After our couple days in Florence, we got on a train and headed to the Amalfi Coast! Of course it wasn't as easy as just getting on a train from point A to point B. It was Florence to Rome, Rome to Naples, Naples to Salerno, and then a boat taxi to Amalfi (we opted for the boat taxi because the roads are literally terrifying along the coast!) And the food along the way was the worst I have had in Italy...
Not to mention my dad was dragging along a suitcase whose wheels had given out on the Florence cobblestones and he had done a makeshift repair job on them..
But once we finally were on the boat to Amalfi...WOW is all I can say. The coast is so breathtaking, and the weather was absolutely perfect (we bought flip flops and sundresses and bathing suits when we finally got there!) We were so enamored by it that we ended up cancelling the trips we had planned to Naples and Rome for after Amalfi and just staying in Amalfi. We were that amazed by it.
From the colorful buildings to the side alleys that are neither inside nor out (and I really don't know how to describe them other than old, beautiful, outdoor hallways), to the friendly and welcoming people, we were absolutely in love. And the food was amazing. The restaurants were so small and the home cooking was just absolutely amazing.
One day, we took a private boat tour with only 4 other people along the coast all the way to Capri. We saw Positano, Sorrento, Capri, and the grottos. We even got to go into the Blue Grotto by way of small row boat type thing. That was possibly my favorite part of the trip. Once inside the cave, the water quite literally glows because of the way the sunlight shines under the rocks that don't reach the bottom (see this website if curious because my pictures don't do it justice! http://www.capri.com/en/s/la-grotta-azzurra). That day we also spent a couple hours in Capri, which was bellissimo! I can absolutely understand why the rich and famous spend their holidays there. It was expensive, but so beautiful. The flowers were still completely in bloom and the views after taking the ski lift type contraption were so magnificent. We loved it.
While there, we also took a bus ride up to Ravello. This was our ONLY time on a bus for this trip, and for good reason. The roads were absolutely ridiculous. The way the roads twist and turn along the cliffs is enough to make you pray for your life and simultaneously focus on not throwing up. But Ravello was so beautiful. Again, the weather was absolutely perfect so I'm sure that had a lot to do with it. But really, the coast is the most beautiful place I have ever been and I highly recommend that everyone try to go at least once in their life. I already want to go back. While we were up in Ravello (it's up in the mountain, not on the water), we went into the Villa Rudolfo, and wow. Words won't do it justice, so I'll post pictures to try to explain how great it was. The views were magnificent, and the flowers and layout and old buildings were so much fun to explore. Plus I was with my parents, which already had me on cloud 9.
It was so amazing to have them here in Italy with me. I knew that I would miss them, but you don't realize how much until you actually get abroad and only have a few hours each day where you can try to fit in some time to talk because of the time differences and school and work. And then of course since my mom is probably my best friend in the world, it's of course hard to be without her for that long. But that being said, I don't know if I have ever been happier to see them. When they got off that train from Bologna, I could not stop smiling. This is by far the longest I had gone without seeing them, and it was just so wonderful having them here. I love Italy, but I wish I could just have the whole crew here with me enjoying this beautiful country.
Not to mention my dad was dragging along a suitcase whose wheels had given out on the Florence cobblestones and he had done a makeshift repair job on them..
But once we finally were on the boat to Amalfi...WOW is all I can say. The coast is so breathtaking, and the weather was absolutely perfect (we bought flip flops and sundresses and bathing suits when we finally got there!) We were so enamored by it that we ended up cancelling the trips we had planned to Naples and Rome for after Amalfi and just staying in Amalfi. We were that amazed by it.From the colorful buildings to the side alleys that are neither inside nor out (and I really don't know how to describe them other than old, beautiful, outdoor hallways), to the friendly and welcoming people, we were absolutely in love. And the food was amazing. The restaurants were so small and the home cooking was just absolutely amazing.One day, we took a private boat tour with only 4 other people along the coast all the way to Capri. We saw Positano, Sorrento, Capri, and the grottos. We even got to go into the Blue Grotto by way of small row boat type thing. That was possibly my favorite part of the trip. Once inside the cave, the water quite literally glows because of the way the sunlight shines under the rocks that don't reach the bottom (see this website if curious because my pictures don't do it justice! http://www.capri.com/en/s/la-grotta-azzurra). That day we also spent a couple hours in Capri, which was bellissimo! I can absolutely understand why the rich and famous spend their holidays there. It was expensive, but so beautiful. The flowers were still completely in bloom and the views after taking the ski lift type contraption were so magnificent. We loved it.
While there, we also took a bus ride up to Ravello. This was our ONLY time on a bus for this trip, and for good reason. The roads were absolutely ridiculous. The way the roads twist and turn along the cliffs is enough to make you pray for your life and simultaneously focus on not throwing up. But Ravello was so beautiful. Again, the weather was absolutely perfect so I'm sure that had a lot to do with it. But really, the coast is the most beautiful place I have ever been and I highly recommend that everyone try to go at least once in their life. I already want to go back. While we were up in Ravello (it's up in the mountain, not on the water), we went into the Villa Rudolfo, and wow. Words won't do it justice, so I'll post pictures to try to explain how great it was. The views were magnificent, and the flowers and layout and old buildings were so much fun to explore. Plus I was with my parents, which already had me on cloud 9.
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