8 Things to Do Off the Beaten Track on the Amalfi Coast

Visit the Crypt of St Andrew and witness the miracle of Manna in the Duomo di Amalfi (Amalfi Cathedral), a masterpiece with walls and cross vaults adorned with frescoes depicting religious scenes. The space is punctuated with marble columns, stucco, statues and exquisite stained-glass windows. It was built in medieval times to house St Andrew's remains, but underwent radical transformation in the 17th century when a magnificent altar featuring a bronze statue of the apostle was added above the tomb.

The so-called miracle of Manna takes place on holy days, when an oily liquid seeps from the walls of the tomb. Want to see it yourself? Visit Amalfi on 28 January, 26 June or during November, a month dedicated to the saint.

In days gone by, La Fontana De Cape E Ciucci was where peasants who had come to Amalfi from the Valle dei Mulini (Valley of the Mills) would bring their donkeys to drink. The name refers to the heads of these animals that would refresh themselves with its water. Nowadays, its distinctive community nativity scene draws tourists instead.

The main characters are submerged under the water, amongst the goldfish. On the rocks above the water stand shepherds, craftsmen and animals. The figurines are made from tuff and limestone. The fountain can be found on the main road that leads from the Duomo (Cathedral) to the mountains inland.

Visit the Bay of Ieranto, home of the sirens of the Odyssey who, legend has it, bewitched Ulysses. Head to Nerano, on the west side of the Sorrento peninsula, and follow the path that leads to the Baia di Ieranto (Bay of Ieranto). It's a stunning place where you can swim in a cove and admire the sea stacks of Capri on the horizon.

Up until Punta Campanella, the coast is marked by crags, rocks and natural caves. If you stop and listen to the sounds of nature, you'll hear the lapping of the waves and the echoes of the sea in the hollows of rock. You'll feel like you're listening to the song that distracted the Greek hero from his journey home.

The secret gardens of Palazzo Mezzacapo, unusual gardens skillfully landscaped with plays of perspective, elegant pavilions and a decorative grotto, are found along Maiori's main road. The Palazzo Mezzacapo is the historic residence of a family who boosted their fortune with the lumber and coal trade.

If you carefully examine the paths and canals framed by flowerbeds, you'll discover a little secret: in the center of the space is the design of a Maltese cross, a tribute to the order which various members of the family belonged to. The water courses that run along the arms of the cross were not made this was for purely decorative reasons; they were used to move the mill blades and irrigate a lemon grove, which is no longer there.

Torre dello Ziro (Ziro Tower) was built for spying enemy ships that would sail near the coast to plunder the villages or conquer the fortresses, and in past centuries, it formed part of a formidable line of defense that protected the coves of the Costiera Amalfitana (Amalfi Coast).

Today, the tower is a gorgeous viewpoint between Amalfi and Atrani. It's about a 5-km walk from Pontone. The path is an easy walk and goes through the woods of Monte Aureo (Mount Aureo). Once you've reached the tower, you can climb even higher. You'll have to face some more steps, but the breathtaking view makes it all worth it.

The Grotta dello Smeraldo (Emerald Cave) is a natural spectacle where the water and wind have chiseled the walls into stalactites, stalagmites and extraordinary shapes. You can get to the cave by sea, leaving from Amalfi or Conca dei Marini, or using the lift and steps that take you along the coastal road. The 60-metre-long cave can only be toured by boat.

The depths have another surprise in store: an underwater nativity scene made in 1964 to commemorate those who have died at sea. Want to see it up close? Every year, an incredible underwater procession takes place during the Christmas season.

Enjoy wine tasting at the Marisa Cuomo Winery in Furor. One part of the town is soaked in the waves, with a beach at the bottom of a fjord and ancient, water-operated paper mills. Then, there's the village surrounded by mountains, 300 meters above sea level. This little town produces a wine that's held in high esteem by connoisseurs: the Fiorduva.

Fancy visiting a winery's vineyards and buildings? In Cantine Marisa Cuomo (Marisa Cuomo Winery), you can take a fascinating tour of crops clinging to rocks and rows of barrels in atmospheric caves. You can also do some wine tasting and try reds and whites produced from vineyards that grow on difficult terrain, made possible thanks to human tenacity.

The view from the Monumental Cemetery in Amalfi offers you a unique and breathtaking scene. Start from the Duomo di Amalfi (Amalfi Cathedral) and head toward the Cimitero Monumentale (Monumental Cemetery). After a walk through alleys and neighbourhoods, you'll end up on top of a hill.

From this panoramic viewpoint, you'll understand why locals say they live in paradise: the view sweeps over the entire town, which is nestled between the sea and hills, and over the coast from Atrani to Conca dei Marini. If you'd rather not walk, you can make the most of the convenient lift that takes you straight from the town center to the viewpoint.

After tasting the ‘sighs’ of Pasticceria Trieste in Maiori, you'll add them to your list of Maiori's wonders. We're talking about sospiri al limone (lemon ‘sighs’), a specialty you can try at Pasticceria Trieste. These sponge cakes with cream are covered in a glaze made from sfusato amalfitano, the lemon of the Amalfi Coast.

This historic outlet, which opened in 1950, also sells pastarelle alla mandorla (almond biscuits) and torta di ricotta e pere ai pistacchi (pistachio, ricotta and pear cake). When the patisserie opened, Italy and what was the Republic of Yugoslavia were fighting for the territory of Trieste. The owners, taken up by the patriotic atmosphere, named their outlet in Maiori after this contested city.

Have you heard of the Janare of Conca dei Marini? By day, they’re beautiful young women, but at night, they turn into terrifying creatures. The story goes that these mythological figures took refuge along the Costiera Amalfitana (Amalfi Coast). If you want to visit the settings of this myth, you'll need to travel along the coast between Praiano and Conca dei Marini.

It's said that the witches would gather at night among the vegetation and draw fishermen to them with their singing and naked forms. There's a moral to the story's ending: those who succumbed to the seduction would be sacrificed to nature and the sea.