Amalfi Guide See Swim Stay Eat Planning FAQ What do coffee, St. Andrew the Apostle, papermaking, compasses, and the Knights of Malta all have in common?
The answer: Amalfi, a tiny coastal town that, believe it or not, was once Western Europe’s gateway to the wider world. The whitewashed streets of the once-great maritime port of Amalfi are full of history, recalling a time in the Middle Ages when it rivaled Genoa, Pisa, and Venice as a trading behemoth. Most modern visitors look at this little fishing town by the sea and wonder how it ever could have laid claim to such fame, since cities like Venice and Genoa are clearly much larger. There’s a reason for that.
