Coastal calling – a travelogue thru the Amalfi coast in Italy

8th JULY, 2004

"From a yacht at sea on a blinding summer's afternoon, the dizzy wall of terraced vines and lemon groves, the tiny white houses and the purple bougainvillea, the perfect fingernails of beach below, all lull you into a timeless present. Yet a thousand years ago, today's toy town was the hub of the known world." -Peter Robb.

It was about 11 in the morning when the train got into the Napoli Station. . I was on my way to Positano – a small town in the coastal region of Amalfi on the recommendation of my business associate, Massimilliano (which is Italian for Maxmillan and is conveniently shortened to Max), who was from this part of Italy and whose wife Paula was to show me around for the next few days. After 4 days at a conference in Rome, I was quite looking forward to spending the next few days chilling out in a Mediterranean resort. I had known Paula and Max for the last 5 years and they had never let a moment pass by without talking about their village – Positano.



Before taking the highway from Naples to Vietri, from where we would be taking a smaller road to Positano, we decided to stop for lunch at Pizzeria Brandi – in Naples itself. Now Brandi is one of Naple’s most famous pizzerias. This historic pizzeria came into being in 1780 under the guidance of the Colicchio family. They prepared the first pizzas-to-go...to go to the palace at Capodimonte for the Queen herself. The pizza Margherita, named after the Queen, was born in these ovens. I had the usual debate, that I have with myself when I am in an Italian restaurant – Beer or wine. This was one of the few times when the Beer won – there will be enough wines to drink later I figured. I had been in Italy for 4 days and had not yet had a sip of Italy's most popular export beer, Moretti. And rather than go with their normal product, I decided to get nutty and try out their super-dooper-pooper-scooper version – their 18 Degrees La Rossa Doppio Malto. Why is it so different from their other run-of-the-mill brews? Because the 18 Degrees comes in at a whopping 7.2% alcohol-by-volume. You might say that the Doppio Malto is pure dope! The pizza – I forget the complicated Italian name – that Paula had ordered was pure heaven – loaded with the freshest sea food from the Mediterranean. That’s another thing about Italy - the food. And all one needs to do is to ask the chef, at any restaurant, for his recommendation and order it. One will never be disappointed.



The beautiful April day and the red Alfa Romeo convertible was far too tempting to let anyone else drive. Literally badgering Paula into handing over the car keys to me I took control of the car. Driving around in Italy is really cool – its so much like home. You can do anything you want as long as you don't hit someone else (everyone else is doing the same thing). It is OK to cut in front of someone as long as they are able to avoid hitting you. The farther south you get, the more aggressive you need to drive. You MUST try to pass the person in front of you, even if you are in city traffic or on a narrow road. Traffic laws in Italy (actually all laws in Italy) are not really laws, but are mere suggestions. I had once parked illegally on a corner in Rome. There was a Caribineri (State police) across the street, so I asked if it was OK to park there. He said it was illegal, but that I probably would not get a ticket. There is a helmet law in Italy, but you will never see one of the thousands of moped drivers wearing one. It is considered good sport to argue with the police about a ticket. Just like home.



Once off the highway A3 at Vietri – about 40 kms (half an hour), we followed along a length of coastline as well preserved as any religious relic. Nowhere on the planet do such natural jewel-toned hues shine as they do along the Amalfi Coast, which has always enticed visitors for extended vacations and long, lazy drives up and down the aging, sunny coastline. Villages of varying age and style dot the coast and entice even the most lethargic tourists to stop and take a walk along the quaint, historic streets. It is in these villages you fine Italy's real treasures: untainted art, intensely flavorful cuisine of the highest caliber and historic, unspoiled churches and monasteries. The coastal road was built in the mid-eighteenth century by the Bourbon King Ferdinand II's for his carriages. Now, as then, this roadway passes white villages, churches with majolica cupolas, sudden rocky protrusions and terraced groves swollen with lemons. Every curve reveals a fishing cove nestled in the rocks, a quick glimpse of blue or a Bouganvilla-draped villa worthy of Hollywood. La Costiera (the coast), immortalized in the gouaches of a thousand painters and the films of several dozen film directors, never fails to provoke strong emotions in habitués as well as those seeing it for the first time.

The 57 km drive from Naples to Positano should not take you more than an hour, if your objective is to get to Positano. Ours was to stop by at almost every village on the way, eat at every little rural pizzeria and sup their wine. It was dark by the time we arrived at Positano.

Paula guided me straight to the San Pietro Hotel where she had booked a room for me. By this time I was far too tired and the buzz in my head far too loud to venture out for another round of eating and drinking, and hence parted company with my gracious hostess for the day. We set a date for 9 AM the next day.

The hotel San Pietro is located in a magic corner of Amalfi's coast and is named San Pietro after the Chapel on top of the cliff. The awardwinning Hotel is carved out of one of the most impressive spurs of Amalfi's coastline is and plays host to the international elite (so what was I doing there?) - Laurence Olivier, Liza Minelli, Gregory Peck and Catherine Deneuve - and his near neighbours Franco Zeffirelli and Gore Vidal and their ilk have all been regulars here. The Hotel is famous for the terraces projecting high above the sea, finely furnished halls and the tranquillity of the individual and spacious bedrooms all of which have their own balcony and all with spellbinding view of the sea.. It has an impressive history and is truly an architectural wonder.



I had gone to sleep with my curtains drawn so that I could get up soon as the sun was up. In spite of having seen the views while driving in, I still wasn’t prepared for the wonderous scenery that greeted me when the sun woke me up at 6 AM. It must have taken me atleast15 minutes before I got over the amazement – if this wasn’t Eden what was. Sitting in the balcony of my room, I had the most delightful cup of coffee, ever in my life. It was only the knowledge that every moment of my stay in this enchanting area would be better than the previous moment, that made me get up to shower and change. Paula arrived promptly at 9.

We had breakfast at the hotel restaurant - deliciously evil Almond Torte (Torta de Mandorle), Lemon Delights (Delizie Limone) – this is a citrus country,and a bottomless cup of Cappuccino. It was 10.30 by the time we left the hotel for a walk through the village. The hotel is 2 kms from the village but you would never notice.

Sandwiched between the Mediterranean Sea on one side and green mountains (5 of them with toungue twisting Italian names like Mt. S. Maria del Castello, Mt. S. Angelo a Tre Pizzi, etc) Positano enjoys all the advantages of a mild, dry climate. Its origins are lost in time and is very difficult to distinguish between legend, myth and history. One of the more romantic myths tells us that Positano was founded by Poseidon - the god of the sea - for the sake of the nymph Pasitea, whom he loved. During the medieval times, the village was invaded many-a-times by the Turks and the Saracean Pirates. A legend referring to that period says that the Saracen pirates, during an incursion, ransacked the main Church and brought away, among other things, the Byzantine picture of Black Virgin, which was kept in the church and is now to be found in the apse over the high altar; they had just left the shore, when a voice was heard, that said: "Posa, posa". The pirates became aware of having committed a sacrilege, repented came back ashore and restored all the ill-gotten goods. After the First World War - this village, which was already the refuge of some Italian artists, like Vincenzo Caprile, harboured many Russian, German artists and men of letters, who chose it for its peace and quiet, and who with their works made this little village famous all over the world.

This enchanting coastal village which slopes down toward the sea has, in the last few years become one of the trendiest of southern cities, frequented by the sort of tourists who do not detract from the charm. The long, winding main street meanders through the town, enlivened by a host of colorful boutiques selling clothes, pareos, cloth and hand-crafted sandals.

Positano's main attraction, of course, are the personalities who clog the narrow lanes and adorn the stairways, courtyards and gardens. Many a famous personality has been seduced by Positano's charms; among these, John Steinbeck, who visited in 1953, followed by conductor Roman Vlad and director Franco Zeffirelli. The Zeffirelli villa has often provided the setting for the trendiest parties on the Costiera.

We had lunch at Positano’s most famous restaurant – Chez Black. Paula had booked one of the front tables for us, & we just sat, watching the world walk by as we had a real fresh lobster and some Pasta with zucchini. The local Ravello wine is quite nice, and something you will not often find outside this area. Paula had already warned me to save enough room for the dessert cart. Most of the other establishments along the waterfront serve almost the same menu, but Chez Black seems to be the most popular & the most lively. It was fun to watch Black (not his real name, but his nickname) work the crowd – a master chef and a showman to boot..

The rest of the afternoon was just spent wandering around the amazing streets of this little village. Positano is a fishing village, port for Capri and health and seaside resort on the Amalfi coast. It has white houses with vaulted roofs and is laid out on terraces amongst gardens, palms and citrus groves on the slopes of Mount Sant’Angelo a Tre Pizzi and Mount Comune. It was founded by the people of Paestum, who lived through the Saracen invasion, and was later a rival of Amalfi. It has a beach with a small sandy area in front of a cliff. Its really pretty small & we were able to see almost all of the establishments. We walked down the footpath that hugged the cliffs along the waterfront just to the west of the beach . There were benches where we would sit, sip some lemoncello, and gaze out to the sea and then move on till the next bench. It was indeed very romantic. Pity, I was with a very pretty lady but who was not only my friend’s wife but also my wife’s friend.

In the evening Paula took me to the only night club in town – Music on the Rocks. Located in the Grotta dell'Incanto, MOTR is the watering hole in Positano for all the visiting celebrities. The music is good ( though mainly Italian), the atmosphere tremendous, and the cocktails unbeatable. Paula and me shared the dance floor with, amongst others, Brooke Shields and Andre Agassi. My teen dream came true that night when Brooke accidentally bumped into me while dancing. This was heaven. I could now die in peace.

The next morning we took the first boat to Capri – this charming island is less than hour by boat from Positano. The journey was absolutely breathtaking except for my hangover. But soon as the island sprang into view, it was goodbye hangover.

Capri - It was once known as the Island of the Wild Boars. It's made of limestone. It stands as the tip of a mountain chain on the Sorrentine peninsula. Its coast is surrounded by dolomite cliffs that fall straight to the sea, all the while beckoning adventurous travelers into its many caves and caverns.

More than 890 types of flora and fauna envelop you upon entrance to Capri, making your entrance so fragrant you'd think you passed a delicious perfume counter. If you're here in Capri, you are one of many tourists that have begun to make the trek to this picturesque piece of heaven since the 1950s. It was then, after the discovery of the glorious Blue Grotto, that the since-nonstop flow of tourists, both Italian and foreign alike, began. Beginning in the late 1700s and continuing until the end of the second World War, a multitude of creative beings (a term which encompasses writers and painters, as well as the rich and famous, exiles and refugees) selected the island as a site for a summer residence/year-round residence/hideout and began to construct on the fairly uninhabited island what is modern-day Capri.

From the Marina Grande, we took the funicolare up to Piazza Umberto It (the Piazzetta), a charming square that is basically one big outdoor cafe. Walking around the city, we stopped at Bar Paradiso, a simple place hidden above one of the most spectacular views in Italy. We had one of the most fabulous lunches of my life - insalata caprese (slices of tomato served with mozzarella and basil leaves) and some of the local bianco caprese white wine. After lunch, we continued to the Grotta di Matromania, a natural cave where the ancient Romans staged strange, mind-altering rituals to worship the gods. Further on we walked down the steps to the well-maintained path that leads to Tragara; we had Capri's most famous landmarks, the Faraglioni, to our left the whole time. From the terrace, we followed the Via Tragara, one of the most gorgeous streets on earth, back to the Piazzetta. This walk (sans lunch!) took us about 90 minutes; it is steep at times and always breathtaking (in more ways than one).

Though our original plan was to return to Positano the same day itself, I decided to stay that night in Capri – Paula had to go back. But before leaving, she took me to a hotel called Casa Morgano on the Via di Tragara. Its rooms cascade down the hillside; you can have breakfast on your own ample terrace, lunch next to the pool. Even though the hotel was not really a bargain, it was well worth the cost, which is still reasonable for Capri. Unfortunately, "Budget" is not really a word that applies in Capri but it is still well worth staying overnight in Capri, for once the day-trippers leave, Capri becomes a magical, medieval island that it must have once been.

The next day I hung around Capri and just chilled out. Not having carried my toiletries across to the island – it was to have been a day trip, remember – I had a day old stubble and I fancied myself looking every bit a native, except for the dark brown skin and a few extra kilos around my waist. It had been an incredible day. I can see why Capri is compared to heaven; its deep, clear blue sea, lilting sea breezes, the peace, the atmosphere - it's simply unthinkable that all these things should culminate here on Earth for this kind of visual pleasure Reluctantly, I took the last ferry back.

Paula was waiting for me at the hotel. That night we drove down to the nearby town of Amalfi (after which this coastline is named) and first went to the swanky night club – L’Africana and then to lighted beach of the Il Pirata disco. Both were a bit pretentious, I liked the Music On The Rocks much better.

Having spent the day when we had planned to see the rest of the Amalfi coast in Capri, I decided to do a quick tour of the region by a boat, the cruise from Positano to Maiori, passing through Praiano, Amalfi and Atrani took us about half a day. On the way back, we stopped by to see the Amalfi town by day, but I was disappointed – I thought it was a bit over rated and over crowded but then having seen and experienced Positano and Capri, anything else would necessarily have to be overrated.

We stopped by at the small village (its even smaller that Positano) and Paula forced me to buy the famous Amalfi Pottery. We already have "loads" of dinner plates, serving platters, pitchers, etc at home – every time Max or Paula come over, we get a new set. But Paula wouldn’t listen. Having said that, Ravello has a very good selection of shops which carry the locally made pottery (which is actually made in Vietri), and also some Deruta pottery . The Vietri pottery is eminently affordable – the same cannot be said about Deruta pottery.

We finally reached the hotel by 7.00 PM, tired and exhausted. But Virginia – the widow of Salvatore, the owner of the hotel and a friend of Paula’s had invited us for dinner. The hotel is managed by her sons Carlo and Vito. The dinner was served on the private beach which is reached by an elevator, which takes you down almost a 100m from the Hall. The beach was created in front of one of the most fascinating caves of the promontory, with a sunbathing platform, bar on the rocks, a tennis court surrounded by a rose garden and flower-filled terraces on all slopes. The meal was a fitting finale to few of the most fascinating days of my life.



The next day as Paula drove me back to Naples, I knew I had got hooked to this part of the world and that I would be back soon!!