Mention the Amalfi Coast and images of sun-kissed lemon groves, dramatic clifftop vistas and hair-raising mountain curves are likely to spring to mind. While all of this is true, there is a sense that, in recent years, this UNESCO-protected area of the southern Italian coast has become a little too picture-perfect (and trampled by tourists) for its own good. There’s no doubt that the former maritime republic of Amalfi has a stunning Duomo, or that Positano – so beloved by writer John Steinbeck – is alluring for its vertiginous, pastel-hued silhouette. But these days you have to dig a little deeper to experience the beaches like a local.
A must visit during the shoulder or off-season – not only because you’ll get a better idea of what the region is like when it’s not crowded, but also because it’s kinder to coastal infrastructure. Minori, sandwiched between Atrani and Maiori and overlooked by the hilltop village of Ravello, is my retreat of choice, partly because, somehow, it’s still largely under the radar. It is billed as a town, but in fact it is little more than a seaside village (with one main street or corso) and is better for its small size.
Overlooked by the glitterati in recent decades – perhaps due to its more down-to-earth mix of palazzi and 1970s builds – this is a real working town, complete with grocers, butchers, barbers, hairdressers, barbershops and an abundance of rustic cafes. Being by the sea, it’s also an excellent base for ferry links between the many small coastal towns, plus it’s a short walk to its big brother, Maiori.
At the center of it all is the town’s olive-tree studded promenade, or Langomere, which is a magnetic pull for locals and visitors alike. Summer tourists rightly associate its nearby beach with regimental lines of striped umbrellas, under which rows of sun loungers are closely packed. But visit a bit off-season and the coast is untamed. Studded with an open-air restaurant terrace, as well as a weekly Thursday market (plus weekend stalls in the busy months), Langomer is central to daily life.
Minori is also a town with a proud tradition of pasta making, particularly Birboni and ‘Ndundari. Its makers, affectionately named culi bianchi (‘white bottoms’ in reference to their flour-smudged back), used to hang rows of pasta on the beachfront to dry, evidence of which can be seen in the weather-beaten black-and-white photographs on the walls of the town’s side streets. This long heritage is still reflected in the handmade selection of ravioli produced daily at the local Pastayo, which sells handy portions in paper bags for home cooking. And if you visit the city in summer, be prepared for the lingering aroma of street food, the cheap – and delicious – takeaway frittatine di pasta assembled in little more than a cubby hole on the left side of the main street. It’s far from the overpriced syrup-filled lemons by visitors to nearby towns, resulting in thousands of glossy but ubiquitous Instagram posts.
