We took a day trip to the Amalfi Coast with a driver, who suggested a plan but let us guide ourselves around. Overnight three cruise ships docked. One behemoth shot fireworks at 1 am and woke us up. Rude. 

Because of the cruises, our driver Mario suggested we start in Ravello because the cruise ship tours would start at the other end of the coast at Positano. Ravello is in the Lattari mountains, not on the coast and has some spectacular views. The town is fairly small in population, except during its summer music festival.

We walked about 15 minutes uphill to Villa Cimbrone.

The Villa has been around since the 11th century but it’s current state is due to an Englishman, Lord Grimthorpe, who had the landscaping done.  The Terrace of Infinity is particularly awe inspiring or scary.

Photo taken by Scott:

We drove downhill to the town of Amalfi to look at the Cathedral of Sant’Andrea (St. Andrew), a Byzantine Ottoman influenced style:

The old basilica is getting restored:

The crypt is pretty fancy with so much marble:

Lots of narrow steep streets in the town.

Beach was getting used although it was only about 22.

Mario booked us lunch at a restaurant between Amalfi and Positano. The terrace in front of the restaurant had a view that included Sophia Loren’s villa (the white building near the water with its private cable car).

A house specialty included spaghetti al cartollia (seafood cooked in paper)::

Scott had the fish special:

Then onto Positano:

By this point, Scott’s knees were suffering from all the up and down. We had thought of spending a few days here but figured the area was going to be too much for bad knees. Turns out right we were right.

We stopped looking in jewellery stores and had our first gelato. No idea why it has taken so long to have gelato.



Nine and a half hours later, we were back to Naples in time to see the biggest cruise ship depart.

Had a tasting menu outside on the restaurant terrace. Tuna soup:

Squid:

Egg, cream, truffle:

Risotto, shellfish, uni, lime:

Red mullet:

“Egg” of coconut cream and mango sitting on cocoa nibs: