Posts Tagged ‘Campania’

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Sirens, Sunshine and Lemons in Sorrento

April 29th, 2011

Sorrento is a beautiful resort town set on a cliff side overlooking the Bay of Naples.

Located just one hour south of Naples, the town of Sorrento feels worlds away from the chaotic streets of Naples. Centrally located on the Sorrento Peninsula, Sorrento is an excellent base for exploring the nearby Amalfi Coast, the historic ruins at Pompeii and Herculaneum and the island of Capri.

Sorrento’s beauty has captivated travelers since ancient times when the Greeks sailed along and marveled at the mountainous coastlines of the Sorrento Peninsula and Amalfi Coast. It was along this fabled coastline that the ancient Greek author Homer wrote about the Sirens, the seductive bird-women that lured sailors passing by into their deadly trap with their luscious songs. This mythological story gave Sorrento its name, which comes from the ancient Greek word for Siren. A natural plateau with access to the sea provided a secure and beautiful setting for the early Greek settlement that is now Sorrento.

Credits: Flickr

The town stretches across a plateau below the Lattari Mountains that form the tall peaks along the backbone of the Sorrento Peninsula. There are two harbors in Sorrento, the Marina Piccola where ferries from Naples, Capri, Ischia and the Amalfi Coast arrive and depart and the more picturesque Marina Grande, in the foreground above, which is a quaint fishing village. Walking through the ancient Greek gateway as you descend down to Marina Grande reflects how this harbor has always been separate from the better protected and walled part of Sorrento above. Visit on a sunny day to enjoy a meal along the waterfront surrounded by the colorful house and rows of fishing boats.

Arriving in Sorrento by boat takes you to the Marina Piccola, which is located just below the center of town. Climb the steps up the steep ravine, or take one of the local buses, to the Piazza Tasso above. This busy piazza is the heart of Sorrento, and is a pleasant place to stroll alongside locals during summer evenings when it is closed off to traffic. The terraces of the Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria located just off of the Piazza Tasso offer stunning views overlooking the Bay of Naples with the volcano Mt. Vesuvius in the distance.

The Corso Italia is the main street through Sorrento, and this shop-lined street runs right through the Piazza Tasso. Follow it west until you reach the Cathedral of Sorrento with it’s colorful red and yellow tiered bell tower. Don’t let the stark white 20th-century façade deter you from exploring the interior of this beautiful church. Inside you’ll find some fine examples of intarsia, or inlaid woodwork, which is one of the traditional crafts of Sorrento. As you stroll through the church, take a look at the doors and the impressive choir stalls. It will make appreciate the fine craftsmanship and perhaps take a closer look at the shops of inlaid woodwork as you stroll through the historic center of Sorrento.

While exploring the pretty streets in the historic center you’ll be strolling along the same streets as the ancient Greeks laid them out centuries before. The streets were designed to run east and west for the most sunlight and north and south to take advantage of the cool breezes from the Bay of Naples. The streets are lined with restaurants, shops and boutiques presenting the local products. One Sorrento specialty you won’t want to miss is the locally produced limoncello, a liqueur made with lemons grown on the terraced gardens of the Sorrento Peninsula.

Credits: Flickr

The beautiful 14th-century cloister of the church of San Francesco is one of Sorrento’s most peaceful spots. Stroll around the cloister and notice the blending of architectural styles evident in the arches – two sides you’ll spot rounded arches while on the other two you’ll find pointed arches. The cloister and its pretty garden is an oasis of calm on a summer day. Just outside you’ll find the Villa Comunale gardens with a terrace overlooking the Bay of Naples. It’s the perfect spot to watch the sun set in the evening and enjoy the beauty of Sorrento.

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A Drive Along Italy’s Amalfi Coast

April 20th, 2011

Enjoy a drive along one of Italy’s most beautiful roads, the Amalfi Coast.

Credits: Flickr

Located just south of Naples in southern Italy’s Campania region, the Amalfi Coast is famous for the breathtaking views of the mountainous coastline and Mediterranean Sea.

The experience of driving along the famed Amalfi Coast road is one of the thrills of visiting Campania. This tortuously curved and narrow road was an engineering marvel when it was carved out of the rocky cliffs along the entire length of the Amalfi Coast in the mid 19th century. In 1953 the American writer John Steinbeck experienced this famous drive and wrote in his essay called My Positano, “Flaming like a meteor we hit the coast, a road, high, high above the blue sea, that hooked and corkscrewed on the edge of nothing, a road carefully designed to be a little narrower than two cars side by side. And on this road, the buses, the trucks, the motor scooters and the assorted livestock. We didn’t see much of the road. In the back seat my wife and I lay clutched in each other’s arms, weeping hysterically.” Nearly sixty years later, driving along the Amalfi Coast road offers the same outstanding views of one of Italy’s most picturesque coastlines – and many of the same thrills that shocked the Steinbecks!

 

 

While not for the faint of heart, the dramatic views from the Amalfi Coast road make it one of the most beautiful drives in the world. The road twists and turns its way from Vietri sul Mare, know as the Gateway to the Amalfi Coast, west along the mountainous coastline to the town of Positano where the road climbs high into the Lattari Mountains, which stretch along the Sorrento Peninsula, to make its way over to the resort town of Sorrento. Along the drive you’ll spot the colorful ceramic tile markers for the S.S. 163, the official name of the Amalfi Coast road, where were made in the famous ceramic town of Vietri sul Mare.

The Amalfi Coast road climbs from sea level to very high in the mountains on the coastline, and the way it runs through each little village along the way is unique. When the road was constructed through the village of Atrani, above, it was built right over the front of the town over an arcaded bridge. Over the past 150 years, the town has developed right under the bridge so that the road has become an integral part of the town’s landscape. A tunnel was blasted out to connect the road from Atrani to the neighboring town of Amalfi.

In Amalfi the drive along the Amalfi Coast road takes you along the Marina Grande beach right on the town’s harbor. It’s one of the most popular places to stop and stretch your legs, explore the medieval town center and visit the beautiful Duomo of Sant’ Andrea. Take a moment to walk along the tree-lined road, which locals called “Lo Stradone,” and imagine the Amalfi Coast as it was for centuries before the road arrived connecting all the villages.

From Amalfi the road climbs higher and higher above the sea, winding through the towns of Conca dei Marini, Furore and Praiano. Before long the town of Positano appears along the coastline in the distance. Called the “Vertical City,” Positano is located at the base of a valley and its colorful buildings and houses climb their way up the steep mountainside. The Amalfi Coast road runs through the top of town and to the west offers a gorgeous panoramic view, below, of Positano and the town of Praiano in the distance.

Driving along the Amalfi Coast is an exhilarating and unforgettable experience. The S.S. 163 runs about 36 km (22 miles) from Vietri sul Mare to west of Positano, and the drive takes about 2-3 hours at an easy pace without any stops. The road is quite crowded during the summer months and the month of August, when it is only recommended for experienced or very brave drivers.

One thing you can expect to see during your drive along the Amalfi Coast are plenty of traffic jams! Steinbeck was certainly right when he described the road filled with buses, trucks and scooters, and you’ll find plenty of seemingly impossible squeezes through tight spaces along the way. But it’s all a part of the thrill of driving Italy’s Amalfi Coast road.

Other Photo Credits: Laura Thayer

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Discovering the Charms of Naples

March 16th, 2011

Discover the charms of Naples, the capital of the region of Campania.

Credits: Flickr

Known for its chaotic traffic, world famous pizza and vibrant street life, Naples can be intimidating for the first time visitor. This city has so much life, energy, history to offer to travelers who take the time to discover its many charms and get under its sometimes gritty exterior.

One of Italy’s largest cities, the metropolitan area of Naples stretches out along the Bay of Naples beneath the ever-watchful presence of the volcano Mt. Vesuvius. This fertile region of southern Italy with its rocky coastlines and famously blue water has been praised for its beauty since ancient times. The Greeks sailed the seas and founded colonies in the area, including the town of Neapolis that would one day become Naples. The Romans adored this area as well, building trading towns and pleasure villas along the shoreline. We know much about the daily life of Romans in the Naples area due to the well-preserved ruins of towns such as Pompeii and Herculaneum, frozen in time by the destructive eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 AD.

Credits:Flickr

The history of Naples is a wild ride through kingdoms and duchies ruled by Normans, the French and the Spanish, all of which has created a unique blend of architectural and artistic styles in the city. Along the seafront and high above the city you’ll spot castles that were built to defend Naples from its next attackers. The Castel Nuovo, also called the Maschio Angioino, was a castle fortress built in the 13th century by the ruling King Charles I of Anjou. You can visit the Castel Nuovo, which is one of the many important sights in the historic center of Naples. Nearby see the 17th-century Royal Palace, the grand Piazza Plebiscito, have a delicious hazelnut cream espresso at the historic Caffè Gambrinus and shop at the glass and metal domed 19th-century Galleria Umberto I.

Credits: Flickr

Naples has a wonderfully vibrant historic center, which is one of the largest in Europe. From the seafront, follow the narrow streets into the centro storico to the famous street Spaccanapoli, an ancient street that literally means “split Naples.” Here you’ll find the chaotic streets scenes with street vendors, colorful architecture, scooters zipping by and laundry flapping in the breeze that Naples is famous for. For a respite from the busy streets, just step inside one of the many churches in the historic center. The little Largo del Corpo di Nilo is just along Spaccanapoli, and there you’ll find a Roman statue of Nile reclining, just one of the traces of ancient Neapolis tucked into the modern city. While exploring the historic center, you’ll want to visit the Duomo dedicated to San Gennaro, the Gothic church of Santa Chiara along with its cloister and museum, the Cappella Sansevero with Giuseppe Sanmartino’s moving sculptural portrayal of The Veiled Christ, and the National Archaeological Museum not far from the historic center.

Credits: Flickr

In the hills above the centro storico of Naples is the Vomero district, which is accessible via funicular trains. For a bird’s eye view over the city and the entire Bay of Naples, explore the quiet residential neighborhoods around the Certosa and Museum of San Martino and the nearby Castel Sant’Elmo. On a clear day you’ll be treated to views of the Sorrento Penninsula stretching out into the Mediterranean Sea.

Credits: Flickr

Some of the most charming and peaceful spots in Naples are along the waterfront. Visit one of the city’s fabled castles, the Castel dell’Ovo, or “the egg castle,” near the Santa Lucia district. The castle earned its rather strange name from a legend that tells of how the castle was built atop an egg placed in a spot by the poet Virgil. The legend says that as long as the egg remains unbroken the city of Naples is safe, but if the egg breaks the city will fall. Let’s hope it’s a strong egg! From the top of the castle you’ll spot a fine view of the island of Capri sitting across the Bay of Naples. Near the castle is the picturesque Borgo Marinario, a small harbor that is home to boats and some popular seaside restaurants.

Credits: Flickr

From Santa Lucia you can look across a curve in the bay to see the pretty seaside area of Posillipo. One of Naples’ loveliest areas, Posillipo is a charming area to explore away from tourists and crowds in the historic center of the city. Enjoy a meal seaside of follow the winding and steep roads and staircases up to the top of the Posillipo and Marechiaro neighborhoods for grand views of the Bay of Naples.

Credits: Flickr

Naples is a city to enjoy the pleasures of good food, which is surely one of the city’s most popular charms. Enjoy a famous Neapolitan pizza or try some of the regional dishes of Campania. Naples will quickly win your heart if you’re ready to love the city’s vibrant and warm personality.

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Alluring Blue: A Boat Tour Around Capri

March 11th, 2011

Discover the allure and natural beauty of Capri by enjoying a boat tour around this enchanting island in southern Italy’s Campania region.

The island of Capri is only a short boat ride from Naples, Sorrento or the Amalfi Coast. It’s an excellent day trip, but even better if you can stay longer to explore the natural beauty of this splendid island in the Bay of Naples.

The colors of Capri are intoxicating. The brightly colored houses, the rocky cliffs covered in lush plants and wildflowers, the blues of the Mediterranean Sea and the splendid views from the top of the mountains. Yes, the island is known for world-class shopping and elegant restaurants, but it’s the natural beauty of Capri that makes this island so enchanting. One of the best ways to experience this is by taking a boat tour around the island. Whether you rent a private boat or yacht in Campania or simple take one of the many boat tours offered from the port of Marina Grande, this is best way to experience the alluring blue of Capri.

The sheer cliffs of Capri slip into the Mediterranean Sea in thousands of shades of blue, from deep electric blue to bright turquoise. The colors shift in the changing sunlight as you tour around the island’s many coves and little rocky beaches. Find the perfect spot and dive right in, surrounding yourself with the cool blue water of Capri. High above you might spot a mountain goat carefully finding its way along the cliff side and you’ll hear the call of the seagulls as they catch a draft and sail in the warm breeze.

Not far from Marina Grande, Capri’s largest port, you’ll spot a distinctive red villa set on a beautiful little promontory jutting out into the sea. This is the Casa Malaparte, which was the home of the Italian writer Curzio Malaparte. Although its modern architectural style has been criticized since its construction in 1937, it is hard to deny the incredible views from this picturesque spot on the Punta Massullo.

Just around a few more coves you’ll spot the famous Faraglioni rocks, one of the classic images of Capri. These three rocky stacks rise out of the sea up to 360 feet (109 meters) and are one of the islands most beautiful views from the sea or even from the very top of Monte Solaro in Anacapri. Slow down and enjoy the magnificent shades of the blue sea and how it changes around the base of each of the Faraglioni.

You’ll spot little boats making their way through the arch in the central Faraglioni called Mezzo. It’s a romantic and thrilling experience if your boat can squeeze through! Many larger boats go through the gap between the middle and outer of the Faraglioni, which is just as beautiful. Continuing along the southeastern side of the island you’ll spot the pretty little port area called Marina Piccola, which is an excellent spot to stop off for lunch. On the very southwestern tip of the island you’ll see a pretty pink and white lighthouse marking the tip of the Limmo Peninsula. Here at Punta Carena is a beautiful beach watched over by this lighthouse. This is one of the prettiest places on Capri to watch the sunset in the summer.

Following the rocky curves, inlets and coves around the island leads you slowly back toward Marina Grande. A gathering of small boats bobbing up and down along a rocky section of the island might catch your attention. That’s the entrance to the famous Grotta Azzurra, or Blue Grotto, on Capri. Inside the water is a magical shade of blue created by the refraction of light entering the grotto. It is said that nowhere else on Capri is the water as spectacular as inside the Blue Grotto, and a glimpse inside is the perfect way to end your boat tour around the island of Capri!

Credits: Flickr

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Photo Credits: Laura Thayer

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Scala: A Quiet Escape on the Amalfi Coast

February 18th, 2011

Escape from the crowds on the Amalfi Coast and enjoy the natural beauty and simple life in the little town of Scala.

While not one of the big travel destination names on the Amalfi Coast – such as Amalfi, Ravello and Positano – the peace and quiet of Scala is what makes this towns so charming. Along with its beautiful setting in the mountains above Amalfi and convenient location just across a pretty valley from Ravello. While nearby Ravello attracts most of the tourists, the town of Scala has much to offer visitors, especially those interested in exploring, hiking and experiencing daily life on the Amalfi Coast.

Known as the oldest village on the Amalfi Coast, Scala has a long and fascinating history tied very closely with the medieval Republic of Amalfi. Hiking up in the mountains surrounding the town, you can still spot some of the medieval walls that once protected Scala and Amalfi, further down the valley on the sea. During the Middle Ages, Scala was an important defensive point of the Republic of Amalfi, and the close connection brought much wealth to the prominent merchant families of Scala. The town is spread out across the mountainside and divided in to many frazioni, or hamlets, including Scala Centro, Minuta, Pontone, Campidoglio, San Pietro and Santa Caterina. Each little hamlet has its own unique feel and center surrounding a church.

The heart of town is the Duomo of San Lorenzo in the center of Scala. Dating back to the 12th century, this grand church – far larger than any of the churches in Ravello – retains its Romanesque central portal surrounded by medieval sculptural decorations and two griffins standing guard. Traces of frescoes above the door are all the remain of what once must have been an elaborately decorated façade. The bell tower dominates the town’s main piazza, which is surrounded by shops, the city hall and the town’s elementary school.

Stepping into the Duomo, you immediately get a sense of the splendor and wealth of Scala in the Middle Ages. Although the town is quiet today, the size and grandeur of the Duomo reflects the city’s prominent past. The church was redecorated in the Baroque style in 1615, and the ceiling features painted panels depicting scenes from the life of the martyr San Lorenzo, the patron saint of Scala. In the center of the church you’ll find an elaborate and decorative scene on the floor created with hand painted ceramic tiles. The central shield depicts of lion climbing a ladder, which is the symbol of Scala—the word “scala” in Italian meaning “ladder” or “stairs.”

Spotted from across the valley in Ravello, a little church marks the hamlet of Minuta in Scala, which cascades down the side of the mountain. This little hamlet deserves its name, which means “small.” But what it lacks in for in size, Minuta makes up for with knock out views from where it sets on a little promontory between two mountain valleys leading down to Atrani and Amalfi respectively. The beautiful 11th-century church of Minuta is dedicated to Santissima Annunziata, and is thought to be the oldest churches in Scala.

The views from the little piazza next to the church of Minuta are splendid. Looking down the valley you’ll spot the hamlet of Pontone and the ruins of the church of Sant’Eustachio dating from the 12th century. Hikers will enjoy the walk from Minuta to Pontone and continuing down the valley directly to Amalfi or up to the Valley dei Mulini to explore the mountain valley and see the ruins of Amalfi’s paper mills.

One of the best ways to see Scala is to follow the main road that leads through Scala Centro by the Duomo of San Lorenzo and connects almost all of the hamlets of Scala. It is a nice drive, or an even more enjoyable walk, offering fine views overlooking Ravello across the valley and the Amalfi coastline. Most people visit Ravello for the incredible views, but one of the local secrets is that the views from Scala are even better. From near the top of Scala in the hamlet of Campidoglio, the panoramic view includes all of Ravello, with the lush green gardens of the Villa Cimbrone at the tip of the promontory, the rugged mountains and coastline and the Bay of Salerno. Stop at one of the benches along the road, sit back and enjoy one of the Amalfi Coast’s quietest and most stunning views.

Photo Credits: Laura Thayer

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