| Praiano | |
| Official Name: | Comune di Praiano |
| Coordinates: | 40.6167°N 46°W |
| Province: | (SA) |
| Frazioni: | Vettica Maggiore |
| Mayor Party: | Lista Civica |
| Mayor: | Giovanni Di Martino |
| Area Total Km2: | 2 |
| Population Total: | 2019 |
| Population As Of: | 31 December 2017 |
| Population Demonym: | Praianesi |
| Saint: | St. Januarius and St. Luke |
| Day: | 19 September and 18 October |
| Postal Code: | 84010 |
| Area Code: | 089 |
Praiano (pronounced as /it/) is a town and comune of the province of Salerno in the Campania region of southwest Italy. It is situated on the Amalfi Coast (Costiera Amalfitana), a prime tourist location for the region and Italy alike, between the towns of Amalfi and Positano.
In 1997, the Amalfi Coast, including Praiano's "Vettica Maggiore" frazione was inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage Site.[1] According to data of the year 2015, the town's population constitutes 2,045 inhabitants.[2]
The town's name derives from the praia, or beach, from the Latin word pelagium, meaning "open sea."[3] During the 10th-11th centuries, Praiano was once the summer residence of the doges of the Duchy of Amalfi.
During the Angevin period, a fortified tower, the Assiola, was constructed to defend the town. Praiano had an important local silk industry, however, it disappeared during the 19th century. With the discovery of corals in the vicinity around the 1800s, Praiano's economy was revitalized, mainly focusing on the fishing and tourism industries ever since.
Attractions include the Church of San Luca Evangelista,[4] dating back to 1123. On the inside, there are paintings by Renaissance painter Giovanni Bernardo Lama dating to the 16th century. Another attraction is the Church of San Giovanni Battista, featuring a well-preserved maiolica tiled floor, dating back to the 12th-13th centuries.[5]