The Ahhhhhhhh-malfi Coast and Beyond
April on the Amalfi coast included quite a bit of rain and a blissful lack of crowds
Hello friends! I hope life is treating you well!
I recently arrived in Cagliari, Sardinia and am looking forward to exploring this huge island for the month of May, which I will share with you soon. In the meantime, here are my impressions of my recent stint on the Amalfi coastline and April’s home base, Salerno, and an amazing couple of days in Naples.
Also, in response to MANY questions about the logistics and planning for this one-year journey, I put together an FAQ for those of you who are considering doing something similar. If there’s anything else you’re wondering, feel free to ask!
Salerno
I was delighted with my off-the-beaten-path choice for a month-long stay. A bustling port city of about 140,000, Salerno is the municipal seat and commercial/industrial hub for the Amalfi coast region. When I mentioned to a ferry boat employee that I was staying in Salerno for a month, she said, “Smart. Cheap.”
And while it is much less expensive than its glamorous neighbors such as Amalfi, Ravello and Sorrento, I also liked it better than the alternatives as a home base due to its much wider variety of amenities, historical sights, and delicious food/beverage options. People who live in Salerno visit Amalfi for the sunshine and Aperol spritzes; people who live in Amalfi go to Salerno to shop, bank, visit museums and get a taste of city life (and Aperol spritzes too).
From my first day here, I have marveled at the masses of locals doing their daily “passeggiata,” a stroll for everyone from infants in strollers to elderly people and everybody in between. There are two places where the passeggiata occurs -- on the massive seafront promenade called Lungomare Trieste; and the main pedestrian artery through downtown, Corso Vittorio Emanuele. On any given afternoon, thousands of people do the stroll and connect with the world around them. I never heard a word of English as I joined the stroll each day.
At the end of my first day here, I stopped for a rest and to watch a scantily clad senior citizen welcoming people arriving on the ferry boat (and wishing a heartfelt “CIAO!” to those leaving.) I never found out who he was; the pier staff doesn’t know him and said he just likes to “engage with the tourists.”
Anyway, on that day as our nearly-nude harbormaster was welcoming a large group of well-behaved youngsters, I noticed a University of Virginia cap on one of them. And as the last person walked off the boat, I was shocked to see one of their chaperones, Virginia Delegate Rob Bell. When I approached, he too casually tossed out a brief hi — later he said he thought I was one of the chaperones with their group!
After I explained that I had just moved to Salerno for a month, he told me the school group was headed to nearby world-renowned Paestum to see the ancient ruins, but more importantly, he wanted to know who is the dude in the Speedo? They were the only Americans I encountered in Salerno, from a town I just moved away from. Such a small world!
In April, the summer hordes of tourists have not arrived along this famously visited coastline, though the downside of being here off-season was there were many rainy days. Between the raindrops, I had some gorgeous days exploring almost every town in this area including Amalfi, Sorrento, Positano, Minori, Capri and Cava di Terreni (perhaps my favorite!). The dependable and inexpensive Italian public transportation system makes it a snap to get around, and there are multiple ways to get almost anywhere at any time, whether by ferry, bus or train.
Arriving at the small seaside villages by boat is magical and provides the most comprehensive perspective of each place. But the SETA public buses that hug the precipitous coastline from Salerno to Sorrento are the “E-ticket” ride that you’ll never forget. Depending on the ever-changing conditions of this road and its drivers, you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll cheer in unison for the driver, yell and shake your fists with him, and hug your seatmates whether you know them or not. True story!
Many folks enjoy driving Amalfi for the thrill of experiencing one of the world’s most exciting roads. But my gentle suggestion: it’s not a great idea to drive yourself and your loved ones, and you might want to let the pro’s do it so you can see every moment of the scenery. The local drivers know this stretch of road and are scanning the mountainsides 2-3 curves ahead, anticipating the moments where someone will have to back up to let the other vehicle pass. One honk means, “Ciao bella, just letting you know I’m here!” while two honks means, “Back up Giacomo, I’m barreling through!”
On my first bus ride, a rental car ahead of us had run almost off the road and knocked down a sign, which led to an hourlong backup in both directions and a steady cha-cha dance of buses, trucks and cars moving forward and backward in and out of the many tunnels and hairpin turns. If you think driving forward on this road is exciting, just wait until you have a ticked off bus driver flooring it in reverse, demanding you do the same!
Ravello
Walking past, I couldn't help but snoop inside the small Hotel Villa Fraulo because of its view and was caught in the act by the owner. He insisted on bringing me downstairs to experience the terrace. He then disappeared, but his staff returned with table linens and a place setting for the corner table. At their invitation (even though they were closed) I ordered a glass of wine. Then they brought me a plate of the most delicious snacks made with fresh-picked lemons, mint, tomatoes, etc.
My inner dialogue was "I don't care how much this is going to set me back, as I will never have this moment again." As I was leaving, I thanked the staff and asked for the bill. "Please don't worry. You are a valued guest of our owner today.” The kindness of these people cannot be overstated, especially during the slow season.
"Please don't worry. You are a valued guest of our owner today.”
Capri
On a hike, I happened upon an unusual building called Villa Lysis, impossibly perched on a tall cliff overlooking the Gulf of Naples with stunning views to Sorrento and beyond. And what a strange history this place has.
The villa was built in 1904 for Jaques d’Adelsward Ferson, who decamped to Capri in exile from Paris after a conviction for “outrage against public morals and corruption of minors.” There’s a LOT more to his story, but in summary he led a life of adventure and scandals. The opulent home he built for himself and his teenage lover, Nino Cesarini, was his final getaway, and the place of his ultimate demise when he ended his life after drinking a glass of champagne enhanced with five grams of cocaine. The municipality now owns this property, and for the price of 3 euros, you can not only enjoy the views but also see the marble Opium Den where he spent most of his time due to the habits he picked up on his many trips to Asia. The inscription over the portico, “Amori et dolori sacrum” or a shrine to love and sorrow, sums up this strange place.
Here’s a great article write-up about Villa Lysis with more detail and photos.
Paestum
Imagine visiting the Acropolis in Athens and being the only person there. Paestum provided that type of experience for me on the weekday afternoon I visited. The expansive ruins of an ancient Greek city include mostly intact city walls, three temples, an amphitheater and much more. It is an absolutely stunning opportunity to view a city built around 500 BC.
Somewhat incongruously, Paestum is surrounded by many of the dairies that make this region the epicenter of buffalo mozzarella. So you can learn about the past with a tummy full of deliciousness!
Naples
Naples is a sprawling, unapologetically “in your face” kind of place, and the sights, sounds, and smells are as vivid as you’ll find anywhere. Everything about Naples stands apart from the rest of Italy, including the dialect, the food and the music. Naples is known as a relatively poor city, and Neapolitans feel disrespected and negatively viewed by other Italians, especially from the north (which seems like a fair complaint to me). As many people there say, they are Neapolitans first, Italians second.
And so it is with enormous joy and excitement that the Naples football team (SCC Napoli) is on the verge of winning its first national championship in more than 30 years. On the weekend I arrived, my taxi driver told me that the championship is sewn-up, if not yet official, as Napoli has such a large lead in league wins. The entire city was covered with blue and white streamers and flags in anticipation of the game, but ultimately it ended in a tie, prolonging the wait for another few days. No matter – the city was completely shut down to traffic so that people could partake in dancing, singing, and plenty of fireworks all night long. I lucked into a gorgeous AirB&B well up the steep hill from the insanity down in the Spanish Quarter and throughout the city. It was a spectacular time to see so much joy in a city that truly deserves it.
I’ll report back soon about May in Sardinia, but spoiler alert: it’s pretty awesome!
FAQ’s in response to reader input
What criteria did you use in picking your locations for each quarter?
I selected beautiful locations to book on AirB&B, mostly off-season and with a monthly discount. I also enrolled as a house sitter with trustedhousesitters.com (let me know if you want a discount code to join) and am booked to stay for free at various homes in Santa Barbara, San Francisco, and Monterey this summer in exchange for pet care. Finally, I have asked family and friends to host me from time to time to fill out the year.
My advice to many of you who have asked how to plan this type of year is to tap into your network — ask family and friends for suggestions and assistance. Admittedly, asking to stay with friends isn’t my normal habit and a bit out of my comfort zone, but I have found people really want to be part of the adventure too. Let your friends and/or family be the big heroes in your story!
And consider monthly rentals in the off or shoulder season. My lovely, fully furnished apartments in Italy this spring have averaged about $1,100 per month including high-speed internet and all utilities, significantly less than my living expenses in the US.
Is it difficult to communicate in Italian? Do people speak English?
My limited Italian has not posed a problem. I have found most (though not all) people speak at least a little bit of English and with my rudimentary Italian coupled with excellent mastery of Charades, it’s almost always possible to communicate effectively. Interestingly, Sardinia (and Naples too) have such strong local dialects that other Italians don’t speak their language either. Online tools such as Google Translate are a game changer, and the only downside to these tools are that I have lazily stopped trying to learn to speak Italian as well as I would like.
Do you feel safe traveling alone?
Absolutely. I have not seen any activity around me that is concerning and feel much safer than in most places in the US. One big reason why is that Italians of all ages treat the public spaces as kind of a shared living room, and you can always find lots of parents, kids, grandparents and pets on the streets at every hour of the day or night. In general, people here seem to look out for each other, even strangers like me. Considering the amount of violence in the US, the Italians may be afraid of me!
Are you ever lonely?
Not yet, nope! With phone, email and social media, I can stay connected with family and friends. And the people here are extremely outgoing and friendly so I have lots of “one off” conversations throughout the day.
What/where do you eat?
I tend to eat breakfast and lunch at home, then go out to restaurants a few times a week for dinner. I like eating in restaurants alone, and the staff frequently chats about their favorite dishes, or things to do on the weekend, interesting places to visit, etc.
I have found a few favorite staples at the grocery stores here. In addition to getting lots of fresh salad stuff, I usually pick up prosciutto, multiple cheeses, fresh pasta and bread. One of my favorite discoveries back in March was a delicious gorgonzola cheese “con la goccia” which I eventually learned is gorgonzola soaked in heavy cream to give it a luxurious texture and flavor.
I have also invented a quick pasta sauce with fresh herbs, onions, olives and canned cherry tomatoes (why don’t we have these flavor explosions in the US? Game changer!).
And finally, how does an out-of-shape person your age handle a six-floor walk-up apartment in Salerno (ok, that was a question I had for myself)?
The answer is here.
Just a big Thank You for sharing your adventures. Adrienne and Daniel Stanley Friends of BA and CV
PS. I have discovered when traveling alone that people are quicker to engage with you, almost protective. It appears that way often in your stories. Do you find it that way?
This is awesome! My girlfriend and I want to go to the Amalfi Coast for our honeymoon. Happy I read this