Capri: A Day Trip from the Amalfi Coast

Everything you have heard or read about the Amalfi coast is true.  The views are stunning, the traffic is appalling, the cuisine in southern Italy is unforgettable, and the drive through the hills gives new meaning to breath-taking.  You hold your breath because you are sure you are never going to survive the trip.

View of Capri from the Water

There have been many words written about the coast, but just off the coast is the island of Capri.  Famous for being famous, Capri is definitely worth seeing, but I think it’s a day trip, not a place to stay.  It’s also not a place for the feeble.  Nor is any of the Amalfi coast for that matter.  You must be in decent physical shape, because everything is a climb and there is little you can do to circumvent that.  Forget the Italian stilettos; wear your walking shoes, bring lots of water, and be prepared to trudge up and down hills all over the coast.

 

 

Scene in Capri

Capri is a short ferry ride from Sorrento, which was my base.  The ride was cool and the scenery from the water is spectacular.  The water was a deep, sapphire blue and dared you to dive in.  Capri was a touristy, but pretty place.  The higher up you go, the better the views.  The crowds do not, however, thin out.  There are stores galore and you buy everything Italian; from sandals to exquisites tiles.  The namesake perfume Capri is a delicious-smelling scent that can’t be found anywhere else.  Lemoncello flows freely and the seafood is fresh and delicious.  Ferries run frequently, so you can linger by the port and watch the boats and the tourists come and go while sitting outside and sipping your favorite drink.    

Capri

Summer in Sorrento, Italy

Travel in Italy is like childbirth. Painful much of the time, yet at the end of the whole process, it’s so amazing you forget how awful it was and you do it again. And, in my case, again and again. I learned my lesson about having children after having three…they don’t stay cute and tiny, by the way. But I’m still not over Italy, and so I keep going back. After all, there are still parts I haven’t seen and Italy doesn’t disappoint. The true dilemma is whether to return to the places I love or keep pushing forward. I try to do both.

Bay of Naples

Since it’s summer as I’m writing this, I’ll start by telling you about the Amalfi Coast. I stayed in Sorrento, which is a great beach town and a fantastic place for a summer vacation. True to all my Italian experiences, it was difficult to get there. I took the tiny commuter train called the Circumvesuviana from Naples. First of all, there is no lift at the train station in Naples and I had luggage. I should learn to backpack, but I can’t. I’m not wired that way. And although I have severely trimmed down what I travel with, I must have a certain amount of accoutrements with me or I am very unhappy. Leaving, I tried a car. The traffic was unbelievable and everything you have heard about driving the hairpin turns through the Amalfi hills is true. I’d return, but next time, I might try a helicopter or the ferry.

Sunning in Sorrento

Sorrento is a great town. The locals have an ongoing love affair with Dean Martin and you can hear his lovely, slurring voice drifting through the air everywhere you go. There’s not much to do here except admire the scenery, swim, shop the markets at night and stroll, but I loved it. Sorrento has a ferry stop, as well as a bus station, and yes, there is that train so it makes a great base from which to go to the other towns in Amalfi. There are great bargains to be had in the shops. There are incredible linens, such as tablecloths, napkins, embroidered throws, and pillow cases. All were inexpensive and I loaded up on gifts (see why I need luggage?).

Shopping in Sorrento

Lemons grow everywhere in Southern Italy and they are the size of American grapefruit. The lemon motif is predominant and lemons are used in nearly every recipe. My favorite meal here was pasta served in a half of a lemon shell. Not only was it delicious, it was more than enough to fill me up. The lemons are huge! The meal was served at my favorite restaurant called [i]Ristorante L’Antica Trattoria[/i]. The waiters are charming and are known to strew your plate with flower petals. The second time we ate there, they gave us complimentary champagne because we came back. See, that’s the lure of Italy. Everything and everyone is so seductive you keep coming back for more.