You knew I would get to the Amalfi Coast, of course, because who can resist it...especially once you have seen it with your own eyes.
The Amalfi Coast is a 50-kilometer stretch of coastline along the southern edge of Italy's
Sorrentine Peninsula, in the Campania region. It's a popular holiday destination, with sheer cliffs
and a rugged shoreline dotted with small beaches and pastel-colored fishing villages. --Google
(red dots, left to right, and then the red arrow at Amalfi, where we stopped to visit)
but for me it started shortly after passing Naples going south.
[Reid's Italy map]
Don't know exactly where this was but it began my looking both up and down!
See what I mean?
And of course this was almost all from a moving bus, catching what I could.
It helped that the road was very winding, which meant it was slow-going...
...and often allowed looking back over my shoulder to catch the views behind us.
One of my favorite spots was in this area...
...where we spotted a tiny boat cove while stopping for a scenic overview.
I still have no idea how they get in and out, apart from the sea!
A roadside stand welcomed us on our stop.
Remember what I said about looking up and down?
It really was so high in some places that the clouds covered the mountain cliffs and crags.
One church would be perched up high with another nestled far down below.
Yes, we saw all of this with our own eyes!
Between Positano and Amalfi, we stopped for lunch and a chance to buy goodies.
For Astrid and me the "goodies" were our cappuccinos following the meal,
overlooking the Mediterranean Sea while others shopped!
Then it was 2 hours of free time in the town of Amalfi.
Just to have free time was enough, but...in Amalfi?!?! We were in heaven.
After first checking out the beach, we then walked along the coastal road
to look back on the town and get more of a feel for the place.
The Maltese cross is the flag of Amalfi and goes back to the 11th century.
Saving the best for the last, we waked to the town square to visit the Amalfi Cathedral,
dedicated to the Apostle Saint Andrew, from the 10th century.
No matter where you are in town, you see it.
Can you imagine climbing those steps every Sunday for a church service!
It was closed while we were there but we climbed the steps and roamed the cloisters.
Walking back down the steps we crossed the square to St. Andrew's fountain.
(And yes, water is coming out of her boobs!)
As with all European main squares, life bustles all around, whether you buy its wares or not.
In this case, it's Limoncello, the drink we saw everywhere while in south Italy.
After Amalfi, we continued east towards Vietri sul Mare
and at some point turned off the coastal road back towards the Naples area.
So, there you have it, one of the wonders of the Italian world.
Did I mention that it's also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, since 1997!
It really was so high in some places that the clouds covered the mountain cliffs and crags.
One church would be perched up high with another nestled far down below.
overlooking the Mediterranean Sea while others shopped!
to look back on the town and get more of a feel for the place.
The Maltese cross is the flag of Amalfi and goes back to the 11th century.
dedicated to the Apostle Saint Andrew, from the 10th century.
(And yes, water is coming out of her boobs!)
In this case, it's Limoncello, the drink we saw everywhere while in south Italy.
and at some point turned off the coastal road back towards the Naples area.
So, there you have it, one of the wonders of the Italian world.
Did I mention that it's also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, since 1997!
Breath taking, Ginnie. This was one of my highlights of the trip and we were lucky that we were at the back of the (rental) bus and had a great vision on everything that passed. "Short of eyes" for sure here. You did an incredible job taking those pictures from a moving and wobbling bus..... Thank you for making again a wonderful memory to keep. IHVJ.
ReplyDeleteYou're my Fan Club, Astrid, for which I thank you!!! HA! You have just confirmed for me that we were indeed at the back of the bus and got to see what was behind us because of it. YAY for us! I'll never forget it.
DeleteI’d be with you two, drinking coffee rather than shopping. Just gorgeous! You photos are wonderful!
ReplyDeleteSo glad you understand us, Marie. We like to save our money for traveling and not for accumulating things! But of course, we did buy some Limoncello and some olive oil, as gifts to bring back home. :)
Deletesuch beauty!! i'm not sure i could pass thru and not want to stop and live there!
ReplyDeletealtho i must admit, being on a fast, your roadside 'hotdog stand' captured my attention, haha
You would have been able to buy fruit at that stand, Elaine...not hotdogs, ha! But, yes, you can totally understand why people want to live there.
DeleteYes, breath-taking! And to think I didn't even know about this place until a decade or so ago. I'm thrilled that you and Astrid got to experience it firsthand.
ReplyDeleteI'm in the same boat, Ruth. There were many things on this trip (like the trulli houses in Alberobello) that I had never heard of. To experience any of them firsthand was a thrill of a lifetime, for sure! Thanks for knowing.
DeleteAlas! We were driven through it so quickly on a bus trip to Pmpeii that wasted our time at two shopping spots rather than anywhere setting foot in Naples or even on a scenic overlook. Thank you for sharing, especially the cathedral.
ReplyDeleteWe only passed Naples (3 or 4 times), Ted, but from what we saw, we have no need to ever visit there. However, I'm so sorry you have such a rushed memory of this beautiful coast. What a shame. It rained during our entire 2-hour tour of Pompeii, but it was still wonderful to see (my second time). As for the Amalfi Cathedral, we just wished it had been open while we were there. The outside is so stunning, however, it made us forget what we didn't see.
Delete