When I think of the title of this article “Shopping on the Amalfi Coast”, I am reminded of some little street in Positano or the centre of Amalfi, full of little shops and boutiques that, with their displays of magnets and pinafores and t-shirts, punctually attract the eye of the inexperienced tourist.
I can already imagine you standing in front of yet another souvenir shop, going through the list of friends and relatives to whom you want to take a souvenir on your return from your trip to the Amalfi Coast.
Stop there. Do not cross the threshold of that shop until you have finished this article.
Abandon the idea of magnets, bracelets and key rings bought from the first person you come across: below you will find everything you need to know about shopping on the Amalfi Coast.
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Choose your shops wisely: buy less, but buy better and with better quality
On the Amalfi Coast you won’t find big shopping centres or famous brand shops, such as Zara or Max Mara.
If you are oriented towards that kind of shopping, we advise you to direct your intentions towards the towns of Salerno or Sorrento.
On the Amalfi Coast, on the other hand, you will find small shops, workshops and laboratories where you can buy handicrafts and typical local products.
Direct your choices towards objects and products that authentically tell the story of our land and better express the passion and skill of our producers and artisans: in this way, in addition to making more conscious and sustainable purchases, you will be helping the small artisans, who carry on precious professions and trades with love and dedication.
In short, by making an informed purchase you will make both the recipient of your thought and the person who made it happy.
Not to mention that you will take home something worth making room for in your suitcase!
Shopping on the Amalfi Coast for True Food Lovers
If you have to buy something for a gourmet food lover, or if the gourmet food lover is you and you want to take home something truly typical, you really are spoilt for choice.
One of the first things we recommend buying is colatura di alici di Cetara: the amber-coloured liquid extracted from the fermentation of anchovies and salt, produced using a very old, artisanal method, is something inimitable.
Of course, you might also find it in some well-stocked supermarket in your town, but we are almost certain that it is not the same.
Although you can find it in practically every town on the Coast, produced by various companies in the area, we recommend you stock up at one of the shops in the village of Cetara, where you will also find other anchovy products, such as salted anchovies, Cetarese pesto or marinated anchovies in jars.
The second must-have is definitely liqueurs.
In addition to the classic limoncello, made with our sfumato amalfitano, we recommend Concerto: a very old liqueur that originates in the hills of Tramonti and is made from a mixture of no less than 15 herbs and spices, to which barley and coffee are added.
The result is a dark-coloured liqueur with a thick and creamy consistency and a very spicy and distinctive flavour.
If you are thinking of making a more special gift for someone who likes to challenge themselves and experiment in the kitchen, you can also find the herb mix to prepare it at home at herbalist’s shops and pharmacies.
Another true food lover’s product that you can buy on the Amalfi Coast is undoubtedly the Tarallo di Agerola: it is not strictly a Coastal product, but it is part of our daily life, especially during the summer period, which is why you can easily find it in any grocery shop or shop specialising in typical products.
A typical characteristic of this product is its double baking: the dough is first boiled in water and then baked.
Traditionally, we eat them after softening them in water, seasoned with salt, oil and tomatoes.
The aroma of fennel in the dough gives the Agerola tarallo an unmistakable and irresistible taste!
If, on the other hand, you have enough space in your suitcase and want to opt for a few bottles of good wine, we recommend the wineries of Furore, Ravello and Tramonti.
The typical vines of our area are Aglianico, biancolella, Falanghina, Fenile, Piedirosso, Ginestra, Pepella, Ripolo, Sciascinoso, Tintore, Tronto and Serpentaria.
If your return trip takes only a few hours, you might take home a tray of fresh pasta: the Amalfi Coast boasts an ancient pasta-making tradition, which has survived in the town of Minori.
Here you can buy the typical ‘ndunderi minoresi: a type of fresh pasta that resembles classic gnocchi in appearance, but differs in the presence of ricotta in the mixture.
Or you can opt for the classic ‘ricci a mano’, still made by wrapping the pasta around an iron, as our grandmothers and great-grandmothers used to do.
Shopping on the Amalfi Coast for those who follow fashion and trends
If you are one of those people who are always up to date on fashion and trends, you will probably have immediately associated the word ‘shopping’ with Positano Couture, that seemingly casual, yet so elegant style, obtained by mixing comfortable, oversized garments with embroidery, transparencies and natural, light, fluttering fabrics that immediately make you feel summer.
Now that you are here, you can finally indulge in a full immersion among the shops and boutiques of Positano to buy some clothes to wear when you return from your holiday, to bring a bit of the Amalfi Coast to your next aperitif with friends.
Among clothing purchases, the real must-have is undoubtedly a pair of handmade sandals.
On the Amalfi Coast you will find a number of artisan sandal shops that will be able to make your shoes to measure: they will be very comfortable for tackling the steps and narrow streets of the Coast, they will go well with practically any outfit and you will take home a pair of sandals completely personalised to your taste and needs!
Handmade Amalfi paper for lovers of writing
One of the main activities of the Amalfi people since the Middle Ages has been the handmade production of paper.
This type of paper is also called ‘bambagina’, probably because it is made from rags (bambagina derives from the Latin ‘Bambax’, meaning ‘cotton’).
The long and complex process of making bambagina paper is still kept alive today by a few craftsmen who produce it.
In the centre of Amalfi, there are several shops where you can buy precious Amalfi paper kits: a gift undoubtedly appreciated by handwriting enthusiasts.
You can recognise real Amalfi paper by the frayed edge on all four sides and the smooth, regular texture.
Vietri ceramics: shopping for those furnishing their homes
Our guide to shopping on the Amalfi Coast could not fail to mention the world-famous ceramics of Vietri sul Mare.
Indeed, it is ceramics that have made Vietri sul Mare famous throughout the world, starting in the late Renaissance, thanks to the Sanseverino Princes.
These objects, true masterpieces of craftsmanship, decorate the streets and villages of the Amalfi Coast: the bell towers of the Coast are famous, standing out with their colours against the blue background of the sky.
We recommend you buy your ceramics from small workshops: you will find many, not only in Vietri, but in all the villages along the Coast.
Plates, cups, small decorative objects or the classic riggiole are all handmade.
Giving a Vietri ceramic object means giving a unique and unrepeatable piece of the Amalfi Coast!
If you have little space in your suitcase, go for the coffee cups: they are small, pretty and appreciated by everyone.
