Best classic places spots hotspots sites sights views photo locations to photograph for photography with maps tips ideas composition postcard photos cool beautiful pictures
Grand Prize in the National Self-Published Book Awards
Benjamin Franklin Award for Best First Book
Best Travel Guide, Benjamin Franklin Awards finalist
“Impressive in its presentation and abundance of material.”
— National Geographic Traveler
“PhotoSecrets books are an invaluable resource for photographers.”
— Nikon School of Photography
“One of the best travel photography books we’ve ever seen.”
— Minolta
“Guides you to the most visually distinctive places to explore with your camera.”
— Outdoor Photographer
“This could be one of the most needed travel books ever published!”
— San Francisco Bay Guardian
“The most useful travel guides for anyone with a camera.”
— Shutterbug’s Outdoor and Nature Photography
“Takes the guesswork out of shooting.”
— American Way (American Airlines magazine)
PhotoSecrets Amalfi Coast, first published May 3, 2016. This version output April 21, 2018.
Curated, coded and designed by Andrew Hudson. Copyright © Andrew Hudson for PhotoSecrets (Photo Tour Books, Inc.). Photos, text and maps copyrights are listed in the credits section.
“‘And what is the use of a book,’ thought Alice ‘without pictures or conversations?’”
— Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll
Thank you to the many talented photographers that generously made their photos available. Photos distributed by the following:
Text copyright of Wikipedia editors and contributors. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA).
Map data from OpenStreetMap and its contributors. Open data licensed under the Open Data Commons Open Database License (ODbL).
Cover image by Mihael Grmek/Wikipedia.
Back cover image by .
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted in any way without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner(s) and the publisher of this book.
The information provided within this book is for general informational purposes only. Some information may be inadvertently incorrect, or may be incorrect in the source material, or may have changed since publication, this includes GPS coordinates, addresses, location titles, descriptions, Web links, and photo credits. Use with caution; do not photograph from roads or other dangerous places or when trespassing, even if GPS coordinates and/or maps indicate so; beware of moving vehicles; obey laws. The publisher and author cannot accept responsibility for any consequences arising from the use of this book. There are no representations or warranties, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the information, products, services, images, or graphics contained in this book for any purpose. Any use of this information is at your own risk.
For corrections, please send an email.
A great travel photograph, like a great news photograph, requires you to be in the right place at the right time to capture that special moment. Professional photographers have a short-hand phrase for this: “F8 and be there.”
There are countless books that can help you with photographic technique, the “F8” portion of that equation. But until now, there’s been little help for the other, more critical portion of that equation, the “be there” part. To find the right spot, you had to expend lots of time and shoe leather to wander around, track down every potential viewpoint, and essentially re-invent the wheel.
In my career as a professional travel photographer, well over half my time on location is spent seeking out the good angles. Andrew Hudson’s PhotoSecrets does all that legwork for you, so you can spend your time photographing instead of wandering about. It’s like having a professional location scout in your camera bag. I wish I had one of these books for every city I photograph on assignment.
PhotoSecrets can help you capture the most beautiful sights with a minimum of hassle and a maximum of enjoyment. So grab your camera, find your favorite PhotoSecrets spots, and “be there!”
Bob Krist has photographed assignments for National Geographic, National Geographic Traveler, Travel/Holiday, Smithsonian, and Islands. He won “Travel photographer of the Year” from the Society of American Travel Writers in 1994, 2007, and 2008.
For National Geographic, Bob has led round-the-world tours and a traveling lecture series. His book In Tuscany with Frances Mayes spent a month on The New York Times’ bestseller list and his how-to book Spirit of Place was hailed by American Photographer magazine as “the best book about travel photography we’ve ever read.”
The parents of three sons, Bob and his wife live in New Hope, Pennsylvania.
Thank you for reading PhotoSecrets. As a fellow fan of travel and photography, I hope this guide will help you quickly find the most visually stunning places, and come home with equally stunning photographs.
PhotoSecrets is designed to show you all the best sights. Flick through, see the classic shots, and use them as a departure point for your own creations. Get ideas for composition and interesting viewpoints. See what piques your interest. Know what to shoot, where to stand, when to go, and why it’s interesting. Now you can spend less time researching and more time photographing.
The idea for PhotoSecrets came during a trip to Thailand, when I tried to find the exotic beach used in the James Bond movie The Man with the Golden Gun. None of the guidebooks I had showed a picture, so I thought a guidebook of postcard photos would be useful for us photographers. Twenty-plus years later, you have this guide. Thanks!
Now, start exploring — and take lots of photos!
Originally an engineer, Andrew Hudson started PhotoSecrets in 1995. His first book won the Benjamin Franklin Award for Best First Book and his second won the Grand Prize in the National Self-Published Book Awards.
Andrew has published 38 nationally-distributed photography books. He has photographed assignments for Macy’s, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Men’s Health and Seventeen, and been a location scout for Nikon. His photos and articles have appeared in Alaska Airlines, National Geographic Traveler, Shutterbug Outdoor and Nature photography, Where, and Woman’s World.
Andrew has a degree in Computer Engineering from Manchester University and a certificate in copyright law from Harvard Law School. Born in Redditch, England, he lives with his wife, two kids, and two chocolate Labs, in San Diego, California.
At a Glance | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Amalfi Coast (Italian: Costiera Amalfitana) |
| What: | Scenic coastline in southern Italy. |
| Where: | Salerno Gulf, Province of Salerno, Southern Italy |
| Award: | UNESCO World Heritage Site as a cultural landscape |
| GPS: | 40.633333, 14.6 |
| Far: | 225 km (140 miles) from Rome |
The Amalfi Coast is a stretch of coastline on the southern coast of the Salerno Gulf in the Province of Salerno in Southern Italy.
Photographer: Sudodana2048
Year: 2006.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 3.
Ravello is a town and comune situated above the Amalfi Coast in the province of Salerno, Campania, southern Italy, with approximately 2,500 inhabitants.
Photographer: Mihael Grmek
Year: 2014.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 4.
| Addr: | Where: | 40.648488 14.613068 | |
| When: | Afternoon | Look: | South ↓ |
| Far: | 40 m (140 feet) |
Photographer: Sudodana2048
Year: 2006.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 3.
Photographer: Soloxsalerno
Year: 2006.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 3.
| Addr: | Where: | 40.649128 14.612176 | |
| What: | Bell tower | When: | Afternoon |
| Look: | North-northeast ↑ | Far: | 24 m (79 feet) |
Photographer: Joseflehmkuhl
Year: 2007.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 3.
| Addr: | Where: | 40.649082 14.611918 | |
| What: | Entrance | When: | Afternoon |
| Look: | East-southeast → | Far: | 18 m (59 feet) |
Photographer: Wa
Year: 2003.
Source: Wikipedia
License: Released by author into the public domain.
A view of the terrace and ocean, looking northeast.
| Addr: | Villa Cimbrone, Ravello, Amalfi Coast | Where: | 40.641963 14.609966 |
| What: | Belvedere | When: | Afternoon |
| Look: | Northeast ↗ | Far: | 30 m (100 feet) |
| AKA: | Infinity Terrace |
Photographer: Princess Venetia Di Cannoli
Year: 2008.
Source: Wikipedia
License: Released by author into the public domain.
A view of the courtyard of Villa Cimbrone, looking southeast.
| Addr: | Villa Cimbrone, Ravello, Amalfi Coast | Where: | 40.644251 14.611248 |
| What: | Courtyard | When: | Afternoon |
| Look: | East-northeast → | Far: | 17 m (56 feet) |
Photographer: Jensens
Year: 2008.
Source: Wikipedia
License: Released by author into the public domain.
A view of the gardens, looking south.
| Addr: | Villa Cimbrone, Ravello, Amalfi Coast | Where: | 40.644695 14.611033 |
| When: | Afternoon | Look: | South-southeast ↓ |
| Far: | 60 m (200 feet) |
Photographer: Jensens
Year: 2008.
Source: Wikipedia
License: Released by author into the public domain.
A view of the garden, looking north.
| Addr: | Villa Cimbrone, Ravello, Amalfi Coast | Where: | 40.643539 14.61099 |
| When: | Afternoon | Look: | North-northeast ↑ |
| Far: | 70 m (220 feet) |
Photographer: Jensens
Year: 2008.
Source: Wikipedia
License: Released by author into the public domain.
The Chiesa di San Giovanni del Toro “Church of St.
| Addr: | Where: | 40.6514 14.6126 | |
| What: | Church | When: | Anytime |
| AKA: | Church of St. John of the Bull | Wik: |
Photographer: Wa
Year: 2003.
Source: Wikipedia
License: Released by author into the public domain.
| Addr: | Where: | 40.634974 14.603255 | |
| What: | Cloister | When: | Morning |
| Look: | South-southwest ↓ | Far: | 22 m (72 feet) |
| AKA: | Paradise Cloister |
Photographer: Berthold Werner
Year: 2013.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 3.
| Addr: | Where: | 40.634253 14.602729 | |
| When: | Afternoon | Look: | East-northeast → |
| Far: | 40 m (140 feet) |
Photographer: JT
Year: 2007.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 2.
| Addr: | Where: | 40.6344 14.602767 | |
| What: | Mosaic | When: | Afternoon |
| Look: | East → | Far: | 25 m (82 feet) |
Photographer: Dave and Margie Hill
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY-SA 2.
The steps to Duomo di Aalfi.
| Addr: | Where: | 40.634343 14.602734 | |
| What: | Steps | When: | Afternoon |
| Look: | East-northeast → | Far: | 40 m (110 feet) |
Photographer: Berthold Werner
Year: 2013.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 3.
Photographer: Sudodana2048
Year: 2006.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 3.
| Addr: | Where: | 40.634388 14.602633 | |
| What: | Bell tower | When: | Afternoon |
| Look: | Northeast ↗ | Far: | 40 m (140 feet) |
Photographer: Berthold Werner
Year: 2013.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 3.
| Addr: | Where: | 40.634432 14.602901 | |
| What: | Entrance | When: | Afternoon |
| Look: | East → | Far: | 14 m (46 feet) |
Photographer: Kim Traynor
Year: 2012.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 3.
| Addr: | Where: | 40.634481 14.60333 | |
| What: | Shrine | When: | Anytime |
Photographer: Andy Rusch
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY 2.
| Addr: | Where: | 40.636036 14.601001 | |
| What: | Waterfall | When: | Anytime |
Photographer: Szapucki
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY 2.
Photographer: Elliott Brown
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY 2.
The fountain in Piazza Duomo.
| Addr: | Where: | 40.634225 14.602724 | |
| What: | Fountain | When: | Morning |
| Look: | West-southwest ← | Far: | 20 m (66 feet) |
Photographer: Surreal Name Given
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY 2.
Photographer: Sudodana2048
Year: 2006.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 3.
| Addr: | Hotel La Bussola, Lungomare, 16, 84011 Amalfi SA | Where: | 40.633358 14.599482 |
| When: | Afternoon | Look: | East → |
| Far: | 0.62 km (0.39 miles) |
Photographer: Patricio Lorente
Year: 2005.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 2.
Flavio Gioia is a statue in Amalfi by Alfonso Balzico, 1900. Flavio Gioia or Gioia (c. 1300) was reputed to be an Italian mariner and inventor, supposedly a marine pilot, and has traditionally been credited with perfecting the sailor’s compass by suspending its needle over a fleur-de-lis design, which pointed North, also enclosing the needle in a little box with a glass cover.
Flavio Gioia’s birthplace is alternately given as Amalfi, Positano, Naples, and, Gioia, a town in Apulia, hence the derivation of the reputed surname.
| Addr: | Where: | 40.63359 14.602815 | |
| What: | Statue | When: | Morning |
| Look: | West ← | Far: | 17 m (56 feet) |
| Wik: |
Photographer: Elliott Brown
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY 2.
Photographer: Jensens
Year: 2008.
Source: Wikipedia
License: Released by author into the public domain.
| Addr: | Amalfi, Naples | Where: | 40.632277 14.60302 |
| When: | Morning | Look: | North ↑ |
| Far: | 160 m (530 feet) |
Photographer: Paolo Costa Baldi
Year: 2011.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY 3.
View from pool of Hotel Luna Convento.
| Addr: | Hotel Luna Convento, Via Pantaleome Comite, 33, 84011 Amalfi SA | Where: | 40.632828 14.607267 |
| When: | Afternoon | Look: | North-northeast ↑ |
| Far: | 350 m (1150 feet) |
Photographer: Jimlonj
Year: 2007.
Source: Wikipedia
License: Released by author into the public domain.
From near entrance to Grotta dello Smeraldo.
| Addr: | Via Smeraldo, 35, 84010 Conca dei Marini SA | Where: | 40.6148642 14.5668922 |
| When: | Afternoon | Look: | Southeast ↘ |
| Far: | 0.55 km (0.34 miles) |
Photographer: Mess
Year: 2003.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 3.
| Addr: | Via Marina di Conca, 36, 84010 Conca dei Marini SA | Where: | 40.617432 14.575987 |
| When: | Afternoon | Look: | South ↓ |
| Far: | 90 m (290 feet) |
Photographer: GothEric
Year: 2004.
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY-SA 2.
Grotta dello Smeraldo (Emerald Grotto) is a cave, partly inundated by the sea.
| Addr: | Where: | 40.615072 14.567619 | |
| What: | Sea cave | When: | Anytime |
| AKA: | Emerald Grotto | Wik: |
Photographer: GothEric
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY-SA 2.
Photographer: Dave and Margie Hill
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY-SA 2.
| Addr: | Where: | 40.614316 14.572963 | |
| What: | Watchtower | When: | Morning |
| Look: | South ↓ | Far: | 220 m (730 feet) |
Photographer: Mihael Grmek
Year: 2014.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 4.
| Addr: | Positano, Amalfi Coast, Naples | Where: | 40.626575 14.483811 |
| When: | Morning | Look: | Southwest ↙ |
| Far: | 420 m (1370 feet) |
Photographer: Jecco
Year: 2014.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY 4.
Positano sunset taken from the balcony of Hotel Marincanto, includes Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta.
| Addr: | Hotel Marincanto, Via Cristoforo Colombo, 50, 84017 Positano SA | Where: | 40.627459 14.490157 |
| When: | Anytime | Look: | West ← |
| Far: | 250 m (830 feet) | AKA: | Spiaggia Grande |
Photographer: Gilbert Bochenek
Year: 2013.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 3.
| Addr: | Where: | 40.625023 14.516743 | |
| What: | Footpath | When: | Anytime |
| AKA: | Sentiero degli dei, Path of the Gods |
Photographer: Jecco
Year: 2014.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY 4.
| Addr: | Positano, Amalfi Coast, Naples | Where: | 40.619686 14.487963 |
| When: | Morning | Look: | North ↑ |
| Far: | 0.91 km (0.56 miles) |
Photographer: Matthiaskabel
Year: 2012.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 3.
| Addr: | Positano, Almalfi Coast, Naples | Where: | 40.628364 14.487084 |
| What: | Church | When: | Anytime |
| AKA: | Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta |
Photographer: Arnoldius
Year: 2015.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 3.
Photographer: Os
Year: 2007.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 3.
A street in the old Lombard area of Salerno.
| Addr: | Where: | 40.679995 14.758823 | |
| What: | Street | When: | Afternoon |
| Look: | North ↑ | Far: | 17 m (56 feet) |
Photographer: Berthold Werner
Year: 2013.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 3.
Salerno Cathedral is the main church in the city of Salerno in southern Italy and a major tourist attraction.
| Addr: | Piazza Alfano I, 84121 Salerno SA | Where: | 40.680061 14.760277 |
| What: | Cathedral | When: | Anytime |
| AKA: | Cattedrale di Salerno | Wik: |
Photographer: Attilios
Year: 2007.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 3.
Photographer: Berthold Werner
Year: 2013.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 3.
Photographer: Berthold Werner
Year: 2013.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 3.
Photographer: Liberotag73
Year: 2010.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 3.
Palazzo Sant’Agostino is home to the provincial seat, in Salerno.
| Addr: | Where: | 40.678244 14.759374 | |
| What: | Building | When: | Anytime |
Photographer: Mess
Year: 2005.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 3.
The so-called fiordo di Furore, in fact a ria created by the Schiato torrent which flows here from Agerola.
| Addr: | Via Trasita, Furore SA | Where: | 40.6139583 14.5541379 |
| What: | Coastal inlet | When: | Afternoon |
| Look: | Northeast ↗ | Far: | 90 m (290 feet) |
| AKA: | Borgo di Furore |
Photographer: Ginodibbi
Year: 2014.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 3.
| Addr: | Where: | 40.637388 14.696145 | |
| What: | Beach | When: | Morning |
| Look: | North-northwest ↑ | Far: | 90 m (290 feet) |
| AKA: | Spiaggia di Cauco |
Photographer: Liberotag73
Year: 2010.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 3.
| Addr: | Where: | 40.637058 14.693763 | |
| What: | Tower | When: | Afternoon |
| Look: | East → | Far: | 160 m (520 feet) |
Photographer: Liberotag73
Year: 2010.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY 3.
| Addr: | Where: | 40.636273 14.693313 | |
| When: | Afternoon | Look: | Northeast ↗ |
| Far: | 130 m (430 feet) |
Photographer: Ophelia12342001
Year: 2013.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 3.
The Villa Romana (Roman Villa) is an archaeological ruin from the 1st century in the village of Minori.
| Addr: | Where: | 40.6500389 14.6265611 | |
| What: | Ruin | When: | Anytime |
| Wik: |
Photographer: Anna Socci
Year: 2012.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 3.
Photographer: Anna Socci
Year: 2012.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 3.
Photographer: Anna Socci
Year: 2012.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 3.
Photographer: Jensens
Year: 2008.
Source: Wikipedia
License: Released by author into the public domain.
| Addr: | Where: | 40.633561 14.729748 | |
| When: | Morning | Look: | West-northwest ← |
| Far: | 2.72 km (1.69 miles) |
Photographer: Jensens
Year: 2008.
Source: Wikipedia
License: Released by author into the public domain.
| Addr: | Praiano, Amalfi Coast, Naples | Where: | 40.588172 14.515085 |
| When: | Afternoon | Look: | North ↑ |
| Far: | 2.75 km (1.71 miles) |
Thank you to the many wonderful people and companies that made their work available to use in this guide.
Photo key: Tap the camera icon to see the photo. The two letters reference the distributor and license. Key for distributors: f:Flickr; w:Wikipedia. Key for license: a:CC-BY-SA; b:CC-BY; m:public domain.
Cover image by .Arnoldius ( wa); Attilios ( wb); Paolo Costa Baldi ( wa); Gilbert Bochenek ( fb); Elliott Brown ( wm); Princess Venetia Di Cannoli ( wa); Ginodibbi ( fb); Surreal Name Given ( fa); GothEric ( wa); Mihael Grmek ( fa); Dave and Margie Hill ( wb); Jecco ( wm); Jensens ( wm); Jimlonj ( wa); Joseflehmkuhl ( wa); JT ( wa); Liberotag73 ( wa); Patricio Lorente ( wa); Matthiaskabel ( wa); Mess ( wa); Ophelia12342001 ( wa); Os ( fb); Andy Rusch ( wa); Anna Socci ( wa); Soloxsalerno ( wa); Sudodana2048 ( fb); Szapucki ( wa); Kim Traynor ( wm); Wa ( wa); Berthold Werner ( wa). Some text adapted from Wikipedia and its contributors where noted by the URL path in the “Wik” table field, used and modified under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC-BY-SA) license. Map data from OpenStreetMap and its contributors, used under the Open Data Commons Open Database License (ODbL).