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Published: April 28th 2023
Today was the day we had arranged with our old friend and guide, Francesco Ruggiero, to visit the Amalfi Coast and its popular tourist haunts of Positano, Amalfi Town and Ravello. Dee and I had made this day trip 7 years ago, and we were excited to share the experience again with John and Cindy during their stay. We could not have hoped for more ideal weather conditions, with clear blue skies and temperatures in the upper 60s throughout the day.
The so-called Amalfi Drive, the two-lane road that meanders its way from Sorrento to Salerno, hugs the southern coastline of the Sorrentine peninsula adjacent to the Gulf of Salerno (part of the Mediterranean Sea, as is the Gulf of Naples in Sorrento). The breathtaking views along this route are world famous, while the switchbacks and sharp turns make it a hair-raising experience, especially when the traffic congestion is factored into the equation. Although the distance from Sorrento to Ravello (our final destination today) is only about 25 miles, it took us most of the day to complete the roundtrip journey.
We went downstairs to await Francesco's pre-arranged arrival at 8:15AM, but were surprised when a very friendly young
Amalfi Coastline
View from above Positanowoman, who introduced herself as Monica, informed us that she would be driving us to join Francesco. As it turned out, we rendezvoused with him in the nearby town of Meta, where he took over the reins. After introductions were made, we boarded our chariot and began today's 8-hour excursion.
Shortly after leaving Sorrento, the scenery began to change, as we wound our way into and around the higher elevations of undulating hills and craggy rock formations that dot the coastal areas of the peninsula. During the drive, while Francesco entertained us with interesting commentary and conversation, we all marveled at the scenery both on and off the road. As we approached Positano, we made several brief stops at scenic overlook points, where vendors display fruit and other souvenir items, to take some photos and enjoy the panoramic views out over the Gulf of Salerno. During one of these stops, Francesco pulled a fast one on Dee, when he pilfered a lemon from one of the vendors and stashed it into her purse. Of course, Dee was petrified that she would be accused of "lemon lifting", until we all discovered that Francesco and this particular fruit vendor were good
buddies!
We bypassed the town of Positano, which is the most popular and congested tourist town on the Amalfi Drive, and instead headed for Amalfi Town. As Francesco explained, back in the 10th and 11th centuries, the Republic of Amalfi was a major trading power that rivaled Pisa, Genoa and Venice. He dropped us off as close as he could to the center of town, where John, Cindy and I threaded our way through some narrow passages to reach the massive cathedral, a mixture of Moorish and Byzantine architecture, that dominates the main square. Cindy and I decided to ascend the daunting set of 62 stairs leading up to the cathedral. After paying a nominal admission fee, we made a brief tour of the complex, including the Cloister of Paradise in the courtyard (surrounded by 120 stone pillars), and the interior of the cathedral itself.
Once we had retraced our steps from the cathedral, and reunited with Dee (who had been sitting in a public rest area and strolling around some nearby shops), all of us rejoined Francesco in the parking lot, where it cost about 12 euros/hour to park! Our one-hour visit to Amalfi Town completed, Francesco
drove us to our next destination, Ravello, a quaint and peaceful little hill town which lies about 1000 feet above the sea. Dee and I well remember this town from our trip 7 years ago, and it has not lost its charm during the intervening years. After making a brief drink stop at a cafe on the square, and while Dee waited in a comfortable spot, the rest of us visited the Villa Rufolo. This impressive villa, which bears the name of the family that created it, has a long heritage dating back to the 13th century. During the centuries that followed, and the influences of many private owners, much of the original Arabic, Sicilian and Norman architectural elements have been combined with 18th century cloisters and 19th century romantic gardens to form what we see today. The interior of the villa is impressive, but it is the gorgeous views from the outside gardens and terraces that are truly breathtaking.
At this point, Francesco delivered us to the nearby village of Pontone, a short but tortuous uphill drive from Ravello. He had made reservations at his recommended family restaurant, Antico Borgo, with its outdoor terrace overlooking the sea. While
waiting to enter the restaurant, several donkeys loaded with cargo were being led along the nearby sidewalk; the steep inclines and numerous stairs throughout this area (especially for the cliff dwellers in Positano) make pack animals the best option for transporting goods.
We cajoled him into joining us for lunch, whereupon he arranged with the owner and staff to serve us a selection of Italian dishes, beginning with antipasto samplers of tomatoes, mozzarella, stuffed eggplant and zucchini, focaccia, ham, salami, along with a bottle of red wine. Next came a pasta dish with sausages, followed by the most delicious, piping-hot bowls of eggplant parmigiana, and cheese-filled ravioli. By this time we were all stuffed, but somehow managed to share two different pastry items for dessert! It was about 2:30PM when we finished our luncheon feast and began the return journey to Sorrento, where we arrived at 4:00PM. Although a little weary from the day's driving and walking, we all agreed the experience was worth the effort.
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Cindy Vogt
non-member comment
A beautiful tour, tour guide and great company!
What a memorable day thanks to Mitch, Dee and Francesco.