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Capri is the visual highlight of a break in Italy’s Amalfi coast for Neil Lancefield
I HAD never experienced anything quite like it. Maybe it was because we were close to the gods, but I felt empowered standing on the 600m summit of Capri.
In every direction we looked, we faced the vast, sparkling Mediterranean.
Minutes earlier we had ridden a chair-lift to the summit over houses and gardens, a journey that felt like slowly unwrapping a birthday present, painstakingly removing the paper inch by inch with no idea what you’re going to get until you’ve finished.
On reaching the top we jumped out of the chair, climbed some steps and were hit by the spectacular, panoramic view. Birthday presents were never this good.
The visit to Capri was the visual highlight of a week-long break on Italy’s Amalfi coast.
We stayed at the wonderful Regina Palace Hotel in the village of Maiori, about an hour’s drive down the coast from the airport at Naples.
From the moment we excitedly heaved open our hotel room shutters to check out the view, we fell in love with the place. It was impossible not to be impressed by steep, jagged cliffs plunging dramatically into the Mediterranean. Every time I woke up I couldn’t wait to step out onto the balcony to check I wasn’t still dreaming.
But enough about the views around here, there’s plenty more to savour.
We took a stroll down the main street to explore the village. The brochure promises “romantic treasures”, and the friendly, laid-back atmosphere made it a perfect place to forget the stresses of work and spend some time relaxing.
Maiori is transformed after dark, becoming a vibrant resort with a buzzy atmosphere. People came off the beaches and filled the streets and bars with noisy chatter.
Families can happily stay out until midnight, even young babies are included, pushed around in their prams as everyone else talks the night away.
It was a safe, fun environment. No lager louts, no hoodies, just the sound of crashing waves as we sipped limoncello, a liqueur made from the locally-grown gigantic lemons.
The only apparent danger to tourists was not pickpockets or rip-off shops, but the seemingly endless stream of scooters speeding around blind bends.
I’m bound to admit that even the most basic Italian food is much tastier in Italy. Even a simple cheese and tomato margherita pizza had wow factor – thanks to the fresh mozzarella made from local goats’ milk.
The best cuisine we found was at a lovely little restaurant called Gianni e Maria, well worth the 15-minute walk from our hotel.
Of course, the Regina Palace also consistently dished up delicious dinners and offered good advice on a comprehensive selection of wines.
There are organised excursions available each day from here, but it’s important to choose carefully if you’re only staying for one week.
Some holidaymakers I spoke to felt they spent too much time on coaches and not enough enjoying the resort where they were staying.
If you do just one trip all holiday, make it Pompeii and Vesuvius. The day began with a 25-minute climb up Mount Vesuvius itself. The cooler conditions at the top of the volcano were a welcome break from the baking 30C heat.
We were then taken by coach to Pompeii, buried under ash and rock when Vesuvius erupted in 79AD. We didn’t expect much of the city to be excavated, so were amazed by what we found. The scale of restoration was startling, from detailed inscriptions in the public baths to a 5,000 capacity amphitheatre. A plaster cast of a man cowering, holding his tunic over his mouth to avoid poisonous fumes, gave us some idea of the horror of the eruption.
Whether or not the visit to Sorrento was worth the four and a half hours it took to get there on busy roads is a moot point – although it has to be said that a lot of the jams were caused by our own coach blocking the narrow coastal roads.
Our time in Sorrento was remarkable for one reason, however, for it coincided with an unusual religious event in the Bay of Naples. A statue of the Virgin Mary was transported into the harbour by boat, followed by a procession of hundreds of speed boats. The town does have lots of very old churches worth exploring, but it’s important to check the opening hours to avoid disappointment.
A boat trip to Positano was a much more enjoyable outing. The village, about half an hour away from Maiori, was full of narrow streets packed with boutiques and outside cafes. It appeared to be an expensive place to stay, but was ideal for an afternoon visit to buy presents and souvenirs.
Package holidays to Italy tend to be pricier than Spain or Greece, but a week on the Amalfi coast showed us why many people happily pay the premium. It was refreshing to experience life in a different culture – without a sign of the rowdiness which is a risk in busier holiday haunts.
I HAD never experienced anything quite like it. Maybe it was because we were close to the gods, but I felt empowered standing on the 600m summit of Capri.
In every direction we looked, we faced the vast, sparkling Mediterranean.
Minutes earlier we had ridden a chair-lift to the summit over houses and gardens, a journey that felt like slowly unwrapping a birthday present, painstakingly removing the paper inch by inch with no idea what you’re going to get until you’ve finished.
On reaching the top we jumped out of the chair, climbed some steps and were hit by the spectacular, panoramic view. Birthday presents were never this good.
The visit to Capri was the visual highlight of a week-long break on Italy’s Amalfi coast.
We stayed at the wonderful Regina Palace Hotel in the village of Maiori, about an hour’s drive down the coast from the airport at Naples.
From the moment we excitedly heaved open our hotel room shutters to check out the view, we fell in love with the place. It was impossible not to be impressed by steep, jagged cliffs plunging dramatically into the Mediterranean. Every time I woke up I couldn’t wait to step out onto the balcony to check I wasn’t still dreaming.
But enough about the views around here, there’s plenty more to savour.
We took a stroll down the main street to explore the village. The brochure promises “romantic treasures”, and the friendly, laid-back atmosphere made it a perfect place to forget the stresses of work and spend some time relaxing.
Maiori is transformed after dark, becoming a vibrant resort with a buzzy atmosphere. People came off the beaches and filled the streets and bars with noisy chatter.
Families can happily stay out until midnight, even young babies are included, pushed around in their prams as everyone else talks the night away.
It was a safe, fun environment. No lager louts, no hoodies, just the sound of crashing waves as we sipped limoncello, a liqueur made from the locally-grown gigantic lemons.
The only apparent danger to tourists was not pickpockets or rip-off shops, but the seemingly endless stream of scooters speeding around blind bends.
I’m bound to admit that even the most basic Italian food is much tastier in Italy. Even a simple cheese and tomato margherita pizza had wow factor – thanks to the fresh mozzarella made from local goats’ milk.
The best cuisine we found was at a lovely little restaurant called Gianni e Maria, well worth the 15-minute walk from our hotel.
Of course, the Regina Palace also consistently dished up delicious dinners and offered good advice on a comprehensive selection of wines.
There are organised excursions available each day from here, but it’s important to choose carefully if you’re only staying for one week.
Some holidaymakers I spoke to felt they spent too much time on coaches and not enough enjoying the resort where they were staying.
If you do just one trip all holiday, make it Pompeii and Vesuvius. The day began with a 25-minute climb up Mount Vesuvius itself. The cooler conditions at the top of the volcano were a welcome break from the baking 30C heat.
We were then taken by coach to Pompeii, buried under ash and rock when Vesuvius erupted in 79AD. We didn’t expect much of the city to be excavated, so were amazed by what we found. The scale of restoration was startling, from detailed inscriptions in the public baths to a 5,000 capacity amphitheatre. A plaster cast of a man cowering, holding his tunic over his mouth to avoid poisonous fumes, gave us some idea of the horror of the eruption.
Whether or not the visit to Sorrento was worth the four and a half hours it took to get there on busy roads is a moot point – although it has to be said that a lot of the jams were caused by our own coach blocking the narrow coastal roads.
Our time in Sorrento was remarkable for one reason, however, for it coincided with an unusual religious event in the Bay of Naples. A statue of the Virgin Mary was transported into the harbour by boat, followed by a procession of hundreds of speed boats. The town does have lots of very old churches worth exploring, but it’s important to check the opening hours to avoid disappointment.
A boat trip to Positano was a much more enjoyable outing. The village, about half an hour away from Maiori, was full of narrow streets packed with boutiques and outside cafes. It appeared to be an expensive place to stay, but was ideal for an afternoon visit to buy presents and souvenirs.
Package holidays to Italy tend to be pricier than Spain or Greece, but a week on the Amalfi coast showed us why many people happily pay the premium. It was refreshing to experience life in a different culture – without a sign of the rowdiness which is a risk in busier holiday haunts.
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