Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
sula organised by
Free Ramblers
(
www.freeramblers.com
)
, a sociable group of local residents who
welcome new walkers on a drop-in basis and generally wind up their weekly walk with a meal some-
where.
FURORE
Marina di Furore, a tiny fishing village, was once a busy little commercial centre, al-
though it's difficult to believe that today. In medieval times, its unique natural position
freed it from the threat of foreign raids and provided a ready source of water for its flour
and paper mills.
Originally founded by Romans seeking sanctuary from barbarian incursions, it sits at
the bottom of what's known as the fjord of Furore, a giant cleft that cuts through the Lat-
tari mountains. The main village, however, stands 300m above, in the upper Vallone del
Furore. A one-horse place that sees few tourists at any time of the year, it exudes a dis-
tinctly rural air despite the colourful murals and unlikely modern sculpture.
To get to upper Furore by car, follow the SS163 and then the SS366 signposts to Ager-
ola. Otherwise, regular SITA buses depart from the bus terminus in Amalfi (€1.20, 30
minutes, 17 daily). It is also one of the stops on the Driving Tour (
Click here
).
HIGH DIVING CHAMPIONSHIP
Every July, Furore hosts a high diving competition: The Mediterranean Cup (
www.comunefurore.it
(in
Italian), when fearless (or foolhardy) high divers arrive from all over the world to swan dive off the
famous bridge traversing the Furore fjord. The plummeting distance is some 28 metres and the typical
speed around 100km per hour. Generally held on a Sunday towards the beginning of the month, it is an
annual highlight not to be missed and especially spectacular viewed from a boat.
Amalfi
POP 5428
It is hard to grasp that pretty little Amalfi, with its sun-filled piazzas and small beach, was
once a maritime superpower with a population of more than 70,000. For one thing, it's not
a big place - you can easily walk from one end to the other in about 20 minutes. For an-
