Blogs from Amalfi, Campania, Italy, Europe - page 2

Capri We boarded the boat at nine and three days later we docked at Capri, or that's what it seemed. We were among the last to board so we sat inside while those who had pushed and shoved sat in the sun. The boat rocked, the people held on, we enjoyed the scenery, the boat rolled, the folk out in the sun on the stern got soaked, we enjoyed the scenery, the boat corkscrewed and people were using the barf bags while we were comfortable with the ride. We took a cab up to Ana Capri where we found nothing but shops. Stopped for a cappuccino to warm up as the wind felt like it came from the North Sea. Not much to see there so we took a cab down to Capri to visit the ... read more

Italy Day 13, Sunday, October 16, Positano, Amalfi Coast and boat trip, lunch in Scala Today we embarked on a full day bus tour of the Amalfi Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, followed by a trip inland up to Scala and Ravello. Some of us had already visited Positano, seeing that part of the coast and the colorful buildings clinging to the steep hillsides from a local bus, but one visit is not near enough so we are reminded we must to go back and see it again with fresh eyes. Our first stop was on the coast above Positano offering us post card views, and an option to purchase lemons, chili peppers, herbs and lace from the roadside vendors. There is a lot of traffic on this dangerous coastal road offering opportunities for people ... read more

Today we got picked up by our driver Franco and were taken around the Amalfi Coast. It was beautiful, some of the best views we'll ever see. Our driver was amazing and managed to get around the hairpin corners, overtake buses and when it got really sketchy he had to pull in his wing mirror so he could squeeze past. We went to Positano, Amalfi and Ravello. Positano was beautiful, we had to walk down a bit to get to the beach and it was a pretty expensive place. Amalfi was pretty similar but a bit more busy, we had lunch at a restaurant by the seaside with the amazing blue water like Capri, and Ravello was a nice quiet town up the top of the cliffs where we bought some ceramics (we liked this place ... read more

Pretty as a picture Amalfi. We travelled by bus (one crazy driver) from Praiano to Amalfi on more very winding roads. Amalfi was busier than Positano with more tourists and being a Sunday we ventured a while in the cathedral amidst the lovely sounds of children singing in the service. We left the busy town area to explore an underground river we could hear flowing beneath the streets, to discover the ruins of several old water mills situated above the town, together with a series of waterfalls created both naturally and for the mills and surrounding market gardens. Joan we actually found hellebores in the Wild! The weather turned quite cold today but not freezing. We did a little shopping, drank coffee and had a beautiful lunch - hence the first "food pictures" especially for you ... read more

Geo: 40.6344, 14.6026It was time to explore the local town which has a combination of narrow streets, seafront and small squares lined with the usual souvenir shops and restaurants. The ceramics are very pretty and the handbags very nice but not cheap. The Cathedral is reached by climbing some steep steps and is composed of 3 parts, the cloisters, the old cathedral with frescoes and the more modern baroque part. The inlaid marble on the columns was really beautiful and some of the frescoes were really lovely, much nicer than the large dark baroque part.After a beer we bought boat tickets at the information office and sailed round the pretty coast to the Emerald Grotto. There are some amazing buildings perched in impossible places on the steep cliffs. We could have caught a local bus to ... read more