Love for Limoncello Blog

The fresh lemons of the Amalfi Coast create the most delicious summer spirit - quite literally! Read this zesty blog and get intoxicated by the citrus tang of sweet limoncello.

If it isn’t already, the Amalfi Coast needs to be at the top of your bucket list this summer! Birthplace of our very own Brand Ambassador, Gennaro Contaldo, the Amalfi Coast boasts lemons at every turn. Their colourful pop of yellow is encountered hanging unpicked by the side of cobbled lanes and in sprawling terrace gardens, just as easily as they’re found served as granita in a small street cart on the promenade. You’ll even find them in the mosaics of ancient Roman villas. Lemons are everywhere.

First brought to southern Italy by Arab traders around 200AD, the local people of the Amalfi Coast eventually cross-bred them with their own native bitter oranges to create the special Amalfi lemon, known as sfusato amalfitano, which translates as ‘spindles of Amalfi’. These are literally double the size of most lemons, with thick, knobbly skin and pointed ends.

Protected by the mountains, Amalfi lemons flourish in the sunshine and the sea breeze - and locals argue they taste different to lemons grown on other coastlines. Not only are they extra juicy, but they also have the most amazing fragrance!

Amalfi lemons grow nearly all year around. They turn yellow and are harvested from February right through to October, and you’ll find them used amply in local recipes, whether that’s for fish and seafood, or in desserts. However, one of their most popular uses is in the classic Italian liquor, limoncello, which is an ideal digestif after a hearty meal.

Limoncello is best served slightly chilled - so we suggest you keep it in the fridge, and then leave it to rest a few minutes before drinking.

If you wish, you can also use limoncello in baking! A simple sponge cake is heightened with a limoncello cream.

“Limoncello producers really put their heart and soul into their products using only the most quality ingredients,” explains Raggy Singh, Senior Personal Travel Planner. “Aside from bottling, the process is still completed by hand, making it a real labour of love.”

“One of their secrets to making great limoncello is to not use the largest lemons - it is in fact often the smaller lemons that provide a better flavour.”

Why not learn how limoncello is made on your next Italian holiday? You can head through the pretty town of Praiano and pop into the small scale limoncello factory of Il Gusto della Costa, or any number of local limoncello workshops that are open to the public.

After an enthralling adventure visiting the Amalfi Coast and trying this authentic nectar for yourself, you’ll undoubtably want to bring some limoncello with you to share with loved ones back home. Top tip - avoid the almost fluorescent yellow limoncello as that’s the chemically made variety. Authentic limoncello will have a more natural colour, and the shade changes depending on the time of year it’s made.

Suggested Destinations & Trips

/holidays/italy/cities/Italian Cities Holidays

/holidays/italy/lakes/Italian Lakes Holidays

/holidays/italy/campania/Campania Holidays

/holidays/italy/sicily-and-the-aeolian-islands/Sicily and the Aeolian Islands Holidays

/holidays/italy/sardinia/Sardinia Holidays

/holidays/italy/countryside/Italian Countryside Holidays

/holidays/italy/coast-and-islands/Italy's Coast and Island Holidays

Call us today to speak to one of our Italy Experts for further travel advice, hotel recommendations or to begin planning your next Italian holiday.

01293 765055 Or Make an enquiry

Love for Limoncello Blog

Suggested Destinations & Trips

What our customers think