The identity of the founders of the town of Maiori is not known with certainty. The first clear traces of stable settlements date back to the period of ancient Rome, which is responsible for the original name Reghinna Major given to the watercourse that flows into the inlet of present-day Maiori, in contrast to Reghinna Minor, the name given to the smaller stream that flows into the nearby inlet of Minori.

Unlike the vast majority of other towns on the Amalfi Coast, Maiori has a wide and long beach, surrounded by the characteristic terraced citrus groves.