The north side of the Sorrento Peninsular faces Mount Vesuvius across the Bay of Naples. The south side is the rugged Amalfi Coast, where our tour buses travel along a narrow winding highway built along the cliff. Towns like Positano are built on the terraced hill side. Less than 5 miles off the tip of the Sorrento Peninsular is Capri Island.
During the 10th and 11th centuries, Amalfi was an independent duchy and maritime power. It is one of the four maritime republics represented on the Italian naval ensign. The other 3 are Venice, Genoa and Pisa.