Free walking tours in Amalfi and what to see

Must-sees

Amalfi gives its name to the Amalfi Coast, a World Heritage Site, and was a maritime republic with great weight in Mediterranean trade in the Middle Ages. Everything revolves around Piazza del Duomo, dominated by the cathedral of St Andrew, reached by a grand flight of steps. Its striped and mosaic façade is the village's signature photo, and inside it is worth visiting the Cloister of Paradise, with interlaced arches of Arab flavour, and the crypt where the apostle's relics are venerated.

By the harbour survive the halls of the old arsenal, where the republic's galleys were built. If you walk up the valley behind the village you will find the remains of the mills where Amalfi paper was made, a tradition explained at the Paper Museum. Atrani, a few minutes' walk away, is a little village attached to Amalfi with a very intimate square, and Ravello, up above, has gardens with views over the gulf.

Free tours and guided visits

Amalfi has no regular free walking tours: the village is small and easy to explore on your own. What you will find are trips that use Amalfi as a base. The most common are private boat trips along the coast and boat trips to Capri, some with a visit to the Blue Grotto or the Li Galli islets and others going up to Anacapri. There are also trips to Pompeii, on their own or combined with the climb up Vesuvius.

How long to spend

Half a day is enough to see Amalfi and Atrani: the cathedral, the cloister, the harbour and a walk up to the Valley of the Mills. But the point is to stay a few days and move around the coast. With three days you can spend one in Ravello and another in Positano by ferry, and with four or five add Capri or Pompeii. In summer the road and the boats get crowded, so set off early.

Where to stay

Staying in the centre of Amalfi is the most practical choice, because the ferries and buses for the rest of the coast leave from here. There are small hotels and guesthouses in old buildings, often with steps and no car access. Atrani is a quieter alternative five minutes away, and Ravello, Minori or Maiori usually have a little more room when Amalfi is full.