It is well known what the Amalfi Coast represents in the eyes of a lover of beauty. A place unlike any other in the world, with its multifaceted expressions of extraordinary beauty. Among the hotels worthy of mention, the Due Torri in Maiori has a history worth exploring, with roots that run deeper in the construction industry than in hospitality—the result of one family’s ability to sense the right moment to (partially) change course while preserving its own identity.
The Story
Anna Citarella recounts: “My father was a builder, a forward-thinking entrepreneur. In the 1960s, during the construction boom, he realized that it was necessary to create businesses related to construction”. The founder of the family business, originally from the Salerno hinterland, had deep ties to the Amalfi Coast. When some entrepreneurs from Maiori proposed that he join the venture that had given rise to the Due Torri, he initially accepted as a financial partner. As time went on, however, the other partners gradually withdrew, and he ended up becoming the sole owner of the property. “He always said: ‘The important thing is that the revenue allows me to pay the mortgages. Sooner or later, it will become a successful business. I have four children; maybe one of them will take a passion for it.’”
The prediction proved accurate: in the late 1990s, after his passing, responsibility for the hotel fell on the shoulders of his eldest daughter, Anna—who was just twenty-five at the time. “I told myself: if I’m going to make mistakes based on other people’s ideas, I might as well make them on my own. I decided to figure out how to be a hotel manager. It wasn’t my line of work, but I made a virtue of necessity.” Thus, from a side business, the hotel became the centerpiece of an entrepreneurial venture destined to grow over the years. Today, the brothers have carried on the historic family business, while Laura and Nadia have definitively chosen a career in the hotel industry. When the two sisters took over the property, the Due Torri still retained an old-fashioned aesthetic: “We inherited a newly built hotel, but with a very ’70s style. The first thing we did was renovate it to give it a Mediterranean identity, bringing it much closer to the local area.”
Her mother also played an important role in this journey: “Mom was a teacher, but after Dad’s death, she became deeply involved with the hotel. She was the one who changed the furnishings, tended to the flowers and the garden, and added that touch of femininity that makes all the difference in a hotel.”
The Hotel and Its Philosophy
This is the origin of what Anna calls “a pink thread” that runs through the entire history of the Due Torri: a management style in which the presence of women is pivotal and, together with its family-run atmosphere, remains one of the hotel’s main strengths. There is none of the standardization typical of large international chains; instead, a direct relationship with the guest is forged, which is evident the moment you walk in: “Here, the welcome is truly person-to-person.” The hotel is set just off the center of Maiori, in a particularly scenic location.
There are 51 rooms, including 4 suites, all overlooking the sea and spread across three floors. In recent years, the hotel’s growth has accelerated, with investments in common areas, the fine-dining restaurant finally having its own dedicated space, and a constant focus on service quality—so much so that the four stars, as we see it, are definitely too few. This is especially true given the strong culture of hospitality evident in the details, the spontaneous smiles, and the helpfulness of the staff—an aspect that is very difficult to create artificially.
Dining
The growth of the Due Torri, however, is increasingly driven by its gastronomy, an element that plays a key role in defining its character. The star of the show, in this case, is Alfonso Crisci, the executive chef who, at 48, blends passion and maturity in perfect harmony. The attention to detail is absolute, starting with a breakfast of extraordinary richness (and quality), and continuing at Donna Emilia, the top-floor bistro on the magnificent panoramic terrace: here, the cuisine is simple and straightforward, yet prepared with extraordinary care—from the pizzas, made just right and available for lunch, to the dinner dishes. And then there’s Oltremare, on the fifth floor, the fine-dining restaurant whose large windows offer a view that is nothing short of marvelous—which we’ll write about shortly.
There’s a particular moment in our conversation with Crisci that helps capture his spirit. When the conversation turns—in some ways inevitably—to the big names he’s worked with in the past, he politely interrupts us: “I’m interested in talking about Alfonso Crisci, about what he’s doing today. I’m no longer the guy who worked with Fulvio Pierangelini when I was twenty. In fact, very little of that period remains in me; my cooking has evolved completely”. This doesn’t mean Crisci claims to have finished learning—quite the contrary—because his ideas are constantly being challenged, so much so that he takes advantage of every winter break to spend a few days in the kitchens of colleagues he admires, not to learn their techniques, but to observe different ways of approaching the craft: “A week or fifteen days is enough for me. I don’t need to start from scratch, but rather to grasp the philosophy—the concept of how they experience cooking. That’s what enriches you. I approach cooking like a kid. I want to stay in the game, to understand the idea, the thought process, and the spirit behind a great kitchen team.”
His cuisine is far removed from both nostalgia for the past and experimentation for its own sake, even though traditions are very much present. “The advantage of a chef of my generation is having experienced the cuisine of the past—the stocks, the ragù, the basics, the flavors. Then we’ve been good at evolving. If you haven’t actually cooked those things, you’ll hardly be able to create dishes with depth. I put technology at the service of flavor.” For him, the most advanced equipment shouldn’t be used to impress guests, but to preserve flavor by eliminating the superfluous: “My grandmother’s ragù had an extraordinary aroma, but in the end, there was a layer of fat four fingers thick on top. My job is to capture that flavor using modern techniques, trim away all the less healthy parts, and restore its character in a contemporary form.”
The same principle inspires the tortello, which evokes the chicken alla cacciatora of his childhood: the same aromas, the same taste memories, but prepared in a way that avoids the original heaviness. His connection to his native Campania, however, is not just about memories, because Alfonso knows every single producer, fisherman, cheesemaker, and farmer along the coast and in the hinterland. “I’ve visited every single farm. Cheeses, wild herbs, olive oil, tomatoes. Here you have the mountains behind you and the sea in front: it’s an extraordinary region”. Even the fish is sourced daily from the local fishermen’s auction, while the aging process is handled with a “secular” approach: “I let it rest for as long as it takes to achieve the right texture. I’m not interested in taking things to extremes.”
Our Tastings
One dish stands out above all others on Oltremare’s tasting menu: it is the restaurant’s signature dish par excellence, “Pomodolio,” which is absolutely delicious—spaghetti with tomato sauce that is simple only in appearance and offers absolute deliciousness: “I start with Piennolo, then Corbarino, San Marzano, and tomatoes from the garden. They have different levels of acidity; we combine them, extract the tomato juice—part of which is used to cook the pasta and part to emulsify with the oil. In the end, we serve spaghetti with tomato sauce just as they used to make it.”
Our dinner began with a lovely selection of amuse-bouches, each one more delightfully flavorful than the last; even the bread service is truly impressive, with an impressive variety. Coordinating the service and recommending wines from a well-stocked list is the talented Raffaella Del Gaudio, from Castellammare di Stabia, who has had wonderful experiences both in Italy and abroad. Scampi and foie gras is the first delicious appetizer: the foie gras has a creamy texture; it’s served with a red fruit gelée, scampi tartare, and caviar. On the side, beurre blanc with truffle and lemon foam. The extremely elegant shrimp caponata is also remarkable and wonderfully fresh.
Cuttlefish and red turnip is another particularly successful appetizer, with incredible attention to the texture of the cuttlefish. The side dish—a small focaccia topped with cuttlefish liver—is pure indulgence. The “Amalfi-style carbonara” reflects Crisci’s experience in Lazio: at the bottom of the plate are three different creams—an egg sauce, squid stock, and a caciocavallo cream. The mezza manica pasta is cooked in the egg cream and stirred until creamy, topped with marinated squid. The risotto is also impressive—a Carnaroli risotto with candied lemon and oyster hidden beneath a buffalo mozzarella cream.
A small masterpiece of finesse and concentrated flavors, the fish soup features a bouillabaisse made with locally caught fish and a skewer of tuna, sea bream, mussels, and redfish, all served with a savory lemon tartlet. Juicy and tender is the lamb, served with a cinnamon-based sauce and hazelnut sauce.
The meal ends on a sweet note with apricot and vanilla in various textures, a fragrant and refreshing dessert. Needless to say, the petit fours are also exquisitely prepared and generously portioned. A dining experience that deserves high praise.
Oltremare-Hotel Due Torri di Maiori
V Diego Taiani, 3, 84010 Maiori SA
Phone: 089 877699
