A charming cluster of pastel houses, shops, cafés and watchtowers, Amalfi seems little more than a village. However it was a great naval power and a wealthy trading republic in medieval times. Its dramatic setting in jagged cliffs cloaked in vineyards is best seen from a boat. Amalfis star turn is a gorgeous cathedral with great bronze doors and lacy cloisters. The nearby village of Atrani is quiet and pretty, with a fine Byzantine church.
