Don Alfonso - how long and how much?
 

My husband and I are celebrating our 10 year anniversary in 2 weeks. We are visiting Positano (3 nights) and Capri (2 nights). Yes...we wish we could stay longer but our 3 little ones are a handful for Grandma! We would love to experience Don Alfonso as a once in a lifetime opportunity. Does anyone know how much the taxi would run us to get there from Positano, how long the ride takes, and the approximate cost of dinner?
Thanks in advance to all of the experts out there!

can't answer your question exactly, but want to tell you that we spent a very special anniversary dinner at don alfonso about 6 years ago. it was truly amazing.

we actually took the bus from sorrento and it was super simple; it dropped us off practically in front. we had spent the day at the beach in positano, then took the bus to sorrento (best view from the bus along the coast.) then transferred easily to the bus to dinner. (forgot the town.) i really recommend this for fun and charm.. then taxi back home. it was so simple. really!

if that's not your style, i would imagine that it will be quite expensive; especially all the way from positano. probably a 45 minute taxi ride... and i believe they charge a surplus along the coast, as driving is limited. the dinner was amazing. the service was the best we've had. the owner's wife treated us like royalty, even though we carried small backpacks with our damp beach clothes hidden inside.

when they found out it was our anniversary (my hubbie gives me a gold charm every year, and she was mad for charm bracelets and showed us hers) they made us a whole cake.a cake of my dreams... that on top of all the delicious chocolates they bring after dinner.

all food was fresh, local and much from their garden. just outstanding.

on top of it all, when we asked them to call a taxi to sorrento (we weren't going to take a bus home at 11:30pm) they absolutely insisted that we be driven home by one of the assistants from the kitchen who was going that way, anyway.

finally, as we drove down the hills, a motorcycle carrying a bride on the back-- in full, huge white billowing dress, passed us on the road fellini-style! it was a magical evening-- and i send all those good memories and vibes to you! kawh sebastopol, ca

I am curious, too...

We spent our honeymoon in Positano and had reservations at Don Alfonso. But when we tried to book a taxi, we discovered it would cost us something like E150 each way -- this was in 2003. On top of the extravagant meal, that seemed like too much money and we cancelled our reservation.

If you do go, please let us know what it's like!

Ask the restaurant if they can arrange a driver for you, explain the circumstances. You will most likely get a better deal on the fare.

amyd: I'd agree with SeaUrchin; if you call Don Alfonso, they may be able to get you a better deal on transportation than 150 Euro. You might even do better renting a car for one day in Positano; the driving on the coast is not as fearsome as it's cracked up to be.

We rented a place in Positano last summer and dined at Don Alfonso one evening. We had a car, and it was about a thirty minute drive to Sant Agatha de Golfo. It's worth going a bit before your meal, since the town is quite scenic, perched on the crest of the peninsula. Dining at Don Alfonso was a memorable experience; my wife rates it as one of her two or three best dining experiences, and I think I would agree. The service was great, the food was delicious and artistically presented, the dining area was elegant.

After the meal (which lasted almost four hours, although we were a group of seven, which may have prolonged things), we met the owner's wife and one of his sons, and we were treated to a tour of the wine and cheese cellar. Great and aromatic! The cost for two (with Prosecco and portions of various wines) was about $470 USD. Very pricey but an evening to remember. I hope you get there and enjoy yourselves!

May I give you a different suggestion ?
Don Alfonso reopened one month ago, more or less, and its trend to become a D&B (Dinner & Bed) id more and more evident.
And a 10 year anniversay is quite important !
So, you can arrive in Sant'Agata sui Due Golfi in the suggested way: bus from Positano to Sorrento and then bus from Sorrento to Sant'Agata and take a little laggage, then have your delicious dinner at Don Alfonso and spend there also the night.
Also Sant'Agata is charming enough in the night and, IMO, have a dinner knowing that at the end of it there is no bus but directly a wonderful room for relax is even quite better.
And very delicious the breakfast at Don Alfonso the following morning and then, every thing can happen ... maybe Alfonso or one of his sons, Mario and Ernesto are going for their procurements and they invite you to follow them; maybe Alfonso is going to Le Peracciole, his country house with its yard, and ivite you to follow him . . . who can know ?
It is my strong suggestion.
Happy anniversary.

Vincenzo

Yes! I like Vincenzo's idea the best!!

I thank you very much, Seaurchin !!!

Vincenzo

Hi K,

>as we drove down the hills, a motorcycle carrying a bride on the back-- in full, huge white billowing dress, passed us on the road ...

Wonderful image.

Haven't seen anything like that since I was 8 1/2 and living La Dolce Vita on La Strada with my Aunt Giulietta.

((I))

Yes, Vincenzo's idea sounds great!

ira- you are too funny!! and it was truly a magic moment we'll never forget. funny thing is, the driver was so very bored at the sight... must be an everyday thing in those hills! kawh

Thank you for all of your wonderful advice. It sounds like Don Alfonso is a memorable experience. We'll have to see what the future brings, but if we dine there I will certainly review it when we get home. By the way, why was the restaurant closed until recently? Were they renovating?

As Vincenzo says, they were adding rooms. They weren't closed very long; they were open last summer. As I recall, as of last summer they had just a few rooms; looks like they have eight or so suites at this point.