Majestic Maiori: 12 top things to do in Maiori, Italy

5. Stroll the historic Palazzo Mezzacapo Gardens

Hiding in the heart of Maiori town, Palazzo Mezzacapo Gardens are historic gardens next to Palazzo Mezzacapo, a 19th-century palace built for the wealthy Mezzacapo family.

You can stroll the scenic, lush gardens for free, but they do have opening times. We came here to sit on a bench under a tree and eat the sospiri pastries we bought in the nearby Pasticceria Trieste.

The botanical garden is actually rather small but packed with lots of beauty. It features a small cascade, a fountain, other water bodies, vibrant flowers, pathways, and benches hiding under large trees.

This is the perfect place to come to hide from the scorching summer sun and enjoy some tranquility. I especially liked the view of the terraced town and the Maiori church hanging high above the sea-level garden.

Location: Palazzo Mezzacapo Gardens

6. Have lunch under lemon trees at Ristorante Pineta

Ristorante Pineta in Maiori is a historic eatery that has been around for more than a century. If you are looking for unique things to do in Maiori, then visiting this restaurant for lunch or dinner is what you are looking for.

Established back in 1903, Ristorante Pineta has been a beloved place to gather for lunch for locals and nowadays for tourists as well. Its most unique feature is the spacious terrace, all covered by charming lemon trees.

Having lunch with lemons hanging above your head is a bucket list thing to do on the Amalfi Coast. Lemons are one of the symbols of the Amalfi Coast area and are incorporated into the day-to-day life of locals in different ways.

We visited this restaurant on a weekend in August and came here shortly after it opened, when it was still almost empty. Got some cocktails and pasta dishes – ravioli for me and the local ndunderi pasta dish for my husband. It was all wonderful!

Location: Ristorante Pineta

7. See Maiori from above at Santuario Santa Maria a Mare

Church of Santa Maria a Mare is a landmark site and a must-visit place in Maiori. Situated on a small hill inside the town, the iconic yellow-and-red church has been an ever-present symbol of Maiori.

Even if you are not interested in visiting churches, this is a place you have to include in your itinerary. Accessed by a long stairway from the town center, the terrace in front of the church offers magnificent panoramic views over the Maiori town.

Luckily, we arrived here when the church was open, so besides admiring the colorful rooftops of Maiori, we also got to peek inside the majestic church.

Santuario Santa Maria a Mare features a gorgeous tiled dome just like every major church along the Amalfi Coast, but my favorite was the gilded coffered ceiling covering the central nave. Just look at those details!

However, one of the church’s centerpieces is a wooden statue of the Madonna a Mare or Madonna of the Sea. The locals believe it has protective powers over the people here in Maiori.

Although the Maiori church dates back to the 12th century, it has been rebuilt and enlarged many times over the centuries. This was one of my favorite places in Maiori – I spent quite some time standing on the terrace and enjoying the views!

The footsteps of the church also mark the beginning of one of the most famous hikes on the Amalfi Coast – Sentiero dei Limoni or Path of the Lemons. After visiting the church, we continued our day with the iconic hike to Minori, the nearby town.

Location: Santuario Santa Maria a Mare

8. Hike the famous Sentiero dei Limoni to Minori

Sentiero dei Limoni, or Path of the Lemons, is a historical path along fragrant lemon gardens and one of the famous hikes along the Amalfi Coast in Italy. The small scenic coastal path connects two nearby towns – Minori and Maiori.

The path is only 2 kilometers long one way (1.2 miles), which is a manageable distance for travelers with different fitness levels. However, the path goes over a 100-meter-high hill between the two towns, so there will be some climbing involved.

We did this hike starting from Maiori town. The hike starts next to the Santuario Santa Maria a Mare church in Maiori and finishes down in Minori town. We then explored Minori for a bit and walked by the coastal road back to Maiori.

The famous hike is known for its panoramic views of the coastline and the Tyrrhenian Sea as well as the surrounding lemon groves where you can see the local pride and joy – the famous Amalfi lemons (sfusato amalfitano).

The path is mostly paved and historically was created to transport lemons and other goods between the two twin towns. Even today, donkeys are used as a means of transportation along the path. We saw them during our hike!

Around the midway point, there was a small lemon farm with a bar where they offered lemon granita or lemonade. We stopped here to sit down under the lemon trees to have a glass of each. I recommend their lemon granita. It was very good!

If you hike one way over the hill and come back by the coastal road, it will take about 2 hours. But we explored some places in Minori town, so the round trip took us the whole afternoon. I highly recommend this hike!

Location: Path of the Lemons

9. Savor the iconic bruschettas at Casa Ferraiuolo

Here’s a hidden gem in Maiori – Restaurant Casa Ferraiuolo! This charming, family-run restaurant in the heart of Maiori offers the most flavorful Italian bruschettas you will find on the Amalfi Coast!

Their iconic bruschettas are perfectly crispy, drizzled with olive oil, and topped with various fresh ingredients sourced from around the Amalfi Coast.

If you are looking for the best place to have a glass of wine or a cocktail and some Italian snacks, then run to Restaurant Casa Ferraiuolo! The restaurant opened in the late afternoon when we visited.

Their bruschettas are large, delicious, and perfect for sharing. You can choose from more than 10 different types of bruschettas, and they will bring them to you on a wooden board. We got three, and it was enough for the two of us.

By the way, apart from a large selection of wines, they offer some truly unusual combinations on their drinks menu. Just look at the drink (photo above) my husband got when he ordered something called ‘After Shower’, haha!

Location: Restaurant Casa Ferraiuolo

10. Hike up to Castello di San Nicola de Thoro-Plano

If you still have some time and energy left, I recommend visiting one of the most impressive historic landmarks in Maiori – Castello di San Nicola de Thoro-Plano.

The 9th-century fortress stands atop a hill deeper inland, overlooking the coastal town of Maiori and offering the most spectacular views of the peninsula. You can access it from the Maiori center by a well-marked stairway.

The castle, however, is not really a castle but rather Medieval stone walls with defensive towers built as a shelter for locals to go to when pirates arrived to loot their homes down by the coast.

The castle is actually a family-owned rural property. After a 20-minute uphill climb from Maiori up to the castle, we were greeted by an elderly man who oversees the Medieval castle. And he lives there tending to his orchard, garden, and rabbits!

There is no entrance fee, but you are free to leave donations or buy some of his local products. With the help of Google Translate, he showed us around the whole property and all the traditional buildings he and his family have restored and preserved.

We were the only ones visiting, and we felt welcome! He also gave us some figs from his garden.

There isn’t much left of the medieval fortress, but the atmosphere and the views are definitely worth it. It seemed like a peaceful oasis for this man to live in, and he seemed really happy. This is definitely a unique place to visit in Maiori!

Location: Castello di San Nicola de Thoro-Plano

11. Celebrate life at the 13th-century Torre Normanna

For a special occasion, there’s no better place to celebrate life than at one of Maiori’s most iconic historical landmarks—the 13th-century Torre Normanna watchtower.

This medieval structure is one of several defensive towers built along the Amalfi Coast to protect the villages from pirate attacks. This particular watchtower is the oldest of them all.

Today, the Norman Tower is privately owned and houses a renowned restaurant offering panoramic views of the Mediterranean Sea and the mountains of the Sorrentine Peninsula.

If you’re looking for a scenic lunch spot or have something to celebrate, I highly recommend checking out Ristorante Torre Normanna. They offer seating on the rooftop, inside the tower, and on terraces closer to the water for a more intimate dining experience.

We decided to visit this restaurant after a long hike from Maiori up to the Sanctuary of Maria Santissima and back down. Unfortunately, when we arrived, they told us it was closed for a private event (a wedding celebration).

So make sure to make a reservation or double-check with them if they’re open before you go! It looked like a fantastic place for lunch or dinner. They even have a few parking spots, but we left our car in town and walked over on foot.

Location: Ristorante Torre Normanna

12. Take a pilgrimage hike to Maiori’s hilltop sanctuary

Sitting atop Monte Falerzio, around 830 meters (2,720 feet) above sea level, right next to Maiori, is a small sanctuary called the Santuario di Maria Santissima Avvocata.

You can actually spot the little hilltop building from town below while strolling along Maiori’s Lungomare or relaxing on the beach. Here’s the catch—there’s a trail from Maiori that leads all the way up to the sanctuary!

If you’re into trekking, or if you’re staying in Maiori and want to do a scenic hike, this is one of the best hikes you can do on the Amalfi Coast. However, it’s not the easiest one.

The hike is pretty straightforward, but it does require a decent amount of effort. You’re essentially climbing from sea level to 830 meters (2,720 feet) in just 4 kilometers. It took us about two hours to reach the top.

So, unless you’re a regular hiker, I’d recommend sticking to the Path of the Lemons and skipping this climb. However, if you’re up for a challenge, this hike will reward you with some of the most spectacular views of the Amalfi Coast.

But what about the sanctuary? Its origins date back to the 15th century, when a chapel was built inside a cave on the mountain after a local shepherd had a vision of the Virgin Mary. The cave with the altar is still visible there today.

The sanctuary itself was built at the beginning of the 16th century on the mountain above the original chapel. The original structure was destroyed in a fire but was later rebuilt and restored in the 19th century.

Today, the sanctuary is a popular destination for both pilgrims and hikers. It can be reached via hiking trails from towns like Cava de’ Tirreni, Cetara, or—like in our case—from Maiori.

The hike from Maiori has the steepest climb, but it’s also the shortest route to this scenic sanctuary. My legs definitely felt the effort for days afterward, but the views were absolutely worth it.

Just make sure to protect yourself from the sun, bring plenty of water, and pack some snacks because it will be at least a half-day adventure away from civilization!

We started the hike right by the beach, followed some streets, and then began climbing lots of stairs uphill, passing houses and lemon groves along the way.

About halfway up, the farms ended, and we continued through a forest. Some sections were exposed with no shade, but the final stretch took us through a denser forest with plenty of shade.

Sometimes I couldn’t help but think we were the only crazy ones who had decided to hike up this mountain, but along the way, we ended up meeting several other groups of hikers.

We also passed some ruins, crossed small streams, and even came across a fountain with drinkable water. There’s nothing technically difficult about the hike—just the steady uphill climb. Other than that, I absolutely loved this adventure!

Location: Santuario di Maria Santissima Avvocata

Happy exploring!

Maiori is one of the larger towns along the famous Amalfi Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We came here many times during our stay to explore local food and all its sights and hidden corners.

Besides Maiori, we actually spent the entire summer exploring other Amalfi Coast villages and towns like Minori, Vietri sul Mare, and Atrani, as well as the surrounding area near Naples. There’s just so much to see here!

I hope you find some travel inspiration from this Maiori travel guide. I also hope you enjoy your time on the Divine Coast of Italy as much as we did! The beaches, the views, the charming villages—it’s a place you won’t forget! Happy travels!

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