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Capri, Positano, and Naples trip report, plus photos (May 2013)

Capri, Positano, and Naples trip report, plus photos (May 2013)

Old Nov 20th, 2013, 02:09 AM
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Thanks again, flygirl!
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Old Nov 20th, 2013, 06:33 AM
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Continued fabulous report and shots! Wine & Drugs? I don't know whether to laugh or cry.
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Old Nov 20th, 2013, 06:33 AM
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Continued fabulous report and shots! Wine & Drugs? I don't know whether to laugh or cry.
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Old Nov 20th, 2013, 07:07 AM
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>>

Too funny. Please... keep... writing...

Excellent report and I can't wait to read about your hike along the Pathway of the Gods.
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Old Nov 20th, 2013, 07:37 AM
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Keep writing Flygirl! I am still writing my trip report from last year! If you can do it so can I!!
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Old Nov 20th, 2013, 11:59 AM
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Thank you for the encouragement! Sorting the photos is actually taking longer than the writing, at this point.

If you've looked at every photo I posted you are brave indeed as I am past 300 photos on that set by now...
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Old Nov 20th, 2013, 12:07 PM
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Take your time, flygirl, I don't leave until May (smiley face, if I knew how to do one!)
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Old Nov 23rd, 2013, 10:49 AM
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Unfortunately I did not manage to finish before my next trip commenced. I will very soon have competing trip reports - but also some brand new photos, too!

Ciao and have a great Thanksgiving everyone. Thank you for sticking with me for so long...
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Old Nov 25th, 2013, 09:44 AM
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Oh I feel your pain flygirl! I didn't finish my report from our 2012 trip and now have to do one for this last trip. We'll persevere!
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Old Dec 31st, 2013, 02:56 PM
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flygirl -- what a FANTASTIC trip report! thanks so much for taking the time to write it and for all your great advice. hoping to spend a week in positano, capri, and naples next summer.

and am still hoping for your last installment.... the PATHWAY OF THE GODS hike...
please??

thanks,
dina
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Old Jan 1st, 2014, 02:09 AM
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I will finish both this one, and, my Rome report. I'm in Venice presently--Auguri Capodanno!
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Old Jan 1st, 2014, 02:10 AM
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Ps I mean, currently.
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Old Jan 1st, 2014, 05:46 AM
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Hi Flygirl, a cousin is getting married and may want to stay in capril and the amalfi coast as well. Any ideas for 4 star hotel with views?
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Old Jan 11th, 2014, 10:54 AM
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Enjoying your trip report. Plan to follow your lead on Capri, the walks and Da Luigi. Sounds like May was a fabulous time to be there. Hope September will be as well.
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Old Jan 11th, 2014, 11:15 AM
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Thank you so much for this report and photos. They are lovely. I keep alternating between northern Tuscany, the Veneto and the Amalfi coast area for our next trip to Italy. Seeing these photos has made me long for Capri and Amalfitana!

Mille grazie!
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Old Jan 14th, 2014, 08:03 PM
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Thank you flygirl for this amazing trip report. I didn't think it was possible to be more excited about my two nights in Capri and two nights in Amalfi town this coming September but after reading this and seeing your pics I am, dare I say, giddy. I hear people say Capri is only day trip worthy and not as beautiful as Positano/Amalfi and I say to myself are they crazy? Villa San Michelle, Via Krupp, Augustus Gardens, chairlift up-hike down all seem other worldly to me I am staying at the Capri Wine Hotel, which looks fantastic, and now I am debating a third night in Capri and taking a day away from England. Thanks again.
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Old Jan 15th, 2014, 05:55 AM
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Hi everyone

I am so sorry, I am falling more behind on my reports. I will try to pick at them this weekend. I'm down to just two days left in Campania...

Thank you for the kind words! I hope this is proving useful.

Hotel La Minerva is a fantastic four star choice, with views, on Capri.
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Old Feb 23rd, 2014, 04:38 AM
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A teaser for John183: working on the next installment right now.. good morning!
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Old Feb 23rd, 2014, 06:39 AM
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LOL!!! Thanks flygirl. I'm looking forward to it.
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Old Feb 23rd, 2014, 07:19 AM
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Day 8: Getting up very early on vacation for a beautiful morning hike along the Pathway of the Gods - the Sentiero degli Dei.

At long last! The installment you have all been waiting for - the big hike.

As I've mentioned earlier, Lucia of Zia Lucy would be a great person to have accompany you on this hike. She's a native who lives in Nocelle and her home is literally at the very end of the main part of the Pathway of the Gods. She hikes this path several times weekly in all seasons and her boyfriend is a serious trekker (he travels to other regions and countries for his hiking adventures). She is pleasant and fun and very knowledgeable. She is also very reasonably priced. When I made my plans I decided that given that there is a bit of traveling involved to get to the trail head in Bomerano (and early to boot) it might be easier just to have a native along to make sure I was on the right buses - as well as having someone to talk to.

http://en.zialucy.com/

Lucia and I first met on my first day in Positano when I did the intro to Positano walking tour. She knows a lot of people and many times people stopped to say hello while we were walking around. I also ran into her a few days later - she was conducting a tour with some people I had met at lunch the day before - I had recommended they contact her. We made our plans to meet in front of the Alcione at 630 AM so that we could catch the early bus to Amalfi which is where you catch the bus that goes to Bomerano.

Photo of me, way too early in the morning, just about ready to head out the door:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/skywalk...57633596612080

We were on the SITA bus just before 7 AM on a Saturday and take heed - it was already filling up. Make sure to sit on the side that looks over the water, if you can - the views are just stunning. I was glad to let someone else do the driving on the coast. The drive was mostly without incident although there was at least one spot where our bus met another bus and the one coming in the other direction had to slowly inch backwards to make room for everyone. Naturally the other drivers on the road are very impatient and once a small space cleared between the buses we watched people in their tiny cars trying to cut ahead and zoom through the hole - which only serves to slow everyone else up and especially because you can't see what is in the other direction. Lucy watched this all and commented drily: "Now let's watch this festival of stupidity" which I thought was just hilarious. That is a great quote to use when watching drivers pull silly stunts!

As we drove along I briefly wondered where the House Hunters International house might be found. I had corresponded with the owner although I knew I wouldn't have enough time to look it up on such a short trip. She's wayyy up in the hills above the water. Maybe some other trip it would be interesting to visit. I wonder if she will turn it into a B&B, or if it would be their private home. I don't know.

We made it to Amalfi and had a little bit of time to walk to a grand old caffe and get some pastries and espresso. Then back on the bus to take us to Bomerano.

We arrived in Bomerano pretty close to 9 AM and stopped at a bakery to get a variety of cookies and then another small caffe for water and espresso as well as a pit stop before the walk.

You will see a number of people prepping for the hike in this little village although once we started walking we passed a few people and then we were alone for the most part. Here are a few photos taken at the beginning of the hike.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/skywalk...ags/potgbegin/

As we walked, Lucy talked about the different flowers on the trail and some of the history of the area. She told me that the fall, and especially October/November, is her favorite time. Apparently the water is still warm enough for swimming in October. She also said the winter seas get very intense blues. If you follow her on Facebook (or Positano Daily Photo, also on Facebook) you will see some frequent photos of the region.

Here are some flower photos:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/skywalk...ags/potgflora/

The hike, coming from Bomerano down to Nocelle, is a fairly gentle trend downhill. I would prefer that direction because you are not only going downhill, you have the sun at your back and the whole of the Amalfi Coast ridgeline in front of you. Walking in the opposite direction I would only want to do in the late afternoon and while it is a fairly gentle trend, you are still going to go uphill if you start in Nocelle and end in Bomerano. Not to mention you will probably encounter more hikers if you start later in the day. Be an early bird! It's so pretty in the morning.

More photos. You can see how high up you are hiking, and the stunning views over the water. One of the photos (out of order) is Positano from a distance. I'm sure you can find it. You can see various Saraceno towers in these photos, too.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/skywalkerbeth/tags/potg/

There is a certain part of the hike where you emerge from what appears to be some farmland, with grapes and lemons growing, and then BOOM you have the whole of the Amalfi Coast ridgeline in front of you. You can't miss it. Here is the first photo:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/skywalk...57633596612080

And here is the whole tag, all of which show the ridgeline from various spots. The photos are out of order, alas. When you tag photos they don't show in chron order. As we near Nocelle you will see very clearly the Faraglioni of Capri off in the distance.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/skywalk.../tags/potgend/

And then we reached the end. There is a B&B in an absolutely fantastic location with stunning views along the coast - it's maybe 100 feet from her own home. We stopped by there for some orange juice and espresso and I took some more photos. This B&B was very nice and modern with a beautiful terrace as you can see from the photos. It's also very reasonably priced - rooms in May through September (high season) are under 100E. Bear in mind if you stay here you would have to take the toodle bus down to Positano each day.

http://www.casacuccaro.it/thehouse.htm

Here are the photos from Nocelle:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/skywalk.../tags/nocelle/

After we had our beverages we said our goodbyes. Lucy showed me the shortcut to get to road to meet the bus near La Tagliata, where I had dined the day before. It was a 15 minute walk, give or take, and then I met the bus and headed back down to Positano. The day was not hot (although it was warming up as it was noon) and I could easily have stopped for lunch and then walked the rest of the way down but I decided to take the bus back to town and clean up for a lunch on the beach.

Next: lunch on the beach and my last afternoon in Positano.
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