Praiano

A tiny seaside gem which hides between the busier Positano and Amalfi, Praiano has managed to cling on to its character of fishing village. Life is slower than in the larger towns and thus the cafes and bars are friendly, and the locals have time to sit in the piazza in front of the Church of St Luke, enjoy the views over the sea and discuss the day’s happenings.

Inside, the church houses a precious silver icon of Saint Luke. The glorious Marina di Praia beach sits at the end of a wild valley of steep and deeply eroded cliffs with deep, blue water at their base, perfect for scuba diving. It is guarded by the ancient Torre a Mare, once necessary to fend off marauding pirates; these days the piracy is probably more related to sunbathing space.

At night, the beach comes to life with the famous L’Africana nightclub located in caves sunk deep into the cliff. Praiano’s other beach is La Gavitella, one of the Amalfi Coast’s only west facing beaches which basks in sunshine all day long.