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 Praiano is situated along the coast, in-between Positano and Amalfi, parallel
to the sea front, above and below the windy road that runs directly through
this small village. Beautifully and brightly coloured villas are built
and in clusters and are also scattered individually over the green rugged
mountain cliff’s that plummets into the deep blue Mediterranean.
Buildings are built into the rock and flights of steps wind up and down
between the buildings. The steps lead to the very top of the mountain
and also directly into the dense sea. Dotted around are little beaches,
small creeks, luminous grotto’s, a Paradise corner; for example
the seashore of La Praia.
La Praia is an old mariners village and is now the only real landing
place for boats, of this steep coastal stretch. The panoramic views,
from Praiano are magnificent. In particular, the two famous rocks of
Capri named “Faraglioni”, and the picturesque town of Positano
as it looks like a perfect oil painting when viewed from Praiano. Praiano
is now a summer tourist resort and holds masses of history. In the past,
Praiano, was an old fisherman’s village, was the base of an Anglonino
University, the summer residence of many rich people and royalty of Amalfi,
and was the place where precious cloths were produced. Praiano was renowned
for producing the best quality of silk. All these factors were the main
influence that caused economical prosper and development of Praiano.
Summarily to the other villages located along the coast, Praiano was
rejected of the Sea Republic until it was aware of the harsh poverty
of the previous centuries and the beginning of the 20th century. Tourism
began with great travellers, then the tourism of common Italian and foreign
travellers developed.
A Nightclub named the Africana was built on top of a beautiful illuminated
grotto in the bay of Praiano. This can be accessed either by boat,
from a lift to the main road of Praiano, or by a path that has been
dug out of the rock which stretches from the main beach of Praiano
to the Night club. During the Fifties and Sixties, the Africana was
a cultural meeting place. Now the memorable nights spent at the Nightclub
are of vigorous dancers and signers, short-lived actresses/actors and
Latin lovers. From the past, there still stand some original small
churches and precious chapels that have all been beautifully wall painted.
In Praiano, the churches are more interesting and decorated better
than in other villages along the coast. Among Trekking, we remember the
Church of St. Luca Evangelista, which according to the tradition preserves
the mortal remains of Saint Luca and many paintings by an artist of
the sixteenth-century named Giovanni Bernardo Lama. |
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