In Amalfi, villas are an important part of the holiday landscape. But just why is this part of Italy so popular? Read on to find out.
The coastline
This part of Italy's coast is arguably its most beautiful. Mountains crash down into the azure sea and the vicinity is littered with tiny harbours, fishing villages and quiet bays with beaches. Many of the towns don't have beaches (or major sandy beaches) as such, but they do have typical Italian 'Lido' type facilities that are charming and could come directly out of a 1950s or 1960s movie backdrop.
Of course, there are some excellent beaches around if you care to make the effort to leave the spectacular attractions of the towns and head to the sand and sea. Speaking of the sea, this part of the world has always seen the ocean as a great transport mechanism and, as a result, from this part of the coast it's possible to take a variety of boat trips to numerous quaint (or in some cases glamorous) offshore islands. It's an experience truly not to be missed.
The history
In Amalfi, villas position you close to one of the great architectural gems of the world - the town itself.
For well over 1000 years, this town has been important in one sense or another and it has a fantastic architecture as a legacy of that huge period of time. The cathedral (Duomo) is stunning, as are many other buildings in the town. If you enjoy gaining a sense of place and time, just spend an hour or so taking a coffee or drink in the cathedral square and watch the world go by. It's a very different experience to that of most people's normal daily life!
The history isn't restricted to the town itself. For example, Amalfi is only about an hour's drive (just under 50kms) from the world-famous site of Pompeii - the location of one of history's great tragedies, but one that has left us with a marvellous historical legacy of the Roman period.
The cuisine
To be honest, little needs to be said of the glories of Italian cuisine - other than perhaps to re-emphasise that it is about so much more than just pizza and pasta. Try some of the local, freshly caught seafood dishes to see just how varied southern Italian cooking can be - and how delicious. Also, don't forget to try the local liqueur - Limoncello. Yes, you can get it outside of Italy but there's nothing like a chilled taste of it 'in situ' to help your taste buds develop.
The weather
Yes, it's perhaps stating the obvious but the blue skies and warm days here are nothing short of magical. It can get hot at peak times during the height of summer but, even then, the mornings, later afternoons and evenings leave you feeling as if this was the weather human beings were built to live in, rather than the cold damp environment of Northern Europe. If you're in any doubt of that, just book in to one of the many Amalfi villas available for rental and find out for yourself! It's a decision you won't regret.
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