3/14/17- Naples and Amalfi Coast

Shh...don't wake the volcano

With day 2 we figured to turn up the intensity dial to 11.  In Italy that means Naples.  The pace in Rome is akin to Topeka when set next to old Napoli.  I didn't have the courage to take on this region by ourselves so I opted to hire a guide.

Our goal?  See as much of Naples and the Amalfi Coast in one day.  To help us reach the goal was our aforementioned guide, plenty of euros, and the high speed train.  (One of the few bright spots of Italian infrastructure)

One of the many spectacular rooms within the Certosa

By 930am we were driving through the mad streets of Naples in route to the Certosa di San Martino museum perched atop Vomero hill over the city.  Our first choice was the National Archaeological museum, where all the good stuff from Pompeii is, but it was closed.   This former monastery completely blew away our expectations and justified any effort made to reach it. This place was a virtual hodgepodge of awesomeness.  It included one of the most Baroque ornate chapels in all of Italy, an awesome nativity set, military/naval items, and one of the best views of Naples.

With the cultural component of the trip out of the way we were anxious to embark on the next quest- satiating our appetites with a famed Neapolitan pizzas.  Our guides rebuffed my desire to head off the beaten path to try something from the famed Pepe in Grani and convinced to get a pizza in a more close and scenic environ seaside.  I relented because I doubt it is possible to even get a bad pie in this city.    What we didn't anticipate was that this 6 mile drive from the hill to the beach would literally take us through the most traffic ridden labyrinthine urban path I think I've ever taken.  Our drive time for this 5 miles?  45 minutes.

My frustration quickly turned to tasty mirth as we sat down seaside to partake of this wood-fired bliss. I opted for my usual pie, quattro stagioni.  It was exceptionally executed and even allowed me to sample some of their famous local mozarella di bufala.  And the awesome kicker?  These pies were only 8 euros.  They are substantially bigger then any of the pizzas you'd get at one of the VPN places in the US and they were a noticeable notch better to boot.  Another highlight was a chance to try
some really good smoked mozzarella compliments of the owners.

Solid views from Positano

With lunch complete we were off to tackle the real purpose of our visit, the famed Amalfi Coast. This was something my dad really wanted to see and I wanted to ensure we had adequate time to take in its sun soaked splendor.   Fortunately traffic was more agreeable and we were at Sorrento, the typical entry point for the coast, within the hour.


Truthfully this segment began with an underwhelming start.  Positano was our first stop.There must of been a dry haze in the air because the scenery didn't seem as vibrant in person.  Undaunted we continued to press on to the subsequent mountainside towns of Praiano, Amalfi, and Ravello.

Even better views from Ravello

Things did pick up in the last two towns. Amalfi actually had a pier and town square that accommodated some shopping and walking around. It was a great spot from which to people watch and hunt for gelato.  For me the real treat was Ravello.  Unlike the others this town is perched at a higher elevation.  It was home to famed weirdo Gore Vidal and it hosts an exceptional music festival every year.  Our stay here corresponded with dusk so I think that lent to the magic of the moment.

The last of the great views today

We took the drive home via a back route.  We got stopped a couple of times by herds of goats and other pastoral activities.  We descended into the bay of Naples in time to capture a truly marvelous sunset.

Soon enough our day was over and we found ourselves back at the train station heading back to Rome. Naples is an exhausting and exhilarating experience.  Visitors who merely skip through in route to Pompeii are truly robbing themselves to experience Italy at its most authentic.

Other notes/highlights:

1. Italian tip of the day-  This should go without saying but you should never try driving within Rome or Naples.  That is reserved for the natives, true experts, or certifiably insane.
2. Most offensive action of the day-  Dad spilling his Coke on a gentleman on the ride home.
3. Food highlight- That smoked mozzarella.

You won't likely see this anywhere else.  We saw this at the train station and it captures the true essence of Naples.