On Friday we got back from Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast of Italy where we spent a week with my parents. Unfortunately, the final day of our trip was ruined by sickness and Rob and I are both laying around the house today on a sick day. We had to say good-bye to my parents at the Naples airport all four of us coughing with flu! But the days leading up were completely worth the illness that followed. Hopefully this is not a trend... last year my parents and I were all very sick when we visited Barcelona around the same time. I think we might be allergic to Europe in the springtime, will have to try the summer or autumn.
Anyway, lets focus on the amazing trip before the illness. Rob and I arrived several hours before my parents and took a ferry from Naples to Sorrento. We had a beautifully clear day and could see amazing views of Mount Vesuvius and all down the coast on the Bay of Naples. It was the perfect way to greet a holiday! I'm afraid that this post is going to mention 'stunning views' and 'amazing scenery' quite a bit, it really was a breathtaking area of the world and we came home with more than 400 photos though we were only there for 6 days!
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| Mount Vesuvius from the Ferry to Sorrento |
My parents rented a villa in Massa Lubrense just south of Sorrento, a 20 minute bus ride away. When we reached the villa we once again had the most amazing views from our roof top terrace. It was an ideal location for us to base our tour of the area.
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The veiw over lemon groves and out to Capri from our
villa roof terrance. Jealous? Yes, you should be! |
After spending an evening in Sorrento and meeting my folks we woke up on Sunday and explored Massa. We walked down what seemed like a gentle slope to the marina but was actually quite a steep CLIFF. From the quaint, sleepy marina (actually everything was sleepy as we were about two weeks before the start of the high season, a perfect time to go and avoid crowds) we walked down the coast then hiked our way back up the cliff. Rob and I are in relatively good shape and spend a lot of time walking around London, my folk, however were not that use to walking as much, especially uphill, and we were lucky that both made it up alive!!! The walk up took us up several steep steps through residential areas that looked out on to the bay with fantastic blue water and a clear view of Capri to the southwest... stunning. The rest of day we spent eating and drinking. The food everywhere was delicious, fresh and completely unlike any Italian food you get outside of Italy. Rob and I also gorged ourselves on fresh buffalo mozzarella every day as the area we were in, Campania, is the mozzarella capital of the world... I was in HEAVEN!
The next morning we woke up early and were pick up by our driver for a private all-day tour of the Amalfi coast. We drove high up into the mountains then down the 'gold road' which winds around the coast line of the Amalfi cliffs through several amazing towns. I can't really describe this so I've just added a gallery here of the day, which included stops in Postino, Ravello, Scala and Almalfi. We also had the most amazing lunch overlooking Ravello and the coast! This was just about the most enjoyable day of our trip and one of the most memorable in my life. Enjoy the photos!
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| Postino, beautiful resort town south of Amalfi |
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| Dipping our feet in the Med at Postino |
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| Having a good time on the gold road... check out the view! |
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| The view without our big heads in the picture! |
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| Natural arch |
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| Looking towards Amalfi |
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| View of Ravello from Scala... so high up. |
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| View from Ravello during the most scenic lunch ever |
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| Mommy and I after wine and lunch in Ravello |
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Final town we visited, Atrani,
where all the natives hang out |
Our last two days, before flu set it, were spent in Sorrento, Pompeii and Capri! Pompeii was massive and, if I had the interest or the stamina to spend two days there, I could have easily, but we didn't have enough time and we were not willing to give up more time in Sorrento or Capri to see more. I highly recommend visiting, but be warned... it's hot, crowded and confusing, but unbelievable at the same time!
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| Creepy petrified Pompeii victim |
We walked around Sorrento and took several pictures of the Bay of Sorrento and Naples from the terraces of fancy hotels along the cliffs of Sorrento and ate gelato and drank espresso on the busy Tasso Square in the centre of the city. It's a delightful city that is very easy to get around and has several nice walking streets with plenty of good shops and markets! The whole area is covered in lemons and is the capital of limoncello (which they serve you at the end of every meal). Everywhere you look you can buy something lemon-scented or flavoured and all the rural areas are covered in lemon groves covered by chestnut pergolas (see photos above). It's a very distinct look and defines the agricultural landscape around southern Italy.
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| View over the Bay from Sorrento |
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| Limoncello and shot glass... Souvenirs!! |
Our final 'healthy' day was spent on Capri and what a great way to finish a trip! Early in the morning we piled onto a very crowded ferry and took the quick ride to the Gran Marina on Capri where we took the funicular (incline) up to Capri Town (the main 'city' on the island). The weather was perfect the whole day and as it was the low season everything was relatively quite. Unfortunately, all of the designer shops were shut but, hey-ho, I can by any Prada or Chanel I need in London... HA! The gelato stands were open and that's what mattered the most. After we gwaked at Capri Town, we took a tiny bus, packed with people, to the sister town, Anacapri, and enjoyed the old town there, which included yet another delicious lunch!
Our plan was to take a tour of the famous Blue Grotto after we visted Anacapri but we spent too much time enjoying lunch and the grotto was closed by the time we got there. However, a local guide grabbed us and offered to take us on his boat to the White Grotto and around some of the other coast. We were a bit hesitant but the guy seemed nice and we really wanted to see the island from a boat so we took up the offer. It was probably the best decision we made! Again, I can't really describe it... the water was so blue and the colours reflecting in the white grotto were unlike anything I had ever thought possible. In the caves there is a line of bright orange coral that grows along the water line and it's so vibrant you can't believe it's not man-made! Here are some photos to make you want to go!
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