Things To Do in Maiori

The Corso Reginna bursts into life on Friday for the morning market. Stalls set up selling Italian shoes and on-trend clothes, and it’s a great place to buy regional specialities like ham, cheese, salami and limoncello. It’s on from around 8am to 1pm, and there are similar markets on throughout the week at towns along the coast.

A 10-minute drive from central Maiori, this Benedictine monastery is built into a natural cave. From the outside, there isn’t much to look at, but inside you’ve got some of the best-preserved frescoes from the era of the Duchy of Malfi, 1,000 years back. It’s built over 3 levels – there’s a crypt, a main chapel telling the story of Jesus, and a top-floor dedicated to Saint Nicola.

Foodies will find themselves in heaven every Friday along the Corso Regina. There are stalls piled high with hams, cheeses, olives and bottles of limoncello. It’s a typical Amalfi scene – old women pushing their shopping trolleys and market traders gesticulating furiously. If you just want a little of something to try, ask for ‘un etto’ – that’s 100 grams in Italian.

Maiori’s beach is almost a kilometre long and comes with a wide promenade. Ten minutes’ walk from Maiori, you’ll find Minori Beach, a sandy stretch framed by a colourful village. And 10 kilometres away is the picturesque fishing village of Erchie, which boasts a secluded beach tantalisingly named the Beach of Lovers. Cars are banned from near the beach so the air here is the cleanest on the Amalfi coast.

Maiori’s restaurants do a great line in traditional Italian food. It doesn’t get much better than ravioli stuffed with seafood in a sauce made from clams, prawns and mussels. Equally irresistible is the local chocolate cake topped with almonds, pine nuts and candied fruit. And do try the Concerto – this black syrupy liqueur is infused with nutmeg and cinnamon.

The lemon garden of Bar Pineta – on Maiori’s main Corso Reginna – is a fragrant haven. Pull up a seat here and the friendly staff will happily let you linger over a glass of locally-produced limoncello. The place stays open late, but if you’re coming here for the evening it’s best to arrive early – tables at this popular bar are like gold dust.

The nightlife here is unashamedly laid-back and you’ll find the best bars along the promenade. These simply-decorated beachside spots are best for watching La Passeggiata, that Italian ritual where the townspeople go for their evening stroll. Here you’ll find waiters whisking trays of grappa and Prosecco around the outdoor terraces – the Crema di Limoncello, a kind of limoncello milkshake, is the town’s speciality, though.

Torre Normanna is the oldest Norman Tower on the Amalfi Coast – and one of the finest restaurants to boot. Beef carpaccio, parpadella with lobster, and rabbit cooked with Sorrento walnuts and lemon are just some of the dishes on offer. It’s a tad pricey – expect to pay around 150 euros for 2 – but the cliff-side tower comes with a magnificent Med view.

Maiori’s sand and shingle beach is split up into public areas and private beaches. You can easily spot the private ones – they each have their own colour-coded parasols, and come with beach bars serving cocktails. The sea here is so clear you can see fish swimming around your legs, and it’s shallow, too, so it’s ideal for kids.

Nights here are as laid-back as the locals. Along the waterfront, you can take your pick of the bars, pull up a pew, and sip on a cold Nastro Azzurro or a fruity cocktail. Or walk along the prom with an ice-cream or granita – AKA a frozen ice concoction – in hand. The locals eat dinner late in Maiori, so the bars won’t fill up until around midnight. And if that all sounds a bit subdued, you can catch the occasional big-name DJ at Terrazza Sul Mare.

This is a big deal in the Amalfi calendar, with Mary being the patron saint round these parts. Before Mass, the locals will tuck into a big lunch, with customary chocolate-covered aubergine for dessert. Then there’s a procession through the narrow streets with the icon of Mary, decked in flowers and candles, hoisted in the air. To round it off, a mammoth fireworks display lights up the night sky.

One of the Amalfi Coast’s most popular destinations, the Emerald Grotto is a cave partly filled with sea water. It’s known for its natural fireworks display caused by light reflecting off stalactites and stalagmites, and the jewel-like sheen of its green waters. A lift from the main road above takes you down to cave level, where small rowing boats take you on a short tour.

This festival at Ravello – just 10 kilometres from Maiori – is an annual celebration of music and arts. The outdoor event’s main venue is a suspended stage in the stunning coastal gardens of the Villa Ruffino. You can hear orchestras perform works by Beethoven and Wagner, listen to jazz musicians, as well as take in art shows and photographic exhibits.

Pizzerias, trattorias and ice-cream parlours jostle for space along the tree-lined promenade. And the standard of food, as you’d expect in Italy, is sky-high. Try the Margherita pizza, the grilled fish, or spaghetti ‘alle vongole’ with tomato, clams and garlic. And while you’re in Maiori, don’t forget to sample the chocolate-covered aubergines – they’re a local delicacy.