To defend the territory, the inhabitants of the Amalfi Coast relied on two types of buildings: the towers on the coast and the castles on the mountains, arranged like a crown for sightings of arrivals from the hinterland.

The still existing towers, visible sentinels even at a long distance from the sea, had a communication system between them entrusted to fire and still today for those who visit the area they represent important cornerstones that allow the recognition of places.

The castles, sometimes structures as small as a tower, other times large enough to gather the entire population in case of danger, retain the charm of the ancient in their ruined stones or in the vegetation that is getting the better of the architectural remains.

The entrance door to the Praiano itinerary allows you to move easily along all the points where these testimonies are present and even if in many cases it is not possible to visit the inside of the structures, the view from afar undoubtedly repays the effort made to reach these places.

The route can be done by traveling with your own car along the state road 163 which from Vietri sul Mare reaches Positano crossing the municipalities of Cetara, Maiori, Minori, Amalfi, Conca dei Marini and Praiano, and making detours on roads that lead to the municipalities at high altitude. To view the coastal towers, it is advisable to use the seasonal maritime connection services (spring and summer), as the towers are in places that are not very visible from the road or are privately owned; for the castles, on the other hand, it is necessary to go to the place through the paths that are not always easy (Castrum di Scala Maior), but usually well accessible and interesting from a naturalistic point of view (Torre dello Ziro, Castrum di Scalelle).