Costiera Amalfitana

A few days after Christmas the Pitz/Sheppard family and four friends gathered in Positano on the Amalfi coast. Six of us - JoAnn, Marsha, Ian, Judi, John, and Gordon - took up residence at the Villa Chiuli. Gail and Tom occupied the Casa Giulia a few meters down the street.

Without exaggeration, the Amalfi Coast must be one of the most beautiful locations in the world. From the Bay of Naples, dominated by Mount Vesuvious, we headed for the Amalfi Coast. Here are mountains rising out of the sea, divided by deep ravines. The shallower slopes are set with terraces, hundreds of years old, reaching down to the sea.

Our first view of the town was from the scenic overlook along the coast road. The town is set in a shallow bay, backed by steep mountains. Houses dot the hillsides, while narrow streets make driving an exciting challenge.

The church is bright and cheery. But the dominant feature of the town is steps: more steps, steps that sometimes lead to nowhere.

The beach is not much as beaches go, especially in January, but it offers a great view of the town

Set on the side of a hill, the villa features a terrace that offers marvelous views of the town and the sea. A large living room provided an ideal setting for relaxation and conversation.

The villa was generously provided with elegant furniture and interesting objects.

Mornings began with a view of the sunrise from the dining room and from the terrace. In the evening we watched the sunset from the terrace or from above the town (that's Capri in the distance).

All over Italy, the anno nouvo is welcomed with fireworks. We watched from the terrace as the residents of Positano lit up the town and exchanged friendly fire with the residents of Praiano, two miles further along the coast. (We could even see the celebrations on the far side of the bay, over 50 miles away)

Recreation might consist of a band performance on Sunday morning, or a soccer game on the beach.

Shopping for fish and vegetables is serious business, not to be taken lightly.

When there's heavy work to be done, the old-fashioned way is sometimes the best way. This was part of the construction crew that was working on a set of steps.

Cats have an easy life, while dogs can relax with their owners.

Only one member of the party (guess who) opted for a vigorous walk along the mule trails that led over the mountains. The trail negotiates sheer cliffs, and offers spectacular views from terraced gardens in the small villages.

Along the way one encounters January flowers, olive trees with nets to catch the olives and a mountain shrine offering spiritual guidance for the weary traveler.

The trail eventually led to the town of Monte Pertuso. The town is named after a nearby mountain with a unique structure that explains its name (pertundere = to drive a hole through something). From the town itself one can look back along the coast to Positano.

A few kilometers further one encounters the village of Nocelle, set on the edge of a precipice. As yet mostly unaffected by the regional tourism boom, streets in Nocelle are not designed for automobiles.

Capri is a short boat ride from Sorrento. Rising sharply out of the sea, cliff top villas offer the usual magnificent views. The distinguishing feature of the island is the three sirens, a set of three rocks just off the coast. These provided a good excuse for our tour guide to take a rare photograph of the entire group.

Ravello is another town perched on a mountain top that provides magnificent views of the surrounding country. The church features an unusual pulpit.

Of course, a visit to Pompeii is obligatory, and is not disappointing. In one morning we could see only a fraction of the restored town. The temple of Venus (together with friendly dogs) is one of the first buildings one encounters on entering the old city. The forum was the main square - no vehicles allowed. The macellum was a covered market place.

In other buildings one can see two thousand year old frescoes (some x-rated and not reproduced here), abstract mosaics and religious sculptures. These ceiling decorations adorned the town's thermal baths.

The Basilica housed the law courts, where lawyers argued their cases and businessmen made deals.

Most of us spent the last night in Naples, a noisy and exuberant city lying in the shadow of Mount Vesuvious, and justly famous for the beautiful bay.

The old section of the city is crowded with people and vehicles, but the unique color of Naples is still evident in its buildings.

The Saturday market is a cacophony of sights and sounds. We were tempted, but did not buy anything. One of our favorite spots was the pasta shop, featuring Mr. Pasta Head. The whole scene is monitored by Naples' finest, looking bored most of the time. (Where were they when we needed them?)

In the newer section of the city we visited Castel Nuovo, built in the 13th century, presumably to replace the Castel Vecchio. The entrance is about 200 years younger. From the balcony we enjoyed views of the harbor and the bay.

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