Thanks to every one for your ratings, especially the E's.
I always try to return all ratings and if...
Thanks to every one for your ratings, especially the E's.
I always try to return all ratings and if I promise an E and don't get back to you feel free to give me a poke.
Sue
Member since:30.05.2009
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THE AMALFI COAST
One of my most memorable holidays was the two weeks I spent in the Bay of Naples. We fitted so much in to the 14 days we were there, it was an incredible holiday. We visited the fantastic Pompeii ( a must do experience worthy of a review of its own), we climbed to the top of Vesuvius, we visited Herculaneum, Capri, Sorrento, Naples and had an incredible couch journey around the Amalfi Coast.
It is the Amalfi Coast that I am going to write this review about because it really is a spectacular part of the world - absolutley stunning, in fact the Amalfi Coast is listed
by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
The scenery along the coast makes you feel as if you are in the middle of a holiday post card - it does literally take your breath away - it is, from what I have seen, the most spectacular road in Europe.
Tha Amalfi Coast ( la Costiera Amalfitana) in Campania, is on the Sorrento peninsula south of the Bay of Naples, it runs for 50 kilometres from Positano in the west to Vietri Sul Mare in the east. Positano itself is an utterly charming little seaside town with its cafes, fish restaurants, leather shops and rocky beach - look up the mountain from the beach and you see a clutch of little houses huddled together all up the cliff - each one cascading with colourful flowers.
Our trip around the coast was, at times, very hair raising as we turned the tight corners seemingly hanging over the edge of the mountain.The incredible route wound its way past the hundreds of lemon trees that grow in the area, fig trees, olive groves and vineyards and we looked down the rugged cliffs that plunge straight to the sea at all the tiny villages that are located precariously above the sea on the mountains. Every turn you make on the meandering coastal road brings you to another lovely little village - Positano, Sorrento, Ravello or Amalfi itself. The largest resort on the coastline is Amalfi. Amalfi lies within the steep Valle dei Mulini - and is a historic town that has some wonderful buildings . Towards the sea there is the port, bus terminus and a selection of cafes and restaurants. To the west edge of town on the hillside is an old Cappuchin convent, that is now the Hotel Cappuccini Convento - reached by a lift of green girders - you will see many such lifts around the coast.
Above Amalfi high in the hills is the beautiful Ravello, hovering 1000 ft on the steep cliff.At Ravello are two incredible villas - Villa Rufolo and Villa Cimbrone - you need to book to go and explore their wonderful gardens. I have never seen anywhere that compares to the beauty of the Amalfi coast. It is like a little secret that is hidden away with its the only accessible route a nerve jangling one that travels high in the cliffs that plunge 3,000 feet into the crystalline sea below.
Between Positano and Amalfi is the Grotta dello Smeraldo, we took a detour to Amalfi to take a boat tour to see the cave, unfortunatly we had not long returned from seeing the Blue Grotto on Capri, so it was not quite as impressive to us as to some of the other passengers but the blue light that shines through from an underwater opening is pretty After the Grotta dello Smeraldo, the coast road goes around the Capo di Conca and the bay of Amalfi is displayed in all it's glory - a sight not to be missed.
We stopped off at stalls selling wonderful lemons, oils and herbs, we stopped at a little cafe with a terrace that protruded over the jagged cliffs and drank ice cold lemonade made from the local lemons that were growing all around - at each place we were able to take in the breathtaking panoramic views and to take some wonderful photographs.
Should you find yourself in this area of Italy, please, please make this incredible journey. A drive along the Coast Road by car would be rather daunting, but on one of the many tour buses you put your life in the hands of the able driver and sit back to experience the sight and smell of the lemon trees snuggled alongside the endless rock-face communities,the old smuggling caves, the beautiful buildings and gardens and the sight of the dazzling waters below you.
Summary: If you visit only one area of Italy - make it this one!!
NH Hotels, the hotel chain leader in Europe, with more than 300 hotels in 20 countries in Europe, Latin America and Africa. Enter into our web site and find the best available tariff at all times
Advantages: ideal for non flyers wishing to travel to the warmer climate of the med. Disadvantages: NOT A TRIP FOR CHILDREN WHO WILL GET RESTLESS ON A LONG COACH JOURNEY
alliedprawn 12.09.2007 (12.01.2008)
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