Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
wind through the narrow, stepped streets, look below to terraced hills overgrown
with lemon trees and vineyards, which cascade down to the turquoise sea below.
Designed by Lord Grimthorpe (who also designed Big Ben in London), this 20th-
century villa is nothing short of heavenly. The gardens are perfectly cultivated,
with the smell of lavender and chamomile wafting through the air.
Make your way next to the
Belvedere Cimbrone,
a lookout point, for an
unmatchable vista down the coastline. There is a standard-issue and modestly
priced snack bar nearby where you can have an iced tea or glass of wine on the
lawn before heading back down to the main square. You don't need much more
than an hour, excluding the walk up, to tour the gardens of Villa Cimbrone.
Once you have finished here, head back down toward the main square and the
Duomo, which was founded in 1086 and has undergone countless renovations
and reincarnations. The small
Museo del Duomo
inside is badly designed and
has a hard-to-find collection of imperial and medieval artifacts, but keep search-
ing, following the corridors until you get there.
Calendar Highlights for Touring the Amalfi Coast
January
January 6 is the Feast of the Epiphany. On January 17,
Neapolitans celebrate O Cippo 'e Sant'Antonio by throwing their unwanted
belongings, from old clothes to tattered furniture, in piles throughout the
city and then setting them afire.
February
Late in the month, Carnevale, a countrywide festival, is cele-
brated mostly by children in wildly expensive costumes parading through
the streets and throwing colored confetti.
March/April
Easter and Holy Week.
May
The first Sunday of the month is the day the blood of San Gennaro
should liquefy; to find out for yourself, head to the Duomo for morning
Mass. Maggio dei Monumenti (p. 500) also takes place this month.
July
A fireworks display in Piazza del Carmine on July 6 celebrates the
feast of Madonna del Carmine. The Neapolis Rock Festival (www.neapolis.
it) is also this month.
August
Ferragosto, or the Feast of the Assumption, is on August 5.
September
On September 19, San Gennaro's blood is put to the test
again.
December
December 8 is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.
Christmas is, of course, on December 25. The Feast of San Stefano is cel-
ebrated on December 26. And finally, join in the Capodanno, New Year's
Eve celebrations, on December 31.
