Naples Guide
The Italian city of Naples, or Napoli as it is also called, is located in the Campania region of the country and lies on the Gulf of Naples, on southern Italy's west coast. The city is located in an enviable position between two volcanic areas, Mount Vesuvius and the Campi Flegrei. The Roman ruins of Pompeii, Herculaneum, Oplontis and Stabiae, which were destroyed the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD, are located close to the city as is the city of Sorrento and the beautiful Amalfi Coast. Also located close to Naples are the former parts of the Roman naval facility of Portus Julius, namely the port towns of Pozzuoli and Baia which are both to the north of Naples. The city is adorned with medieval, Baroque and Renaissance churches, castles and palaces and has long been an important centre for the arts and architecture. In the 18th century, Naples went through a period of neoclassicism, following the discovery of the remarkably intact Roman ruins of Herculaneum and Pompeii.
The port of Naples is home to several ferry, hydrofoil and SWATH (Small Waterplane Area Twin Hull) catamaran services, linking numerous locations in both the Neapolitan province, including Capri, Ischia and Sorrento, and the Salernitan province, including Salerno, Positano and Amalfi. Ferry services also operate to Sicily, Sardinia, Ponza and the Aeolian Islands.
Amalfi Guide
The Italian town of Amalfi is the largest town located along the Amalfi Coast which is in the Province of Solerno. The town lies on the shores of the Gulf of Solerno and at the base of Monte Cerreto. Along with many other towns along the Amalfi Coast such as Ravello and Positano, Amalfi has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The town's written history dates back to the 6th century AD and soon after became an important maritime power by trading grain from its neighbours, slaves from the interior, salt from Sardinia and timber, in exchange for gold dinars minted in Egypt and Syria. This trade was carried out in order to purchase Byzantine silks that it then sold on to the West.
The town is used to looking after its visitors with several former monasteries having being converted into hotels. The Luna Convento was converted in the beginning of the 19th century and the Cappuccini Convento was converted in the 1880's. Celebrated visitors to Amalfi included the composer Richard Wagner and the playwright Henrik Ibsen, who both completed works whilst staying in Amalfi.
Seasonal hydrofoil routes connect the resorts on the Sorrentine and Amalfi coasts as well as Pozzuoli, Ischia, Procida, Naples, Torre Annunziata (for Pompeii), Ercolano (for Herculaneum), Capri, Salerno, Agropoli (for Paestum) and Palinuro on the Cilento Coast.