlife, great restaurants, cute shops, and plenty of pretty buildings. Once the Republic of Amalfi's principal port, with streets lined with stunning patrician palazzi, in the Middle Ages King Filippo IV even declared the town the Città Regia.

Located at the mouth of the valley of Tramonti, the town is said to have been founded by the Etruscan Lucumone Reghinna, though there is debate about whether the Romans, Etruscans or Greeks were the actual founders.

Its ancient name is Reghinna Major, in contrast to the nearby town of Reghinna Minor (called Minori today). Reghinna Major and Reghinna Minor were actually the names of two rivers, with Maiori having been built at the mouth of the Reginna Major river.

The Villa Cimbrone is a historic villa located on a rocky outcrop known as "Cimbronium", from which it takes its name, in Ravello that dates to at least the 11th century AD. The earliest references to the villa from this time refer to when the villa belonged to the Accongiogioco, a noble family. It later became the property of the wealthy and influential Fusco family, who are also recorded as owning the local church of S. Angelo de Cimbrone in the 13th century. Later still, it became part of the nearby monastery of Santa Chiara. Ownership from the seventeenth century is uncertain, but by the second half of the nineteenth century it had come into the possession of the Amici family of Atrani.

In the 20th century, the villa was altered and extended by Ernest William Beckett, who brought in salvaged architectural elements from other parts of Italy and elsewhere, leaving little of the original structure visible.

If one talks of fjords, it is likely that Norway probably comes immediately to mind, however, Italy can also boast its own fjord.

The town of Furore on the Amalfi Coast is a typical town for the area in almost every aspect. However, it is differentiated from others by one extraordinary feature: its fjord. Find a holiday rental on the Amalfi Coast and you can discover it for yourself.

Located at the mouth of an overhanging valley, the fjord is a sharp recess into the rock and cliffside by the sea and was originally formed by a usually dry stream, the Schiato, that cuts down from the edge of the plateau of Agerola. In times long by it was called Terra Furoris, most likely because of how the thunderous sea slaps through the crack during storms.

Ravello is a southern Italian town on the famous Amalfi Coast, perched high above sparkling azure seas and with stunning views across the water. It has long captured the hearts of many and is often included in lists of best holiday destinations, lesser-known Italian gems and beautiful towns. In fact, many of the town’s biggest fans have been artists and writers, such as D.H. Lawrence and Virginia Woolf, who became so enamoured with the place that they have spent extended periods in the town or have lived there. Why were they so taken by the town? Well, it offers the perfect mix of culture, relaxation, delicious food, luxurious accommodation and stunning views. In fact, Gore Vidal once described the panorama here as “the most beautiful in the world.” If you want to take in the most beautiful panorama in the world for yourself, just find a vacation rental in Campania and spend some time in the stunning town of Ravello.

Villa Jovis is a site on Capri at the end of the Viale Amedeo Maiuri which houses the ruins of a villa from the first century B.C. which is attributed to the Roman Emperor, Tiberius. Perched on a cliff-top, it now provides visitors with astounding views but once afforded its occupants both privacy and security. Once the largest and most sumptuous of the twelve Roman villas on the island, it is now reduced to ruins, though a considerable percentage still survives. In fact, the amount of survival from the original complex means that the visitor centre has reliable reproductions of what it might have looked like.