The tiny seaside town as beautiful as Amalfi but with hardly any tourists

Mass tourism is having a significant impact on Italian tourism but that is no reason not to visit.

Whilst Venice has recently introduced a tourist tax designed to dissuade potential visitors and Florence has banned new Airbnbs from being listed there has never been a better time to break away from the main tourist destinations and explore the rest of what Italy has to offer.

Smaller, lesser visited Italian destinations are not hard to find and fall in love with.

They can even provide visitors were a more genuine, authentic Italian experience. The coastal town of Atrani might just be one such place.

Located in the province of Salerno, along the coast from the popular Positano, Atrani possess the all of the charm of its more famous neighbour without the tourist filled streets and overpriced rentals.

The easiest way to reach the hamlet is via taxi, which takes around an hour from Naples airport. Local transport options are available but those familiar with travel in the country will warn that they don’t always run to a strict schedule.

Any difficulty in reaching Atrani is made worth it by the scenary that greets you as the winding road draws you into the hilltop town.

Its exquisite architecture, where buildings seem to cling from its mountainous terrain makes it one of the most picturesque coastlines in the country, demonstrated by its choosing as the location for the Netflix series Ripley, starring Andrew Scott to be filmed.

Its lack of tourists owes more to its size than to anything else. At just 0.2km squared, the town physically has little room to house tourists but that does not make it impossible to visit.

Planning in advance allows you to ensure a room in its much sought after hotels, including the beautiful Palazzo Ferraioli which provides picturesque views as good as any on the Amalfi Coast.

The town’s streets are charming and authentic, with narrow alleyways and small passageways providing perfect post-dinner walks.

For those hoping to explore by car prior research is vital to ensure no nasty surprises.

Atrani has little parking space and traffic is heavily limited. Everywhere on the Amalfi Coast, non-residents’ cars can only circulate on alternate days based on license plate numbers, so look into this further if you’re thinking of renting a car to visit Atrani.

If you hope to explore by foot, the stunning route to or from Ravello is one not to be missed as the approximately one and a half hour route offers breathtaking views through fragrant lemon trees and ancient stairways.

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