12 Fun & Best Things to Do in Maiori, Italy

Maiori is a resort city mendacity on Italy’s Amalfi Coast. This full of life city is within the Salerno province, surrounded by lush inexperienced hills and heavenly seashores. If you’re keen on gorgeous views, distinctive sights, and nice meals, Maiori, Italy, is the vacation spot for you.

Did that Maiori was the vacation paradise of historic Romans? Well, now you do. Maiori has a historical past of being an historic vacationer attraction – in lovely locations like Italy, everybody has all the time cherished the coast.

Speaking of historical past, there’s nonetheless an ongoing debate on who based Maiori. No one can actually agree if it’s the Etruscans, the Corsicans, the Romans, or the Greeks. It’s attention-grabbing, however in the end unimportant – particularly when you set eyes on this Italian paradise.

Maiori means “better” in Latin or “senior” in Corsican. This title doubtless performs in town’s proximity and relationship with the smaller neighboring city of Minori (actually “minor” in Latin and Corsican).

Perhaps the most important attraction of Maiori is that it sits on essentially the most intensive unbroken stretch of seashore on the Amalfi Coast. Additionally, Maiori is thought for its scrumptious seafood, in addition to its distinctive structure. It is residence to many lovely church buildings and historic buildings, to not point out a few of the most breathtaking vistas in Italy.

Interested? Well then, let’s get into the very best issues to do in Maiori, Italy!

TL;DR

• Most important landmark – The Church of Santa Maria a Mare
• Best park – The gardens at Palazzo Mezzacapo
• Best free exercise – Walking the “Lemon Trail”
• Best exercise for youths – Maiori Beach
• Best exercise for adults – Visiting Roberto Rossellini’s Film Sets
• Best meals – Pasticceria Napoli
• Best nightlife – Dining on the Norman Tower
• Best all-around lodging – Mezzacapo Castle

Things to Do in Maiori, Italy

1. Explore the Church of Santa Maria a Mare

Address: Piazzale Mons. Milo Nicola Prevosto, 84010 Maiori SA, Italy

The Church of Santa Maria a Mare stands in the course of Maiori, on the aspect of Mount Torina. The Hermits of Sant’Agostino constructed this church on the stays of Rocca di Sant’Angelo within the 1200s.

The church underwent many alterations all through historical past, combining three pre-existing church buildings. The 14th Century bell tower has a colourful maiolica tiled dome, whereas many of the exterior originates from the 18th Century. The church has a spacious inside with a vaulted nave and coffered ceiling and a powerful organ in its choir loft.

Well, the wonders of this church don’t finish there. The Church of Santa Maria a Mare performs host to a museum, too: The Museum of Sacred Art. This museum is residence to historic aid buildings, statues, and the relics of St. Clement within the church’s crypt.

Feel like staying close by? Check into this gorgeous bed and breakfast, simply a few blocks away.

See Related: 17 Fun & Best Things to do in Positano, Italy

2. Tour the Castle of San Nicola de Thoro Plano

Address: Via Castello, 84010 Maiori SA, Italy

The Castle of San Nicola de Thoro Plano is an enchanting set of ruins I extremely suggest. It was as soon as a fortified stronghold constructed within the ninth Century. Its authentic goal was to guard refugees fleeing varied Lombard and Saracen assaults. The fortress ruins stand atop a hill overlooking the Accola and Carpineto villages.

The fortress will get its title from its location on a rolling hill, and the outdated church it as soon as housed devoted to Saint Nicola. 

Despite being deserted for hundreds of years, the ruins are in remarkably fine condition. You can nonetheless see the spy holes and buttresses within the battlements, with 9 small cylindrical towers splitting the partitions.

You can enter the Castle of San Nicola de Thoro Plano free of charge. You’ll get a spectacular view of the gulf, the valley, and the close by city of Ravello from there. Prepare to climb about 290 stairs to get to the fortress, as it’s not accessible by automobile.

See Related: Fun & Best Things to Do in Sorrento, Italy

3. Enjoy the Sea on the Maiori Beach

Address: Via Roma, 62, 84010 Minori SA, Italy

Maiori is the longest and most sandy beach alongside the Amalfi Coast, a paradise for individuals who need house. Unlike different seashores alongside the Amalfi Coast, the place you need to stroll and climb or must cope with rocky terrain, Maiori Beach is comparatively straightforward to succeed in.

Maiori Beach (or Paradise Beach) is normally packed in July and August, however loads of house exists. There is a free seashore and plenty of retailers to lease umbrellas and loungers. You may also take pleasure in cafes and eating places alongside the water’s edge as a result of it’s near city. There are additionally retailers the place you’ll be able to lease pedal boats and canoes on your enjoyment! 

Do what essentially the most thrilling factor about this stretch of the Amalfi Coast is? There are a number of sea caves to discover! Grotta di Pandora will be reached by boat and is only some minutes from Maiori. The cave is huge and easily lovely. Your eyes will feast on the improbable view of stalagmites, stalactites, and azure waters.

If you are feeling like making extra of a day of coastal cave exploration, book a half-day cruise to see the Grotta dello Smeraldo (or Emerald Cave) and extra beauties alongside the Amalfi Coast. And when you’re in search of a spot to remain on the seashore, you’ll be able to’t get a lot nearer than Hotel Baia Verde, which additionally has some fantastic views of the Med.

4. Stay within the Mezzacapo Castle

Address: Via Roma 1 SS163, 84010 Minori, Italy

Mezzacapo Castle perches on a rocky spur within the Toricella space, sitting between the cities of Maiori and Minori. This magnificent chateau attracts the eye of everybody arriving within the port of Maiori. Just one look and you might imagine it popped proper out of a kids’s storybook, because of its mild hues and symmetrical shapes.

The Castle is called after the Mezzacapo household, and its backstory is sort of fascinating. On a visit to France, a Mezzacapo marquis admired the chateau he visited on the Loire. He determined to repeat the fortress in his hometown of Minori. To let the native builders know what he was in search of he confirmed them a French matchbox that includes a picture of the fortress, and from that picture, they set to work on this masterpiece.

The Mezzacapo Castle was accomplished within the nineteenth Century and bears a remarkably correct resemblance to its French twin. It stands close to the Annunziata Cave and the Torre Mezzacapo. The fortress has three tales, three-cylinder turrets with conical spires, and a beautiful backyard.

Today, you can stay at Mezzacapo Castle amid lovely surroundings, framed by the ocean and mountains. Book a room and keep awhile, you’ll really feel like royalty residing in a storybook world!

See Related: Fun & Best Things to Do in Naples, Italy

5. Walk Along the Citrusy Path of the Lemons

Address: Via Torre, 84010 Minori SA, Italy

The Path of the Lemons, or Sentiero dei Limoni, is a beautiful, historic path connecting Maiori and Minori. You will expertise all Amalfi gives: picturesque sea views, hiking trails, and lemons – lemons so far as the attention can see! 

The lemon groves alongside this path produce the area’s well-known lemons. You might observe the footprints of the area’s first lemon farmers between the ocean and the cliffs. Stroll previous the lemon timber and agricultural terraces that drop into the clear Mediterranean waters under.

To expertise it, you’ll should climb greater than 400 steps. The path presents no challenges or sharp drops. It’sIt’s a beautiful stroll for non-hikers and youngsters. It takes roughly an hour to stroll the Path of the Lemons. It begins near the Via Vena steps and the church of Santa Maria a Mare.

After passing by means of the city, the trail leads you to the terraced lemon and olive groves. It travels by means of lovely surroundings to Torre village, the place it descends to Minori. 

See Related: Best Tours in Italy: Food, Walking & Bike Tours

6. View the Exhibits within the Palazzo Mezzacapo

Address: Corso Reginna, 84010 Maiori SA, Italy

The Palazzo Mezzacapo is a palace on Corso Reginna, the principle thoroughfare of Maiori. The Marquis of Mezzacapo constructed the palace in a Maltese cross design. The palace has gardens that amaze guests with an unmatched explosion of coloration.

The Palace of Mezzacapo was the residence of Mezzacapo’s Marquis and his descendants. Decorated within the baroque model, it options distinctive work, gleaming marble stairs, and exquisite wooden carvings. Each scene is a illustration of the household’s philosophy and social standing. We can solely guess their grandeur and success on the time.

Palazzo Mezzacapo now serves because the city corridor of Maiori. It ceaselessly holds live shows, artwork exhibitions, and weddings. If you’re an artwork lover, spend a while within the palace’s chambers to view the Ludwig frescoes.

7. Dine on the Norman Tower

Address: Via Levi Carlo, 40, 75019 Tricarico MT, Italy

The most important and historic tower on the Amalfi Coast is the Torre Normanna (or Norman Tower). This tower was constructed between 1250 and 1300. It is a superb instance of a Norman-style medieval coastal watchtower and was used to identify pirate ships approaching from the south. 

The tower gives gorgeous terraces for a romantic reception whereas watching the setting solar. It has an inside partition that’s suited to the necessities of contemporary renovation.

The Norman Tower homes Ristorante Torre Normanna, top-of-the-line Maiori eating places, and features a personal seashore with solar loungers, umbrellas, and a cocktail bar. You might benefit from the spectacular pure environment whereas indulging in delectable seafood specialties. They make the fabled big Italian pizza, and you may as well style regional desserts like “delizie al limone” or Norman cake.

After a scrumptious dinner, reward your self with a comfortable night at the nearby Residence Due Torri, a surprising condominium lodge with shiny, ethereal decor and breathtaking views.

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8. Visit Chiesa di San Francesco

Address: Via Giovanni Amendola, 41, 84010, Maiori Italy

Chiesa di San Francesco sits between a cliff face and the ocean bordering Maiori and Minori, close to the Grotta of the Annunciation. Over centuries it has witnessed a voyage by means of the cultural and non secular historical past of Maiori.

The Rococo Chiesa di San Francesco opened in 1783 subsequent to a historic monastery in-built 1405. It has a wealthy inside that includes items of artwork from throughout the ages, donated by the rich, noble households of Maiori.

There is a powerful crucifixion composition by a Flemish artist from the fifteenth Century and different artistic endeavors within the Chiesa di San Francesco. Several different artwork items are saved on the convent, together with replicas of well-known works by Vasari, Titian, and Pietro de Cortona.

The monastery nonetheless homes a small neighborhood of monks and a spiritual shelter. You can stroll by means of the monastery’s miraculous San Bernardino fountain and the key passageways. You may also discover peace on the cloisters and library of Chiesa di San Francesco.

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9. Admire the Abbey of Santa Maria de Olearia

Address: Strada Statale Amalfitana, 43, 84010 Maiori SA, Italy

The Abbey of Santa Maria de’ Olearia is a good looking creative gem in Maiori. This Benedictine Abbey, now a novel mattress and breakfast, was based within the tenth Century, close to the historic middle of Maiori. The construction is situated in a tranquil spot alongside the long-lasting Amalfi Drive freeway. 

While lively all through the Middle Ages, the abbey was left abandoned when the final abbot handed away in 1509. The constructing’s central core was initially in-built 973. It has undergone a number of expansions inside a rocky cavern that each man and nature carved out since then. The three tiny overlapping church buildings that make up the monument’s core might hardly be seen among the many rocks in the present day. 

The website’s best-preserved work are situated within the decrease church. It includes an oblong room with three little apses, and two cycles of frescoes are painted on every wall. It is known as the catacombs chapel or the Crypt.

The predominant chapel is the second church; it faces out over a beautiful terrace and makes use of to be coated in frescoes each inside and outside. Following renovation works in 1988, many work have been saved and restored, however presently many others, significantly the surface ones, are terribly broken.

San Nicola is the title of the third church. This can also be utterly frescoed, however the scenes from the saint’s life are damaged up within the apse to create a approach for a Virgin and Child in addition to San Nicola and San Paolino. Moreover, there are two praying angels and a spherical type that symbolizes God’s hand on the facade.

The space across the abbey can also be pretty. The olive timber that cowl the hill supply a welcome respite from the new Mediterranean solar. The hill has a beautiful view of the ocean. The olive timber are accountable for the abbey’s title (Olearia = olive oil), and there was a widely known oil mill close by.

10. Trek to Monte Falerzio and Santuario di Maria Santissima Avvocata Sopra Maiori

If you take pleasure in mountaineering throughout the countryside, Maiori is a terrific place to start out, significantly with locations just like the Santuario di Maria Santissima Avvocata (or Shrine of the Blessed Lady Mary Advocate). This hallowed landmark can solely be reached on foot, following the trail resulting in Monte Falerzio.

This strolling route’s broad open areas with ocean views encourage guests to meditate on the infinite. The highway from Maiori to the Falerzio Mount’s summit is beautiful and luxurious. It ascends by means of lemon groves and a lush Mediterranean scrub, passing quite a few attribute ruins and water sources.

The ascent of the Mount of Avvocata trekking path is of medium problem: difficult however not unattainable, though the roughly 4-kilometer course features a reasonably difficult ascent that requires some planning and orienteering skills.

Once you get there, this purple brick edifice from the sixteenth Century is perched above a grand viewing deck making for unmatched views of the realm. It takes about 5 hours to journey spherical journey, so plan a giant dinner that night time!

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11. Visit Roberto Rossellini’s Film Sets

Roberto Rossellini, one of many pioneers of Italian neorealism, used Maiori because the pure setting for a lot of of his well-known movies. His 1946 conflict drama Paisà (Paisan) had two episodes filmed within the settlement, notably within the Chapel di San Domenico, and in entrance of the Torre Normanna (Norman Tower).

The neighborhood and the good maestro created a specific bond throughout filming, and Rossellini would later return to Maiori to shoot extra scenes for the long-lasting movies Il Miracolo (The Miracle), L’amore (aka Ways of Love), La Macchina Ammazzacattivi (The Machine to Murder Bad People), and Viaggio in Italia (Journey to Italy).

12. Have Breakfast or Snacks in Pasticceria Napoli

Address: Corso Reginna, 64, 84010 Maiori SA, Italy

You can’t fail to cease by this historic pastry store whenever you go to Maiori! Pasticceria Napoli is a paradise of sweets. When you go, you may be surrounded by flaky and spongy sfogliatellas, little chocolate-covered spice truffles, lemon cream sponge truffles, liquor-soaked yeast truffles, stuffed truffles, and pastiera into Pasticceria Napoli within the middle of Maiori.

You can go there for a break through the day or a latte and croissant breakfast. If you’re not a fan of regional flavors however nonetheless desire a professionally produced deal with from a patisserie, strive tiramisù, semifreddi al cioccolato, or cheesecake.

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