10 Things to Do on the Amalfi Coast When it Rains

At the Museum of the Compass and the Duchy of Amalfi (Museo della Bussola e del Ducato Marinaro), you can retrace centuries of fascinating history and discoveries and admire works, records, relics and the tarì, the old local currency. The Duchy of Amalfi, a maritime republic, made its fortune through sailing, and compasses were essential for the seafarers who crossed the Mediterranean to trade, explore and battle.

The Amalfitani were the first in Europe to use this tool, possibly imported from China. The town's seafront promenade features a monument to Flavio Gioia, who invented or perfected the magnetic orientation system. Even the museum site itself is worthy of special mention, with its one-of-a-kind 11th-century arsenal.

La Caravella Art Gallery invites visitors to admire the ceramics made by the best craftsmen on the Amalfi Coast. You can even touch them, because this is the only real way to take in all the colours, nuances, shapes and details.

This gallery was born out of the same passion that drives the restaurant and museum of the same name. Here, masterpieces are displayed, created by master ceramicists from the 19th century up to today. If the rain doesn't let up, it's only a stone's throw from the gallery to the restaurant, so you can get quickly from one to the other.

The Italian Fine Art Gallery is an exhibition space in the centre of Positano that houses paintings, photographs and sculptures that use innovative materials and techniques, mostly by Italian artists. Beyond the objects themselves, there are also cultural tours that will help you understand the works by illustrating the style, personality and sensibility of the artists who created them.

The displays are designed to be an opportunity for study and discussion and to introduce the public to the creative universe of each artist.

The Parish Church of San Gennaro is a structure with 3 naves topped by an oval dome covered with majolica. The square in Praiano where the church is located overlooks a beautiful panorama sweeping across to Positano and the Sorrentine Peninsula.

Inside, you can admire the stuccowork and terracotta majolica floor featuring plant and animal figures. One of the standouts among the church’s many altars is the Carmine altar, which commemorates the Battle of Lepanto. If the church seems unique to you, that’s because it is – it’s the only example of baroque architecture on the Amalfi Coast.

The Museum of Sacred Art (Museo di Arte Sacra) is inside the crypt of the Collegiata di Santa Maria a Mare (Collegiate Church of Santa Maria a Mare in Maiori). Here you can marvel at the treasures spread over 2 levels, with an adjacent panoramic garden. You can enter via the entrances to the church or the pedestrian route from Via Scala Santa.

The display features 18th-century statues, vestments and sacred vessels, furnishings, goblets and reliquaries. One of the most important pieces is an alabaster sculpture from the Renaissance period. There are also numerous objects that illustrate the sophistication of the Neapolitan silver art that flourished between the 18th and 19th centuries.

The Ceramics Museum (Museo della Ceramica) in the Raito district is located inside the villa that was the residence of Raffaele Guariglia, a prominent diplomat and ambassador in the 1930s and '40s. In Vietri sul Mare, the art of ceramics is a time-honoured tradition that has transformed the look of the town, colouring its streets with wonderful objects, workshops and shops.

The museum collection includes vases, plates, sculptures, everyday objects and panels with panoramas of the Amalfi Coast. The exhibition route retraces the story of ceramic manufacturing from its origins up to today. There is also a noteworthy collection of riggiole, the hand-decorated tiles typical of the local area that are used on floors and walls.

The limoncello tour at Ristorante Le Bontà del Capo in Conca dei Marini offers a cheerful activity dedicated to one of the most famous and exported products from the Amalfi Coast: limoncello. Thanks to this food and history tour, you'll be able to see the places and stages of production.

During a visit to the lemon grove, you'll learn about the cultivation methods, while inside the factory you'll discover the different production techniques. Can you think of anything more appealing on a rainy day than sampling this liqueur and trying the local cuisine?

The Gragnano Pasta Factory museum offers an interesting tour that straddles history and tradition, with a display of over 500 objects, some dating back to the 18th century. Here you can see the tools used by pasta makers in centuries gone by.

You can marvel at pasta machines used in the last century, observe farmers' working tools and discover the production phases that still follow the old methods today. A fun practical demonstration awaits at the end of the historical tour, and you'll be able to sample some treats made using Gragnano pasta.

Pasticceria Gambardella, a pastry shop in the centre of Minori, is a sweet refuge where you can wait for the clouds to blow over on a rainy afternoon. Here you can taste both the delicacies of the local confectionery and artisan spirits, including cream liqueurs flavoured with wild strawberries, bay leaf and fennel, and limoncello, of course!

Lemons also provide the flavour for the various pastries and sweets such as delizia al limone, a typical Neapolitan dessert with lemon sponge, as well as chocolates, biscuits and profiteroles. The house speciality is a digestif made with coffee and aromatic herbs, the recipe for which is a closely guarded secret passed down from generation to generation.