Part two of three: The Amalfi Coast. A highly desirable destination with, what I felt, a lot of non desirable attributes. While one of our best days of the trip was here, there were things I would change about this part of the trip that may help determine how desirable it is to you.
DAY 10: JULY 10- TRAVEL TO ATRANI, ITALY
Getting to Atrani
We woke up on the earlier side and packed our things to prepare for our train ride to Salerno. I was sad to be leaving Florence but it felt good to have been back. We walked to the train station and got pastries and snacks for the the ride. Once in Salerno, we went into a tiny convenient store to buy bus tickets and got on the bus to Atrani. It was an hour-long bus ride along the cliff side. It was very nerve wracking and nauseating. There were multiple points where I felt car sick, which doesn’t happen often to me.
*Note: I don’t remember the exact price of the bus but I think it was around 15-20 euros one way
Settling In
We got off the bus at Atrani and prepared to climb 200 steps to our airbnb with all of our stuff. It wasn’t as bad as anticipated but definitely challenging. Our airbnb had an awesome view and a rooftop hangout area. After we settled, we changed and went down to the beach. Anna and Emma went in the water, Haley and I grabbed some snacks. There was a particular brand of sour cream and onion chips that slapped. We only stayed for a little bit because it was late afternoon and went back up to change for dinner.
*Note: There are a lot of stairs, be prepared for a workout
Night One
For dinner, we put on nice outfits and took some pictures. We walked to Amalfi (which was just one town over) and ate at a restaurant there called, Amalfi Bistro. I had a limoncello spritz and eggplant parm. It was very good. I grabbed a canoli as we were leaving that was half regular half pistachio. Fire. Then we walked around Amalfi and shopped. I wanted to buy everything there. I bought homemade limoncello to bring home, a pin, and a potholder. We also got gelato, because why not, and pizza and wine to have on our rooftop, because also why not, which we walked home and did. It was so fun, it felt like an actual vacation now being by the water.
*Note: Limoncello spritz is a must have drink when in Amalfi, they are known for their lemons
DAY 11: JULY 11- FULL DAY AT AMALFI COAST AKA BEST DAY
Finding A Boat Tour
We woke up on the earlier side in hopes that we would be able to book a boat tour for the day. Our luck was running short because they were full for the day and the next everywhere we went. Haley bought flip flops because she only had sneakers and heels plus towels and sunscreen. When we were out of options, we decided to book a ferry to the island Capri at 1:20pm and just hope to figure it out there. Until then, we ate breakfast in Amalfi. I had an omelet with mozzarella and a cappuccino. It was ok. Anna stopped to get a tote bag and we grabbed water and pastries to bring on the beach. We sat on the beach for about an hour before it was time for the ferry. It was SO hot and the sun was so strong.
*Note: It didn’t help that the sand is black so it was extra hot.
A Boat Tour Finding Us
The ferry to Capri was about an hour ride. It was an enjoyable hour though because the ferry crew was fun. They walked around selling limoncello spritz and said it in a funny way. LiMONcello SpRITZ. We just kept repeating it after them anytime they said it. That later became a go to phrase of the trip. We arrived in Capri still looking for a boat tour and a way to the blue grotto.
With little hope, we walked around following signs that said boat tour. We stopped for a second outside a stand trying to figure out where to look next when a man jumped out of the stand and asked if we were looking for a private boat tour. Being exactly what we were looking for, we said yes. He continued to explain the route of a tour, how long it would take and that he would drive the boat for only $50 per person and it would be just us on the boat.
We were a little skeptical because it could’ve been a plot to a horror movie but it sounded legit enough and like a good deal so we said yes. He said to follow him and meet him at a spot on the dock where he would pull the boat around. We had no idea what to expect or if he was trustworthy so we looked him up quickly and found good, legit reviews so seemed safe enough, in shock that this was working out for us.
“Show Me How Good It Gets”
As he pulled the boat up, people were waving at him and calling his name, Mario, “like Super Mario.” Apparently, he grew up there so him and his family were very well known. That made us feel better. We stepped onto the boat and had the best day of our lives.
Mario took us all around the island of Capri, showed us all the historical landmarks, let us get off and swim, gave us snorkeling gear, took pictures for us. We swam through the green grotto (Gratto Verde) and the Blue Grotto. Typically, you pay to take a small boat to go into the Blue Gratto but Mario got us there when it closed that way we didn’t have to pay and we could swim in it instead. It was a way better experience, even though i’m not the best swimmer, and it was free. The only stressful part was the waves started coming up high, covering the opening at times. I wasn’t a fan of that or the fact that there were sharp rocks that he warned us not to cut ourselves on. Other than that, it was so cool.
*Note: I think we got lucky with how the timing worked out. I would expect to pay around 12 euros to take the boat into the Blue Gratto if that’s something you are interested in.
Mario let us be on aux so we got to play our own music. The weather was absolutely beautiful. He gave us shots of his homemade limoncello. It was so awesome. A whole afternoon with my best friends on a boat, touring an island in Italy. It doesn’t get much better than that. It ended up being a three hour excursion, instead of two. I was really unsure how we were going to pull a private boat tour off going into the day but against all odds it happened and it was way better than I could have ever imagined. If you don’t believe in affirmations, I would consider believing in “show me how good it gets.” That was our motto of the trip and the world showed us how good it gets and will forever be a day like no compare.
*Note: If you are ever in Capri, book a boat tour with Mario Valenti @mariovalentiboat
Night Two
Our tour ended just in time for the 7:00pm ferry back to Amalfi. We stopped in a gift shop to get souvenirs and matching bracelets that said Capri with a red chili pepper (a lucky chili pepper). We got pizza, sangria and limoncello spritz to go and waited in line for the ferry. Sun kissed and exhausted, we watched the sunset on the water on the ferry. Juan missed the whole thing because he rented a scooter to go to Pompeii but didn’t even make it there because he got too tired. Once we made it back to Amalfi, we met up with him and got dinner. I got vegetable lasagna. It was eh, the picture I took of it made it look horrible it was comical. It was not aesthetically pleasing. We walked around for a little. The Cooks got gelato because Anna was leaving the next day and then went home for the night. We showered and went to bed content after what was truly the best day ever.
*Note: Just a heads up, the food honestly wasn’t that great and very overpriced but the views and experiences make it worth it.
DAY 12: JULY 12- FULL DAY IN AMALFI COAST
The Rest
We still had to see the other major island, Positano, so we got up early to make the 9:50am ferry because Anna was leaving that night. We walked to Amalfi to catch the ferry and went to Positano. There was a cute place by the water for breakfast so we ate there. I got a veggie omelet and a nutella croissant. It was decent. We walked around the shops a little and I grabbed 4 small paintings/drawings to give to people. We went on the beach for an hour, took some pictures, burned our feet on the sand, and were overheating but still a dope place. Juan was gonna meet us there but said he couldn’t find parking, got a smoothie and left.
*Note: The ferry rides varied from 10-20 euros depending on which island you were going to and had multiple times throughout the day.
Night Three
Anna needed shower and get her stuff together so we took the ferry back to Amalfi. We grabbed some chips on our way but couldn’t find the good sour cream and onion, unfortunately. We showered, napped and got ready for dinner, walked Anna to her ferry back to Salerno, said goodbye and got our bus tickets for the next day. It was sad. We found a place to eat dinner. Everyone got pizza but I got ravioli. It was spinach and ricotta, pretty good. We got gelato and walked around some more for last minute gifts. I decided to get my mom an olive oil lid. We walked home and packed up our bags and sat on our roof, talking and listening to music. It was a calm, relaxing end to the most calm and relaxing part of our trip.
