Unknown Amalfi Coast

A single weekend is certainly not enough to enjoy the Amalfi coast as it deserves to be enjoyed, but I gave it my best shot. Also, technically, not just the Amalfi Coast. I stayed in Massa Lubrense which is in the province of Sorrento, making at least part of this trip more accurately Unknown Sorrento Coast. The Sorrento Coast is part of Napoli, whereas the Amalfi Coast is a part of Salerno.

A day at the Lido

Since this area is known for its coast, I obviously needed to experience it, so my incredibly helpful and friendly hostess, Danila, from Il Turro, suggested a few spots. The first was a bit harder to reach, i Bagni della Regina Giovanna; the second was more accessible, more comfortable, and more suitable for a lazy day at the beach being waited upon, Marina del Cantone.

Marina del Cantone / Nerano

I chose this as my first day trip because, after a long drive, I preferred to relax in comfort. The lido I ended up going to was called Bar Bagni Mimì, primarily because it’s the only dog friendly one in the area. We ended up spending the whole day lounging in the sun.

Located at the far end of the cove that makes up Nerano, the burrough of Marina del Cantone the lido is located within, there were fewer boats crowding the beach, giving us great beach access. Overall Bar Bagni Mimì has superb services, great granita, and, of course, a beautiful beach.

All in all, a perfect summer day spent with salty skin doing crosswords. Even Dundun enjoyed herself, taking over my whole beach bed.

Bagni della Regina Giovanna

Day two involved a bit of a trek to a less easily accessible beach that was nonetheless worth the trip. To reach this place, we had to wind our way down a stone path for about 10 minutes. What greeted us, we did not expect. As Dundun scampered along looking for a place to leave her mark, we reached a little natural swimming pool; a small lagoon connected to the sea by a small straight under a natural stone arch. Unfortunately, the strong mistral winds made even this sheltered pool quite choppy, so we continued along to see what else there was to see.

Around the corner, by the cliffs overlooking the sea, many people set up for tanning, fishing, spending time with friends, and general tomfoolery, and continuing along the coastline, we came across old roman houses that have been partially washed away. You could still se the mosaic floors and carved foundations for interior walls. It was crazy. These ancient sites are just out in the open for anyone to walk through, on a random coastline. If no one had told us about it, we never would have known it existed.

We eventually found a spot to sit and take some sun, but, again, the strong mistral winds made swimming quite impossible.

Il Turro

We stayed at Il Turro, a lovely 18th century villa situated among olive and lemon groves on the hilly slopes of Massa Lubrense on the Sorrento peninsula. Our host, Danila, was very kind and helpful throughout our short stay. Upon arrival, she explained the history of the villa and how it became a B&B just three short years ago. Dating back to 1790, it preserved a lot of the original architecture and antique furnishings. We stayed in the Amalfi room.

We had the opportunity to eat breakfast outside in the garden. Even Dundun was treated like a little princess. She had fun running around the garden, after cats, and across the larger, book-filled study. I look forward to coming back.

Sunsets

The sunsets here were incredible. Nightly, we watched it from the communal garden which overlooks all three of the islands of Capri, Procida, and Ischia. Even Dundun was in awe and had to get a better view.

Ravello

On our drive home, along the Amalfi coast, we made a quick stop in Ravello: The Musical city. We spent the morning walking through the many walled streets before making a quick stop for lunch. We had pizza of course. The city is full of lemon trees and walled vegetable gardens, many attached to restaurants that serve the produce grown. It’s a magnificent mountain town and it is definitely worth exploring a little more on a subsequent trip.

That actual Amalfi Coast

Driving along the Amalfi coast, there are many panoramic lookouts where you can stop to take in the view and snap a few pictures. Don’t miss an exit though, because you’ll never be able to turn around.

Even though it was the end of August, it was still quite busy so it was difficult to stop at every (or even any) lookout. They were each more impressive than the last.