A testament to a glorious past, the meeting of races and culture, along the entire coast: old castle walls, villas, churches and sanctuaries...we appeal not to the expert but to the curious who delight in cultural discoveries, who want to know more about the places they visit...

          A town built on different levels Praiano: a part high on the mountain- side that follows the spine of Monte S.Arcangelo ( a tre pizzi ) , with at the foot sparse small white houses that alternate with the agave and the ancient olive trees , the road passes high above the sea , the small hamlet of Vettica Maggiore is gathered around the majolica cupola of S.Gennaro. The marina area of the magnificent Praia , rugged rocks marked with bright yellow patches of broom that dive into a beautiful sea of an impossible green, the water of the zone " Spantone" is also medicinal according to the old fishermen...

          The enchanted Marina of Praia where the palms wave a welcome in the tremendous gorge at the entrance to the residential centre...
A pebbled beach green as the sea, edged with small white houses and delightful restaurants, an open space amongst the rocks and a narrow foot-path , by day filled with sun-shades and tables of iced drinks and happy children diving into the sea , by night lovers dining by candle light , with soft music... The magic nights in the shade of the imposing Tower Sciola, at the Africana: the most famous cavern on the Coast with dancing and entertainment until dawn , surrounded by ethnic masks , coloured fish and parrots .... Around about 3a.m. the fishing net is lowered into the handkerchief of sea , it signals the arrival of the night time spaghetti , accompanied by the unlucky fish caught in the net ...

         Fish are also part of the grand festival in July , for the succulent celebrations of the totani (squid) and potatoes...

         Returning up the road and passing through the gallery, you will see a magnificent crib scene that copies the lay out of the town. A little further ahead the town begins or rather the slope that takes us to town centre, with exclusive villas and the splendid churches... The first Church we came to at the centre of a large space high over the sea is the parish Church of S.Luca Evangelista of 1562, on the inside : a magnificent pavement in majolica of the XVIII century , a wooden pulpit painted with the images of SS.Pietro and Paolo, XV century paintings by Gian Bernardo Lama , a superb Madonna of the Rosario of 1572 , and the famous " S. Luca as a child " in silver (1694)....
On living the church we climb up the road , at the cross-roads take to the left , straight ahead enjoying the view from the rustic balconies along the road; here on the terraces full of red geraniums the Dukes of Amalfi came to rest with the court .Later generations built villas and golden refuges for exclusive lovers, and for the artists of the world, but we must go ahead...
After this brief deviation, a marvel: surrounded by blue S.Maria of Constantinople dated1560. Little more than a chapel ( on the altar a beautiful painting by an unknown artist) candid , of Baroque simplicity , essential , the best homage to the surrounding blue , sky and sea that join....  

The beautiful panorama , on the East ( the Amalfi Coast), with Positano , Li Galli, the savage coast as far as Punta Campanella... Then at the fiery twilight , that always seems to last longer here , as if the sun was reluctant to abandon this corner of Paradise...

          Behind us perched on Monte Trivio the Church and convent of S.Maria De Castro, built by the Dominican Fathers in 1599, but abandoned for many years ,and later recovered by the tenacious and pious brothers... Now we go downwards to the sea.. . Towards the group of houses of Vettica Maggiore . Quiet ,small houses lost in the green of the olive-groves , spilling down to the sea and the pretty beach of Gavitella, guarded by the ancient Tower De Lo Grado of the epoch of the Viceré. At the village centre a cupola , the most beautiful on the coast : it is of the Church of S.Gennaro, Baroque of 1602 , which inside has three naves , containing " Il Martirio of S. Bartolomeo" by Gian Bernardo Lama , and a "Sacra Famiglia" of the end of the XVI century...

         Ahead of us a series of exclusive hotels high above the sea , dream villas amongst the folds of the rocks, the blue Faraglioni jutting out of the sea ahead, immense , azure , where we enjoy the magnificent sun that wraps us in warmth and lulls us to sleep...  

LIST OF MONUMENTS AND SITES OF SCENIC AND CULTURAL INTEREST
MARINA DI PRAIA
PARADISE WALK
TOWER SCIOLA
CHURCH OF S LUCA
CHAPEL OF S MARIA DI COSTANTINOPOLI
CHURCH AND CONVENT OF S MARIA DE CASTRO
CHURCH OF S GENNARO
BEACH OF GAVITELLA
TOWER DE LO GRADO