Amalfi and Ravello

Originally published on: Nov 21, 2009

Ravello turned out to be one of the most incredible places I visited this year.

Infinity Terrace, Ravello

After a rainy day in Positano, I was overjoyed the next morning when I awoke to a clear day. I watched the sunrise from my hotel window as the coastline emerged from the darkness. I ate a sumptuous breakfast, part of the package at most Italian hotels, and set out early for Amalfi, the largest town along the coast. I had bought my bus tickets the previous day, so was able to catch the bus outside the hotel. I waited with an Australian couple...and waited, and waited. Finally, after about thirty minutes, we heard the musical honking of the bus as it maneuvered around one of the curves of the road.

All along the Amalfi Coast, from morning until night, you can hear buses honking to warn other vehicles of their presence, as the road is barely wide enough to manage two cars, much less two buses at the same time. For the most part, traffic flows smoothly along the coastal highway, but there are times when two buses going in opposite directions arrive at the same point on one of the highway curves, and it is simply not possible for them both to make the curve at the same time: one of them must back up to allow enough room for the other to pass. But it seems to be done as a matter of course, taken in stride as part of the travel experience along the coastal road. I had read numerous accounts of the 'scary' drive along the coast, but I did not find it to be so: in fact, it was quite the opposite. It was awe-inspiring to be able to view the coastline from the edge of the road, and it reminded me of driving along the California coast near Big Sur.

Amalfi

The bus arrived in Amalfi about 11 am, and I headed for the center of town where the Duomo sits, with its magnificent colored facade. Many buses from Sorrento and Salerno were arriving at the same time, filled with tourists from tour groups and cruises. Ick! As they began to fill the streets, shopping for souvenirs and limoncello, I decided to move on to Ravello, hoping to be ahead of the crowds now visiting Amalfi.

Amalfi's Duomo

I caught another bus, and arrived in Ravello, which sits at the top of a hill and has incredible panoramic views of the coast. There are two villas with gardens to visit, and most people opt to see Villa Rufolo, the one closest to the bus stop. Instead, I headed across town to find Villa Cimbrone, along a stone path that led me past many terraced gardens and vineyards. It was about noon by this time, but I saw few people along the route, which took about 20 minutes to walk.

Small vineyard in Ravello.

When I arrived at Villa Cimbrone, I was one of the few people there. I'm not sure why it is such a thrill for me when this happens, but to be in one of the most beautiful settings in the world and have it all to myself is one of the great pleasures of my life. I was there, on the Terrace of the Infinite, alone, for nearly 30 minutes. Incredible! I know most people prefer to share moments like this with other people…but I prefer to see beautiful landscapes by myself, at least the first time. If other people are around, they are usually talking, and it distracts me from paying attention to the details of the experience. In the past, I used to think how much better it would be to have someone to share such things with. But when I have been with other people, even loved ones, I found I enjoyed it less. Sometimes I found others have even ruined the experience for me with their chatter or because they didn't enjoy it as much as I did, and wanted to move on.

The view from Villa Cimbrone is phenomenal.  After a while, more people started arriving in the gardens, and I headed back to the main part of town. Oh boy, was it crowded! The cruise buses had arrived, and hordes of people were streaming into Villa Rufolo. I decided not to go in, as it seemed impossible that it could compare with the beauty I'd seen from Villa Cimbrone. As it is with most places, I feel certain I will return in the future, so I don't feel the necessity of cramming every sight in. I will see Villa Rufolo another time.

On the way back to the town center, I stopped at one point to sample some freshly made limoncello and bought a small bottle of the potent liqueur to give to my friends in Rome. It was exquisite, the best I have ever tasted, and I wish I had a gallon of it here at home! (Later, Lidia gave me a recipe, as it is quite simple to make: maybe I'll try it next summer.)

I headed back to Amalfi, wandered along the main streets, and found a deli that served insalata al mare, a salad of seafood that was incredibly delicious. Accompanied with foccaccia and a bottle of water, I had a wonderful meal sitting at an outdoor table in the main piazza across from the duomo.

Lunch in Amalfi.

Amalfi is a town I would like to explore more in the future, but I was ready to head back to Praiano by 4 pm, and wanted to beat the crowds that would soon be headed back to Sorrento. Sure enough, there was a line of people waiting for the bus, and we ended up waiting more than an hour. I ended up on the same bus with the Australian couple I'd met that morning, which was a lucky thing, as they knew where to get off on the way back. The bus was pretty crowded, with people standing in the aisles, so I was glad we would be getting off quickly.

In Praiano, I dropped my things off at the hotel and trekked into town, hoping to catch the sunset from the western end of town. I was not disappointed. I sat near the town center, near a group of elderly men having a lively discussion. Below me, children were happily playing ball in the piazza near the duomo. I watched the sun set for nearly an hour, enjoying the ambiance of the village life, the pealing of the church bells, the beauty of the seascape before me. A little bit of paradise.

Praiano, Positano

Originally published on: Oct 27, 2009

Praiano turned out to be the jewel on the Amalfi Coast that I was hoping it would be. There were no tourist shops to speak of, and very few tourists: just a small, quiet town nestled between Positano and Amalfi along one of the most beautiful coasts in the world. In fact, the Amalfi Coast is one of UNESCO’s World Heritage sites, and after spending a few days there, it’s easy to see why. The beauty is staggering, phenomenal, and ever-present. (On a side note, there are more World Heritage sites in Italy than any other country in the world!) The hotel I stayed at, La Perla, was another gem, and from my room I had a lovely view of the Atlantic Ocean and the coastline to the east. On several mornings I watched the sun rise from my window, and I could track the movement of the traffic along the road below me, winding its way along the coast to Amalfi and beyond.

sunrise over Praiano

After an hour’s bus ride from Sorrento, I arrived in Praiano around noon on Thursday, a cloudy day that threatened rain. An online tourist site had warned me that my hotel was far from the town center, so I asked the bus driver to drop me off at the hotel instead. However, he either misunderstood me or didn’t seem to know what I was talking about, and I found myself left at the town center with no idea of where my hotel was or how to get there. (Bad planning on my part, I usually have these things mapped out in advance.) But I’ve become used to asking locals for help, and I asked someone for directions. I learned I was on the right road, and needed to continue on it for another 2 km. Having learned the hard way that Italians often underestimate distance and quantity, I doubled the distance in my mind, figuring I had a two-mile walk ahead of me, dragging my luggage behind me.

Destination: La Perla Hotel

It was not an unpleasant walk, as I was on the coast road, with breathtaking panoramic views at every step. However, the road was small and traffic whizzed by me: cars, buses, and motorcycles, often forcing me to snuggle against the rocky side of the road. I walked and walked and walked, stopping now and then to admire the view. At one point there was a grotto-like area where a miniature version of the town was represented, complete with small houses, streets and trees.

Grotto

Finally, after about 45 minutes, I saw a sign for the hotel, up a steep incline on my left. La Perla turned out to be one of the nicer hotels I stayed at on this trip, similar to the hotels I stayed at in Grottammare and Rieti. There was a lounge area complete with a large-screen TV (the Germans seem to like this!) and a restaurant with a terrace overlooking the coastline.

Restaurant Terrace

After getting settled in at the hotel, I took off again, hoping to visit Positano that afternoon. I would need to take a bus and backtrack about ten miles down the coast. I asked a hotel clerk where to buy a bus ticket. No problem, it’s just around the corner from the hotel. (In Italy, one usually buys bus tickets at coffee bars, newsstands or tabacchi shops, which sell candy, cigarettes, phone cards, etc.) However, the tabacchi shop near the hotel was closed for the lunch/siesta/riposo time, which can last from 2-4 hours. So, I had to walk back to the town center: it only took 30 minutes without my luggage. I managed to find another tabacchi shop open, but was told that the SITA bus tickets (a regional service) to Positano were only sold at a nearby cafè closed until 2:30. Just my luck! Arrghh! These kinds of delays are common in Italy, and one learns to plan ahead or go with the flow: sometimes there’s a logic to the rules one encounters, sometimes it’s more of a dance, and sometimes it’s simply bureaucratic nonsense.

As I was walking by the bus stop, looking defeated, I struck up a conversation with a British couple. They seemed to know the lay of the land, so to speak, and informed me that I could buy bus tickets on a local route when I got on the bus. In addition, the local bus was cheaper and ran more frequently than the SITA bus. They happened to have several extra tickets on hand they did not need, and sold them to me just as the bus pulled into view. I am often blessed by synchronicity like this on my travels: people show up unexpectedly to help me. It’s a wonder that I ever bother worrying about anything, since dilemmas usually seem to resolve themselves, without any effort on my part, if I will let them.

Positano

After a ten-minute ride on the local bus, I found myself in Positano, a picturesque village that is one of the most popular spots on the Amalfi coast, and has been featured as a background in several movies, including Under the Tuscan Sun. Well, I don’t get it. Sure, it’s picturesque, but the main draw is in its nightlife and in the realm of fashion. Not my scene on either account. Positano seemed little more than a few steep, winding streets lined with expensive stores geared to tourist tastes and women’s fashion.

Handmade sandals in this store!

There is a small, black pebble-lined beach, but it was starting to rain by the time I reached it. And since there were few other obvious attractions, and I was already tired from walking several hours, I decided to return to Praiano. It might be a fun place to visit on a sunny day, or during the summer when there is an active nightlife. I understand there is also a beautiful church worth seeing there. On this day, however, I only spent a few hours in Positano.

Another view of Positano, with its Duomo. 

Thankfully, on the bus back to Praiano, I was able to ride all the way to my hotel, and that evening ate a wonderful meal of pasta and white wine at the hotel. The wine served to soothe my jagged nerves and ignore the noisy antics of a table full of German men sitting nearby.

Getting my bearings in an unfamiliar town is always a challenge and somewhat of a thrill for me, once I figure things out. And in the case where my hotel is 30 minutes from the town center, it often feels like a major victory. After many hours of walking, I was ready to relax and rest up for the next day’s adventure: Amalfi and Ravello. A sunny day was forecast that Friday, and I wanted to make the most of it.