Amalfi Coast, Procida 2020
I’m back after a three week blog hiatus (missed me?!) and a vacation around the south of Italy, which means a couple of things: 1) I’m tan by my standards, i.e a shade darker than my usual ready-for-my-Twilight-audition pale with a smattering of freckles 2) I have a whole lot of laundry to do, and 3) was in the beginning phases of kitchen withdrawal (I got back just in time and baked muffins, but it was a close call).
If you’ve been following this blog long enough, you’ll know that in August I travel to the U.S (more specifically, Rhode Island) to see my family. Perhaps it goes without saying that given the current worldwide health situation this year, I’ll be in Italy this summer, hoping that by the Fall things have improved enough to see loved ones back home (back off, second wave).
Vacationing this year was different than usual -- a mix of limited public transport, mostly Italian tourists, and lots of hand sanitizer -- but I’m incredibly grateful. Given that at this time a couple of months ago, leaving the house wasn’t allowed -- never mind going on vacation -- this trip felt more special than others I’d done in the past. But I digress! For my first non-U.S summer vacation then, I decided to play it safe covid-wise (no airports or planes) and travel in Italy only -- here’s where we went!
PROCIDA
In re-reading my post on Procida last year, some things have remained the same. Ehem, and I quote:
“Procida is a small island off of Naples, one that is delightfully accessible (1 hour train ride from Rome-Naples, and a 40 minute ferry ride) and incredibly beautiful, with lots of clear blue water and sky and colorful buildings and tiny boats; the food was delicious” (Bruzzese, 2019).
A solid and accurate statement. Until:
“Procida was peaceful, calm, and with few tourists (at least in mid-July).,. the people were generous, and overall it was a perfect couple of days” (Bruzzese, 2019).
So here’s the deal with Procida 2020: while we hoped to repeat last year’s blissful experience, we were left disappointed. The charming views remained the same, and our repeat BnB was solid, but Procida was overall off its game, with awful service and less-than-polite people everywhere we went (restaurants, bars, beaches, taxis – you name it) making for a vacation that was more stressful then restful. I get it, Procida -- we’re all a little unsettled this year.
Having said this, when one puts money and time in to planning a vacation (especially following a lockdown) to have it be not just below but far below expectations is never ideal. Bottom line: I would say visit at your own risk post-covid; the people of Procida seem to have frayed nerves, little patience, and poor organization this year. Having said this: Procida is so beautiful that it’s hard to hold a grudge – no hard feelings, you sassy little island you. The delightful, zealously cuddly dog we met on the beach (picture below) helped soften the blow, too.
AMALFI COAST
My trip to the Amalfi Coast not long after made up for a less than ideal weekend in Procida. Though la costiera is a popular tourist destination (in particular for American newlyweds study abroad students, as evidenced by Facebook) I had yet to visit it in all my time in Italy. Overall: the weather was sunny with a welcome breeze, the people we met were beyond kind and helpful wherever we went, and the whole place was as magical as everyone makes it out to be -- sea, stunning views, and lots of beautiful ceramics (typical of the coast) everywhere we went. More specifically:
VIETRI SUL MARE
We stayed in Vietri sul mare, a tiny town known as the gateway to the Amalfi Coast. We chose well: our BnB was located right in front of the bus stop to travel to other towns on the coast, directly across the street from a great restaurant with a beautiful view of the sea, and just a short walk from a stabilimento balneare (beach resort) making for pure convenience. Can’t complain – here’s a few photos of our home base for the week, which included a neighborhood dog who liked to keep watch from her terrace in the evening (aww).
POSITANO
I was advised by a friend who visited Positano many years ago that it is best seen for the first time while approaching it from the water, and so we opted for a ferry (Salerno-Positano) rather than the bus. She was right; as the town came in to view, it looked (cliché as it may sound) like a postcard come to life, with the bluest of water, lots of beaches, and high, impressive cliffs with houses built right in to them. We started off our trip with a visit to the church of Santa Maria Assunta, which displays a thirteenth-century Byzantine icon of a black Madonna, which, according to legend, was once stolen by with the intent to transport it across the Mediterranean. In the midst of this, a heavy storm broke out and the frightened thieves on board heard a voice that said "Posa, posa!" ("Put down! Put down!"); as soon as the icon was unloaded and carried to the village, the storm abated, or so the tale goes. After visiting the church we walked around the town and ate splendidly at Il Guerricino, which offered yet another beautiful view of the sea. Maximum swoon effect, see for yourself:
RAVELLO
Named an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997, Ravello is – and I’m not exaggerating here! – one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen (and this with years of living in Italy and travelling around Europe). The town itself is lovely, boasting the usual killer combo of cliffs, sea, and views yes, but also a Villa (Cimbrone) with stunning gardens. A little background: Villa Cimbrone dates alllll the way back to around the 11th century AD. but was revamped and developed in the early twentieth century by a guy named Lord Grimthorpe (sounds like a professor from a Harry Potter book, doesn’t it?) Nowadays, the villa is composed of many salvaged architectural elements from other parts of Italy and elsewhere, with gardens open to the public and a hotel. To not miss: the Terrazzo dell'lnfinito (Terrace of Infinity) which provides a stunning view out on to the sea, interspersed with cliffs, ancient statues, and flowers and greenery. Bonus: picking up a sea-themed plate (herewith: My Pasta Plate) at a small ceramics store in Ravello, that hadn’t yet opened but allowed us in to take shelter during a sudden rainstorm/make an early purchase during a sudden rainstorm. Photos below!
SALERNO
On our last day of vacation and before catching our afternoon train back to Rome, we explored Salerno. I stocked up on tomatoes per the request of my previously mentioned Fellow Foodie (the little yellow ones are to die for,) made sure to try pasticciotti (a sweet typical of Salerno, crumbly pastry stuffed with ricotta and cherries) and stopped at the famous Botteghe 65 for lunch ( A+++ mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil). Pasticciotti below, as well as the promise that I’m going to post a recipe for these on the blog as soon as the weather cools down.
