The Amalfi Coast and Capri, Part II

Yesterday, I shared the Highlights #1-5 from my tenth anniversary trip to Italy's Amalfi Coast and Capri.  Today, I share # 6-10.

6.  An Evening at Le Sirenuse

In Positano, were content with our choice of the quiet Il San Pietro for accommodations, but it was fun to explore the legendary Le Sirenuse for cocktails and dinner.  We spent a leisurely two hours at the Champagne and Oyster Bar, where the coastline views and people-watching are both fabulous.  We even met the aforementioned author Amanda Tabberer, who just happened to be in town and having drinks with friends.  What fun to tell her that her book had inspired our trip!

Later, we dined al fresco at Le Sirenuse's famed restaurant, La Sponda.  This was my husband's favorite meal, and a close second to Rossellini's for me.  Each course was perfectly executed.

7.  The Flowers.  

I took exactly 541 pictures of flowers on the Amalfi Coast.  Coming from drought-ridden Central Texas, where I struggle to keep anything green alive, I was amazed by the vibrant colors and bountiful blossoms.  Beauty is everywhere, and you don't have to spend a penny to enjoy it:

8.  Anacapri

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After leaving Positano, we stayed at the Caesar Augustus in Anacapri.  We liked the secluded cliff-top location, and the hotel offers a complimentary shuttle into Capri, or you can take the local bus, which we found very convenient.  We hiked Mount Solaro, shopped for handmade linen dresses for our daughters, and ate the best caprese salads ever.

The Caesar Augustus also encourages languid downtime.  Isn't this reading room, with its crisp red and white upholstery, charming?

I took this picture while swimming in the hotel infinity pool, which seemingly spilled into the sea 1000 feet below:

The bartender at the Caesar Augustus claims he makes the best bellinis in Italy.  His claim is legit; the peaches were fresh off a nearby tree.  With terrace views overlooking the entire Bay of Naples, this was happy hour at its finest:

9.  Capri

The town of Capri is bustling with very high-end retail boutiques, people who like to see and be seen, and dozens of cafes which are perfect for watching such people.  It's a busy place, too busy when the cruise ships dock, but full of charm when the sun sets and the day tourists leave. 

Capri is also home to the Blue Grotto, which is justifiably famous for its stunning waters.  It may be touristy, but it is still a must-do. The water is spectacular in color.

We also spent an entire day getting happily lost in "the real Capri," away from the crowds.  We hiked coastline trails and navigated narrow cobblestone streets.  At one point, we stumbled upon an old monastery that still houses an amazing art collection:

10. Pompeii

We saved a visit to the archaeological site for our last full day in Italy. A quick ferry from Capri to Naples and an efficient taxi ride from Naples to Pompeii brought us to the gates of the old city.  We spent hours perusing the ruins and marveling at the sophistication of the people who lived there.  It is not a "fun" excursion --- the ghosts of the lost Pompeii souls still linger --- but it is a humbling and important one.  

After our day in Pompeii, we checked into the Grand Hotel Vesuvio in Naples, which had a stunning waterfront location.  We ate fabulous pizza nearby, cursorily toured almost a dozen churches and cathedrals, and got a taste of Napoli before turning in to prepare for our early morning flight back to Texas and our kids. 

What a trip.  Luxurious.  Delicious.  Inspiring.  Rejuvenating.  And forever memorable.

(And once again, many thanks to Moonrings for the expert itinerary!)

The Amalfi Coast and Capri, Part I

For my 100th and 101st posts, I'm taking a break from kid-related parties, decor, and activities, and writing about a very grown-up trip!

As an early tenth anniversary present to ourselves, my husband and I traveled to Italy last June, sans kids, for nine days on the Amalfi Coast and Capri. It was our first real vacation (as opposed to "trips" with family) in two years.  And we needed it --- time together, to slow down, to relax, to appreciate the world around us.

Miriam at Moonrings helped us organize.  Her recommendations were spot-on, and we highly recommend Moonrings' services for special occasion travel.  (Moonrings planned, and then replanned, our honeymoon ten years ago.  We had meticulously arranged two weeks in Bali, but terrorists struck on our wedding day, and we thus spent our wedding night reconfiguring the Bali trip into a safer Hawaiian getaway.  Moonrings worked overtime for us then, and we trusted them completely with this trip as well.)

Our itinerary: Fly into Naples then immediately transfer to Positano for five days.  Follow with three days in Capri, a day in Pompeii, and a night in Naples before flying home.

Every minute of the trip was perfect, but here are the first five of our Top Ten Highlights:

1. Il San Pietro.  

We stayed at this secluded gem outside Positano for most of the week.  If I could design Heaven, it would look and feel exactly like San Pietro.  The hotel grounds are magnificently landscaped; the service is exquisite; the mood serene. While there, we met several guests who vacation at Il San Pietro every summer --- one had been coming for more than two decades.  It is that magical of a place, to draw repeat visitors, across the globe, year after year.

Here we are, straight off the plane, jetlagged and tired, but still so happy to be at Il San Pietro:


Every morning I swam. This was my view from the San Pietro pool:

After swimming, we'd breakfast on our spacious, bougainvillea-wrapped private terrace and watch the yachts go by:

We'd also spend part of the day lounging by the sea:

We took a sailing and snorkeling excursion on the hotel boat.  Here is a view of the hotel from the water:

And sea views of Positano:

We spent a glorious afternoon at the Il San Pietro spa.  This is the walkway to the spa:

And this is the lemon orchard outside the treatment room. After my massage, the therapist picked lemons and made me fresh lemonade:

We drank limencello made from those same lemons almost every evening:

We also spent a lot of time walking the steep, narrow streets of Positano, admiring the Moorish architecture and beautiful open-air markets.

2.  Lunch at Da Adolpho.  

Anyone planning a trip to the Amalfi Coast must read Amanda Tabberer's gorgeous book:

We had purchased the book a few months before our departure and spent hours swooning over the stunning photographs and insider's perspective on Positano.  Tabberer lived and worked in Positano for years, marrying into the family which owns and operates Da Adolpho.  After reading her nostalgic description of the restaurant, we knew we had to try it.  We made our reservation for lunch, the wooden boat with the big red fish picked us up at the San Pietro dock, and within two minutes, we were taxied around the cove to the waterfront restaurant.  While there, seated amongst locals, we were delighted to spot some of the "characters" from her book, hosting, cooking, and serving.  They were as colorful in person as she described in her text.  And the food! Incredibly fresh, simply prepared, and absolutely the best lunch of our week.

3.  Dinner at Donna Rosa.

Owned by a mother and two sisters, this hilltop restaurant in Positano serves gorgeous handmade pasta.  And the staff are so, so charming.  We ate on the terrace, overlooking the lights of Positano, and savored every bite.

Just look at this truffle pasta!




4.  Ravello

We loved Positano, but for variety, took a half-day and evening sidetrip to Ravello.  Perched high above the sea, Ravello is one of the most charming towns on the Amalfi Coast. There is plenty of space to slow down and breathe in Ravello.

Our driver recommended we hike to Villa Cimbrone.  And although the long walk was steep and sweaty and not particularly comfortable in the dress and heels I had worn for dinner, it was totally worth it. The Villa Cimbrone gardens are spectacular.  I felt like I was in a fairy tale:

After drinking wine in the square, watching the sun set over the mountains and local children play...

...we capped the day with a visit to the gorgeous Palazzo Sasso and dinner at the exquisite Rossellini's.  Although difficult to choose, Rossellini's may have been my favorite meal of the trip.   Just look at this beautiful pasta!

A terrace view from our dinner table:

5.  Amalfi Drive

There is perhaps no better sensory experience than traveling the curvy Amalfi Coast at night, in an expertly chauffeured Mercedes, windows down, wind blowing, Pavarotti blaring on the stereo, intoxicated by the hibiscus perfume.  It was pure luxury, and although we certainly don't live like that every day, it sure was fabulous for a week. 

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It's not time to go back to the real world yet! The journey continues tomorrow with Amalfi Coast Highlights #6-10! Please join me!


(Sharing with Savvy Southern Style, Memories by the Mile and Common Ground)