Nestled in a wonderful garden, among olive, lemon and carob trees, set in a panoramic view of striking beauty, Conca dei Marini is a small seaside town perched on a rocky rise between Capo di Conca and the Emerald Grotto, about 4 km from Amalfi.
In this article, we will tell you everything you need to know about visiting the village where, among other things, the delicious Sfogliatella Santa Rosa would be born.
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How to Get There
✅ By Plane: Nearest airport is Capodichino in Naples. Land in the Neapolitan city and take the shuttle bus to the train station. From there SITA bus or train to Salerno. From Salerno take the SITA bus to Amalfi. From there, another SITA bus (Amalfi – Positano – Sorrento line) to your destination.
✅ By Train: Nearest train station is Salerno. From Salerno it is possible to reach Conca dei Marini either by bus or ferry (in the summer months). The arrival point for buses and ferries is Amalfi. From there it is essential to take another SITA bus (Amalfi – Positano – Sorrento line) or a private transfer.
✅ By Car: From the A3 austrada exit at Vietri sul Mare, and from there proceed on the S.S.163 following it to Amalfi. Once in Amalfi, continue in the direction of Agerola, S.S 366 for the upper part, continue on the SS 163 if you want to reach places by the sea.
The SS 163 Amalfitana is not an easy road, so reaching Conca dei Marini may seem complicated, either if you travel by car or by public transportation. For this reason, we recommend downloading our free guide “How to get around the Amalfi Coast without stress”: inside you’ll find all the information you need to reach the Amalfi Coast, to move from one destination to another and, last but not least, to park your car or motorcycle!
Where to Sleep in Conca dei Marini
📣 If you are looking for the perfect accommodation for your vacation on the Amalfi Coast,
take a look at these carefully selected proposals for you!
What to See in Conca dei Marini
Conca dei Marini is located 400 meters above sea level and is divided into two parts: on one side, the Marina, where until the last century the highest number of boats on the entire coast was concentrated and where the population currently lives, at sea level. On the upper tier, we have the cellars and warehouses, where the villagers store fishing equipment.
During your stay on the Amalfi Coast, we recommend visiting this village, which will magically catapult you into an era that seems far away: here everything seems to have remained intact, almost isolated from the chaos of modernity and the crowds that characterize the other towns on the Coast.
But what to see in Conca dei Marini? Let’s find out right now!
📍 Emerald Grotto
we couldn’t help but place it at the top of the list of must-see attractions. Inside the cave you will be amazed by the water, which takes on a splendid emerald color, due to the sunlight filtering through a hidden crevice. Inside the cave you will admire an incredible amount of stalactites and stalagmites, sculpted by water over the centuries. You can access the cave either through an elevator located right on the road or by sea.
If you are looking for more information, we have for you an entire article dedicated to this natural jewel of the Amalfi Coast.
📍 Church of San Pancrazio
it is located next to an olive grove described in a poem by the poet Alfonso Gatto, deviating from State Road 163 Amalfitana, taking an uphill road on the right (coming from Salerno). In this Church are preserved the votive offerings of sailors who escaped the storms. Near the Church you find a belvedere called “Punta Vreca,” because it is shaped like a ship.
📍 Capo di Conca
Reaching the village of Conca dei Marini or moving towards Praiano and Positano, from the road you can’t help but notice that in the middle of the sea stands a striking promontory covered by thick vegetation on which stands an imposing Saracen tower. The building is part of the system of towers that, starting in the 16th century was commissioned by the viceroy of Naples to protect the Coast from Saracen and Corsican raids. Capo di Conca today houses a bathing lido and restaurant. It is accessed from the state road, near the Emerald Grotto.
📍 Santa Rosa Monastery
it was within the walls of this building that the Santa Rosa puff pastry would be born. Today the structure houses a luxurious hotel and a starred restaurant. Near the hotel you can visit the Church of Santa Maria di Grado, dating back to the 9th century. Following a cataclysm, it was later rebuilt in the late Baroque style. During the summer, the church can be visited every afternoon, while in the fall or winter it can be accessed only on weekends.
📍 Church of St. John the Baptist
(also known as Church of St. Anthony of Padua): it is located in a secluded position from the Church of St. Pancrace, which allowed it to be protected from Saracen raids. A document from 1693 states that it is the oldest church in the area, although there is no information about its origins. The present structure, with three naves, dates back to the 13th century, while the Baroque decoration of both the interior and the facade is from a later period.
What to do in Conca dei Marini
📣 We have selected for you the must-do experiences in and around Conca dei Marini!
Trekking and walking
📍 From Conca dei Marini to the Convent of Cospita and to San Lazzaro
From the Santa Rosa Convent, next to the bus stop, take the steps that, between steps and a few flat stretches, take you to the Belvedere di San Lazzaro. Here, to enjoy the view, follow the road to the left, slightly downhill, for about a hundred meters. Proceeding, you arrive at a point where, if you are not afraid of heights, you can enjoy from a cliff surrounded by some rocks the spectacle of a breathtaking view, where your gaze sweeps from Amalfi to the Gulf of Salerno, catching sight of the Cilento mountains and Punta Licosa.
At one point, you find a rocky gorge from which you will have to descend using makeshift handholds: you finally catch a glimpse of the ruins of the Convent of Cospita, of which only a few remains of the perimeter walls remain today. However, here you can stop for a rest.
You can return by going back along the road of the outward journey or, alternatively, take a path from the northern side of the ruins through a chestnut grove and reach San Lazzaro, from which you can also return to Conca dei Marini by bus.
📍 From Conca dei Marini to Praia, passing through the Fjord of Furore.
This route crosses various paths, including the “Mad Bat Trail,” the “Fish Fox Trail,” and the “Flowering Agave Trail.”
If you want to learn more about these hikes, read our article dedicated to trekking on the Amalfi Coast.
To reach the enchanting Fiordo di Furore, start from the Church of San Pancrazio: on its left take a flight of steps, which leads to a pedestrian path. Reach the Church of San Michele: with your back to it, take the small road in front of you and then the stairway.
Find another section of pedestrian road and shortly afterwards take the path that leads you into the Vallone di Furore: this is the so-called “Path of the Mad Bats,” whose name comes from the presence of these mammals that find a home in rocky ravines.
At the end of the path, take the detour to the right, pass the paper mill, go past an old mill and you are in front of the seaside village of Furore. From the beach starts the “Fish Fox Trail,” which leads to Sant’Elia, a hamlet of Furore, with its 13th-century Church.
Past the Church, the Sentiero dell’Amore (Love Path) begins: you walk along it for a short distance and finally take the path along the “Sentiero delle Agavi in Fiore” (Flowering Agave Path), which, through terraces, vineyards and olive groves, leads you towards the first houses of Praiano.
Experiences to do in Conca dei Marini
Homeland of the Sfogliatella Santa Rosa puff pastry, this delightful village offers many opportunities to delight the palate, whether looking at the sea from above or with your feet in the water. On its beaches it is possible to find restaurants that are exclusive, but at the same time affordable for everyone. Absolutely worth trying is dining in these restaurants, reaching them from the sea.
In addition to good food, sea, relaxation and walks, you can enjoy many activities in the surrounding area: a day on a boat, a scuba diving course or a cooking class of local cuisine: the possibilities are endless.
The beaches of Conca dei Marini
Conca dei Marini stretches vertically for about 400 meters: a village practically suspended between sky and sea. The most striking part is definitely Marina, the area at the water’s edge, with its little houses that, among stairways, arches and alleys, descend to the sea, down to the beach. Therefore, we tell you something about this picturesque beach and other smaller, more secluded gems to be reached in the immediate vicinity.
✅ Marina di Conca: The setting of this beach will strike you, because to get there you will walk down a flight of steps that starts directly from the highway and passes through the houses of the Borgo Marinaro. In spite of its vintage postcard charm, the beach also offers some services to ensure a perfect day of sea and relaxation: in fact, you can rent a sunbed and umbrella or have a delicious lunch directly on the sea, at a historic restaurant with over 40 years of activity behind it.
Right overlooking the beach is the small chapel dedicated to Madonna della Neve is celebrated every year on August 5. A small boat also leaves from here to the nearby “La Vite” beach.
✅ O’ Runghetiello: beyond the Capo di Conca, inside the bay sheltered from the Meridione winds, is this area called “O’ Runghetiello,” which includes two hidden beaches, accessible only by sea. The first is only 8 meters long, the other is about 30 meters wide. You can move from one beach to the other by swimming, as they are only a few arm strokes apart.
Why choose Conca dei Marini As a destination
Decidedly secluded and sheltered from mass tourism, Conca dei Marini is, among the destinations on the Coast, the one that best suits the needs of those who want to completely unplug: the silence, the atmosphere suspended in time, and the evocative and unique landscape are the perfect ingredients for a pleasant and relaxing stay.
Getting around by public transportation, however, can be a little uneasy, since to reach some of the towns on the Coast, such as Maiori, Minori, Cetara and Vietri sul Mare, you will first have to reach the town of Amalfi, which is the terminus for buses and ferries. Finally, we remind you that the Travelmar sea service does not stop in Conca dei Marini.
📣 Choose Conca dei Marini as your travel destination if:
🔹 You are looking for a quiet, secluded, relaxing destination, immersed in a pleasant atmosphere and suspended in time;
🔹 You are traveling as a couple, perhaps on two wheels or by car and have greater freedom of movement;
🔹 You are accustomed to adventure and are not too stressed by the idea of having to wait for buses, miss connections, travel standing up in crowded buses, walk stretches of road, perhaps in the sun.
The best time to visit Conca dei Marini
Conca dei Marini is nestled between Amalfi and Positano, in a position that makes the route to reach it a bit tortuous: the greatest traffic, with risk of traffic jams and queues, is concentrated precisely in some sections of the Amalfi State Highway included between Amalfi and Positano. For this reason, we recommend that you prefer autumn and spring, that is, the seasons when the Coast is generally less taken by assault by travelers and tourists, who are more numerous in July and August. Weekends or days straddling holidays and bridges can also prove to have a high concentration of tourists.
If you travel by bus, move around with timetables and tickets at hand, and wear comfortable clothing and footwear so that you can cope with any standing trips or some walking.
Remember that a comfortable and very pleasant alternative can be travel on two wheels: you could rent a scooter in the area and spend a delightful day of freedom, moving comfortably from one village to another, with greater agility and autonomy. Plus, you enjoy the breathtaking spectacle of the coast that from Amalfi to Positano leaves you truly breathless, giving unexpected sips of infinity.
Unmissable events in Conca dei Marini
✅ On August 5, the village celebrates the Madonna della Neve, to whom the small chapel built on the beach of Marina di Conca is dedicated. Every year the Madonna is carried in procession on the sea. Afterwards, on board a boat it is transported to the port of Amalfi. On the return, the traditional fireworks display is unfailing, closing the celebrations.
✅ On the day dedicated to Saint Rose of Lima, we celebrate to the sound of sfogliatelle! In fact, to celebrate the goodness of this dessert that, according to tradition, is said to have been born at the Santa Rosa Monastery, a gastronomic event is organized that involves some important master pastry chefs and offers reinterpretations of the traditional dessert. There is no shortage of music, theater and street performers for the occasion.
✅ On June 13, celebrations dedicated to St. Anthony of Padua, the village’s patron saint, are held.
Interesting facts about Conca dei Marini
✅ Lying at the bottom of the Emerald Grotto is a permanent nativity scene, which was set up in 1964. The idea came from some locals, who wanted in this way to remember their own fallen at sea. Initially the figures were made of ceramic, but recently they have been replaced by statues made of glass resin, which is more resistant to contact with seawater. Every year, usually during the celebrations dedicated to St. Andrew, a real underwater ritual is organized to pay homage to the crib.
✅ One of the most fascinating legends linked to this pearl of the Amalfi Coast is surely that of the Janare, female creatures of the sea, endowed with magical powers and able to intercept through the wind the news of distant loved ones.
✅ The magnificent bay characterized by the dense blue sea, landings, inlets and sudden jumps, counted in the 1960s-1970s among its most loyal regulars Carlo Ponti and Sofia Loren, the Agnellis, Moet et Chandon, Jakeline Kennedy and the princesses of Holland and England.
The History of Conca dei Marini
Conca dei Marini, the ancient Cossa dei Tirreni, which became a Roman colony in 481 B.C., was historically linked to of Amalfi: it was in fact part of the territory of the Maritime Republic and was one of its main mooring points, having a well-protected port.
Famous for its arsenal, where merchant ships were built, Conca was able to have a well-equipped merchant marine that for years made it rich and opulent, far beyond Amalfi’s fortunes. Sacked and destroyed in 1543 by Turkish pirates, it followed over the centuries, the historical events of the many other coastal towns all linked, more or less, to the fortunes of the more famous Amalfi.
One detail that has distinguished its people, who have always derived their main source of income from the sea, is that of having had, unique on the entire coast, the tonnara, a system of trap nets for catching tuna and other large fish, during seasonal migrations along the coast.
The tales of the slaughter, the adventurous stories of its sailors, the memory of storms and shipwrecks, are still passed down today.
