My entry into Sorrento was memorable for the city is couched in a very beautiful place. The old city of Sorrento was very nice, much like many other cities in Italy, but distinguished by its place overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. However, as a result of the wondrous environment, this city might be a bit more crowded with tourists than most in Italy. The surrounding expanse was similar to most every city in the world, overgrown, overcrowded and noisy.
The food in Sorrento was very good and will be discussed with each restaurant. Dinner at the only Michelin starred restaurant (Il Buco) was very nice but the only place I revisited was L'Antico Trattoria.
Driving the Amalfi Coast was astounding. The coastline was so beautiful. Trying to look at the steep marble cliffs dropping into the deep blue sea made it difficult to negotiate the narrow, curvy roads. Couple the narrow roads with countless tour buses and one has the potential for serious driving adventure around each bend in the road. The countryside was, even in late autumn, full and lush and green. Orchards of olive trees and lemon trees were everywhere. While the countryside was breathtaking, the villages were, if they were scenic, very overcrowded. If the villages were not rustic and well maintained, which many were not, then there was no traffic and few tourists. So, I concluded that taking a quick look at the beautiful spots was sufficient but for a coffee, I'd stop in a poorly kept village. There were fewer tourist, better service and better coffee in the plain, out-of-the-way cafes.
My trip to Capri Island was, I'm sorry to overuse this word, breathtaking, too. The ferry ride, while crowded and very noisy due to the utter excitement of the hordes traveling to this unique island, made a lovely cruise along the coast and then out to that most amazing place. I must admit that I've seen few islands more beautiful. Once again, the wonder has drawn many people. They seemed to wander about in groups around the marina and in the city of Capri. However, in the upper city of Anacapri, the congestion was much less and the overview was spectacular. I really enjoyed strolling about Anacapri. My mind was set to determine if this would be a good place for me to write my novel. However, the tone was a bit off for me, so, despite its beauty, and a quite inspiring beauty I'm sure it would be, I don't believe this will be the place. Perhaps next year's visit to Sicily will solve that riddle.
My conclusion regarding my week in the Amalfi area was that the time was well spent. The beauty was memorable, I was very happy that I visited those places but it is not a place to which I will need to return for a few years…and I am not a young man. So, it's off to the next adventure, Torino and the Salone del Gusto.
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