Amalfi lemons and vineyards

Towards the southern end of the Amalfi Coast, near Ravello, the inland valleys are broader, even though still mountainous.

This slope, between Ravello and Scala, had large areas of wine grapes, the leaves yellow now.

Amalfi lemons, pointed, sweet and with thick skins, are protected by elaborate coverings from being marred by inclement frost, birds, and whatever else might affect them.

On an inland loop, we went through an agricultural area around the village of Tramonti.

Noticing the coppiced groves, we were interested to find that they were European chestnuts, clearly intensively managed for nuts. Our American chestnuts are virtually gone now, because of chestnut blight, but Chinese chestnuts have similar spiny husks.