Amalfi

From CruisersWiki

The town and harbour of Amalfi lie 16 miles E of Capo Punta Campanella, the headland at the SE extremity of the Bay of Naples, and eight miles W of Salerno on the Tyrrhenian coast of Italy. The town lies at the end of a steep ravine on a coast famed for its dramatic scenery and picturesque mountain villages. An independent republic for 500 years from the 7th century AD, Amalfi was one of the peninsula’s most successful maritime trading entities, a position only eclipsed in the 12th century by the growing power of Pisa and Genoa. However, Amalfi’s maritime code, the Tavole Amalfitane, formed the basis of maritime law around the Mediterranean for at least another 400 years. An earthquake and tsunami in 1343 destroyed much of the town and obliterated the harbour, an event from which the town never fully recovered. However, a modest tourist boom beginning in the 1920s, when Amalfi was discovered by the British monied classes, has brought new prosperity to the town. Unfortunately, it has also filled its harbour to bursting point and space along its single mole is at a premium during the summer months. Shelter is reasonable here but the harbour becomes very uncomfortable in strong winds from S or SE, when Salerno is a better bet.

Charts

British Admiralty

1908

908

Italian

914

10

132

Weather

Winds along the Tyrrhenian Coast of Italy are generally light in the summer months. The most notable feature is a SW seabreeze that kicks in in late morning and blows at little more than Force 2 - 4 until the evening. Thundery conditions are not infrequent during early Spring and Autumn, and associated winds can sometimes reach gale force and kick up a substantial sea. In winter, gales can blow from both NW and S and entry to and exit from some of the harbours along the coast can become hazardous.

Sources for weather information:

• There is a continuous (computerised voice) weather forecast on VHF 68 - first in Italian and then followed with an English translation
• The same forecast is given in Italian and English on VHF coastal stations following a notification on channel 16
• Navtex weather forecasts are broadcast from stations at La Garde (Toulon), Roma and Cagliari (Sardinia)

Passages

List popular passages/routes, timing, etc.

Islands

• Capri

Communication

Also see World Cruiser's Nets.

Navigation

The ravine at the foot of which the town sits is difficult to identify along the mountainous coastline. The cupola of the cathedral is conspicuous in the centre of the town and closer in the harbour mole and the masts of yachts lying along it and on the numerous small craft pontoons will be seen. The end of the mole should be given a generous clearance to avoid the rock ballasting and there are numerous small craft mooring to be avoided in the harbour. Note: access to the harbour is only permitted from 0800 to 2000.

Berthing

There are a total of 300 berths in the harbour, of which three are supposedly for yachts in transit. Maximum length 40 metres. These berths are towards the outer end of the quay along the harbour breakwater, close to the fuel berth. The depths here are 4.0 - 6.0 metres. You will need to use your anchor to moor bows or stern-to the quay. Alternatively, there may be space on the so-called ‘Marina Coppola’ pontoons operated by the Coppola family (see website [1] for details). The pontoons, which lie to the N of the small craft moorings, accept vessels of up to 35 metres on laid moorings. The ‘marina’ offers a range of services, including water and electricity, laundry service and mooring assistance. For reservations: telephone/fax: +39 089 873091 or Email.

Marinas & Yacht Clubs

None.

Anchorages

It is possible in settled weather only to anchor off to the E of the harbour, clear of the small craft moorings, in depths of 8.0 - 10.0 metres. The holding is good in mud.

Yacht Repairs and Services

Marine Stores

Submit addresses and contact details of marine related businesses that are of interest to cruisers.

Repairs/Yards

Very limited.

Fuel, Water, & Electricity

Fuel station at the outer end of the quay (0800 - 2000, summer only). Some water points on the quay. Water and electricity on the ‘marina’ pontoons.

Things to do Ashore

Tourism

The town of Amalfi, built at the foot of a mountainous ravine, is very colourful and it is well worth exploring its narrow whitewashed alleys climbing the hillside and the Moorish-style arcades along its streets. Its cathedral, the Duomo Sant’Andrea, has 11th century bronze doors cast in Constantinople, a polychrome marble altar, atmospheric 13th century cloisters (admission charge) and a crypt with the tomb of St Andrew (Sant’Andrea). From the town, one can catch a bus up to the World Heritage-listed village of Ravello, perched on a huge crag above Amalfi. Here lies the idyllically-sited Villa Cimbrone, much frequented by the English Bloomsbury set and boasting lovely gardens where one can lunch on the terrace looking out over the sea. Nearby is the equally splendid Villa Rufolo, like Villa Cimbrone built on the remains of an earlier monastery, its gardens smaller and less impressive but again with a spectacular view. Its last permanent resident was the German composer Wagner, in whose memory Ravello hosts an annual classical music festival each July. Finally, Amalfi is the start of the famous Amalfi Drive, a Roman road carved for 50 miles along the coast from Amalfi to Sorrento, with spectacular views of the sea and picturesque villages clinging to the cliffs.

Cloisters of Amalfi cathedral	Amalfi coast from Ravello
Villa Rufolo, Ravello	Typical scenery on the Amalfi Drive

Grocery & Supply Stores

• Good provisions shops in the town.
• The town, like Sorrento, is famous for its limoncello licqueur.

Eateries

Numerous restaurants, pizzerias and bars up in the town.

Internet/WiFi

None.

Laundry

• Laundry service at Marina Coppola

Motorbike & Car Rentals

Rental outlets in the town.

Garbage Disposal

Bins around the harbour.

Transportation

• Buses to Sorrento, Salerno and Naples
• Daily buses to Ravello (15).
• Summer ferries to Naples, Salerno, Capri and Ischia.

Friends

Contact details of "Cruiser's Friends" that can be contacted for local information or assistance.

Forums

List links to discussion threads on partnering forums. (see link for requirements)

Links

• Amalfi at the Wikipedia

References & Publications

See Italy.

Comments

We welcome users' contributions to the Wiki. Please click on Comments to view other users' comments, add your own personal experiences or recommend any changes to this page following your visit.

Verified by

Date of member's last visit to Amalfi and this page's details validated:

• July/August 2003--Athene of Lymington 12:18, 16 December 2010 (UTC)

This is a usable page of the cruising guide. However, please contribute if you can to help it grow further. Click on Comments to add your personal notes on this page or to discuss its contents. Alternatively, if you feel confident to edit the page, click on the edit tab at the top and enter your changes directly.

Contributors to this page
Names: Lighthouse, Athene of Lymington