Spectacular views and glorious Mediterranean sunshine makes the Amalfi Coast a popular holiday destination. The scent and colours of geraniums brighten up the delightful coastal towns and villages filled with whitewashed churches and houses painted in warm pastel shades cling to the towering cliff sides. Amalfi Coast villas enjoy breathtaking vistas from the mountainsides out across the glistening blue Mediterranean Sea, making for a truly romantic setting. The coast itself is arguably one of the most famously scenic drives in Europe and hiring a car is recommended when you stay in villas on the Amalfi Coast. On the steep valley sides you will see numerous olive groves, vineyards and lemon trees, leaving you with no doubt in your mind that you are in Italy.
When you rent a self-catering villa on the Amalfi Coast you have the advantage of being free to eat out or stay in whenever you wish. In towns and villages you will find plenty of restaurants that serve typically Italian dishes such as fresh pasta and delicious pizza. Due to the area’s proximity to the sea, you will also see many seafood dishes on the menu, particularly in the small fishing village of Cetera which is famed for its salted anchovy sauce and red tuna. Lemons that grow in this area are widely used in a lot of the local dishes from pasta and deserts to ice cream and drinks. A famous lemon liqueur is also produced there and is definitely worth a try.
The stunning coastline punctuated with coves, caverns and inlets is peppered with quaint fishing villages with brightly painted boats nestled into picturesque harbours. A villa on the Amalfi Coast is one of the prettiest places to stay in Italy. A particularly interesting place to visit along the coast is the Emerald Cave located at Conca dei Marini. This sea-flooded cavern takes its name from the intense green glow that illuminates the whole cave caused by sunlight refracting off the surface of the water. A short boat trip takes you right into the cave itself where you can marvel at its eerie glow and naturally formed structures inside.
The picturesque seaside town of Amalfi is an interesting place to explore when you stay in Amalfi Coast holiday villas. Dominating the town is a magnificent cathedral with a vast staircase leading up to the imposing building, the oldest part of which dates back to 596 and it was not until the ninth century that an adjoining structure was built. Another interesting place to visit in Amalfi is the paper museum where you can discover the town’s famous history of paper production, when it was first introduced and how it was made. By contrast, if you travel further inland you will come to the Ferriere Valley Nature Reserve, a beautiful wooded expanse brimming with wildlife and rare plants such as orchids and giant ferns. Many visitors who stay in holiday villas on the Amalfi Coast enjoy taking a relaxing walk in the welcoming shade of the trees, passing by thunderous waterfalls and shimmering rock pools.
