Clear Water, Colorful Towns

The day had come! We were finally venturing East, far East, to Italy. Per usual, much planning and anticipation had gone into our two-week trip to Italy. Kent and I are really good at planning way ahead of time, and then talking about it every day leading up to the trip. So to say we were happy to hear our alarm go off on Friday, May 18, is an understatement.

We struggled through the work day, and then headed with our packed bags to the airport. We took a direct flight to London because it was super cheap, but did not realize that the most affordable flights to Italy, specifically Naples, were from Gatwick Airport rather than Heathrow. So we landed in London, took an expensive Uber to the Gatwick area, and had lunch at a local pub, Old Ye Six Bells, that Kent had found online beforehand. I was glad we did this because we not only got out of the airport scene for a bit, but we also got to eat with locals on the day of the Royal Wedding. We landed in Heathrow right as the ceremony between Megan and Harry began, only 15 minutes West in Windsor. We enjoyed some lunch, headed to Gatwick Airport and arrived in Naples around 9pm that evening.

Through research and online blogs, and just due to our late arrival, we decided to hire a private driver from Naples to Positano, about and hour and a half drive. While buses and trains connect the two areas, there were few options available at night, and the private driver made the end of a long day of travel streamlined and easy. He picked us up directly at the airport and dropped us off at our B&B. Public transportation would have added additional stress and hours onto our travel, not worth it late at night. We used www.mypositanoprivatecar.it and their service costs 100 Euros.

We arrived at Casa Cuccaro, which is a lovely bed and breakfast that overlooks Positano. It is located above the craziness that Positano can become during the day, but was still easily accessible with a 30-minute bus ride.

We woke up the next morning to an ocean view from our bed and balcony, and then to breakfast on the shared patio, which absolutely took our breath away. The B&B not only provided substantial food (cheese, meat, fruit, coffee) but also lovely views of the cost, both Praiano and Positano.

View from our in-room balcony.

Breakfast views.

We had scheduled a boat tour with Plaghia Charter, located on the pier area at Positano. We arrived for our tour and joined other Americans and Australians on the boat with our skipper Michele (Mee-kehl-ay). We booked this tour because we were considering staying in Amalfi, but instead we used this tour to see the town and get a view of the coast. We were very pleased we did because it was a great way to see the area and also escape that tourists that entered into Positano through ferries and tour boats each day.

The tour also allowed us to enjoy the extremely clear ocean water, devour pizza and a lemon spritz in Amalfi, and see all of the towns along the coast that we had spent ample time researching. The only downfall of this tour, which is minor and I'm sure most in the area do this, was that they took us to a place called Emerald Grotto. You pay 5 euros per person to enter, are put into one of three rowboats that take you into the cave and then after 5 minutes they drop you back off and ask for tips. During this time, a woman in our group also dropped her Go Pro into the water, so not only were we annoyed by this touristy hoax, but she and some helpful men spent 20 minutes or so diving into the water to try and retrieve the Go Pro, which was not a success. Other than that, it was a lovely and idyllic first day in Italy.

Our lunch spot!

We arrived back in Positano around 5pm and took the 30-minute bus ride full of people back to Nocelle. These bus rides were always interesting because if you did not get a seat, which you likely would not, you would have to surf along the way, as the extremely talented bus driver navigates the one-lane windy road up the mountain to Nocelle. It should be mentioned that Nocelle has no roads, just a parking lot, so once the bus drops you off, you have to walk 5 minutes or so to the Bed and Breakfast. It is quite amazing how everyone in this town lives, carrying food, luggage and every day goods up and down the stairs.

After enjoying a bottle Prosecco on our balcony and Kent a cigar, we ate at a restaurant that was a one-minute walk from our B&B called Ristorante Santa Croce. They told us the day's specials and we were sold. We enjoyed an Antipasti of octopus and zucchini, followed by a main course of seafood pasta and gnocchi. We also ordered the house wine, which we did at most restaurants, rather than a specific bottle--as it was just as good and extremely cheap (about 6-9 euros for 1 Litre or 1 bottle).

The following morning we began hiking the Path of the Gods, a famous trail that starts right outside of our B&B. It was a well-groomed trail that connects many towns in the area and provides amazing views of Positano. We heeded the trail for about 2 or 3 miles, and then took a sharp right turn to venture down to a monastery near Praiano. We had every intention of hiking back to Nocelle. However, on our descent to this monastery and then on to Praiano, we descended hundreds of steps and were intimidated by the thought of climbing back up to the trail. In Praiano, we walked around the charming town, which would also be another good place to stay out of the busyness, and enjoyed a Granita de Limon at a local beverage bar. We then caught the bus back to Positano and ordered a to-go sandwich to eat on the beach. One thing we regretted here was not packing our swimsuits. While we had gotten in the water the previous day, we never enjoyed the Positano beach. Lesson learned to always be prepared! After people watching on the beach, enjoying some gelato, and walking around town, we headed back to our B&B where we put on our bathing suites and soaked up some sun on the shared patio.

Path of the Gods overlooking Positano.

Church in Praiano.

We then got ready and took a path that headed to a town in between Positano and Nocelle called, Montepertuso. We did not have any specific restaurant in mind, but ended up at a place we had seen on our bus rides, "La Tagliata". This is when we first learned that reservations were a big thing in parts of Italy, later finding they were just a thing in general. They asked if we had reservations, which we did not, and took us to the area of the restaurant for those who had not reserved, which still provided amazing views. The waiter informed us that the deal was 40 euros per person, but this included all courses and unlimited wine and water. I was hesitant at first because I thought that was a bit pricey, but we soon learned it was entirely worth the money. Not only did we get unlimited house wine and water (water can typically be 3 euros for 1 liter), we also got 3-4 appetizers, 3-4 types of pasta in a sampler platter, and a plate full of simple, grilled meats (e.g., pork sausage, lemon chicken, steak, and what the waiter referred to simply as "kebob"). To end the meal, we were served a platter of desserts and limoncello. Altogether, Kent and I spent three or more hours enjoying each other's company overlooking Positano. This was truly a meal that will stick in our minds for some time.

Antipasti time!

Dinner view.

Travel Tips
1. We were very happy that we stayed in Nocelle, still near Positano. Amalfi was extremely crowded since its port is large and cruise ships anchor off the coast. Nocelle offered a relaxing getaway after a long day.
2. We highly recommend our B&B Casa Cuccaro.
3. Do not drive. We rented a car later in the trip and are so happy we did not have it in this area. The drivers here are experts with the curves and can clearly spot a tourist. Two cars try to squeeze down a road that only one car would try to fit down in the U.S.
4. Get reservations for restaurants, especially if you're in Positano. This was a theme everywhere we went in Italy.
5. Get out on the water. We love boats but it's also a way one must see the Amalfi coast. Nothing beats a glass of Prosecco in hand, wind in your hair and amazing towns and sites as you go by. Other popular boat options visit Capri.
6. Do as Italians do. Drink Espresso plain, sit and truly enjoy dinner. You have nowhere to be because you're on vacation. Take time. We are go-getters but did a great job at seeing sites and staying active, while also taking the time to relax and truly enjoy our vacation.

Please reach out if you have any more questions!

Positano

Path of the Gods

Kent living his best life soaking up our balcony.