Italy is one of those places that I had waited my entire life, all big whopping 26 years of it, to visit. My family talked about it growing up and I knew that was where a large part of my family traditions came from. So you can probably imagine my surprise and ecstatic, almost childish, reaction when it was announced that Jim and I would be going with my family on a two-week vacation to the homeland. In May we would be packing our bags and heading over the Atlantic to the boot kicking a football. (Satellite viewpoint of Italy).
We flew into Naples singing a somewhat jetlagged version of “That’s Amore.” We took a bus from Naples to the town of Sorrento that sits so beautifully on the Amalfi Coast. I will never forget that first bus ride as I plastered my face to the window, leaving a bit of a nose print, watching the countryside and towns go by and trying to take it all in. I was amazed at how lush the land was and how much laundry was hanging from windows and balconies. (Just like the movies, only better)!
We rounded a corner where we were finally able to see the coast and the beautiful Tyrrhenian Sea. Now, words will not do this country justice, so I will simply say that pulling into Sorrento was like stepping out of reality and walking right into a painting. The streets were perfect, the alleyways were perfect, and the coastal homes and buildings were perfect. Even the rows of parked Vespas were perfect. (My heart does skip a few beats when I see the coolness that is a Vespa).
We unloaded all of our gear, though we actually were quite thrifty packers so we could carry-on our luggage, and headed into our cliff side hotel… Hotel La Tonnarella. It was definitely my favorite hotel throughout our whole trip. Our room overlooked the sea. (The picture above is taken from our room at La Tonnarella). The breakfast was delicious and included all of my favorites…salami, provolone cheese, and bread galore. And, to top it all off, this was the first place that I experienced a true Italian espresso! Our trip was off to an amazing start!
The next three days would be spent exploring Sorrento, Positano, and Amalfi, all along the coastline.
Travel Tips and Info:
- Try to pack light so that you can carry-on your luggage. It is much easier to get around Italy if you pack light. (Don’t take this lightly!)
- There are busses at the airport in Naples that will take you to Sorrento. Keep an eye on your bags and be sure they get put onto your bus. Naples, especially its bus and train stations, is “petty theft central.”
- Definitely stay at Hotel La Tonnarella!! Be sure to ask for a seaside room with a balcony. Check it out at Trip Advisor or the website for La Tonnarella.
