Nerano

“Come here and you will see Nerano is where the sun hides in the sea.“

Slow down. Skip the crowds and come to Nerano, a little-known and low-key hidden-away resort on the Amalfi Coast. 
Legend has it that when Emperor Tiberio Nerone visited Nerano from Capri, he was so enchanted with its beauty that he decided to build a villa and spend his summers there.  Nerano has a strong culinary history and over the years a number of mouth-watering Italian dishes have been invented here. Perhaps more famously, Spaghetti alla Nerano, made with fresh zucchini and provolone del Monaco (a type of provola cheese produced locally and made exclusively with raw milk). 

It is also an absolute nature-lover’s paradise and for hikers, the Path of the Gods in Bay of Ieranto offers perhaps the best views of the whole Amalfi Coast, and one of the best in Italy.
It is not surprising that Nerano today is loved by  celebrities, actors, oscar-award winners, poets, musicians, philanthrophists, who flock there just for the food. Nerano remains a secluded paradise. The water here is clear and popular with scuba divers, and the pebbled beach that hugs the crescent harbour provides a sheltered spot to relax. Enjoy winding trails groves and ancient remnants along the way before enjoying the spectacular views of coastline and Capri’s famous Faraglioni rocks when you get there.  While in Nerano, guests  should visit olive terraces and the Fiord of Crapolla, 20 minutes up the coast by car. While at the fiord, guests who are foodies should look out for the fishermen’s traditional lobster pots, handwoven with reed and myrtle and used to capture the famous local pink shrimp.

Bay of Ieranto

With little written about it, and no signs marking its precise location, Italy’s Bay of Ieranto (Baia di Ieranto) (a.k.a Path of the Gods) is a hard-to-find paradise — a pristine inlet where the entrance to the trail is virtually undetectable. The walking path to the Bay of Ieranto begins in Nerano about 100 meters below the village’s main square.  The trail begins with a level stretch past the pink villa which was the Sorrentine residence of Norman Douglas, the British writer who penned “Siren Land”. Once you’ve reached a rocky outcropping overlooking the beach of Nerano – once said to be the launching pad for local witches – the trail begins to descend, skirting a Mediterranean wood which grows wilder as the trail advances. The view suddenly opens up for a breathtaking look over the Faraglioni sea stacks off the Island of Capri and a valley lined with olive groves. The view here is of course is even better on a yacht!

Punta Campanella

Campanella Point is on the extreme edge of the Sorrento peninsula, at the eastern limits of the Gulf of Naples. The headland stretches along the coast and almost seems to reunite with the island of Capri. In-between there are three nautical miles that have always been treacherous for sailors and fishermen: the mouth of Capri, where the diverse flowing currents create whirlpools and vortexes, meeting the vertical rocky coastline which doesn’t offer landing facilities. At this point, according to legend, Ulysses encountered the Sirens; one can still see the spirits of the seamen on the glimmering rocks of the Sirens.
Here the perfumes of the sea are mingled with those of the mountain to create a suggestive atmosphere that evokes memories of an extraordinary time, made of heroes, grand gestures and legends suspended between reality and fantasy.

Nerano by yacht

The best way to enjoy this area is by yacht and Nerano’s stunning beach faces onto the bay of Marina del Cantone and can be reached best by sea. If your yacht is anchored offshore, the views of the emerald-covered cliffs are enough to spend a day admiring, before heading to land to sample some Italian cuisine. 

Michelin article:  https://guide.michelin.com/en/article/travel/chef-wolfgang-puck-travel-nerano-italy