It's just a 20 minute climb up a concrete staircase at the end of the lungomare in Minori. Then another 200 meters along the narrow Amalfi Drive with no sidewalk and cars and tour buses passing within a few inches of your shoulder. Hand-painted ceramic road markers indicate the route for drivers. Magnificant views of the beach and bathers are a distraction the pedestrian cannot afford.But it's such a rush to arrive at the entrance to the Torre dei Normanni Ristorante and the view over the top of the old Norman watchtower.
Towers like this one are scattered up and down the western coastline of Italy...reminders of Italy's history of constant invasion by occupying forces. Some towers have held up well and have been restored to house romantic restaurants and exclusive hotels. Others have been left to the elements suffering wind and water erosion. But they are all evocative of a rich, dramatic history.
