Amalfi, Capri & Sorrento - an Italian dream

And indeed whether you come for the beaches, a bit of pottering round the shops, some culture in the sites of Pompeii or Paestum or simply like the chatter of Italian whilst you eat dinner and enjoy a bit of southern style, our hotels, apartments and inns offer a variety of budgets and styles though each of them is unique and charmingly personal.
We traipsed to the very remote and still traditional corners of the peninsula to meet the manager of an exclusive but preposterously relaxed small and utterly luxury hotel in Capri, all to be enjoyed from a great comfy sofa on the terrace, surrounded by the exotic scents of Mediterranean macchia.
We found a nice bed & breakfast in Amalfi or an exclusive hotel in Sorrento: Whatever you feel like!

The hotels in Sorrento as well as Positano and Amalfi are superbly positioned to take advantage of the historic sites within the area. Paestum is an hour and a half to the south of Amalfi but well worth the visit – this is one of the best preserved ancient Greek sites anywhere in the Mediterranean basin. Pompeii, or course, is a classic and easy to reach from Sorrento using the local Circumvesuviana train.
If you don’t have a car, frequent buses from both Positano and Amalfi can bring you to Sorrento from where the train takes only half an hour to arrive at the site. Herculaneum is less well-known but actually better preserved than Pompeii. It is smaller and the whole site can be visited in two hours or so whilst a day should ideally be left free for Pompeii. Both are extremely exposed to the elements and in summer a hat for the sun, big bottle of water and comfortable shoes are a must.
The network of hydrofoils and other fast ferry services means that from either Positano, Amalfi or Sorrento you can easily make Capri or indeed Naples in a day trip.
Private boats can also be hired to take you to the quieter and more hidden coves with trips across to Capri and the less explored southern side of the island which has a number of interesting caves and steep cliffs dropping into crystal clear waters. If all of this is not enough the Amalfi Coast also has its own maritime park and scuba diving is possible in the very rich and clear waters.
Ancient shepherd trails criss-cross the mountains and a wonderfully different day can be passed exploring the villages that 99% of visitors never get to explore with constant views of the green mountains falling into that blissful sea.

The strong traditions in the region mean that the emphasis on eating well is still a dominant part of the day’s discussion and of above normal importance at lunch and dinner.
The pasta features many local varieties that won’t be found elsewhere in Italy including the curiously named scialatielli and crespolini.
Fresh tomato sauces, the mouth-watering buffalo mozzarella, local seafood and, of course, plenty of lemons in both the sweet and savoury dishes means a Mediterranean diet with a bit of imagination.
People are obsessed here with freshness and the quality of ingredients and it is unusual to be disappointed with the restaurants of the region. One tip we believe in absolutely is to get far away from the main piazzas.
Finding a really good place to eat in Italy is about following the locals, not just where the tourist falls across the closest restaurant. The more you explore those little back streets the more likely it is you will find a cook that has had to work hard to build a reputation to attract clients rather than relied on a great “shop window” in the main square. The best way to enjoy these Mediterranean flavours is from one of the various terraces with breathtaking sea views in small fisher villages, such as Positano, on the Amalfi Coast.
To finish off a meal try cleansing the palate with a glass of limoncello, liquid, cool lemon with all of the genuine flavours of Amalfi and Sorrento.