The Amalfi Coast extends geographically from Punta Campanella on the southern edge of the Sorrentine Peninsula to the town of Vietri sul Mare. The coast is located 50 kilometers south of Naples and north of the Cilento peninsula, with Salerno sitting to the far east. The landscape is made up of limestone cliffs, Mediterranean brush, coves cut unto the coastline, and small towns and villages perched on the cliffsides.

There are 13 towns and villages on the Amalfi Coast: Amalfi, Atrani, Cetara, Conca de' Marini, Furore, Maiori, Minori, Positano, Praiano, Ravello, Scala, Tramonti, and Vietri sul Mare.

Almost all the coastal towns are located along the SS163 (Amalfitana) highway, when begins in the hills of Piano di Sorrento and ends in Vietri sul Mare. The town of Amalfi is located about halfway along the highway, which was built between 1832 and 1850. Before that time, there were only rough mule tracks running between the villages, which today are used as breathtaking hiking trails (including the famed Path of the Gods). It takes about 90 minutes to drive from one end of the coastline to the other if you don't stop to visit any of the towns or snap photos along the way!

To visit Ravello, Tramonti, Furore, and Agerola, you need to take the one of the roads that climbs the slopes of the Lattari Mountains. The most striking characteristic of the Amalfi Coast is its steep landscape with tiny villages perched over the water's edge, towering cliffs, and hidden coves along the shore. Many villages have more flights of stairs than lanes in their centers.

The entire Amalfi Coast is listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site.

More information on:

• How to get to the Amalfi Coast
• How to get around the Amalfi Coast
• Amalfi Coast towns