Susan, thank you for that information. DiPalo is one of a few places selling burrata here in NYC; I think they get shipments by air twice a week but even so, the cheese is probably not in optimal condition when it arrives. $19 at Bar Pitti..amazing, but I guess the shipping is high.

I have already been dreaming about another trip to Italy and Puglia is one of the places on my list (Ligurian coast being the other main contender with Capri/Sorrento running a distant third, along with Tropea). Did you by any chance write a report?

Photo (not mine) of temple (one of three) at Paestum:




http://www.thisfabtrek.com/journey/e...m-temple-4.jpg

Still formulating my report--it won't be the usual typa since I stayed with a frined and we ate at home a lot. . . still to come.

This is a wonderful report.

About that colatura stuff -- I bought some after the NYT's article, and tried it again another time, but never got great results. (This from an anchovy, olove oil and garlic fan.) Do you have an idea of the ideal proportions?

Fra Diavolo: There is a recipe in the times link that I posted above. Also, I think that Franco posted on here in one of three long threads: either the thread about Italian food or one of two I started: My Rome trip report or a thread about "Easy Side Trips from Rome." I will try to find them and post here.

I also bought a bottle after I read that article; it has been sitting on my kitchen shelf for a year or so! But I am going use it soon; the main thing to remember is that there was NOT a strong taste of anchovy in the spaghetti colatura I sampled in Cetara. Maybe try adding spoonfull by spoonfull to the sauce (??)

Anyway, here is a bit more:






I wrote this earlier but want to say it once more: Cetara would make a wonderful daytrip from any of the more touristed towns of the coast for anyone interested in seeing a village relatively untouched by mass tourism. On our two short visits we saw only three other obvious outsiders (a group of young Germans). Again, the Hotel Cetus might be a place to consider here (although we did not visit, we heard good things about this hotel). Cetara has a beach and in season there is apparently an opportunity to go out on the boats of the anchovy fishermen. For a village this small, Cetara is notable for having three restaurants listed in the SlowFood guide and acclaimed up and down this coast. After our visit to Paestum, we had lunch of the second of these, San Pietro, which overlooks the main square across the street and down a flight of steps from the SITA bus stop on the main road. We were interested to find a plaque in the main square commemorating the Jews of the area that had been deported during the second world war.

Ristorante San Pietro (closed Tuesdays off season) is a family owned place with an interior dining room and an open-air terrace. The ambience is slightly more “fancy” than that of Al Convento, where we had dined two days before. Our driver, Dino, had phoned ahead to reserve, which I would suggest even at lunchtime, as the restaurant is not large. Upon arriving we were presented with a brief menu of daily specials. Much to the dismay of my supposedly fish-hating travel partner (“supposedly” because he does make exceptions once in a while, as long as no shells are visible), every dish contained seafood of some kind, mostly the pesce azzurro (dark-fleshed fish: sardines, anchovies etc) for which this area is famous. No worries! After recovering from his surprise that anyone not enamored of fish would choose to dine here, the owner suggested a pasta dish of paccheri (short, thick tubes) in a sauce of mozzarella and tomato. I inquired about the artichokes we had seen near Paestum, only to be told that this was a specialty of Paestum and that the season was coming to a close. (This underscores the emphasis on local fare: Paestum is about an hour away and thus, artichokes from that area were viewed as coming from afar!)

At the recommendation of the owner, I selected the Antipasto Cetarese (10 Euro) which represented the area’s specialties in various guises. First came a dish of farro with pesce azzurro..delicious and unusual (to me) combination of fish with this ancient grain (according to Lidia Bastianich, who features a farro/mussel/chickpea dish in her “Lidia’s Italy” book, seafood combined with farro is a combination also prevalent in Puglia).

The next plate to arrive was a superb Tonno sott’ Olio--marvelous local tuna preserved in olive oil, reminiscent of the fine (and expensive) product available in glass jars in local food shops. (I recommend bringing some home, as prices are much lower than those in the US; I wish I had done this!). Truly wonderful. (I had trouble keeping this on my plate as it apparently appealed very much to my partner.)

Two types of anchovy, dark meat preserved in oil and white skinned fish in a vinegar base, came next, followed by a wonderful strudel of tuna and ricotta (here we have the fish/cheese combination again!)

This plate was served with a plate of small, hard biscuits studded with anchovies..pane de pescatore. You can imagine how these would be a staple of fisherman who spent long periods offshore but they must be an acquired taste. Interesting, though. I tried to find a recipe to post but those I saw had sugar and raisins, which these did not; apparently there are versions in several coastal regions of Italy.

After the antipasti, I had an excellent rendition of spaghetti vongole and the TP enthused over his paccheri.

Most of the diners at the other tables (the place was full; everyone else appeared to be local) were enjoying various pastas followed by fish, which I would sample on a future visit.

With water, but no wine, the bill totaled 54 Euro. Recommended (my companion liked Al Convento better, though; that restaurant has a much broader menu and a more casual feeling; they also serve pizza, as I mentioned)

By 3pm, we were aboard the SITA bus bound for Amalfi.


I have already mentioned the spectacular scenery along this stretch of coast. I also want to mention, for those interested in beaches on the Amalfi coast, that the town of Maiori has a vast beach, perhaps the longest on the coast. The town itself (the parts we saw fronting the drive) is more modern and less picturesque than others, (Maiori suffered a devastating flood and was extensively rebuilt) but my guess is that it would make a good base for anyone interested in well- priced accommodations in a “real” town. (The owner of the Hotel Floridiana lives here, as does Dino, our driver that day). Here is one hotel that was recommended to me in Maiori:


http://www.casaraffaeleconforti.it/eng/index.asp

And here is one that looks good and has reasonable prices:



http://www.palazzococo.it/index.htm




On the way back to the hotel, we passed through the Porta della Marina entrance to Amalfi and noticed a ceramic plaque on the wall which reads, in translation (please forgive mistakes!):

“Judgement Day when the Amalfitani go to Heaven, will be a day the same as any other day.”

Eks-
Once again, another delicious foodie report. The Amalfi coast is one of my favorite places and I relish the thought of spending a full week there someday. Sigh. Wish I was leaving tomorrow.
Just wondering, do you take pictures when you travel? You never post any of your own.

After short rest at the hotel, we walked west along the beach promenade and up the steps to the main road, heading for the Santa Caterina, Amalfi’s swankest hotel. Again, staff were most welcoming. The hotel is absolutely gorgeous and the views of the open sea and the town of Amalfi are stupendous. (More dramatic than those of Le Sireneuse in Positano, which is in the same class). The walk along the main road is not very pleasant but I suppose most guests stay put at the hotel for much of their stay; there is a pool (open when we visited) on the rocks overlooking the sea and the gardens are beautiful.

Sated from lunch, we decided on a simple dinner featuring pizza. I stopped into a local food shop on the main street and inquired about the best pizzerie in town. The friendly owner suggested two, both with wood-burning ovens: San Giuseppe (?) to the left as you face the Duomo, and Il Teatro, in the maze of scalinatelli (with your back to the sea, on your left). We headed for Il Teatro, at #19, Via E. Marini.


This casual restaurant/pizzeria, with its white walls hung with old photos of Amalfi (including one taken right after liberation, showing American tanks parked in front of the Duomo, and another taken in the throes of a bad storm and depicting immense waves crashing on the point under the Hotel Luna Convento) was filled with a mix of tourists and locals. It is a family operation run by a somewhat harried woman who directs much of her annoyance at her husband, who “supervises” calmly while she rushes to and fro taking orders and directing the cooks in the back.

I chose, again, the grilled provola cheese wrapped in lemon leaves. And with this, a green salad. We then shared a pizza Margherita (7 euro) which was, no surprise here, excellent. I do not, however, recommend the house rose!! With a spremute di limone and a Diet Pepsi, the bill here was 24 Euro. There is a fairly extensive non-pizza menu (seafood appeared on several other tables). Very good, especially for pizza. Fast service; tiled, wood-burning oven in the back. Remember to look at those photos!

Kristina: Thanks. I wish I could get on the plane with you right this minute! I definitely want to return. Soon!!

To answer your question, I do take digital photos but much to my embarrassment I do not know how to post them. (I am not computer savvy!) I have someone who helps me (further embarrassment!) put them on iPhoto but I can't post them from there....but I will work on this because one day I might like to have some kind of record with pics of my travel journals..

Our apartment was over 100 stairs right above Il Teatro so we ate there often. Sometimes it would be so amusing to watch the family dynamics. Some days they would bring in an older uncle to help out and other times a reluctant daughter or two. Sometimes when we were still there at closing they would finally relax and laugh amongst themselves.

It is nice to stay in one place like this and get to know the ins and outs of the local's lives. We have some stories !! I love your report needless to say.

Eks-
You can't post your photos here, but you <i>could</i> join a photo hosting website like Kodak and then post a link to it here. You might even be able to post a link to your photos on iPhoto, but I don't know that site.

Thank you! I'm bookmarking for our upcoming trip this June.

I am glad you are enjoying. I decided to buckle down and complete this relatively quickly instead of dawdling in my usual style.

SeaUrchin: I could not agree more..it is wonderful to remain in one place for awhile. I have to hear your stories someday soon!

Kristina: The iPhoto is the Mac application (is that the right word?) I would have to join a website and put the photos on that, I think, or I could buy some kind of Mac access, I think it is Mac Gallery or some name like that.. I am REALLY inept, though, but determined to learn so I will address this...



SO......





Thursday was May 1, a major holiday and the beginning of a four-day weekend for many Europeans. We had noticed many new arrivals the night before and there were new faces in the dining room at breakfast. Fearing the crowds on the buses, and wanting a day of total relaxation, we opted to remain in Amalfi on what was to be our last full day on the coast.


Agnese had mentioned the sweeping views from the cemetery perched above the town (on your right if you have your back to the sea), so we set out for that vantage point, through the winding, covered passageways, the scalinatelle, and up hundreds of steps. Again we were reminded of Moorish villages in southern Spain. We walked and walked, often meeting dead ends, and were reminded that townspeople used these passageways to hide when marauding Ottoman or Saracen pirates were spotted by watchmen in the coastal towers.

After about an hour we reached a ledge below the cemetery and the vistas of the town and the sea, over terraces dense with lemon trees (still mostly covered with protective black netting that would be removed as the weather warmed), was, indeed, superb. I highly recommend this walk, just be prepared for many steps and a few wrong turns as you ascend! Unfortunately, our entrance to the cemetery itself was thwarted by the custodian who informed us that it was closed due to the holiday. I guess the departed need a day to relax without having to entertain visitors!

Back then, along the winding stepped pathways to the Floridiana, where we changed into beach clothes after deciding to take advantage of the glorious weather.

I may have already mentioned this, but the restaurants along the Marina Grande have their own private bathing areas separate from the public section of the beach. We rented two chairs and an umbrella (10 Euro total; the price may rise in summer) from the friendly hosts at Ristorante Marina Grande and set ourselves down for a few hours in the sun. We had not seen many bathers before today, but on this clear and sunny holiday afternoon there were quite a few people in the calm Mediterranean. (It was too cold for us!) We noticed the many of our fellow loungers had brought food with them and others ordered from the restaurant menu and had their food brought to their chairs. No paper plates and plastic cups here! There are showers and changing rooms under the restaurant; cold showers are free; hot water showers require a nominal charge. No shampoo is allowed.

After a couple of hours, we headed back, changed into streetwear, and continued our explorations of Amalfi. The Duomo di Sant Andrea, with its bronze doors (said to be the oldest in Italy) commissioned in the 11th Century in Constantinople reminded us of the Amalfi Republic’s reign as one of the world’s strongest naval powers.

Of course, I spent an hour or so browsing the various shops in search of food products and gifts to bring home. Hopefully a cook friend will appreciate the bottle of colatura di alici! I never did succumb to the magnetism of those Il Duce aprons, though. The dominant theme in the shops here are lemons, lemons, lemons. The sfusati, the Amalfitan lemons with their pointed ends and distinctive fragrance that has earned them IGP protected status, make their appearance in their natural form at food shops and sold by vendors on the street, and in various products from lemon-imbued risotto rice (?) to perfumes to candles to ceramics and many other guises.


I priced the jarred Cetara tuna and various dried pastas and decided, perhaps wrongly, that the price savings did not warrant dragging them home with me. (Large jar of top-quality tuna: 9 Euro Medium jar of Fabbri cherries: 9 Euro to give just two examples) Of course I am now sorry but this does represent quite a departure for me since the days when I would routinely schlep home a dozen glass jars of ventresca tuna and several bottles of olive oil (just to name two of my usual staples) from every Spain and Italy trip. (Also, I was secretly hoping for lower prices in Naples.)


And then it was time to set out for our last dinner on he Amalfi Coast, at A Paranza, the cozy trattoria where we had so enjoyed our dinner four days before.

Another scrumptious trip report ek!

I am drooling at my desk ;)

I haven't explored this part of Italy but reading your report has sure brought it to my attention...so many places so little time!

Looking forward to the rest!

Thanks! I highly recommend this area! Very highly!

Here is the website for the Ristorante San Pietro in Cetara, with some photos of the dining area and the specialties:


http://www.sanpietroristorante.it/

Second dinner at A Paranza in Atrani:

A Paranza as our favorite restaurant of the week (with Al Convento in Cetara a close second) so we chose it for our farewell dinner on the coast.

I mentioned this above but I think it bears repeating: I notied that the Italian diners did not even glance at their printed menus but, rather, consulted extensively with the owner/waiter before ordering. The Rome-based food writer Maureen Fant put it well: “the better you talk, the better you eat!” I decided to follow this advice and mentioned that I wanted to eat shellfish and that my partner wanted no fish dishes. The owner surprised us by remembering the wine we had the first time and asked if that would be all right tonight. So we drank the Falango Falghina which is one of the house wines. (I am sorry that we did not sample the wines from Furore, which I later read were he best on the coast).

This was our dinner:


Complimentary bruschetta, a few slices topped with chopped tomato and the others left unadorned

Mixed clams in oil and garlic. This dish contained two types of clams, the vongole veraci and the tartufi di mare and was among my favorite dishes of the week.

Fiore di Zucca stuffed with ricotta and anchovy..a repeat of the first night and again, superb! (Very little anchovy flavor; my partner thought it was stuffed only with ricotta)

Paccheri, the short, wide tubes dressed with gamberoni served with their heads (the meat inside the head is scrumptious even if you have to suck it out!); tomatoes; and arugula. Wonderful, wonderful. I plan to make this tomorrow with long pasta and the cheese I brought home which will stand in for the shrimp.

Gnocchi (Thursday is gnocchi day in Rome and probably here, too) with tomato and mozzarella. This must have been delicious because there was not one tiny bite left for me to sample!

For dessert we shared a house dessert of light lemon cake draped with pale yellow lemon cream. I hate to say this, again, but it was fabulous!!

This was my favorite meal in a week of superlative eating. With the full bottle of wine, and water, cover and service, we paid 68 Euro, or $104US at today’s exchange rate.



On the way to the restaurant we paid a visit to the Luna Convento Hotel where we had considered staying. Although we chose the Floridiana because of the price difference of 80 Euro and a few less-than-great reviews of the Luna on TA, we thought that the Luna was absolutely beautiful. The staff were very welcoming and allowed us to wander through the public rooms including a courtyard with potted lemon trees. The views of both the open sea and the town of Amalfi from this former convent are stupendous. The hotel is about a 10 minute (slow) walk from the main square. There is a pool (not large) at sea level, access to which would entail crossing the road and walking down a flight of steps. The pool was not filled on May 1 but should be a wonderful amenity in season. Unfortunately I neglected to ask for a peek at a room. The price for a standard sea view room was quoted to us as 220 Euro with the deluxe rooms costing about 60 euro more than that. This is much less expensive than the prices at the more manicured Santa Caterina on the other side of town. But we had been very happy at the Floridiana and glad we had chosen it as our Amalfi base.

And, finally, we returned to the hotel and packed our things in preparation of the next morning's 9:30am departure by car to Pompeii and Naples.

ellenem, the burrata sounds divine! You described it very well. I had seen it on Lidia's Italy and want to try it.

ek, this is great. Interesting about the fish and cheese together. I thought the Italians never did that.

The fish and cheese taboo is ingrained, or so I thought. (although I remember reading that the combination is used in Sardinia.) We once had a discussion about this subject on Fodor's with Franco.

But look at this article I just found in a search:


http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/30/ma...mp;oref=slogin

That's an interesting article. I do remember the discussion with Franco as well.

bookmarking.

eks-
You might also look at shutterfly.com as a place to upload your pictures so people can see them.

BTW, I had to laugh at your expectation of the road to Paestum being lined with buffalo mozzarella stands. I too had that same vision. I'm glad it was you and not me who had her illusions shattered first. :-)

Eks,

Really enjoying your report. You're making me want to return just to visit all the great restaurants you tried!

Glad you visited Paestum. I thought it was fascinating. Sounds like the private driver was a great way to get there.

All I can say is...sigh... :-)

The following day, Friday, we had arranged to be collected at 9:30am by Renato Cuomo for the trip to Naples with a stop of 2.5 hours in Pompeii. (I would recommend departing much earlier, so to be present at Pompeii at opening time)

Interesting factoid: Mr. Cuomo once drove then-New York State governor Mario Cuomo and his wife; Cuomo is an old Sorrento name and Mario’s family originated there.

www.cuomonet.it

This was the first time that I remember having had tears in my eyes upon checking out of a hotel. We will never forget Agnese and MariaRosa and hauntingly lovely Amalfi and hope to return in the not-too-distant future. The hotel bill for 5 nights was 700 euro, a price we consider to be a bargain given the comfort level and convenience of the hotel and the charm and efficiency of the owner-managers.

Sr. Cuomo arrived early, at 9am, and by 9:15 with the help of MariaRosa , we had loaded the baggage into his comfortable new van, and were off along the now-familiar drive, through Conca dei Marini and Furore to Agerola and on to the highway towards Pompei. Nearing Pompei, we did spot some overflowing garbage bins, reminders of the trash crisis that grips the Naples region. (We did not encounter much uncollected trash in the city center; more on this later). At 10:30 we were at the entrance gate of Pompeii, at Porta Marina, where Sr. Cuomo let us off and where we would meet him 2.5 hours later for the drive to our hotel in Naples.

The price for the transfer from Amalfi to our Naples hotel, with a stop and 2.5 hours waiting time in Pompeii, was 160 Euro, which seems to be today’s going rate. (I had done some checking in advance and also conferred with Agnese at our hotel on this subject)

Upon entering the gates, we were horrified to encounter a huge crowd in front of the ticket booths. Hundreds of people milled about, many in various states of confusion. Joining the throng, we quickly realized that, fro the looks of things, the wait to buy tickets would eat up at least 30 of our precious minutes. So we quickly scuttled our original plan to tour the site with our trusty guidebook, and Anthony Peregrine’s Times (UK) article on how to avoid the scrum of group tourists “wearing yellow baseball caps or lapel badges.” (This escellent article outlines a 6 hour tour, but we had marked the passages covering the spots we wanted to see, including the Villa of Mysteries)


http://travel.timesonline.co.uk/tol/...icle828603.ece



With our original plan now discarded, we went to plan B. Sprinkled through the crowd were official guides, busily attempting to herd together groups of visitors for their own tours. One of these guides was the English-speaking Ciro Favicchio, who had already assembled most of his group and was attempting to round up a few more stragglers from the crowds clamoring for admission. We quickly realized that only by joining one of these groups could we bypass the huge line and hope to see anything of the site before the appointed meeting time with Sr. Cuomo. So, with much trepidation, I handed over the cash for two entrance tickets and Ciro maneuvered his way to the cashier and returned, two tickets in hand.

These Pompeii guides charge 10 Euro per person for a tour of about 90 minutes; if you are really pressed for time and want to tour the site on your own, you might even consider tipping them a lesser amount to get you the entrance tickets and then go your own way. Many speak excellent, if somewhat quirky, English. The 10 Euro tour fee is collected by the guide at the end of the group tour. Better yet, allow more than 2.5 hours so you will not be crazed when you arrive and notice the amount of people on line before you. Better yet, arrive at opening time! If I were to return, however, I would book a private tour with an academic focus that would hopefully allow more than just a cursory glimpse of the wonders of Pompeii.


And so, scrambling to keep up with our quick-paced tour guide, a group of about 20 English speakers from various countries, set off on a trip back more than 20 centuries to the days when the city of Pompeii was a thriving Roman commercial center of 20,000 or so souls, on the plain of the Sarno River.

I will not go into the history or details about the actual site which can be found in any guidebook, as well as in the very good free booklet and map handed out near the cashier window upon presentation of an entrance ticket. But I will mention that the site is overwhelming, sprawling over 163 acres and clogged with what seemed like thousands of tourists, most hurrying to keep up with their flag-toting guides while snapping pictures in every direction. I had b een to Ercolano years ago and remember this other victim of Vesuvius’ wrath as much less crowded and in a better state of preservation.

Pompeii is just mind-boggling in its vastness. Our guide spent too much time attempting to warm up his audience with jokes and evading most questions that would require substantial explanations. Fine, if you want a quick peek. Not good if you really want a meaningful experience. For some reason, all of the tour guides seem to follow the same route so there are often huge throngs waiting to enter a particular house or area. Why don’t they vary their itinerary? The worst of the crowds appeared at the entrance to the Lupanare, or brothel (#39 o the official map) where paintings on the walls depict the brothel women (slaves, usually Greek or of ‘Oriental” origin) and their “johns” in various erotic positions.

We had especially wanted to visit three places: The House of the Vetii, the House of the Faun, and the Villa dei Misteri. Guide Ciro told us that the first was temporarily closed, but we did manage to convince him to include the second in our tour, which he did only after many requests on my part. We also covered many of the other “main” sites, the Forum, Temple of Apollo, Stabian baths, and Basilica. After almost 90 minutes, we had had enough of the herding around and the superficial commentary and, after paying the guide 20 Euro for the tow of us, struck off on our own for the Villa dei Misteri, which stands about 20 minutes on foot from the Porta Marina entrance along roads of uneven blocks of stone. It goes without saying that comfortable shoes and plenty of water are essential! It was certainly well worth the walk and well worth the entire price of admission to view the frescoes adorning the walls of this sprawling and palatial abode; these depict a young bride on the eve of marriage, surrounded by Bacchus, various handmaidens, children, and other figures and are said to represent among the finest examples of ancient paintings surviving today, while continuing to provoke debate among scholars as to meaning. Here we encountered no large groups and only a few other independent tourists; I suspect that the villa is left off of most group tours because of its location near the northwestern perimeter of the site.

Again, although our visit allowed us a quick peek into the wonder of Pompeii, I would recommend that anyone with a more than cursory interest plan to allow more time than the 2.5 hours we allotted and, ideally, arrange for a tour with a guide whose academic credentials might surpass those of some of the “official” guides for hire on the spot. It is possible, however, that our guide just tailored his group tour to suit what he perceived as the common denominator; he did tell us that he was the author of a guide to Pompeii on sale at the bookshop(Mr. Cuomo later scoffed at this and we had no time to verify) If you want to inquire about the possibility of arranging a private tour with him, his details are:


Dott. Ciro Favicchio [email protected]

Eksc - Thank you so much for this detailed report. You have changed my mind to base in Amalfi and I will have to give careful consideration as to when we visit Pompeii.

If I may ask about Hotel Floridiana...do any terrace rooms have a water view? I had my heart set on being able to sit out at night after sightseeing, sipping on wine or a limoncello, however I realize I may have to make adjustments. This hotel is 100 E less than the one I was looking at in Positano (with view) which certainly makes it appealing...especially too because I may be paying part of the hotel bill for the other couple going with us. Your comment about the noise in the terrace rooms also concerns me as I would like a quiet room. If you can provide any more details about Hotel Floridiana, I would appreciate it?

Travelfan: There are no rooms with a water view. The hotel is in the town, about a 3 minute walk from the water. I, too, had that idea of sitting out on the terrace and relaxing, but decided against spending so much more for the privledge. However, I did come across a couple of other hotels in Amalfi that do offer water views. I did not go inside these but you could check the prices of the Marinariviera and the Miramalfi, and also the Bussola.

There are SO many places to relax and drink on the sea in Amalfi that it really did not matter to us that we did not have our own terrace. But remember that I was not on a honeymoon, so if you are looking for a really romantic hotel, I am not sure that the Floridiana would fit the bill because of the lack of view.

The hotel is so delightful and the people so gracious that I would urge you to consider if it meets your needs. We did not hear ANY noise from our room; the glazing is very good. But since it is on the street, I wanted to mention this because sometimes people here say that they are such light sleepers that outside noise would disturb them. Agnese, the owner, is very responsive to e-mails so you could ask her any questions. I am very happy to tell you anything else about the hotel, or about Amalfi. Just ask!

Also this is one instance that the photos on the website really undersell the hotel..it is nicer than it looks in the photos.

Last July my boyfriend and I spent 10 days in Cetera, lodging at the Cetus Hotel. It was lovely, we had a small balcony overlooking the bay. Almost every night, there was a fireworks display, just outside our windows, for various occasions.
The staff was very friendly, and were frantic when we did not come back one night. They called the hospital and the police to find us! We could not find the bus back from Pompeii and were forced to spend the night!! I do not recommend the Villa Diana, a real dump near the bus depot in Pompeii. Ugh, but at lest we had a place to sleep.
I remembered many of the spots described...Ravello, Amalfi, Midori.
I fondly recall the 3 woman in a local shop who helped me pick out clothing for my boyfriend . His luggage was a no show (thanks, Alitalia) for the whole trip, and we were constantly buying shirts and pants and underwear, hoping that each day would be the day the suitcase would bew found. NOT! Tehy were so happy with the amount of clothing purchased, that they gave me a bag of lemons to take back to the hotel. We had them squeezed and drank som great lemonade the next day.
The evening before our return trip, we also dined at Al Covento. It was delightful, and probably the best meal of the entire trip. I have a photo of the two of us sitting on the balcony, enjoying a glass of manderinocello (sp?) after dinner. Ah, what a delight!

Squeaky I am delighted to read of your experiences at the Cetus! I think it would be a wonderful place to stay and I have now put it on my list for the future! Is there a beach of any kind at the hotel, or do guests go to the town beach?

Many, many thanks for reporting on your stay there!

..Also, what prompted you to choose the hotel and Cetara for a base?? Thanks!

NAPLES


We arrived in Naples about 1:30 and Sr. Cuomo dropped us off at Hotel Palazzo Alabardieri in the Chiaia district between the Piazza dei Martiri and the Via Chiaia. I had vacillated once again, in our choice of hotel, between the historic center of Naples and the more upscale Chiaia. The historic district would be closer to Spaccanapoli and most of the sights we planned to visit on this trip, but I perceived Chiaia as being closer to restaurants and, more important, safer. I was glad we had chosen the Palazzo Alabardieri, which we thought was an excellent hotel at a decent price, 195 Euro. (The hotel is currently rated #2 of Naples hotels on Trip Advisor) The rack rate was 220 but we received the lower price by booking on the hotel’s website:

http://www.hotelpalazzoalabardieri.com/

Since our room was not ready on arrival, we were accoreded the courtesy of an upgrade to a superior room which was quite luxurious, with a comfortable King-sized bed and high quality linens, large bathroom with shower and Rance amenities, sofa, and revolving television set that offered what seemed like a thousand channels streamed in from everywhere from Abu Dhabi to the US.

While waiting for the room to be readied, we set out for a walk to the sea and along the Via Partenope, where sunbathers were sprawled along the rocks and people were out strolling and enjoying the glorious weather of this holiday weekend, to the Piazza del Plebicito and along the Via Chiaia, eventually returning to the hotel. I had been anxious about Naples, due to reports I had read about petty crime and especially after being robbed in Palermo, but I quickly relaxed. We liked Naples very much from our first moments in the city. If there is a city whose people appear more filled with the sheer joy of life, I have not yet been there!

Once back at the hotel, we quickly unpacked a few things before setting out once again, this time for the district known as Spaccanapoli. On the way, we made the first of what would be many snack breaks, at Sfogliatelle Mary, at the Via Toledo entrance to the Galleria Umberto. More on this stupendous little shop and its miraculous namesake treats, soon….

Here are just a few more tidbits before my weekend break away from the computer:




I have never considered myself to be a fan of Italian pastry, an opinion shaped, no doubt, by too many soggy cannoli here in the US. That view quickly went out the window after having my first bite at Sfofgliatelle Mary, the tiny take-out stall on Via Toledo, considered to be one of the best purveyors of this typical Neopolitan delight in the city. Sfogliatelle is a multi-layered composition of thin sheets of pastry enclosing a filling of sweetened ricotta cheese often flavored with citrus peel and served warm from the oven. No description can do these justice!! Make certain you sample these on your visit to Naples! Here is a photo, and further description:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sfogliatelle

This was just the first of several food epiphanies we had on that first day in Naples.


Sated with our mid-afternoon treat, we continued our walk north along the Via Toledo, mingling with what seemed like thousands of Neopolitans strolling and shopping, both in the boutiques lining the street and at the make-shift sidewalk posts of immigrant vendors offering sunglasses (huge and studded with rhinestones are the ones to buy this season) and replicas of designer handbags. The police keep the latter on the run and time after time we saw these West African vendors sweep up the white sheets with their merchandise into a bundle at the approach of the snappily uniformed Guardia de la Fianza, and beat a hasty retreat, only to return to the same sidewalk spot within minutes.

Fashion note: In addition to the huge, rhinestone-adorned sunglasses, which should shield a good proportion of one’s face (!), there were at least two other “essentials” this season:

Belt buckles, the larger the better and also studded with rhinestones, and boots (for women). Flat boots, high-heeled boots, worn despite the outdoor temperatures, with short skirts, with shorts, and with cropped pants, these last two worn as tight as possible. Those are just the basics. Neopolitan fashion styles are different than those we had seen further north on previous trips. More flamboyant, for one thing, to match the city itself.

please continue!!

What a delicious trip report to find on a Saturday morning! We're headed to North Beach for a birthday feast later today and now I'm ready! Grazie, ekscrunchy. I want to go to Amalfi!

Dina4: I am glad you are enjoying. I wish I could be on the plane with you on your upcoming trip!

Where are you headed in Sardinia? Can you tell us your hotels for each of your different stops? (I just like dreaming..)

I will finish up after the weekend; more good eating and exploring in Naples to come! I realize in reading this over that people will think that all we cared about is food! Well, that is not the entire truth but it certainly plays a big role in every trip!

Here is a report I wrote on Rome early last year, with lots of food, and another on Tuscany and Bologna from 2006:



http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34931625


http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34743272

ekscrunchy --
i actually have great notes from your trip reports! This year, we plan to try Trattoria Monti in Rome and Il Guscio in Florence.

okay now... more about Naples, please!

Thanks for such a great report. I am going to the Amalfi Coast this October for 1 week and anxiously looking forward to eating at some of the restaurants that you mentioned. My last trip to that area was in Oct. 2000 and I really am very excited about returning to one of my favorite vacation sites.

More great stuff, eks ! So glad to hear you liked Naples.

Your report of the crowds at Pompeii has made me think even more I'll stick to my plan of visiting it outwith the summer months one year, to try to avoid the crowds &amp; heat - I'm thinking maybe it would be nice to go for a long weekend around March to see Pompeii, Herculaneum and the Phlegrean Fields. You were there in early May, weren't you ? Surprised to hear it was already so busy. Did you see stray dogs ? A previous poster did put me off slightly by saying there were lots &amp; it wouldn't be much fun for anyone who doesn't like dogs.

Caroline I did not see any stray dogs at Pompeii or anywhere else. But the crowds the first week in May (this was Friday May 2 so it might have been more crowded than usual) were immense.

But I suspect that with better planning I could have avoided some of them: Maybe by going earlier or by first visiting some of the less-well-known places within the site. I think everyone congregates around the places close to the entrance and follows the same general plan; that is why that article from the Times would be good to use as a general guide. But that said, it would certainly be better to go in March! You are so fortunate to be closer to Italy than we are here in the US!

I keep saying I want to go to Italy, now I really <b>have</b> to go to Italy!!

We bought buratta in Zupans Mkt in Portland Or the last summer we were there, oh my....

I have not had good Sfogliatele since leaving NY...see...I Have to go to Italy!!

Thanks ekscrunchy, this is my husbands reading assignment for tonight :)

EKSCRUNCY:
The Cetus was the tour hotel (ABC, don't recommend them at all) and we stayed there 10 days. There is a nice beach, you need to climb down a flight of stairs to get to the bottom. Small snack stand, chaises, umbrellas, perfect for a day at the beach. Loved the hotel, hated the tour personnel.

Eks -

I just read your Montepulciano trip report and saw that I am staying at the same hotel in Montepulciano. I am so glad to hear you enjoyed your stay. I am thinking about a tour of Avignonesi. Just looked at the website and it looks wonderful. Hopefully they still have availability. We leave in less than two weeks.

BTW - At dinner (Central by Michel Richard in DC) on Saturday I had a wonderful appetizer of Burrata with roasted little peeled cherry tomatoes. It was creamy, oozy heaven. $14 for the app. I did not think that was too bad.

Thanks again for the report. I also had one quick question. We are driving from Montepulciano to the AC. We are going to drive alon gthe coast and stop in Ravello for lunch before returning our car at 6 pm in Sorrento. Would you recommend stopping in Cetara for lunch over Ravello? I thought we should try something a little more out of the way while we still have a car. We are staying in Positano.