The appointment is on pier Manfredi, tourist landing place of the large city port, built in 1260 by will of King Manfredi of Swabia, with advice of his most trusted collaborator, as well as a valued exponent of the Salerno Medical School, Giovanni da Procida, member of the family of the powerful lords of the island, with vast possessions on the Amalfi hinterland too. And in this month of August, for the first time, Procida enters the tour stops of the fascinating journey between the Gulf of Salerno and the Gulf of Naples. A continuous discovery, mile after mile, of one of the coastal stretches most praised by poets and travelers since ancient times, such as the magnificent islands emerging from the sea in harmonious succession in front of it.
Tour starts early in the morning, at 7.50 am, with the clear sky and the sea surface sparkling under the already high summer sun. The large hydrofoil, with 400 seats, also accessible for disabled, one can choose whether to travel in the cabin, where the bar is located, with the comfort of air conditioning and the view of land and sea from the windows, or in the equally comfortable placed outside, cooled by the sea breeze and in a favorable position to take photographs of the constantly changing coast and of the sea, where other boats meet, accompanied by the flight of seagulls. One can also travel with its pet in safe conditions.
Once taking off, after passing the vast Salerno port basin, it is already Coastal. A dome of green, yellow and blue majolica announces Vietri, the first of the hamlets nestled between the green hills of the Lattari and the sea, in the bays following one another with their beaches and docks. And then Cetara, Maiori, Minori and Atrani, the smallest of the towns on the Amalfi coast, to which it is so close that in ancient times it was the favorite holiday resort of the nobles of Amalfi.
Thirty-five minutes of navigation to land in the port of Amalfi, the first stop of the journey, where those who want can go down to admire the characteristic historic center of the ancient Maritime Republic with the magnificent monuments, the shady supports, the stairs and the delightful squares that suddenly open among the buildings, bathed in sunlight.
A short stop to let other travelers get on and off, and then return to navigation, continuing along the coast where, separated by high promontories, other wonders are set: Conca dei Marini, the fjord of Furore, Praiano. And here it is the second stage. At 9.00, landing in Positano for those who choose to dedicate the day exploring the hamlet with its bright mediterranean colors, to go shopping in its renowned shops or to stop at one of the pebble beaches connected by stairs. And maybe someone even allows himself the thrill of walking the famous Path of the Gods.
From the hydrofoil, back on the sea, the spectacle of the Li Galli islands, the Sirenussai of the ancients, which retain their wild timeless charm, is soon offered to the view. Already navigating within the Marine Protected Natural Area of Punta Campanella. The latter is an extreme offshoot of the Lattari chain, that separates the Coast of Amalfi from the coast of Salerno and the Gulf of Salerno from the Gulf of Naples.
In front of Punta, the splendid Capri lies on the sea, with the most famous Faraglioni in the world. The landing in the port of Marina Grande is at 9.45AM. The time to let travelers get off and on and back to furrow the waves towards the large island that stands out on the opposite side of the Gulf of Partenope, while on the mainland the unmistakable silhouette of Vesuvius dominates the landscape.
Approaching the island of Ischia, with the islets of the Aragonese Castle to the north-east and Sant’Angelo to the south, passing through the channel that separates it from the other Flegrean Islands, Vivara and Procida.
The landing in the picturesque bourbon port of Ischia, usually the last landing of the line from Salerno (and it will return to being such from 1 September to October), in August becomes the penultimate stop. The hydrofoil in fact , continues towards the port of Procida, island of many colors that in 2022 will be the Italian Capital of Culture. From 11.15 am, when the race ends, at 3.45 pm, the boat leaves to retrace the route to Salerno, on the way back, there is time to visit the island of Graziella or to bathe in one of the beautiful beaches surrounding it.
Retracing the journey backwards from stage to stage, the boat reaches Salerno at 7.15 pm, almost at sunset. To seal a special day between the coast and the islands in the sea of the Sirens.
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