Amalfi

Amalfi is about 34 km east of Sorrento on the Amalfi Coast, in the Campania region of Italy. It can be reached in about 60 minutes by ferry or 75-100 minutes by SITA Sud bus. Ferries from Marina Piccola (NLG, Alilauro and Alicost) run from April to October at about EUR 20-26 one way, and most call at Positano first. The bus leaves from Piazza De Curtis for about EUR 3.40, with the first listed departure about 06:30 and the last about 19:50. Ferry and bus terminate at the port and Piazza Flavio Gioia, a short walk from Piazza Duomo. Amalfi was a medieval maritime republic, and its centre is the striped cathedral, the Duomo, reached by a wide flight of steps. The Cloister of Paradise next to it is a Moorish-influenced cloister, and the Museo della Carta, the paper-mill museum, recalls the town's papermaking tradition. Allow 3-4 hours for the Duomo, the cloister, the paper museum and lunch. Tickets for the Duomo and cloister are sold separately at the Duomo ticket office, and the Paper Museum and Grotta dello Smeraldo boat trips are priced by each operator. A suggested arc is a morning ferry, arriving by about 10:00, to see the Duomo before the heat and the crowds, then lunch in the lanes behind the main square, where local lemon products and handmade paper are sold. The afternoon can be used for continuing to Ravello by SITA Sud bus or taking the Travelmar ferry to Salerno from about EUR 12, or for a return ferry to Sorrento. The best months are April-June and September-October, when the weather is warm but the crowds are lighter. Food stops range from pizza slices to seafood restaurants at the port, and a gelato or lemon granita is a common afternoon stop. The return ferry or bus times should be checked on arrival, since later sailings are limited.