Coasting in Italy p.70
ON THE AMALFI COAST by SUZANNE CARMEL
Though it may be argued that a romantic getaway should be spent traveling away from crowds, traffic, and congestion, to avoid the Amalfi Coast would be to deprive oneself of the very reason so many gather here each season.
T raffic moves at a painstaking crawl as it snakes along Italy’s Sorrentine Peninsula, heading from Sorrento, on the Bay of Naples, onto the world-famous Amalfi Coast, framing the Gulf of Salerno. The road hugs, at times, perilously close to steep coastal cliffs, winding through villages such as Positano, Amalfi, and Ravello. Visitors flock here during an increasingly long high season that stretches from the Easter holiday well into the fall.
Though it may be argued that a romantic getaway should be spent traveling away from crowds, traffic, and congestion, to avoid the Amalfi Coast would be to deprive oneself of the very reason so many gather here each season. This sun- dappled landscape affords visitors some of the most spectacular views in Europe, if not the world.
Streets fill with buses, motorcycles, and cars while people cram into shops, restaurants, and onto narrow sidewalks. The forcibly slow pace tests even the mellowest of travelers, but the exercise in patience is well worth it. Surrendering to inconveniences in exchange for the chance to explore the jewels strung along this part of the Campania region is to enjoy both the journey and the destination. This is what it is to spend time here, falling in love yet again with each other and with hidden discoveries made slowly, as time unfolds.
Technically, the Amalfi Coast stretches between the towns of Positano and Vietri sul Mare, but many tourists include Sorrento in their itineraries; it’s a good place to begin exploring the region, close to the airport in Naples and the must-see attractions of Pompeii and Herculaneum.
It’s simple to take a train from the central station in Naples or a ferry from its port to Sorrento, then grab a taxi to your hotel. Our secluded refuge from the crowds at the Grand Hotel Cocumella provided a quiet, yet luxurious place to regroup after active days spent sightseeing and shopping. Built in the 16th century as a monastery and a recovery place for Jesuits, it became one of the map points for the Grand Tour in the 19th century, then a hotel/ hostel after WWII, before finally undergoing its final transformation in 1978 as the family-owned luxury property it is today.
Our first day was spent at the ancient Roman ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum, frozen in time when Vesuvius erupted in 79 A.D. A guide accompanied us through both locations, explaining that we could barely scratch the surface at Pompeii; divided into nine large districts, it’s the second most visited archaeological site in Italy. To walk the ruins of this city is to glimpse ancient Roman life in its entirety, whereas the much smaller Herculaneum gives a look at what was once a wealthier, suburban area. Both are fascinating and well worth the trip.
Our next day began with a walk into downtown Sorrento to explore the touristy shops lining the narrow streets leading out from Piazza Sant’ Antonino, the main square. Nino & Friends on Via San Cesaro became our favorite place to sample local olive oil, chocolates, cookies, and limoncello — a liqueur made from lemons grown on trees that pepper the terrain. A quick umbrella-shaded lunch at L’Abate cemented our introduction to local pasta and Neapolitan pizza while dinner later that evening at Bistro Sorrento proved our best meal of the entire trip. It’s a drive from town, but the owner’s son will pick up restaurant patrons in his convertible, upon request, later
dropping them back off, fully sated on homemade high-quality meats and pastas cooked by his brother.
A taxi ride early the next morning brought us back down to the port and onto another ferry, this time to the isle of Capri. This departure from the Amalfi Coast is worth at least a day trip, or a few days if time permits. Passengers disembark at Marina Grande, where day-trippers from cruise ships and the coast add to the almost continuous congestion that overnight visitors break free from after dusk. We opted to spend two nights in Anacapri at Caesar Augustus. Though less convenient than staying in Capri, and requiring a rather pricey taxi ride or crowded local bus into town, it offered breathtaking views and the romantic seclusion we wanted on our holiday.
Perched atop cliffs plunging almost straight down to the sea below and affording an unobstructed panorama, the Caesar Augustus’ 59 rooms and suites open onto balconies or terraces that take advantage of its prime location. We sat outside our cliffside junior suite and gazed onto a seamless blend of open water and the horizon. Everything from the infinity-edged pool to the fragrant gardens, and from the outdoor fitness space and spa to wrap-around terrace, maximized the impressive views.
On our first day island-side, we took the chairlift from Anacapri to the top of Mount Solaro for gelato accompanied by inspiring vistas. The single-passenger seats slowly ascend and descend to and from this lofty vantage point for a quiet and breathtaking trip. Back on the ground, we ambled past tourist shops to Villa San Michele, home to the late Axel Munthe, author, doctor, and animal lover who popularized Capri with his novel The Story of San Michele. A short self-guided tour of the house and gardens gives insights into his life and passions. Afterward, we walked back to the Caesar Augustus to greet the sunset during an intimate dinner of locally caught fish, prepared with herbs and vegetables straight from the garden.
Capri is best discovered from the water and by walking its terrain. The next day we did both, spending the morning on a boat tour around the island. Though it was almost impossible to hear the information dispensed in both English and Italian on the boat, we circumnavigated the entire island, getting as close as possible to the coastline and magical rock formations alongside it, such as the rocks of the Faraglioni and the Natural Arch.
Back on land and fortified by lunch at celebrity-frequented Ristorante Aurora in the heart of Capri town, we began the long trek to Villa Jovis. Built for and occupied by the Emperor Tiberius from 27 to 37 A.D., the Roman ruins of this villa, perched high on a cliff, are intact enough to give visitors a sense of the opulence of the Roman Empire.
We were sorry to say goodbye to the Caesar Augustus the next morning. However, another ferry awaited us in Marina Grande, this time taking us to Positano, perhaps the most famous point on the Amalfi Coast. For well-heeled visitors, and those treating themselves to a luxurious getaway, Le Sirenuse is a mecca in this upscale locale. From the port, streets filled with restaurants, art galleries, and exclusive shops wind upward to this celebrated 58-room-and-suite property, family owned since WWII.
Our room featured two balconies overlooking a lemon tree-framed swimming pool and beyond it, the town stretching down to the Bay of Positano. This famous panorama of the coast is captured by artists on paintings displayed within many of the local galleries, such as Art & Craft, on Via del Saracino near the beach, where we felt compelled to bring home one piece of this magical place.
Our final day on the Amalfi Coast was spent driving through more of the region, first to visit the Cathedral of Amalfi, located at one side of the Piazza del Duomo and dedicated to St. Andrew. Built originally in the 9th century the cathedral has been renovated several times to the current cathedral, crypt, and Diocesan Museum that are well worth climbing the 62 steps to visit.
A drive farther inland and high above the coast next brought us to Ravello, where we strolled through Villa Rufolo and its famous garden that inspired Wagner while he composed his opera, Parsifal, to create its enchanted garden of Klingsor. Originally constructed in A.D. 1200, the villa belonged to the Rufolo and then several other prominent families before Scotsman Francis Neville Reid purchased and restored it. A quick stop in Pascal Ceramiche d’Arte to peruse local ceramics followed by a last sweet gelato confection at Baffone Gelateria Artigianale — both on Via Roma — rounded out our afternoon.
During our trip back along the coast to Positano, traffic was uncharacteristically absent and we found ourselves, hands clasped in the back seat, yearning to stretch out time on our drive. All too quickly we arrived back for one last sunset from our balcony, the • sky darkening over a magical view we won’t soon forget.
Villa San Michele, home to the late Axel Munthe, author, doctor, and animal lover who popularized Capri with his novel The Story of San Michele.