Taste Of Heaven In Amalfi

The Italian town with divine pasta and a saintly connection to Scotland

THIS summer we had a trip to my favourite southern Italian town, Amalfi. The drive along La Costa Amalfitana is one of nature’s miracles and has UNESCO World heritage status. The Italian bus drivers who snake you up and down through Sorrento and down to Ravello must be part-time stunt men for Mission Impossible. You can lose pounds in nervous sweat just standing on the bus as you get to your destination.

There are thousands of lemon trees planted over the last century to stop the precarious cliffs from crumbling into the Mediterranean Sea below. A triumph in sustainable agricultural engineering and an abundance of one of the best citrus fruits in the world as a byproduct. The Italians are good at making things practical, beautiful and deliciously edible.

If you’ve never been to Amalfi it really is a gem. You can arrive by boat, if your yacht is not moored in Monaco for the season, or by road. Either takes you into the medieval town of narrow streets, all drawing you in with smells of coffee and sfogliatelle – a traditional ricotta-filled pastry – vibrant hand-painted artisan pottery, crisp white linen dresses and strappy leather sandals that you know you don’t need but can’t resist.

My favourite restaurant in Italy is in Amalfi. I first visited over 20 years ago and it’s still perfect. Da Gemma serves classic southern Italian dishes. Fresh seafood that will cost the same as your mooring fee in Monaco, and home-made pasta to take you to the angels.

Sitting on the tiny terrace of the restaurant you can hear the bells of the Duomo St Andrea (St Andrew) – a picture-postcard 11th century cathedral, bell tower and convent.

As an Italian-scot it has an extra special place in our hearts. The body of our very own patron saint Andrew is buried here. That Italian-scots connection is everywhere.

And in 1879 the archbishop of Amalfi gifted the shoulder blade of St Andrew to St Mary’s Cathedral in Edinburgh. I’m not sure Andrew was happy about that one but if I were him, I’d be very content to have a little bit of me in Scotland and a little bit in Amalfi for eternity.