SS163
Trip Start
Sep 03, 2010
1
10
23
Trip End
Sep 29, 2010
Amalfi Coast, Campania, Italy
Friday, September 10, 2010
As neither of us were game to contemplate driving, we hired a guide and driver, for what turned out to be twelve hours.
Our first stop was Ravello, boasting former residents such as Wagner, D.H. Lawrence and Virginia Woolf! Today, it's an upmarket getaway for the world's rich and famous. We found Ravello to be quaint, refined and stunningly beautiful. Villa Cimbrone is probably the best known five star hotel in the region, with the likes of Eva Gabor and Humphrey Bogart staying here, and if you believe the rumours, is where Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie fell in love (whilst filming Mr & Mrs Smith).
On our way to Positano we passed Atrani (the town devastated by floods the day before). In our photos of Atrani you can clearly see the rescue helicopter searching for the missing woman. Also note in the photos the muddy foreshore, where flood waters continue to run out to sea.
Positano was the highlight of our trip, with beautiful terraced houses and wonderful cobbled alleyways with boutiques, art galleries, trattorias etc! Of note was our lunch venue, high in the hills above the frenetic pace of Positano - Trattoria La Tagliata. Here we enjoyed local 'Bianco' and 'Rosso', along with an authentic Italian three course meal.
Our last stop was Amalfi, which was all but destroyed by an earthquake in 1343. The hometown of our guide, Vincenzo, Amalfi is also home to the oldest paper mill in Europe, dating back to the 13th century. The Museo della Carta offers a fascinating guided tour of the mill, explaining the process of turning 'rags' into paper. This paper is still used today by The Vatican for its archives, as it has a lifespan of approximately 1000 years.
Dominating Piazza del Duomo, is the incredible Cattedrale di Sant Andrea, with its distinctive two-toned masonry.
Comments
I love the sights of the pictures you've posted. Amalfi coast is wonderful! I am planning to visit Italy this winter and I will try to experience the wonder of the place myself.
Thank you for taking the time to comment on our Travel Blog. I certainly hope you enjoy The Amalfi Coast as much as we did. It is a beautiful part of Italy, and well deserved of its reputation.
Simon