Piazza Cantilena
Piazza Cantilena is where Minori slows down. The square opens in front of the Basilica di Santa Trofimena, its 18th-century facade catching the afternoon light while locals pull chairs close at the tables outside Pasticceria De Riso or Pasticceria Gambardella, ordering sfogliatelle and small coffees without any apparent hurry.
This is the town's social centre in the plainest, most useful sense — a place to arrive, to sit, to watch the basilica doors swing open and closed. The ferry stop and bus stop are both a short walk away, which means the piazza also tends to be the first thing you properly see when you reach Minori.
💛 What travellers fall for
People who come back to Minori tend to anchor their mornings here. The pastry counter at De Riso is the draw — their lemon-cream work is taken seriously on this stretch of coast. If you're around in late September, the Gusta Minori festival spills into the square and the surrounding streets with food tastings and live music.
The story behind Piazza Cantilena
The piazza takes its name — Ettore e Gaetano Cantilena — from the square's formal designation, though locals simply call it Piazza Cantilena. Its character is inseparable from the Basilica di Santa Trofimena, which anchors one side of the square. The basilica is an 18th-century rebuild, constructed after the demolition of an earlier cathedral on the same site. Inside, three naves are lined with stucco and polychrome marble, and the altarpiece depicting the Crucifixion is attributed to Marco del Pino of Siena.
The town's patron saint, Trofimena, is celebrated three times a year — on 5 November, 27 November, and 13 July — the July feast drawing the largest crowds, with a brass band, a street procession, and fireworks closing the night.
Good to know
SITA buses connect Minori to Amalfi in about 15 minutes for roughly €1; buy tickets in advance or use the UnicoCampania app. Travelmar ferries run April through October every four hours, taking 10 minutes to Amalfi for €5–19. The basilica is open daily 9am–12pm and 5–8pm.
May through October is the window when the piazza is at its most animated and the weather is genuinely comfortable — July and August run warm, between 20 and 30°C, with very little rain. November brings the heaviest rainfall of the year, averaging over 200mm across the month, so an umbrella is less optional than it looks.
Where is Piazza Cantilena?
Location
- In Minori
- 40.6501, 14.8222
- Open in Google Maps
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