The wide territory of Praiano occupies that part of the Amalfi Coast between Positano and Conca dei Marini, on both sides of the promontory of Capo Sottile (Thin Cape). The town of Praiano is on the easterly side of the cape, between 80 and 180 meters on the sea level, with houses spread on the final stretch of the incline falling from the 1122 meters of Mount Tre Galli. The name is derived from the latin Pelagianum (open sea) who changed in the Middle Ages to Plagianum and finally to Praiano.

At the age of the Maritime Republic of Amalfi, Praiano was chosen as a summer residence for the Dogi (Dukes of Amalfi), as testimony of the vocation by this place for the relaxing and discrete vacation, far from the usual touristic routes and loved by elites. During the Angevin period it was raised to the dignity of University (the name by which in the Southern Italy they defined those towns with partial autonomy from the central government and their own organs of rulement) by Charles I of Anjou. In the past it was famous for its production of silk and yarns.

In the center of the higher part of the town, in a beautiful panoramic position, there is the main church of Praiano, dedicated to the patron saint San Luca Evangelista (St.Luke the Evangelist). It was built in the 1588, upon a preexisting church of the 1123, and rebuilt in the 1772, but it does not show any baroque exaggeration but on the contrary it has a sober and austere style. The facade, of an immaculate white, integrates harmoniously in the Mediterranean environment. Remarkable are the majolica pavement, belonging to the end of 18th century, and some polychrome marble altars, other than the silver bust representing St.Luca.

The lower part of Praiano stretch up to the Marina di Praia, the only landing point of the ancient Plagianum, with a narrow beach between two rocky walls, at the mouth of the rough ravine of Praia. On the promontory there is the Guard Tower of medieval origin, built to watch the sea and alarm the town when the ships of Saracen pirates came for forays. Nowadays the MArina di Praia is an appreciated sea resort and by renting a boat is possible to visit the surroundings, most of all the beautiful grottos of Suppraiano and of the Africana.  [ More...]