The Amalfi Coast
Photos & Text by Harris Gaffin

The conditions are ideal as I tour along the Amalfi Coast in a late-model BMW owned by an ambitious young Italian who is my driver and guide for the journey.

Hailing from Napoli, the driver is all set to impress me with his knowledge of the area, his sports car, and his driving skills, which are quite suited for the racetrack. The young man is in a tearing hurry; he is late for a rendezvous with his sweetheart.

I am being given a treat, enjoying the most spectacular of views at break neck speed. Not being given an opportunity to ‘stand and stare’, I make do and sit back to enjoy what I can – great moments flashing by and a taste of Italian driving passions.

The Amalfi Coast is located southeast of Naples, at the place where the Bay of Naples and the Gulf of Salerno meet. It stretches for about 30 miles along the jagged limestone hills of the Lattari Mountains.

The region has certainly earned its world famous reputation for spectacular vistas overlooking the aquamarine Mediterranean Sea. It’s a combination that’s hard to resist. Steep cliffs tower high above, looking down on the deep blue waves that rush up to meet them. Picturesque villages, the houses appearing like a tiered cake, and pristine golden beaches with colorful umbrellas beckon like waiting arms to enfold the soul into the tranquility of the region.

The views are picture perfect: spectacular yachts line the shores, riding the gentle swell; the rooftops are often decorated with colorful tiles and everywhere there are brightly colored flowers. The breathtaking beauty hits the senses like a heady perfume, where a mere whiff tempts you to want more.

But the best part is the drive. There are no safety guards to protect the squeamish, and seemingly thousands of hairpin turns make this coastline ideal sports-car territory.

Ferraris, Mazzerattis and Lamborghinis are the kind of cars that hug each turn, daring the next to try and tame them. And it is places like the Amalfi coast that the designers dreamed of when they imagined these cars.
Ironically, most travel articles complain of the roads. “The place is great but the roads…” Nonsense. Everybody dreams of excitement and adventure — that’s why they travel. And yet, when confronted with adventure, they turn away seeking what’s predictable and safe, just like home.

Sorrento is a great place to start a trip along the coastline. The views are like scenes from a postcard and you pass through Positano, Praiano and Amalfi on the way.

Towns perch precariously on the slopes of green hillsides and have elegant homes and hotels. As you speed along the meandering roads, the coastline offers views that defy description; each turn offers something different. The area has been known for its beauty since the dawn of civilization. Beautiful skies, blue water, clouds, carpeted hillsides with toy-like houses, and a riot of flowers of every imaginable color; it is as spectacular as its reputation.
Today, Amalfi has 5,000 residents. In the 11th century, when this city-state was a major sea power, it more than 80,000 called it home.

In ancient history, this is the region where Homer’s Ulysses had himself tied to his ship mast to avoid being lured by the sirens on the offshore islands.
Perhaps the most fitting description comes from John Steinbeck, who wrote, “It is a dream place that isn’t quite real when you are there and becomes beckoningly real after you have gone.”