Chapter 6 - A Day on Our Own on the Amalfi Coast

A Boat Trip Down the Coast

After four pretty vigorous days in Rome and Pompeii, we looked forward to the first deliberately designed "relax" day in our itinerary. 

This gave us a chance to really take in our very beautiful hotel and our room. Outside is a riot of Mediterranean color.

Inside is Amalfi-Coast style.

If our everyday office could only be like this!

Our plan was to take the Ferry from Positano to Amalfi, about a half an hour trip. 

Fortunately, the weather cleared up just in time. 

The trip to Amalfi was perfect. It is hard to believe what we saw in such a short time - eyeball overload - starting with Positano from the water.

In between the towns, there are houses that just make you wonder - "how do they get there?"

Each town is dominated by a lovely church, often standing out by its color.

The coast is truly rocky.

But even on the rocky coast there are the lovely churches, keeping watch.

Speaking of keeping watch...we learned that the entire coast was full of watchtowers from the Roman Empire, watching for enemies. Here is one we saw from the boat.

At times there were jarring scenes combining the very old and the very new.

When we landed in Amalfi at 2pm we scurried up the hill to Taverna Buonvincinto, small quaint restaurant with a very engaging waiter who just dreams of going to NYC—the land of opportunity.  If he only knew.  Lunch was delicious— including this pasta with shrimp, mmm.

The highlight of Amalfi is its beautiful church, a combination of Byzantine and Gothic, lovely outside from every angle.

And inside, nothing short of eyepopping, starting with the elaborate ceiling and walls.

Contrasted with a simple chapel.

There is much history, too, in frescoes and carvings.

The interior included interesting wood, glass and metal decorations.

And there was a small collection of striking religious objects.in wood, porecelan and metal.

Despite all this, the singular highlight was the indoor courtyard. It is one of the most solemn and peaceful spaces you will ever be in - very godly.

The houses in Amalfi town skew up and around the hills just like those in Positano.

The ferry ride back and some rest time at the hotel re-energized us, needed as our dinner restaurant was a walk straight up into the hills - not really far, but a steep climb - over 100 steps. 

We took in the sunset as we neared the restaurant.

The restaurant was friendly and casual. We started with a cuttlefish amusee and drank a wonderful rose and a minerally white.

The breadstick and crackers were also amazing. Next came rolled silverfish.

The pasta with Fava beans and grilled calamari were so good we forgot to take a picture - use your imagination! 

The main was sea bass wrapped in cabbage with a side of grilled vegetables. 

We waddled home on the main road, having learned our lesson about the "shortcut" of using the stairs.

The Positano alleys and streets are beautiful at night.

Some shops stay open late at night. We passed one of the kind Positano is famous for - handmade sandals.

There weren't many folks out and it was just a quaint and peaceful walk to the hotel.

We went to bed excited about the next day's prospects, a full-day car tour of the Coast.