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I've been offline a bit and somehow missed it!!

was wondering how the trip went!

see...told ya you would eat well in Cetara ;-) feel like my little secret is out now!

Can you tell me about how much you tip your driver? I have a drive from airport to hotel in Naples. then Naples to Sorrento. We did not pay for this so I have not idea what this would actually cost.(We won a trip -yeah and the driver is included) So I want to at lest tip the driver. is that appropriate?

So glad I happened upon your report, ekscrunchy - it's excellent and full of delicious info. Hope to be using a lot of it before too long. Thanks.

ekscrunchy - grazie mille for your incredible, edible trip report. I am now thouroughly confused as to where we should stay on our trip next Sept/Oct. I have been thinking Positano and investigating places, etc. My son (18-and sheesh why did he get to go before me!)was just there and liked La Tavolozza. But we are two couples (50ish), good shape, love people, food, and wine and you have tempted my soul. Is Positano all steps to get anywhere? Isn't Amalfi a hillside town too? We want an experience that will give us the local fishing village, wonderful people, great food, relaxation, and also venturing out to Pompeii and Ravello to see ruins, gardens and whatever else may strike our fancy. HELP! :)

Missed this one, eks. Have no plans for Amalfi (went once briefly and wasn't enthralled) but your charming report is giving me second thoughts.

Thanks for an enjoyable read.

Glad that you all enjoyed this report. I have away from a computer for a week or so..

Gale: Positano is virtually "all steps." Although there are steps in Amalfi, these lead away from the main part of the town and into the hills. Much of the center of town is located on a gentle slope and it is not necessary to navigate steps in this central area, containing most of the shops and restaurants. There are also many eating places on the seafront; most of these are located down a short flight of steps leading from the main road.

I found Amalfi much more appealing than Positano, as it seemed to me to be more of a real town, as opposed to a town that virtually exists to serve the tourist industry.

Feel free to ask any and all questions!

wonderful report, ekscrunchy!

I have 5-6 days planned for Italy in late October (actually 10/28-11/4) and I've been debating about Venice/Bologna and the Amalfi Coast.

We will be in Rome from 11/4-11/8, then Paris until 11/18.

We've not been to the AC area, but do you think it will be dreary at that time of year? Restaurants open? I've seen mixed answers on this.

Thanks!

Wish I'd previewed before hitting the button.

To clarify, I'm debating BETWEEN Venice/Bologna and the AC, not trying to do both.

Thanks!

ekscrunchy - Thank you so much for replying. Amalfi sounds so much more quaint than Positano does. Do you happen to know if Hotel Fiori Diana had any two bedroom suites?

Gale I am not sure about the existence of 2-bedroom suites at the hotel. They do list a junior suite on their price list, though. The superior room that we rented was quite large, and so was the bathroom, if that helps. You might ask for two adjacent rooms..

I am certain that if you write to Agnese, the lovely owner, she will respond quickly. She speaks excellent English, too.

Here is their website (so you do not have to scroll up to find it here):

http://www.hotelfloridiana.it/english/hotel.html

eks - I just received Carla's Food and Wine Lover's Companion to Tuscany (published 1998 and updated 2002) and it's 400 pages. I haven't started reading it yet, but I don't think it will be as good as the Campania book. It doesn't have any pictures, but is divided into regions and towns like the Campania book. She does go into details such as explaining the three different types of yeast used for Tuscan bread and why they need a low acid starter. $8.98 from Powell Books (I ordered through Amazon).

MelJ, at that time of year I'd gp for Venice/Bologna. There may well be good weather on the Amalfi Coast but there may not - if it's dull & rainy that would defeat the point of going there, IMO.

I agree with Caroline. There will certainly be restaurants open in and around Amalfi in late October, but I agree that Venice/Bologna might be the safer choice, weather-wise.

Ky: Thanks for the tip on the book and thank you, again, for the Capalbo Naples book!

Thanks for confirming what I thought I should probably do--go to Venice and Bologna and save the AC for a lovelier time of year.

Thanks very much!

UPDATE: For those with a love of the food of Italy, and all things Italian, a wonderful book (I just finished reading) is "Eating Up Italy," which recounts the author's ramble north from Calabria, via Naples, Molise, Abruzzo, and Romagna, to Piemonte on a Vespa. The focus, of course, is food. Good sense of humor, great insights into the role that food plays in Italian life. Highly recommended!

Hi eks. This is the Matthew Fort book, isn't it ? He's well known here as the Guardian newpaper's food editor and I have the book waiting on my bedside pile ! He also has another similar book just about Sicily, "Sweet Honey, Bitter Lemons".

Caroline: Yes!! I did not have the book with me when I wrote that yesterday. I truly enjoyed the book..he travels through areas that I know little about but have now put on my list..Ascoli Piceno is just one town of many that caught my interest....

I will look for his Sicily book and also see if I can read him at the Guardian site...thanks for that tip!

Ooh, I'll move it to the top of the pile then ! Thanks for the recommendation. Just finishing Alexander McCall Smith's latest '44 Scotland Street' book to appear in p/b.