My first visit to the Amalfi Coast was more than twenty years ago on a bus tour of senior citizens where I was their token granddaughter. It was a busy bus tour of Italy over ten days with Globus Tours. We were scheduled to stay overnight in Sorrento but the hotel was full so we were moved to Le Agravi, a luxury hotel with amazing apricot croissants and a view that made me imagine my future wedding (little did I know) along the Amalfi Drive in Positano. The windy roads along the Amalfi Drive felt scary (I didn’t see guardrails from my bus window, just a very steep drop below to the water). We had a woman in her late 50’s at the time (a young one on this tour) who was afraid of heights and all of the twists and turns of the road coupled with the views made her scream in fear for the entire ride. This was my first encounter with the Amalfi Coast and the famed Amalfi Drive. Quite memorable.
The Amalfi Coast Tour with Marcello of See Sorrento
Many years later I would revisit the Amalfi Coast on a day tour from Naples, the cruise stop, with new friends from the repositioning cruise. I met Marco and Marcello that late November day. November is quite late in the tourist season so we lucked out that there weren’t many tourists on the drive that day which made it easy to stay on schedule. It also helped that no one on the tour (ten of us) wanted to shop as many shops were closed. We would again start on the Amalfi Drive in the same place that the tour bus had so many years before.
This time, our luxury van felt a bit safer on the twists and turns (I still didn’t see guard rails in some places, just small stone walls) and no one was yelling at the top of their lungs. Although the group found my story pretty funny. We would stop at various lookout locations along the Amalfi Coast to enjoy the beautiful coastline, admire the homes perched along the cliffs and view the water below. It was a day of in and out of the van and we coasted through the many little towns along the way. We would lunch later in the day at the top of a village sitting outside on the balcony enjoying the foods, wine, new friends and serenity of the gorgeous view.
So it seemed fitting that on my sabbatical, I’d revisit the Amalfi Coast, after my visits to Naples, Capri and Sorrento. I started with a bus of senior citizens, then a van full of cruise folks and now I met Marcello to take me back to the viewpoints on my own photo tour of the Amalfi Coast (the Positano fruit stand is still there!).
The Views of the Amalfi Coast
The views in over twenty years hadn’t changed much however the cruise ships discovered the coast with a day in the port of Naples. The little villages are now full of white sneakered cruise tourists looking for souvenirs (rarely locally made) and pizza. I think they are missing the best part of the Amalfi Coast – the views and the villages.
The Amalfi Coast is made up of a collection of villages built into the cliffs both above and below the street level. You will see many steps from the road walking up or down so be prepared to do steps if you find a flat to stay. Once on the two lane road it’s a bit of follow the leader as you are at the mercy of the traffic ahead of you and delays at many tunnels if there is a bus vs. bus situation as only one wins out. If you are on a cruise stop in Naples, do opt for a private guide tour like See Sorrento (with Marcello) to get the best value from your day.
The Five Star Pit Stop along The Amalfi Coast
During the drive, I had one bathroom stop at the fancy five star hotel, Hotel Santa Caterina (which has hosted celebrities, dignitaries and political figures) – I had to pretend to be interested in the hotel to ask for a brochure and then ask where the bathroom was (if only the Italians would just let me use the bathroom instead of the pretense or requirement to buy something). I then asked if I can take a photo or two (lamenting my good camera left in the van). Generally the main part of the hotel is at street level then the rooms, pool and beach are located below. This is the fancy, five star view of the Amalfi Coast.
Views Along the Amalfi Drive
For the rest of the time, we followed the slow traffic on the two lane road that snakes up and down the cliffs and through the village’s practically scraping people and buildings along the way (it’s a tight squeeze in a few places). The road is not for the faint of heart in my opinion and I’m happy I had Marcello to drive it so I could just enjoy being a passenger with my camera. I was on my own photo safari and Marcello was easily able to accommodate my requests to stop for this or that photo. When he saw a place to park along the side of the road (a rarity) he would stop and we would get out to explore the area. I saw the ropes that were in use between villages up on the hills to transfer goods, saw the roadside Nativity displays in the villages and looked down at what seemed like a hidden beach. It was this flexibility to stop and explore that a private guide affords you.
Ravello – Villa Rufolo Amalfi Coast Views
In Ravello, I had an hour to explore and Marcello told me to go to Villa Rufolo, an 11th century villa. The entrance fee was €5.00. Walking through the serene gardens to the villa and then beyond to the Amalfi Coast view was really relaxing. It wasn’t as crowded as the town square was with tourists in the church, at the cafes and sitting around waiting for their pickup to return to the ships. I had time to sit on benches and look at trees and views that many literary folks had done eons before me. Relaxing in beauty and history isn’t the worst way to spend the day.
Amalfi Coast Village Lunch Stop
When I ready to leave, I texted Marcello to pick me up and we explored the villages away from the coast before revisiting that lovely café at the top of the town I had enjoyed years before with my new cruise friends. This time rather than drive to the entrance, we parked like locals at the bottom and walked up through the village. I think Marcello figured I needed a workout pre/post lunch given the many food and drink samples there would be.
Walking up the steps (there were many steps) we passed homes with lemon trees in their gardens and the smell of flowers growing all around. The small lanes were lined with homes and the stone path continued upward until we reached the restaurant. A bit of a huff and puff was rewarded with a view, some red wine, Italian pasta, bread and desserts.
Saying Ciao! (for now) to the Amalfi Coast
Our day on the Amalfi Coast and Amalfi Drive was sadly over as we made our way back through the town going down the stairs back to the road (some towns have thousands of steps from the main road to the top, thankfully this wasn’t one of them). We joined the caravan of cars, vans, busses, and vespas back on the famous two lane road to snake back into Sorrento. It was my last view of the coast that seduced me in my 20’s and continues to call me back with each visit to Italy.
Five years ago, I met Marco in Sorrento. Sounds like a great opening line to a travel romance novel and in some ways it is, I didn’t fall in love with Marco (he was married) but I had fallen in love with the Amalfi Coast twenty years ago on that infamous bus tour with the seniors. Marco was my guide to reintroduce me to the Amalfi Coast so many years later but now with my new friends from the cruise ship. I was responsible for finding See Sorrento and booking our Naples cruise stop private tour for the day. With eight people on the tour, I had a pretty intense day planned. We would travel from the cruise port along the Amalfi Coast, stop for lunch before spending the afternoon at Pompeii and return to the ship before dinner. See Sorrento is owned by Marcello (Marco’s friend) and I met him at our lunch stop, high above the road at a small local restaurant. After our many emails to set up the tour, it was nice to meet him in person. Upon return to the U.S., Marcello became my Facebook friend and I was able to remain in a constant state of love with the Amalfi coast in all of his posts and videos.
When my sabbatical took me to Capri, I decided not to go back to Rome and instead spend the time in Sorrento, Capri and on the Amalfi Coast again. Marcello was available and he was my private guide for two days. He recommended I stay in Piano di Sorrento at the Antica Dimora B&B as he knows the owners (quite helpful for me to save money to afford Marcello on my own).
Marcello met me at the ferry terminal as I arrived in Sorrento from Capri. We would spend the entire day driving around Sorrento where he grew up and still lives with his family. This was definitely the insider tour. We saw no tour busses at our stops, few foreigners at lunch and enjoyed chatting with a couple picking fresh herbs among the weeds as we hiked high above the Amalfi coast.
Villa San Marco
When we pulled into the dirt lot after passing farmers selling their crops along the road, passed the piles of trash in the streets (just like in Naples), passing real life locals, I was surprised to walk in the dirt path to find a hidden historic villa. Pompeii is definitely more famous than Herculaneum and all are more well-known than Villa San Marco where I was in Stabiae. Due to a recent documentary on local television, Marcello was surprised to see people at the site during our visit as he is used to having the place to himself. The guard greeted him as an old friend. The villa has many preserved pieces and the colors and style are reminiscent of Pompeii or the homes in Herculaneum. You can see the walls torn apart as the valuable art has been removed over the years – a few to museums, a few lost. I’m always fascinated by this part of history, how well it has been preserved while modern life grows up all around it. The villa is pretty massive for what was the time period with internal and external courtyards, gardens and even a pool!
Lunch in Sorrento
Marcello would normally let his guests eat lunch while he goes to work or eat alone. He felt bad that I was solo so he ate with me (funny to me since I eat alone all the time). He plans out tasting plates to show the best of the local Italian foods. The foods were plentiful starting with an antipasti, followed by a pasta trio and finishing up with a trio of desserts and after meal liquors. Each course was tastier than the last. What I didn’t finish (I mean really, what one person can eat all of this plate?), he happily indulged commenting that he can’t say no. I may have been a bit buzzed after this lunch as I had the red wine to myself and Marcello doesn’t like waste so I drank my wine (he of course was driving so no wine for him).
He made me try all the foods and drinks with his classic motto “How Do You Know If You Do Not Try”. He would throw this one at me a few times and it worked (Catholic guilt not from a nun? This was new). His fabulous insights and sayings could fill a book “things my Italian tour guide says”.
Going Local in Sorrento
We drove far away from town, through small villages and at one point I had him stop to find a bathroom (a bit tough when it’s not a tourist town but there was a lot of wine and water at lunch). We found a small café, I bought a bottle of water (which bothered him that I was charged a tourist price) and used the makeshift bathroom (always interesting experiences). We continued our tour on the two lane roads twisting and turning as Marcello pointed out the nice houses (they are rented out) vs. the houses that looked very weathered almost in a state of disrepair from the outside (real Italians live there) and the many lemon groves.
We would stop to do a slight hike and passed locals foraging for herbs. I followed behind Marcello and he stopped at the edge and just said “look”. All around me was gorgeous nature and down below I could see the famous Amalfi drive that we would navigate the next day. This is how you are supposed to see the coast in my opinion – having it all to yourself.
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Outside the window was lush greenery, tiered farms, many lemon trees and my sense of wonder. When you think of Sorrento, you think Amalfi Coast – the water, the gorgeous views, the luxury hotels. We were visiting the true highlights of the city, where the locals live and tourists rarely see.
Sorrento City Center
On the way back to the city, we were now past the center of town (Piazza Tasso) looking down while people passed by. Many folks walk past this historic site on the way to the souvenir shops not knowing that Marcello and his friends used to run down the steps and play in the Deep Valley of the Mills (Il Vallone dei Mulini). It was an old flour mill with water coming from the mountains. If you look closely on the left on the side of the wall you can see the perilous steps without a railing (yikes!).
Sorrento for many is just a quick stop on the way to/from the Amalfi Coast or Capri and I’ve rarely met anyone who took time to explore the city as in-depth as I did. But you should really try to go a bit deeper to discover the local aspect of the city. Surprisingly, it was a long day that flew by and Marcello drove me to my B&B but not without first pointing out the best gelato store nearby. Don’t go there, or there, only there! He was like the Italian version of me telling people where to go in Philly for the best local experience. It’s so easy to jump on a bus tour or tick off a checklist from a guidebook but sometimes you need a local perspective to go off the beaten path. In this case, I got to see Marcello’s childhood in a town that has seen so many changes over the years (good and bad) but comes down to good memories, great landscapes, fresh foods and the best gelato.
With two days in Sorrento, I asked my Facebook friend and Italian tour guide, Marcello, to recommend an affordable place to stay. He told me to contact friends of his who have two rooms in their residence in Piano di Sorrento that they rent out as B&B Antica Dimora (no website but you can read reviews on TripAdvisor or Airbnb). I contacted Daniela directly to book a room and paid by PayPal ahead of time. She was quick to reply to my emails which was nice as I was planning my sabbatical piece by piece.
B&B Antica Dimora Location
A few miles outside of Sorrento, Piano di Sorrento is a residential area and the B&B is located on the main road. You can walk (although a bit hard without sidewalks) or take the bus at the corner across the street into Sorrento city center. The apartment building is located across the street from many cafes, shops and the police station – it was a quiet area. There are also many ATMs on the street and a fabulous gelato shop (one of many). You know you are in a residential area when you look at the restaurant menus posted outside and do a double take at the prices which seem so cheap in comparison to Sorrento, Capri and Naples that I became accustomed to.
Arrival
Marcello, had picked me up at the ferry dock in the morning to do a full day Sorrento tour so he called ahead when I was ready to arrive near 5 p.m. I was met by the owners, Daniela and Roberto. Walking into the ground floor courtyard, I felt like I was visiting friends and then we journeyed up the four flights of stairs to the second floor (U.S. folks would call it the third floor), I was shown into their apartment.
Roberto carried my rock of a suitcase (remember I packed for three months away in one bag and had already shipped a portion ahead from Naples to Milan). Their apartment is half a floor so they’ve designed the front two rooms into the B&B while they live in the rest of the apartment which lies further inside. Roberto brought me water with lemon and Daniela, Marcello and I laughed as he squeezed the whole lemon in my one glass as evident by my face after the first sip.
The Studio Apartment
My room, which would be a studio apartment in many cities, was a surprise. With high ceilings, a tile floor and a double door window leading to the balcony, this was a large room. With two double beds on either side of the room, there was a bathroom, small kitchen, small table serving as a dining area, a large wardrobe and multiple tables. Absent were wall photos or splashes of color which I think would have tied it all together. After the tour of the room, I was given coupons for breakfast with a choice of four cafes in the area (generally a pastry and coffee – the sugar donuts are a MUST). It was comfortable to have so much space as well as a window with small balcony to get fresh air and look outside. The bed was a slat bed and I did dislodge one or two slats during the night that I put back in but otherwise it was comfortable.
The Bathroom
Compact and stocked with shampoo, shower gel, three rolls of toilet paper and cotton swabs. The shower was pointed out as having a sauna function as well as a radio option (neither of which I used). I was put off by the huge step up into the shower afraid I would fall when exiting (I was careful) but this is probably only an issue for me not most folks.
Other Amenities
The kitchen is small, functional and stocked with supplies. Sadly, during my visit, the clothes washer was broken (there is a wash/dry a few blocks away that I didn’t get to use as my days were busy). I was looking forward to doing wash after being on the road for two weeks so that was a disappointment. The Wi-Fi was strong in the room and there are many outlets to use.
The Neighborhood
I walked around the area both nights and it felt safe. I ate at the local café, Bar Sess, across the road, happy to get a toasted sandwich (I had eaten so much at lunch that I barely had room to eat dinner) and watch Italian music television (which was very entertaining since I didn’t think they still made music videos).
The owners, a multi-generation family, found me interesting as they don’t get many American guests or tourists it seemed during my visits. After my sandwich each night I would walk to the small gelato shop, Gelato a Chilo, that Marcello said was the best (I’m not going to argue with a local about the best gelato and happily took his word and enjoyed the research). Seeing folks double park their cars to run in for gelato was proof that this was a popular local shop. The gelato cost €1.50 for a small cone. I felt no guilt by my multiple visits as the stairs back to the apartment were enough to work off the ice cream (and hopefully the pizza, pasta and wine!).
There are a few market shops on the road which made it easy to buy fresh fruit, juice and food to take back to the flat. I had a laugh when Roberto told Marcello that he thought I didn’t like the cafes as I brought breakfast back to my room each day. Was I not happy? For me, this was normal as I brought back the pastries (one day a fresh croissant, the next day the amazing sugar donut) to go with my fruit and juice rather than sit at the café alone. It was a reminder of cultural differences – I did laugh at being ratted out on my routine.
B&B Antica Dimora Overall
While others are paying exorbitant fees in Sorrento, you can easily stay here and experience the town as a local. You can also save enough money to hire your own private tour guide like Marcello of See Sorrento to see the Amalfi Coast like I did. For early May, my rate was €55 per night (I was upgraded into the larger room as they had another guest, normally this room costs more than what I paid.) A bonus is that Roberto and Daniela offer a few free tours of the area which judging from the many internet reviews are a great amenity for guests. I’m glad that Marcello recommended B&B Antica Dimora because it was a nice change from the hotels I had stayed in and allowed me to experience this part of Italy a bit like a local, albeit a local living in a nice building in a large apartment with new friends Daniela and Roberto.
The apartment is also listed on Airbnb. If you decided to book your first stay with Airbnb, use my personal code for a discount
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