Amalfi
Dropping back to the coast from Ravello, the corniche road brings you to Amalfi, in its day one of Italy's four powerful maritime republics (with Venice, Pisa, and Genoa). All sea trade in the Mediterranean was once governed by the 12th-century Tavole Amalfitane, one of the world's oldest maritime codes. Today, the town's scenic seafront setting, many cafes and shops, and mild climate make it a hugely popular resort, so steel yourself for high prices and high-season crowds.

Duomo di Sant'Andrea
Pride of place in Amalfi goes to the Duomo di Sant'Andrea, fronted by an intricately patterned façade, redone in the 19th century. Founded in the ninth century, the cathedral's subsequent alterations have spared its principal glory, the main portal's 11th-century Byzantine bronze doors. Next to the church lies the Chiostro del Paradiso (1268), or Cloister of Paradise, whose somber Romanesque tone is enlivened by the Arab elements in its sinuous columns.

Valle dei Mulini
To escape the bustle of Amalfi, hike into the hills above town. Consult the visitor center for more details (tel. +089 871 107)—or take the popular walk along the Valle dei Mulini, a steep-sided ravine dotted with ruined watermills—mulini—once used to make paper, an industry for which Amalfi was, and still is, famous. The small Museo della Carta (Via delle Cartiere 24; tel. +089 830 4561) offers displays related to the industry.