Praiano, Italy; a fashionable resort on the Amalfi coast

Visit Praiano

Praiano is a beautiful little town to the east of Positano and in a very central position on the Amalfi coast.

Explore Praiano

Italy This Way review: Praiano is much smaller and quieter than its famous neighbour Positano but is very charming. It is well connected to Sorrento, Positano and Amalfi by bus and ferry and so makes a useful base for exploring the Amalfi coast.

Praiano was once a quiet fishing village but is now a fashionable resort. Indeed it has been a fashionable resort for a long time and was once a favourite summer residence of the Doges of Amalfi.

It occupies a beautiful position on the Amalfi coast tucked into a cleft in the rocks. It is split into two tiny centres with the Marina di Praiano on the Amalfi side and the Vettica Maggiore on the Positano side.

The Marina de Praiano beach and harbour are approached via steep steps and surrounding the beach a few fishermans houses now serve as restaurants and diving centres.

A bit further round the coast towards the west is the Torre e Mare, a defensive tower sat on a small promontory. There are a line of these Saracen towers along the Amalfi coast and this particular one is used as an exhibition space.

The 16th century Chiesa di San Luca is in the upper village and has a square bell-tower decorated with majolica tiles and paintings by Giovanni Bernado Lama, a 16th century artist.

At the other side of the town the Spiaggia della Gavitella beach can be accessed via around 300 steps from the village or by boat. It has a beach club and is a great place to sit to watch the sunset.

The very pretty church of San Gennaro near here has a beautiful tiled dome roof and bell tower and a large terrace looking out over the sea.

The town itself has narrow streets of whitewashed houses, fabulous views over the Amalfi coast and plenty of bars and restaurants to sit and relax and savour the beauty.

Attractions nearby

Drive a little way along the coast road towards Amalfi and you come to Fuore. Whilst there is no centre here you can climb steps from the road to the hamlet above which is home to an eco-museum or you can descend 200 steps to the beach.

The beach is quite distinct because next to it is a little hamlet called Fiordo and the beach is set in a narrow canyon with a tall arched bridge crossing above from one side to the other. There are a couple of nice walking trails that start in Fiordo.

A little further down the road is Conca dei Marini, a lovely little town which stretches out behind a bay and a Saracen tower. Conca dei Marini is home to the Grotta dello Smeraldo, 'Emerald Grotto' which is a beautiful cave that you can visit by rowing boat.

It is known as the Emerald Grotto because of the light which enters the underground cavern and fills the cave with a green glow. The cave is full of stalactites and stalagmites. To get the best light visit in early afternoon.

Amalfi is a beautiful town with a particularly charming church. It is about 10 kilometers east of Praiano.

In the other direction Positano, which is one of the most popular places on the Amalfi coast, is just six kilometers to the west of Praiano.

You can find more local travel ideas in the Campania guide.