Italy Flashback: Amalfi Part II

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Just some more daydreams through Amalfi! 

Ahhh - heavenly! I can't wait to go back. For you travelers out there, here are the deets from the trip:
Where we camped: Villagio Nettuno
Where we ate: the campsite (tomatoes + mozzarella + bagel crackers + house white wine = perfetto!), Taverna del Capitano, and the Villagio Nettuno restaurant.  
What we did: to make the best of our one full day on the coast we rented a boat, which was deemed The Best Decision Ever. There were a bunch of boat rental companies down on the beach, so we chatted them up the night we got there to get a sense of prices, and were told to arrive nice and early the next day to grab a boat! It cost $150 for a full day, including gas, which ended up being 100% worth it.
Where we explored: we drove the boat across choppy waters to the island of Capri, which we leisurely drove around, stopping here and there to explore beautiful coves and secret caves. I really wanted to see the Grotta Azurra, since it was cloudy and wavy when I went it '06 so I couldn't see it in it's full glory (it was still gorgeous!). But unfortunately, there were approximately 9 million people waiting to get in there, so we decided to skip out. Just another reason to get back to Amalfi! After circling Capri, we boated over to one of the most gorgeous coastal towns in the entire world, the lovely Positano. Seriously, just check out the Google image search for Positano, and be amazed! We anchored the boat and explored the beautiful shops and sights of Positano for awhile, before finally heading back to Nerano right before sunset. 
Want more tips on exploring Amalfi? Here's an article on how to experience Amalfi like a local. 
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Now back to the present! Our transition into life here in California has been pretty darn delightful. The weather is great, the job is great  the people are great  and the list of places we're excited to explore here is a mile long! I'll admit that I felt a tidbit of nostalgia this weekend when everyone back at home was enjoying the drama and coziness of a full blown nor'easter named Nemo (not to mention "snow days" from work, lucky ducks!). But a sunshiny hike in Berkeley capped with views of the entire Bay and a glass of wine and bite of cheese helped to ease the pain. I think I'll get used to this!

Italy Flashback: Amalfi Part I

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Ohhh memories. Jimmy and I Skyped with our good friends back in Italia the other morning, and I've been daydreaming about our time there ever since! It was wonderful to catch up and to get a glimpse of where we used to spend so much time, and it felt like we never left. I miss it. So, what better time to post pictures from the first segment of our amazing trip to the Amalfi Coast?

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Jimmy, my sister and I drove down to Amalfi from Montaione, taking our time and making stops along the way, finally arriving in the little town of Nerano about six and a half hours later. Once you're driving along the coast, the twisting narrow roads really slow things down a bit, and the views are absolutely magical. The drive is half the fun.

We pitched a tent at Villagio Nettuno, an awesome little village/resort with a combination of RV and tent campsites, bungalows and mobile homes to rent. It was the perfect place to have water views and still maintain a tight budget. We were only there for two short nights, but we made the best of it by enjoying the wine, people and good food, and by exploring the water and the islands in the best possible way - by boat!

Here are pics from the first half of our Amalfi trip.... I'll post the rest later this week!