Amalfi – Mediterranean Cruise Port
Most Popular Stop for Cruise Passengers in Southern Italy
A breathtaking sea cave infused with green light – the Emerald Grotto – is only the beginning of the experiences that await cruise passengers arriving for a day ashore in Amalfi. The town sits in layers against the steep mountainside that rises out of the sea, one of several towns that stud this spectacular coast. They are connected by the legendary Amalfi drive, one of the great scenic routes of Europe.
But arriving by sea is even more breathtaking, sailing along the coast of the Amalfi peninsula, south of Sorrento and Naples, under the steep cliffs to the town’s port, still an active fishing harbor.
You can stroll uphill from the harbor or take a bus from the waterfront – there is no need for a shore excursion to explore the town itself. Or you can take a bus from there to Sorento or a ferry to Capri or Positano, the Amalfi cost’s other large town. Taxis are easy to find and reasonable.
9th-Century Duomo
Besides the Emerald Grotto, the main attraction is the striped tuffa Duomo, originating in the 9th century. The settlement itself is much older, begun in the first century as a summer retreat for the Roman aristocracy. Their opulent villas soon led to a town, which became ever wealthier through trade around the Mediterranean Sea. The Duomo was rebuilt in 1203, in a style that combined Arabic and Norman influences (the Normans had established settlements here and in Sicily).
Bronze doors on the front of the Duomo, depicting Christ, Mary and the saints Andrew and Peter, were cast in Constantinople in 1066, at the height of Amalfi’s power as a trading republic. In 1253, the crypt was built, and you can visit it, as well as the tower, also in Norman/Arabic style, begun in 1180. Its domes are made of ceramic tile.
The Moorish-style cloister was added in the 1260s, and is know as the "Paradise Cloister," for the tombs of important local residents in the six 13th and 14th-century chapels around it. The chapel walls are decorated with well-preserved frescoes, and the tombs in bas relief sculptures.
Shopping Near the Duomo
Around the Piazza del Duomo are narrow little streets filled with shops, many of which sell the colorful ceramics that are made here. Cameos and coral are also found in the shops. From Piazza del Duomo, walk along the Molini Valley, once filled with mills that manufactured paper – another of Amalfi’s claims to historic fame.
Shore excursions are usually offered to Ravello, perched high at the end of a deep ravine, but those who love to walk can follow a trail there (about 2 hours) for spectacular views. Shorter is the trail to Atrani.
The Emerald Grotto
The most popular shore excursion, however, is to the Emerald Grotto, Grotta di Smeraldo, about halfway between Amalfi and Positano. You can go on your own, via boats from the harbor or a bus or taxi ride about three miles along the coastal road to where an elevator leads down to the entrance. Here you board a small boat to explore this sea cave. The name is for the peculiar green light that shimmers in the water, caused by sunlight entering through a tunnel below the surface.
By shore excursion or on your own, Amalfi is a memorable port of call on a Mediterranean cruise.
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