POTTERY PARADISE

Meet your private driver outside your accommodation and enjoy a full-day pottery pilgrimage along the Amalfi Coast.

Breathtaking landscapes, fascinating history, glorious weather and unbeatable gastronomic specialities – the Amalfi Coast is a not-to-be-missed destination on your Italian voyage. But there’s more to it than that. The region boasts a long and still thriving tradition of ceramic-making owing to its soil, rich in clay, limestone and volcanic substances, particularly suitable for pottery. The art of ceramics has been practised here since the 15th century and continues to be a source of pride. Ceramic shops and ateliers selling tastefully displayed and exquisitely hand-crafted goods, including plates, vases, fruit bowls, mugs and limoncello cups, can be found throughout Campania’s favourite coastal towns. Bright, summer colours, intricate decorative motifs and typical designs such as lemons, fish, flowers and Amalfi Coast landscapes characterise local pottery.

The first stop on your excursion will bring you to Positano. Nestled between steep slopes and the sea, along one of Italy’s most enchanting stretches of coastline, Positano strikes visitors with its magical allure and picture perfect hues. A jumble of pink, amber and white houses encircles the multi-coloured majolica-tiled dome of the cathedral and stands out against the lush green background of the Monti Lattari; in the foreground pebbled beaches and the crystalline waters lend touches of silver-grey and turquoise. Additional splashes of colour are provided by its pottery shops selling beautifully decorated ceramics. Sprinkled here and there, you will also see polychrome tiles embedded in the walls of the buildings, picturesque shop signs and plant pots. According to a local myth the town was founded by Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea, as a gift to his beloved nymph Pasitea. A glamorous resort, offering enticing cuisine, wonderful sea views and a tranquil respite, Positano keeps attracting “willing prisoners of a legendary landscape” – as early 20th century spellbound holiday-goers used to define themselves. Explore the town’s narrow alleys filled with tempting eateries and boutiques, before setting off for Ravello.

With its beguiling hilltop location, unparalleled panoramas and splendid gardens, this tiny jewel of a town has captivated countless artists, writers and musicians throughout the centuries. Founded in the 5th century as a refuge from the Barbarian invasions, Ravello flourished under the rule of Amalfi when wealthy merchants built its most famous villas. Highlights include the Church of San Giovanni del Toro, home to the pulpit mosaics that prompted M.C. Escher to create his interlocking patterns; Villa Rufolo, whose atmospheric setting inspired the enchanted Garden of Klingsor of Wagner’s Parsifal; Villa Cimbrone, world-known for its belvedere poetically named Terrace of Infinity. Ravello too is home to the ceramics industry. Pieces of irresistible charm, all minutely hand-painted, are evidence of the craftsmanship and skill of local artisans.

The final port of call is Vietri sul Mare, known as the “Gateway to the Amalfi Coast” since it is the first town one encounters on the Amalfi Coast from the city of Salerno. Vietri is also renowned as Campania’s capital of pottery and, as you stroll through the cheerful streets of this open-air ceramics gallery, the reason becomes clear. Here everything is decorated with hand-painted ceramics, including the brightly coloured dome of the Church of San Giovanni Battista. The Solimine Ceramic Factory, a striking building covered in multi-coloured ceramic tiles, is also to be found in this pottery paradise.

Return to your accommodation in the late afternoon with your souvenirs, a little piece of the Amalfi Coast to remind you of a perfect day in this idyllic spot.