Review: Agriturismo Serafina (Furore, CM)
The Amalfi Coast, south of Naples in the Campania region, is popular among visitors to Italy. Glamorous hotels, shops and restaurants dot the rugged, natural coastline whose control has been contested traded among Romans, Italians, Spanish, Arabs, Saracens, Greeks, and North Africans since ancient times. But if you venture away from the coastal towns and and up into the mountains, there exists a view of Italian life (and food) that is rarely seen anymore.
Agriturismo Serafina, located in the town of Furore (pop. 800), is a working farm literally hanging to the side of an fjord 1000 feet above the Mediterranean. Standing on the veranda at Serafina looking down toward the sea and noticing the ruin of a Saracen fort that sits on an outcropping, it is difficult not to imagine that this view has been untouched for centuries. Looking across the huge ravine, and indeed across these mountains up and down the coast, you will also notice many abandoned or converted farms. Their owners have made the economic determination that it is simply too difficult to continue to farm this land. Serafina owner Domenico Fusco along with his wife, Giuseppina, and their two daughters continue to work this land and offer their guests a culinary reminder of the splendor and simplicity of the region’s food at its finest.
The farm itself is a miracle of ingenuity; the steep hills require terrace farming techniques that maximize the space but make the work on the farm much more difficult. Serafina produces a bewildering amount of vegetables and fruit from tomatoes and grapes to eggplant, lemons and oranges to zucchini. The highest terrace level even has a stable built into the rocky mountain itself that houses fowl, goats, and cattle. When the vegetables and fruit are in season, guests can always assist in harvesting and meal preparation. The Fuscos have devised a conveyor belt system to move vegetables up and down the terrace levels!
A favorite activity at Serafina is harvesting cherry tomatoes for use in bruschetta and then hanging them on a twine rope to be preserved in the farm cantina. The lemons grown in the Amalfi region are famous for their size and flavor and those grown at Serafina are no exception. (If they are in season, be sure to try the fried zucchini flowers stuffed with home made ricotta.) The Fuscos are justifiably and inspiringly proud of their agriturismo and treat their guests to a rustic and genuine experiences.
NEARBY SIGHTS
Fiorde de Furore: If you’re feeling adventurous, there’s a beach that you can hike to that is unlike those found in the typical Amalfi coast town. In Furore, at the bottom of a long, steep trail and nestled in a rocky fjord is a gem of a beach open to the public and often free of the crowds. Buses running along the coast road stop to pick up and let off intrepid souls who hike down to the rocky beach. There’s even a small restaurant/bar tucked into the far end of the fiord!
Positano: While certainly a magnet for tourists — ferries run them in from Capri and Sorrento daily — Positano maintains its charm despite it all. Wander away from the crowds and shops to discover her inner beauty.
Il Sentiero degli Dei (Path of the Gods): The Sentiero degli Dei starts near the village of Bomerano and ends in Nocelle traversing approximately 8km and taking 2-3 hours to complete. But you are rewarded with breaktaking views of the Amalfi coastline.