If you are in Italy in the Naples area in the period September 11 - 13, do not miss a trip to Ottaviano, a small town at the feet of Vesuvio where it will be possible to taste, and attend at guided taste also, white and red wines made in Vesuvio area and wines made in Etna area (Sicily) also.
Not only wines, but also the true and very good local typical food as the charateristic apricots and the small tomatoes.
I will be there on Sep. 12

Ciao

Vincenzo

Hi Vicenzo, I will be arriving in Italy the 11th and staying in Positano for a week. Do you think I could do this as a day trip from Positano on the 12th/13th or should I try to stop by on my way from Rome? I will be arriving at Ciampino airport @ 11:50 am and will take the train to Napoli. It sounds like something I would love. I can't remember if Napoli Centrale has luggage storage?

Thanks for sharing this event.

My reply is in your question about the luggage storage at Napoli Centrale: let's avoid to do it.
If you can solve the jet lag problem in 1 day, it is fine the 12th to come to Ottaviano.
The best part of festival begins in the late afternoon until late evening.
Ciao.

Vincenzo

Thanks, I will try for the 12th. No jet lag as I will be coming from Madrid. I'm not sure about transportation options getting to Positano from Ottaviano in the evening; are there any SITA buses running that late that I could pick up or Circumvesuviana/SITA bus? I would love to say hi if I do end up going.

oh, no ! In my opinion without your car you cannot come back to Positano in the same day.
You have to know that the best of the taste begins at 8pm and it's hard to end it before midnight.
Can't you sleep close to Ottaviano for one night ?
I can suggest you three solutions, two are in Ercolano so that the following day you can visit the archeological site of Ercolano, and one is in Terzigno.
Ercolano:
a) MIGLIO D'ORO PARK HOTEL www.migliodoroparkhotel.it
b) VIVA LO RE www.vivalore.it
Terzigno
HOTEL IL CASTELLO www.hotelilcastello.biz
My first choice would be VIVA LO RE.
Now you could consider to arrive on Sep 11, directly from Ciampino, maybe.
Ciao.

Vincenzo

Grazie Vincenzo. I will see if I can get a friend in Positano to drive there with me. If not I don't think it will work as I will be paying for two hotels. Thanks for the recommendations, I will look at them just in case.

Ciao Vicenzo!

I am sorry that I will miss seeing you by just a few days. But on a related subject, do you have any thoughts on the wines of Ischia? I've come up with two names so far--Casa d'Ambra and Pietratorcia...we will be there for most of one week and might try to schedule a winery visit.

Even more important, let me know if you have any eating tips for Ischia..

It has been too long--we've missed you here!

Hi, ekscrunchy, nice to meet you !
Anyway I will be the whole week in my beloved Penisola Sorrentina.
So, about the wines of Ischia, my thoughts, after a smart update on last May are:
a) do not miss an evergreen, so to speak, a great champion of the island: TENUTA FRASSITELLI 2007 ISCHIA DOC by CASA D'AMBRA. When there you search for red wine, please taste their PER' E' PALUMMO 2008 ISCHIA DOC, fresh and young and good to drink also in summer (dinner, not lunch !) and, by the way, to visit the winery will be very lovely and interesting; the location is unique: the hamlet is named Panza in the area of Forio;
c) close to D'Ambra, you find also PIETRATORCIA, and the idea to visit its winery is very smart. You should taste their VIGNA DI CHIGNOLE ISCHIA BIANCO SUPERIORE DOC.
They will want that you taste (and maybe buy) the last harvest. Listen, ask and ask please, to taste the harvest 2005 and you will enjoy, believe me, one of the best Italian white wines. About their red wines, please do not miss to taste a great VIGNE DI JANNO PIRO ISCHIA ROSSO DOC (I discovered one bottle of this wine in FL, last spring). The good harvest is 2006, please.
c) a very interesting sip is BIANCOLELLA ISCHIA DOC by CENATIEMPO (www.vinicenatiempo.it) It si ready to drink also the harvest 2008, but my advice is to taste 2007 because, in my personal opinion, it is better, more elegant.
About my tips to eat, listen, I have a question. Where will you sleep ? I suggest you to think about the agritourism IL VITIGNO (www.agriturismoilvitigno.it) close to D'AMBRA and PIETRATORCIA, few rooms, good to relax and to enjoy the atmosphere.
Then, if you want to eat the true pizza, no problem, have pizza at DA GAETANO at Ischia:a gorgeous pizza, the true typical neapolitan pizza (www.pizzadagaetano.it).
Then, a short trip to BARANO for a very good restaurant: IL FOCOLARE (www.trattoriailfocolare.it).
And there, do not miss their way to cook the local rabbit !
Enjoy and feel free to ask me more.
It is a pleasure for me to help you.
Ciao.

Vincenzo

Ciao Vicenzo!

Mille grazie for your excellent information. I will take note of the wines you recommend and attempt to try each one!

After much deliberation, we chose a B&B/hotel in Forio called Villa Melodie. Partly this decision was based partly on the fact that we might not have a car and will have to depend on the bus.

http://www.melodie.it/home.html

Now, about my favorite subject:

I have noted your recommendations. I had read about Il Focolare and it is one of the first places we will go, since we must try the rabbit. I have another lead on a place for rabbit, too:

Il Sole Nascente, in the area of Ciglio, for Bucatini al Sugo di Coniglio and other rabbit dishes.


I will continue to consult you as the time of the trip grows closer. Thanks ever so much for all of your advice here!!

good, as you are going to IL FOCOLARE (dinner, not lunch) do not miss their dessert: "pan di mele con lavanda e rosmarino" you will love it very much or you will dislike it very much !
Ciao.

Vincenzo