Naples, Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast

"Situated on the bay of Naples opposite the imposing Mount Vesuvius, Naples is the perfect gateway to visit charming towns teetering on the edges of cliffs, or nestled into deep gorges, the fascinating ruins of Pompeii or Herculaneum, enchanting Isle of Capri and much, much more."

It is pointless going into any more of the history of Naples as we had previously booked a tour with Sorrento Silver Star Tours who took us on a private tour lasting more than 6 hours.  Francesco was our tour guide.

Francesco met us on the quayside where we arranged the exact tour we would do and settled on a price of about Euro 420.  Oh dear, I have passed on the flu to Barb who is not looking or feeling her best, but shot Barb for making it through the day.  

Our first stop would be the beautiful town of Sorrento which is perched on a 150 foot cliff overlooking the sea.  Francesco was a very chatty young fellow and it turned out that he himself lives in Sorrento with his wife and young child.  We passed Mount Vesuvius which proudly dominates Naples, on the long drive there.  It is the great presence in the life of the city and has both made and presided over the history of the entire region.  It has two peaks, Mt. Somma (3,713 feet) and Vesuvius itself (4,189 feet) and the main crater is between them.  The volcano has been dormant since 1944 and the final eruption left the lava flows which can be seen on the upper slopes.  

Mt Vesuvius

We asked Francesco to give us half an hour where he dropped us off in Sorrento, as usual a very touristy part of the town.

One way to sightsee

Cyclamen

A street in Sorrento

We walked down this street and found an icecream shop.  Had to have a Gelato - all of us!  Couldn't work out what all these motorcycles were all about and actually never found out.

   

Where we bought Limoncello

Back in the square where Francesco dropped us, we found this little shop selling every spice and chilli you can possibly think of, including the second most popular liquer in Italy - Limoncello.

Traditionally, it is made from the zest of Femminello St. Teresa lemons, also known as Sorrento lemons or Sfusato Lemons. Lemon zest, or peels without the pith, are steeped in grain alcohol until the oil is released. The resulting yellow liquid is then mixed with simple syrup. Clarity and viscosity are affected by factors like the relative temperatures of the two liquids. Opaque limoncellos are the result of spontaneous emulsification, otherwise known as the "Ouzo Effect", of the sugar syrup and extracted lemon oils. Limoncello is traditionally served chilled as an after-dinner digestive. Along the Amalfi Coast, it is usually served in small ceramic glasses themselves often chilled, the Amalfi coast being the center of both ceramics and limoncello production.

It is half an hour later and we are back in the Mercedes Minibus heading for Positano which is officially the start of the famous Amalfi Coast.  

The Amalfi Coast lies along the southern flanks of the Sorrento Peninsula, a cliff-edged promontory that wanders out from the mainland at the southern end of the Bay of Naples winding its way eastwards from Positano to Salerno taking in Amalfi and Ravello on the way.   These towns have captivated and inspired artists for centuries, from 14th-century writer Giovanni Boccaccio to 19th-century composer Richard Wagner and 20th-century playwright Tennessee Williams.  It is a mountainous route of exceptional beauty, constantly offering up fresh sights to the traveller.

The Costiera Amalfitana, or Amalfi Coast, is widely considered Italy's most scenic stretch of coastline, a landscape of towering bluffs, pastel-hued villages terraced into hillsides, precipitous corniche roads, luxuriant gardens, and expansive vistas over turquoise waters and green-swathed mountains. Deemed by UNESCO "an outstanding example of a Mediterranean landscape, with exceptional cultural and natural scenic values," the coast was awarded a coveted spot on the World Heritage list in 1997.

The roads along the Amalfi Coast are famously winding, narrow, and challenging to drive. Add in drop-dead views and daring Italian drivers, known for their behind-the-wheel bravado, and this road trip offers one of the more exciting driving experiences in Europe.  But it is nature alone who has provided the most breathtaking aspect of this drive with something to see around almost every one of the rumoured 1,700 bends.

I have many photos that we have taken and while I cannot possibly show in photos what we saw and experienced of the breathtakingly beautiful views, I will nevertheless add them as they have so much meaning for the six of us - and possibly those of you who have been fortunate enough to have visited this area in southern Italy.

The only land route to the Amalfi Coast is the 40 kilometres long Strada Statale 163 which runs along the coastline from the town of Vietri sul Mare in the east to Positano in the west. Thirteen municipalities are located on the Amalfi Coast, many of them centered around tourism.

Taken from moving car

Lemon trees growing on every possible bit of land

We now come to Positano, a scenic and majestic coastal village, the start of the Amalfi Coast.  We had about an hour stop here taking in the views and wandering around in the shopping area.

That pink/white top hanging at top right was waiting for me!

And now it's gone from there!

It's in that bag....

Sorry, that was just a bit of fun!!  Back into the bus and a quick stop to photograph the ceramic tiles on this church.  Les or Barb please help with explanation here.

Ceramic "factory"

We visited this "Ceramic Bar" where they produced really beautiful ceramics from huge patio tables whose tops were inlaid with ceramics to little bowls and tiny egg cups.  Dave and Russ stood outside really hoping the girls wouldn't come out laden with goodies.  

 

Dave is still looking very worried!

Next stop petty little Amalfi with its sun-filled piazzas and small beach.

Amalfi

A panorama of Amalfi

At the top of the staircase,  Saint Andrew's Cathedral (Duomo) overlooks the Piazza Duomo, the heart of Amalfi. This Byzantine Cathedral dates back to the 11th century; its interior is adorned in the late Baroque style with a nave and two aisles divided by 20 columns. The façade of the cathedral is Byzantine in style and is adorned with various paintings of saints, including a large fresco of Saint Andrew.

St Andrew's Cathedral

The medieval town of Ravello, situated about 5km from Amalfi up on the mountain behind St Andrew's Cathedral, is famous for its dazzling flower gardens and has been attracting celebrities for centuries, including Richard Wagner, Greta Garbo, Gore Vidal and D.H. Lawrence, who while here, wrote Lady Chatterley’s Lover. Ravello’s Duomo (Cathedral) and Villa Cimbrone (both 11th century) and Villa Rufolo (13th century) are all magnificent sights. The annual summer Ravello Festival began as a salute to Wagner’s music, but now showcases a wide range of music and arts. 

Francesco had arranged lunch for us in an Italian restaurant in this quaint town.

Pasta Bolognaise

Bill & Fran from the ship had joined us on the tour

After a delicious Italian lunch we wandered around this small town of 2,500 inhabitants.

The square in the centre of the town

  

So ends another day in a part of the world we are unlikely to ever visit again but which will remain in our memories for ever; they don't come any better than this.

Back to the ship we go with one last look at the majestic Mount Vesuvius as we drive by......

Tonight is our last night on board the magnificient Queen Elizabeth.  At dinner each couple was presented with a set of menus from the voyage to remember the delicious dishes that were so beautifully presented by very attentive waiters.

Our cases must be packed and left outside our stateroom door by midnight, remembering to leave out suitable clothes in which to travel tomorrow.

A panoramic view of the port at Naples as we are leaving

We disembark in Rome tomorrow.