Today we decided that we would spend the day relaxing in Minori, going to the beach and exploring more of the town, as we knew that we had a long evening ahead of us and a very busy day tomorrow!
CALIFORNIA BEACH: MINORI
There are many beach clubs up and down the Amalfi Coast, but we decided for us it made more sense to stay “close to home”, so if anyone got to hot, bored, annoyed, etc… they could go and walk around or head back to the Airbnb.
Minori beach is known for its crystal clear blue waters, calm currents and peaceful and relaxed atmosphere. The beach has both public and private options. Their public beach, which I ventured to each morning for sea glass hunting, is a small inlet to the right of the ferry dock. It seemed to mostly have locals sunbathing, which is fine, but no chairs, which could be uncomfortable, as this stretch of beach had mostly small pebbles. We chose to go to the beach club at California Beach right down the steps from Suzy Bar (https://wanderlog.com/place/details/2725616/susy-beach-bar). The Mojito is highly recommended…the Chicken Patty Sandwich, not so much (it was still a bit frozen inside). I would definitely recommend for their drinks, however, when it comes to food there are so many better options! We went just a short walk up the street to our favorite, Macelleria F. lli Mandara for our lunch.
We had been told that some of the beach clubs could be quite expensive. At California Beach Club, we paid €45 for 2 sunchairs with an umbrella and small table. We also had access to bathrooms, changing rooms and showers. We liked that we were not charged per person, so we just rotated as we were in and out of the water most of the day. When it comes to the Tyrrhenian Sea (part of the Mediterranean Sea), the water was so clear you could swim way out and still see the bottom (not good for me, I freak out ever since watching JAWS)…but there were tons of people frolicking, kayaking, snorkeling and floating about on rafts. There were very little waves, so no worries about anyone getting carried off!
SHOPPING AND WANDERING IN MINORI
Minori center hosts a nice size marketplace on Fridays through the summer. We were actually able to buy a ton of souvenirs and gifts for unbelievable prices… like 5 pieces of jewelry for €10! Obviously not top quality, but perfect for little gifts. They sold a huge variety of items, such as jewelry, pocketbooks, keychains, ornaments, scarves, pictures and tons of versions of the Cornicello, (also called cornetto or Italian horn) which is a twisted horn-shaped amulet worn to bring good fortune and ward off malocchio or the ‘evil eye’. In Italy these are generally red and resemble chili peppers. So highly recommended to purchase at least one version on your trip!
After our morning and early afternoon spent at the beach, we strolled the many little streets and popped into shops. If you are looking for a quaint, quintessential, less touristy with a truly authentic Italian feel, Minori is the place. The heart of the town is a maze of narrow cobblestone alleys, winding between weathered stone buildings, small eateries, markets and shops. We visited a number of shops and I wish I bought more souvenirs here, as they were definitely the cheapest along the coast… so don’t wait thinking you’ll find a better cost elsewhere! Minori caters not only to tourists, but those who live in the town, so you get the full experience. They even have a limoncello distillery, Liquorificio Carlo Mansi of Minori (https://www.carlomansi.com/en/) and you can purchase limoncello and even watch as they bottle their delicious creations. We spent a few late nights sampling their creations, so we can vouch for them!
A few other shops that we liked with some great prices included Edicola Orio, which had a ton of novelty items, we purchased some beautiful postcards at 2/€1. They had great prices and a cute little couple ran the store. The owner, Giuseppe Orio, had an adorable life size cut out of himself (see pictures 14 & 15 above…so cute!!), which was hysterical. I also found this great article about his journey of opening his store. (https://www.ulisseonline.it/notizie-locali/storia-di-un-giornalaio-della-costa-damalfi/)
AMALFI FOR ST. ANDREW FEAST
After we all got cleaned up, we headed down to the dock to take the ferry to Amalfi for Festa Del Patrocinio Di S. Andrea, aka the St. Andrew’s Feast. We took the 5:30 pm ferry, purchasing our tickets at the booth (not before hand). The cost is only €5 and a 10 minute ride. We also bought our return ticket as this is a popular event and this is one of the only evenings that ferries will run late, so we got tickets for the 11:58 pm ferry home. Travelmar (https://booking.travelmar.it/en/reservations/) offers many extra rides to Amalfi on this day.
Throughout the week we have seen signs posted on bulletin boards throughout the town outlining the “itinerary” for the feast… all in Italian of course. Thank goodness there were techies with us who took pictures and translated for us!!
When we arrived in Amalfi, we went straight to dinner, as the marching band starts at 6:30 sharp and all restaurants close at 7:30 (to reopen later). Being creatures of habit, we went right back to La Dolce Vita. Again, another delicious meal! And unbeknownst to us, the band was gathering at a little alleyway right across from the restaurant, so we had a live show for most of dinner as they practiced before making their way down the street to the Cathedral.
Before the Saint was presented at the top of the Cathedral steps we were able to visit Fusco’s Jewelry (https://www.fusko.it/Angelo_Fusco_Gioielli_Amalfi_Shop/en/). The owners are cousin’s of friends from home, so when we visited, we were treated like family. What I loved about their shop was there was jewelry available in virtually every price range. From high end items of gold and silver to more trendy pieces of jewelry. The owners were wonderful and patient as my daughter could not make up her mind! Highly recommended if you would like a piece of authentic Italian jewelry. By the way my daughter went for a beautiful Cameo charm to pair up with her Italian Horn and Mano Cornuto (the hands)… the Trifecta!
Festa Del Patrocinio Di S. Andrea
So the moment we were all waiting for (or at least me, lol) the “unveiling” of St. Andrew. We were all in the main Square for 8:00 pm, where the band continued to play. Just for a little background, Saint Andrew is the Patron Saint of Amalfi, as he is believed to have performed a miracle that saved the town from certain destruction. On June 27th 1544, Amalfi was under attack by a Turkish armada. Suddenly and out of nowhere a vicious storm ripped through the ocean, destroying the ships. Ever since, Amalfitans have been thanking and paying homage to the Saint for saving the city. He is celebrated two times per year, on June 27th and November 30th.
As everyone waited behind barricades (we weaseled our way to the front) they started the procession from the top of the Cathedral steps. It was led by a few men holding a large purple and gold umbrella, called an ombrellino. The ombrellino is meant to to honor and protect whatever follows behind it, announcing a sacred presence. Following just behind was a group of bearers, all dressed in red carrying the statue of St. Andrew on their shoulders to the shouts and cheering of the crowd.
Once they reached the bottom, the band began to follow as the procession left the Square and journeyed up the main street, through the hills of the town. As we followed behind, there was the reciting of prayers, singing and music playing. As we followed along, there were people on their balconies cheering and clapping and many people who lined the streets, giving the sign of the cross as we passed by. After about 30 minutes, we reached the top of a hill, where a Priest said a prayer before we made the walk back through the Square and to the Amalfi Coast Highway.
The road was closed so the Saint could be walked to the edge of the main turn of the highway to be “presented” to the sea. It was at this time, church bells began ringing and the blaring of boat horns began. He was then carried down the steps to the beach, where St. Andrew was once again presented to the sea. This is done so the Saint could bless the waves and protect boats, especially fishing vessels in the bay of Amalfi.
The procession then made its way back to the Square where it seemed like the entire town was waiting. The band continued to play as the bearers were preparing. At 10:15 pm a bell rang out and the men carrying the Saint began running up the entire staircase to the entrance of the Cathedral as the crowd cheered them on. When they finally arrived at the top, they turned the Saint as everyone in the Square cheered.
We had some time before the firework show at 11:30, so we tried some espresso from Pansa Pastry Shop and Cafe (https://www.pasticceriapansa.it/), which was served piping hot with a little lemon rind (no Sambuca or Anisette on the side though…). It was a perfect nightcap and some others enjoyed some lemon sorbet from Sporta Marina (https://mindtrip.ai/restaurant/amalfi-campania/sporta-marina/re-GOBgo9HU), which was a bit pricey (€15), but nonetheless sweet and savory. It was a decent size and was presented inside a lemon shell, so the presentation was cute. I personally would have continued through the Square and hunted for some other options.
Onto the fireworks down at the seafront! The show is held at 11:30 pm to conclude the celebration. This fireworks display was definitely among the best that I have seen in my life! It went on for about 20 minutes and was pretty spectacular with continuous bursts of every color. Everyone stood at the seafront and watched them shoot off from the barges just off shore.
The coolest part was as the bursts exploded, the different colors illuminated against the buildings making Amalfi light up and glow like the colors of the show.
Once the Feast was over, we immediately made our way to the ferry (11:58 pm) departure time. There were no tickets available at that time, so I am glad that we had purchased round-trip when we got our tickets in Minori. Ferries do not usually run this late, however, they will run multiple ferries late on this evening with the last one departing at 11:58! As we pulled away from Amalfi, the party was not over as we could hear boat horns blaring and watch small fireworks exploding as we pulled away…
FUN FACTS
There is such a large salt content in the water that you are able to float freely with very little effort! My son spent most of the day just floating around on his back!
I believe it must be an American tradition, because I was surprised that there was no one pinning money on the Saint as he was carried through the town. Back in New Haven, we always would pin money on St. Andrew and also The Feast of San Gennaro in NYC’s Little Italy. I was told they do not do this in Italy. Who knew!?
My Italian Adventures 