Stunning views, local feel and ease of access make Minori the best home base to visit the Amalfi Coast. These are the many reasons why you will love visiting Minori, Italy.
The small village of Minori, a town whose name itself evokes its tiny size, doesn’t usually appear on Amalfi Coast itineraries unless connected to bigger Maiori nearby or only after mentions of more famous and glamorous locations such as Positano, Amalfi or Ravello.
However, Minori is a gem of a town and a wonderful base to visit the Amalfi Coast.
We were lucky enough to call Minori home during our last stay in the area and we fell head over heels in love with this small yet perfectly formed Amalfi Coast village.
In Minori, we got perfect sea views, amazing food, breakfast under the lemon trees and we also had easy access to the rest of the coast as well as the handy high-speed train in Salerno.
This is all you need to know if you want to visit the Amalfi Coast from Minori, Italy.
Pin this guide and come back to it for future reference!
Planning a trip to Italy? Join our Facebook Group ‘Travel Italy with kids’ and get personal, tried and tested recommendations to help you plan the perfect multigenerational trip to Italy! Join here (it’s free)
This post contains affiliate links. Should you make a purchase through them, we might make a small commission.
Table of Contents
What is special about Minori: the best things to see and do in Minori Town
Minori is a small town on the Amalfi Coast, about 10 minutes by boat from Amalfi itself, in a beautiful location on the sea.
It has a small seafront with a sandy beach, a nice baroque church, lovely small alleys and access to both the sea and the mountains, via the historic path of lemons, a nice family-friendly hike connecting it to Maiori offering stunning views.
As you approach the Minori harbor with the local ferry, you see the small town climbing up the coast and indeed, Minori develops uphill.
The roads go from the harbor and lungomare (seafront) and slowly climb up to the rest of the city.
Most of them are not steep but they all develop at a gentle slope, although some do have some steps.
Most tourism life in Minori develops around the main square and seafront, just beside the harbor and marina however, there is more to Minori than what first meets the eye.
These are the best things to see and do in Minori.
Admire the church of Santa Trofimena
The small town of Minori has an impressive baroque church with a light yellow façade and so imposing inside, it comes as a real surprise in such a small town.
The church is dedicated to the town patron saint and it is still in use as a parish church, with regular services.
It is beside the port, you see the sea from its main entrance, and it is a lovely church to visit as a good example of the Baroque style typical of this area.
Take a stroll along Minori’s car-free alleys
Minori is not entirely car-free but many of its small streets are the charm is immense.
Some climb from the seafront to the mountains, some cut across the width of the valley and all have hidden corners, drying laundry and bursting flowers to accompany you on the way.
Walk the path of lemons
The town of Minori is overlooked by terraces of lemon groves, producing the amazing lemons this area is famous for.
These terraces are linked to each other and to the port by a historical path, the ‘path of lemons’ which also links Minori with the nearby town of Maiori.
The path of lemons climbs up the terraces and can be walked in about 1 hour or less. It doesn’t pose difficulties and we walked it easily with kids (and in the sun!) however, it does entrail about 400 steps so it is not for everyone!
This is a lovely activity if you have a day in the area and want to be move and take a break from eating and sunbathing!
The views from the path are lovely, with the shining blue sea framed by lemon tree leaves, and the walk is historical.
This is the part lemon growers used to take to carry huge baskets of lemons down to the port so when you walk here, you literally walk in the footsteps of local history!
Have cake at Minori’s most famous patisserie
Minori is not just famous for lemons but also for cake!
In this town, you find the original patisserie Sal De Riso, which now has shops all around Italy.
The patisserie has an outdoor terrace and an extensive menu and has what I can only define as a “Viennese Vibe’ about it.
Elegant surroundings, a cocktail menu and elaborate cakes are what make this place famous and the view of the sea help create an ‘American Bar’ atmosphere.
Fun fact! As we read about this patisserie, I discovered that the owner developed a special sweet to commemorate local history and the lemon carriers. His creation is called ‘formichelle’ (little ants) and commemorates the tireless women who carried the lemons along the path!
Visit Minori’s Roman Villa
Minori has something pretty special: a Roman villa, dating back to the I century AD.
The Villa is now in the center of Minori Town, you pass it as you walk up one of its main streets and has an interesting ‘antiquarium’ with beautiful artifacts.
Go to the beach
Minori has a tiny beach with dark sand, just beside the marina and harbor.
The water is clean and several ‘stabilimenti’ (beach clubs) offer umbrellas and chairs for the day, as well as the option to have lunch in their shaded beachside patios.
The part of the beach closest to the pier is ‘free’ (spiaggia libera) which usually means you can just go and the area for swimming is cordoned off to protect from the boats coming and going.
Need to know: in 2020 for health reasons it is necessary to book a slot at the local info point (just beside the beach itself) so that social distancing rules can be respected on the beach too.
If you prefer to enjoy the sea view without getting your feet sandy, you can have a drink at one of the many beach club terraces or sit in the main square: there are several cafes and you can order anything from coffee to aperitivo to unmissable lemon granita.
Take a boat
The best thing to do on the Amalfi Coast is to enjoy the sea and sun from the water, by renting a boat and Minori is a good place to do just that.
You can do so on the day from the kiosk on the seafront, where we noticed offers for boat rentals with and without a driver.
Visiting Minori: Practical tips
Where to stay in Minori
Despite being a small town Minori has many excellent accommodation options.
Two we feel like recommending are
Hotel And Spa Villa Romana (Luxury), right in the center of town
Casa Amorino (B&B), a few minutes farther up the road, in a lovely quiet road without cars and with a gorgeous lemon garden where they serve breakfast or you can rest in the afternoon
How to get to Minori
The easiest way to get to Minori is by catching the ferry from Salerno.
The journey only takes about 40 minutes and tickets can be bought on the day, just before getting on board.
The ticket counter is at the dock, you cannot miss it: follow the signs for ‘TraVelMar ferries’.
The ferry operates in the good season only and has an outer deck as well as an indoor area.
Amalfi town is 10-minute by ferry farther along the coast.
Please be advised that not all ferry rides stop in Minori: check the local schedule or the website travelmar.it, the ferry company.
It is also possible to reach Minori by bus or by car however, parking is hard to come by so I highly recommend you use public transportation if at all possible.
If driving, make sure you arrange parking with your hotel in advance.
You can also read here >>> how to reach the Amalfi Coast from Rome
Where to eat in Minori
We feel like recommending 3 places we enjoyed:
- Bar Europa: On the main square, perfect for coffee and cornetto
- La Botte, pizzeria and ristorante with a nice patio area perfect for dinner (booking necessary)
- Mordi e Fuggi, pizzeria and ristorante with a nice patio, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner
Things to eat in Minori are fish and seafood, pizza and of course the already mentioned cakes!
Something special
A really special experience for us was going to the barber in Minori!
The barbershop on the main road is a gem and the gentleman who runs it had an interesting life he will tell you about if you are willing to listen.
He traveled all over the world and his stories, in the setting of his charming shops, will make your day!
Visiting Minori with kids
Minori is a great base for families with kids.
The compact size of the town, the small beach and the pleasant restaurants make it easy to negotiate with kids in tow and the lower number of visitors, compared to Amalfi or Positano, make it for a more relaxing stay.
The restaurants mentioned above are family-friendly and B&B Casa Amorino has a lovely family room, spacious and clean.
Families with very young kids may prefer larger Maiori, which also has a nice kids’ playground right on the seafront.
Please check here our family guide to the Amalfi Coast.
I hope you enjoyed this travel guide to Minori and gave you good ideas on what to see on the Amalfi Coast and how to plan your time at best.