The Wild Ride of the Amalfi Coast

The Amalfi Drive offers a remembrance of captivating views in addition to curiosity. Transportation around the coast is fascinating to a foreigner, and most visitors are nowhere near prepared for the twisty, narrow roads. Someone who is used to bumper-to-bumper traffic is quickly turning his/her head to see a Vespa dart pass a motorcoach and a public transportation SITA bus. Usually, in the United States, it’s common to have many possible routes to one destination. In southern Italy, one long road will lead you to multiple, marvelous places. The thrilling road stretches about 30 miles (50 kilometers) long. The drive can be scary but breathtaking with steep rock on one side and a dramatic drop to the Tyrrhenian Sea on the other. The road, formally known as the Strada Statale 163, was built was originally built by the Romans. In 1807 Giuseppe Bonaparte decided to build a road from Naples to Amalfi when visiting and in 1854 Ferdinand II commissioned the construction of the road which connects the villages and towns along the coastline. Though some villages didn’t gain road access until the 20th century,  the “road of 1,000 bends” connects the beauty of the coast together. 

The Italian economic boom happened after WWII until the late 1906s. The impact was huge. Quick economic expansion consisted of massive inflows of migrants from within the country, increasing the demand for transportation. The modernizing economy’s standard of living improved for the majority of the population. Many soldiers based around Salerno, the site of one of the main Allied beachheads during the invasion of Italy, came back to live in southern Italy after the war. Over the years population grew, increasing traffic and attracting tourism. Despite the destination on Amalfi Drive, cars and Vespas will be parked on the slim road. At first glance, one might not think twice about the reason, but for example, individuals who work in Positano but don’t live in Positano will park their vehicles partially on the shoulder and the road. During the summer months when the coast is at its peak and public transportation is often overcrowded it can be especially difficult to navigate. Rules also change for private transportation methods such as motorcoaches prohibited from driving so far into a town or village. Another issue has to do with available places to live. There are some property and renovation restrictions. There are different rules for hotels and commercial structures, but individuals can get fined for building illegally. An example of renovation that isn’t allowed is turning a balcony into a kitchen. In Positano, there are not a lot of newer foundations later than the 1980s. So, when purchasing a house there is also a limitation issue since one has to choose from the houses already built. There is simply not enough space. The soft, pastel colors of the houses, hotels and buildings keep the look of the coast- it unifies everything. 

Visitors can forget that what’s in front of them has deeper explanations. This is practical for any place that lives on tourism. Enjoy the wild ride of the Amalfi Coast.