One of the only ways (boat being the other) to experience the Amalfi Coast is to get a car and drive the curvey roads cut into the side of the cliffs. Our driver from Monday picked us up early for our day on the coast.
Our first stop was the beautiful hillside village of Positano. Buildings and houses cling to the volcanic rock slopping down to the public beach which was filling with locals and tourists. The narrow lanes contained shops, mostly for tourist, and cafes. Bougainvillea covered trellises over the walkways protecting shoppers from the sun. Towards the bottom was a church that wasn't yet open. This was the one village I was looking forward to visiting the most and I was not disappointed.
Back onto the road down the coast it was apparent that tourist season was in full swing with the number of buses on the road. They can cause a backup when two meet on a curve because only one can go at a time. The road has been likened to the inside of a conch shell, spiraling up then down with very few straightaways. One spot is only wide enough for a single lane of traffic, so a light is used to change directions every few minutes to allow movement both directions.
The next town on the drive was Amalfi. A cruise ship was already in port, which meant everything was very crowded. We opted to continue on the route and perhaps stop on our way back to visit the cathedral.
The last town on our tour was Ravelo which was also our lunch destination. We ate at a lovely restaurant with beautiful views of the bay. It was a leisurely affair capped off by the standard shot of limoncello. This left us with a few minutes to walk to the square in the heart of the town.
Amalfi was much quieter on our return so we stopped to visit the cathedral. After climbing the fifty steps that lifted the cathedral high above the square, we entered a large room filled with cases containing various pieces of art and serve-ware. Down a flight of stairs was the crypt which was quite beautiful but much smaller than the first room. Upstairs we finally entered the cathedral which was large in both height and and flooring. Descending the stairs, we found a fountain where it was apparently good luck to refill your water bottles since everyone seemed to be doing it.
The final leg of our journey was mostly quiet which meant I found myself nodding off. I guess our late night was taking its toll on me. None the less, the journey was breath-taking and well worth the time and effort.
For dinner tonight, we went less touristy and more local at Pizzeria Franco. Seating was at benches along long tables that were packed into the dining space. The menu contained much more than pizza, but I had come for the pie. This was by far the most extensive pizza list we had seen up until this point. Wow, this was what I expected for a region known for this dish! If I lived here, this would be a weekly stop.
Tomorrow: A day in Sorrento
Our first stop was the beautiful hillside village of Positano. Buildings and houses cling to the volcanic rock slopping down to the public beach which was filling with locals and tourists. The narrow lanes contained shops, mostly for tourist, and cafes. Bougainvillea covered trellises over the walkways protecting shoppers from the sun. Towards the bottom was a church that wasn't yet open. This was the one village I was looking forward to visiting the most and I was not disappointed.
Back onto the road down the coast it was apparent that tourist season was in full swing with the number of buses on the road. They can cause a backup when two meet on a curve because only one can go at a time. The road has been likened to the inside of a conch shell, spiraling up then down with very few straightaways. One spot is only wide enough for a single lane of traffic, so a light is used to change directions every few minutes to allow movement both directions.
The next town on the drive was Amalfi. A cruise ship was already in port, which meant everything was very crowded. We opted to continue on the route and perhaps stop on our way back to visit the cathedral.
The last town on our tour was Ravelo which was also our lunch destination. We ate at a lovely restaurant with beautiful views of the bay. It was a leisurely affair capped off by the standard shot of limoncello. This left us with a few minutes to walk to the square in the heart of the town.
Amalfi was much quieter on our return so we stopped to visit the cathedral. After climbing the fifty steps that lifted the cathedral high above the square, we entered a large room filled with cases containing various pieces of art and serve-ware. Down a flight of stairs was the crypt which was quite beautiful but much smaller than the first room. Upstairs we finally entered the cathedral which was large in both height and and flooring. Descending the stairs, we found a fountain where it was apparently good luck to refill your water bottles since everyone seemed to be doing it.
The final leg of our journey was mostly quiet which meant I found myself nodding off. I guess our late night was taking its toll on me. None the less, the journey was breath-taking and well worth the time and effort.
For dinner tonight, we went less touristy and more local at Pizzeria Franco. Seating was at benches along long tables that were packed into the dining space. The menu contained much more than pizza, but I had come for the pie. This was by far the most extensive pizza list we had seen up until this point. Wow, this was what I expected for a region known for this dish! If I lived here, this would be a weekly stop.
Tomorrow: A day in Sorrento
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