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Positano , Amalfi Coast trip report

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Old May 5th, 2004, 09:22 AM
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Positano , Amalfi Coast trip report

Apologies in advance for the extremely long post. But 95% of what I learned about the Amalfi coast was discovered on this board so I wanted to pass on some smaller details to future travelers since so many before had helped us.

We departed Rome Apr 20 on a morning train to Naples. The train ride took about 1 hour and 45 minutes.

We had a driver pick us up at the Naples station to take us to Positano. This is a luxury we don?t normally afford ourselves but it turned out to be money well spent (100E each way). I?m sure the local train and bus is a sure and steady way to the Amalfi coast but after 4 days of heavy trekking through Rome, I didn?t want the ordeal of juggling transfers with luggage, merchandise, etc. As it turned out there was heavy traffic on the main route to Positano due to a closed road but our driver avoided it through some savvy navigating on the back roads. The drive from Naples to Positano took 1:20. Not sure how long the public transport takes to cover this distance but if you can manage to afford the driver I highly recommend it (and this coming from a normally cheap-traveler).

The hotel we chose in Positano was the Miramare. We stayed there 4 nights. We chose it based on the multitude of reviews we read on this board. It didn?t disappoint. It is located about the midpoint of town b/n the beach and the top which afforded us great views AND convenience to shops, restaurants, etc. Nicola, Giusseppi, and Rosita gave us excellent service and advice and arranged many reservations for us. The hotel seems to be located in a primarily residential part of town so it was very quiet, private and gave us the chance to interact with the locals. However, its location would pose problems to those having trouble climbing steps. The Miramare is only accessible via steps (148 down from the road, 218 up from the beach).

We had room 209 (as the famed 210 wasn?t available). Several people on the board seemed to be in the same predicament so I?ll report a little about the Miramare rooms. 209 has a comfortable-sized bedroom with a queen bed. The bedroom leads to a second room with a small sofa, tv (I couldn?t get any English-speaking stations), and refrigerator. From this room a set of double glass doors lead to the small terrace. Incidentally, the entire back wall is glass so you have a great view of the sea, beach, and town when the curtains are pulled back. The terrace is long but not very deep (3feet?). On the terrace were 2 chairs and a small table. The view is stupendous but the terrace size is significantly smaller than the other rooms. However, that is partially made up by the fact that the entire wall of the shower/tub is glass (overlooking the sea) giving one of the most unique shower/bath views one has ever seen. I have pictures of the room, terrace, and bath if anyone would like get a better look.

The only possible drawback to 209 (beyond a small terrace) is that it is directly outside the lobby so if you plan to sleep late, count on hearing the comings/goings and conversations of other guests in the AM.

We peeked in several of the other Miramare rooms. Rooms 210 through 214 all have very large terraces with table, chairs and chaise lounges and of course, the great views. 203 and 207 looked to be very good rooms with very large terraces. These rooms didn?t have the glass wall shower thing though. If you plan on going during the warmer months, I?d definitely recommend one of the above rooms if nothing else for the large terraces. If we had to do it over again, we choose one of the above rooms solely for the terrace. We couldn?t spend enough time out there! Sitting on them, you feel perched directly over the sea at 75 feet.

Breakfast at the Miramare was outstanding. I?m a big breakfast eater and this is the only European hotel that fully satisfied my American appetite. Many different pastries, breads, delicious fruit (some of the best melon and oranges I?ve ever had), cereal (w/COLD milk), yogurt, meats, cheeses, and juices were included. It was all very good (and plenty of it).

A few restaurant opinions - Da Vincenzo was outstanding! A trip to Positano w/o dining there would be a big mistake in our opinion. The staff was the friendliest (and funniest) we encountered during 9 days in Italy. We had about 6 different people waiting on us laughing and cutting up with us the whole time. The food was great ? they kept bringing us fun samples of different things. When I had a bit of a coughing fit at the end of the meal, the bartender rushed over with some limoncello insisting it would curtail my coughing episode. Much of the restaurant appears to be cut out from the hillside so the back wall is solid rock. It is located very close to the steps leading down to the Miramare.

La Strada in Praino was a nice restaurant. A driver (who turned out to be our waiter) came and picked us up and entertained is with his stories. It was a quiet night in the restaurant so they poured on the attention. As it was too cold to sit outside, we did not sit on the roof top terrace. But we looked up there ? great views to Positano. If you?re visiting in summer, make sure you stop by for the views and a pizza which our waiter said was outstanding (6 different locals came by to pick up takeout pizza while we were dining so it must be pretty good).

Perhaps our favorite meals though were ones taken on our terrace. There is a great little Litteria (market?) directly across from the Poseidon Hotel and 100 steps up from the Miramare. We shopped there often for meats, cheeses, bread and wine to take back for lunch. Delicious, economical, with private views from our own terrace. The litteria appeared to be the classic grandmother-mother-daughter operation. Grandma spoke no English and I spoke no Italian but that didn?t stop her from talking to me at length. She would always try to sell me the largest hunks of cheese and biggest loafs of bread despite me only buying for 2 persons. I got a laugh when I tried to buy some Asiago cheese but she wouldn?t sell it to me ? insisting that I buy the buffalo mozzarella b/c Asiago ?wasn?t good cheese? (the mother translated for me). In any event, I highly recommend this great place to buy some (inexpensive) lunch foods and get some real local flavor at the same time. I always looked forward to my late morning trips there.

Regarding day trips to Amalfi, Ravello, and Capri?the two earliest ferries to Amalfi were at 10AM and noon. The latest returns at 6PM. I recommend getting on the 10AM. We left on the noon one and felt rushed in both Amalfi and Ravello. I regretted not spending more time in both. My only Ravello recommendation is eat at Cumpa Casino. The Cannaloni was the best pasta dish I ate in 9 days in Italy (and the 2nd best meal I had overall). It was honestly one of the best dishes I?ve ever had, bar none. We took in Villa Cimbone in Ravello as well. It is a must see with the gardens and stupendous views it has.

If you plan to ferry to Capri from Positano, make sure you make a reservation a couple of days in advance. We tried to make one for the 9:30 a day in advance but it was already booked. Instead we got on the 11AM hydrofoil. The 11AM hydrofoil departs Capri back for Positano at 3:10PM so there is hardly enough time to spend on Capri. Make sure you get on the early one (which incidentally, departs Capri at 4, giving you even more time on the island). In our 3 short hours on Capri, the highlight was the chair lift from Anacapri to Mt. Solaro. The top afforded some of the most incredible views I?ve ever seen, period. Honestly, looking back, I could have done without the trip to Capri but we wanted to see it so we did. Like many others on this board, I'm of the opinion that the best way to see Capri is to stay there, thereby gettings some peace and quiet once all the day-trippers have set sail.

A word on ceramics. We bought several pieces in Positano from a large store (Ceramica Assunta) across the street from Le Sirenuse. I think my wife had me in every ceramic store in Positano and this one seemed to have the largest, most diverse, and best organized selection. We asked several locals about the ceramics. They all said pretty much the same thing ? all the quality is comparable and so are the prices (among shops in Positano). We bought our merchandise on a Friday and on the following Wednesday, it was on our doorstep in the US. Very well packed. There is another town (i cant recall the name) in the vicinity that houses the a ceramic factory where cheaper prices can be found. But unless you are investing lots of money into ceramics, it probably isn't worth the trouble (and expense) of getting there.

We hated to leave Positano but after 4 full days days it was time to head back. On the way back to Naples we stopped off at Pompeii. We only had two hours which I didn?t feel was enough time. I would suggest 3 hour minimum to get a real good feel. We thought the audio tour was money well spent versus burying your head in a guide book the whole time.

We?re already thinking about when we can return!
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Old May 5th, 2004, 09:42 AM
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Thank you for such a good report.

We, too, can't wait to return!

Byrd

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Old May 5th, 2004, 09:42 AM
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Thanks for a great report. The details you provide will be useful for future travelers going to this area of Italy.

Glad you had a wonderful time in a wonderful country.

Gail
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Old May 5th, 2004, 09:45 AM
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Great travel review, We are heading to Italy May 13 and wil spend a week based in Sorrento..We will defiently print your review and carry it for reference.
Thanks again
Gary
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Old May 5th, 2004, 11:08 AM
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thank you so much for your report! we are leaving May 18 for our honeymoon & will be in Positano for 3 days of it. I am extra excited about it now!
We will definitly check out your restaurant reccommendations, and the little market!

i have a couple questions if you dont mind...

I love ceramics, thanks for the info on that too! Can you tell me what the type of ceramics are that they sell over there? Are they earthy-looking, or more colorful with the ornate details?

Did you see Amalfi and Ravello in the same day? Is it an easy and worthwhile day trip to take from Positano? We only have 3 days there and are wondering if we should take any day trips from there, or just stay put in Positano the whole time to really enjoy it.
We are also staying in Sorrento for 3 days, from which we plan to daytrip to Capri. would you recommend us holding off daytripping to Amalfi/Ravello from Sorrento instead?

Thanks so much!
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Old May 5th, 2004, 12:18 PM
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On the ceramics, most of them are all very colorful and casual with the handpainted look - lots of yellows, greens and blues as I remember. The lemon motif is used frequently. Others are rather ornate and detailed (more expensive but absolutley beautiful) but mostly the style is colorful and vibrant. If you like that style you will have a great time browsing.
Regarding Amalfi/Ravello...with 3 days in Positano, you will easily have time for a day trip from Positano. Amalfi/Ravello should not be missed and are better reached from Positano than Sorrento. One day is sufficient to see both I believe (although one could easily spend more). Make sure you catch the 10AM ferry. The ferry from Positano to Amalfi is 25 minutes (and a beautiful ride along the sheer cliff coastline). Once off the ferry in Amalfi, look for an orange freestanding building just off the pier with "Bar" written on it. Inside they sell bus tickets to Ravello (a 15 minute ride). I would catch the first bus to Ravello. Once off the bus, look immediately to the schedule to see what bus you want to take back down later that day. Eat lunch at Cumpa Casino (there are signs in town pointing the way). Visit Villa Cimbone. There are many ceramic shops in Ravello but a local told me they are more expensive than in Positano. I didnt confirm so that is just FYI. Mid to late afternoon catch the bus back down and explore Amalfi in the time before the last ferry (6PM) leaves. Amalfi has a quaint piazza with many shops, bars, gelato places, etc. We didn't spend very much time there (I regret) so I can't give much advice on Amalfi, other than to poke your head into the Duomo there.
I think there are more ferry options to Capri from Sorrento so you are wise to see Capri from your Sorrento base.
Good luck and none to worry - I found it surprisingly easy to get around using ferrys and public transport.
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Old May 5th, 2004, 01:43 PM
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Great report---I really learned some details that had escaped me before--mille grazie!
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Old May 5th, 2004, 07:04 PM
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Hi gt,
Thanks for a most interesting and informative report.
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Old May 5th, 2004, 08:09 PM
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Can anyone tell me how long the ferry ride is from Amalfi to Sorrento? Cost?
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Old May 6th, 2004, 03:02 AM
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gt4889 -

Where can we see your room pictures?

Miramare is one of the hotels we are considering (along with Villa Franca - did you happen to see this hotel?) - but the web site is bad as far as showing anything.
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Old May 6th, 2004, 05:23 AM
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Wanderer - Unfortunately I do not have a web page - the best I could do would be to email the pictures to you, which I am happy to do.
I recall walking past the Villa Franca but we did not go inside or take a closer look of any kind. Sorry Im no help there.
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Old May 6th, 2004, 06:45 AM
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Thanks for this great report. I am going to Italy on my honeymoon and staying in Positano for 5 days (June 10-15) and also staying at the Miramare in Room 201, which we were told was one of the "special" rooms with bath sea view and terrace. I have a few questions:
We are going to Rome first, and then heading to Positano. How did you reserve a driver from Naples to Positano, is there a company you can recommend?
And we're not renting a car, but hoping to travel to different towns on the coast, ravello and amalfi..is it easy to figure out transportation and get around? And do you think it's better to see ravello and amalfi on the same day or different?
Do you recommend doing a day trip from Positano to Pompeii or is it easier to see pompeii enroute back to Naples and do you need a car to get there or is there a bus or train?
Thanks again for this post, this board has been helpful in helping me plan our honeymoon.
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Old May 6th, 2004, 09:18 AM
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Nicole77
The Miramare arranged for our driver. Email them and they will set it up. See if they can reserve "Poppy" as your driver. He has a very large car and is full of interesting knowledge and suggestions. He treated us like royalty (no doubt for a nice tip but nonetheless). Regarding, Pompeii, my suggestion would be to see Pompeii on your way back to Naples. To visit there during your stay in Positano would be covering almost all the distance back to Naples. No reason to cover the same ground twice. Pompeii is literally less than 5 minutes off the highway so you don?t go out of your way en route to Naples. Again, I would recommend Poppy as a driver. He will drive you there and wait for you to see Pompeii before continuing to Naples. I think it?s 35E per hour wait time. More pricy than taking the public transport but since it?s your honeymoon, it might be money well spent for peace of mind. Incidentally, Poppy used the wait time to buy us special treats to take back to the US. Nice touch.
Transportation around the Amalfi Coast from Positano is easy ? ferries and buses are frequent, safe, reliable, and on-time. Nicola, Rosita, and Geiseppi are all very familiar with the schedules, departure points, etc and can guide you on your way.
Have a great trip! We were there on our honeymoon, too. You won?t be disappointed!!
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Old May 6th, 2004, 09:49 AM
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gt -- If you have any photos of the Miramare, would you mind emailing them to me? Specifically room 203 (if you photographed it when you peeked in), but any photos would be much appreciated. There are so many good reviews of the hotel on this forum, but the Miramare's web site leaves little to be desired. [email protected]
 
Old May 6th, 2004, 11:43 AM
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Hi gt, We are staying at the Miramare Room210 in June. I would love to see your pictures . Email [email protected]. Thanks Rosetta
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Old May 6th, 2004, 12:39 PM
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Yes please..I would also love to see your pictures..i am planning a trip to the Amalfi Coast next year..
Thanks,
kismet

[email protected]
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Old May 6th, 2004, 01:13 PM
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gt4889 -
Yes, please email me your pictures - thanks!

[email protected]
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Old May 6th, 2004, 01:55 PM
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Hi gt,

Thanks for a very interesting report.

What kind of pizza did you have a La Strada? I think that their cippolini and prosciuto was the best I've ever had.
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Old May 6th, 2004, 01:57 PM
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Hi Nicole,

You might want to contact Renato Cuomo
www.cuomonet.it [email protected]
for transfers from Naples.

We were very pleased with his service.
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Old May 6th, 2004, 02:03 PM
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Hi aneckc

>Can anyone tell me how long the ferry ride is from Amalfi to Sorrento? Cost?<

Yes.

Approximately 1 hr and 10E.




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