Naples and the Amalfi Coast, 2022 – Goodbye Capri, hello Amalfi Coast, and a nod to Italian bus drivers

October 6, 2022

Hello friends and family. This might be my last post for a while as I have been unable to download the photos from my camera onto my iPad these past four days. I’ve tried to find a solution, but have not succeeded yet, and my time is limited as there is so much to see and do in my last few days here in Italy. So, until we meet again, here are some photos and impressions from a most marvellous ferry ride from Capri to Positano and then on to Amalfi.

On my last morning on Capri, I left early for Marina Grande and had time to stroll around a bit before my ferry departed. I also had time to treat myself to a delicious cup of coffee in a seaside restaurant with the most fabulous view of the azure sea!

I must admit that as I looked at the tour boats that circle the island I did regret not having done that. I’ll just have to come back again!

This is my view from on the ferry. Luckily this ferry (PositanoJet) had a sizeable outdoor top deck and I had joined the line up early in order to have my pick of seats.

Off we go! Goodbye Marina Grande, goodbye Capri.

Zoomed in, Villa Jovis is at the top of that hill!

As we drew further and further away, the ever-dramatic Faraglioni Rocks came into view.

And then it was time to look forward as we began to pass the tip of the Sorrentine Peninsula. The watchtower on the point was constructed in 1334 by Robert of Anjou and was one of a number of defensive watchtowers built and maintained along this coast during the Middle Ages. Bells were rung to warn inhabitants of the seaward approach of any invaders, Saracen pirates, or enemies.

With this last look back at Capri, it is easy to see how it was once connected to the Sorrentine Peninsula millions of years ago.

Soon we began to see the famous town of Positano, but my eyes were on those mountains! The steep and rugged Latteri Mountains form the backbone of the Sorrentine peninsula, and I believe that their highest peak, Monte Molare (1444 metres, 4737 feet), is in the far background to the right in this photo.

Positano is tucked into and climbs up a narrow river valley, like most of the communities along this coast, and many of its steep and narrow lanes are pedestrian-only.

Two medieval watchtowers guarded the approach to town. Both are now private (and expensive) guesthouses.

Our ferry docked at Positano’s marina which was busy with incoming and outgoing passengers from other ferries and from the many private boats that operate here. There were also quite a few people enjoying Positano’s beach on this warm and beautiful day.

Here is a zoomed in photo of some of the villas, hotels, and other buildings that rise up on the west side of the valley.

And here is a view, zoomed in, towards the east side of the valley, with Positano’s large cathedral dominating the centre of town.

Then were we away, heading east to my stop in Amalfi, but I was already looking forward to returning the following day when I would walk the Path of the Gods which ends here in Positano.

As the ferry passed the coastline, I wondered how high up my Path of the Gods trail would be, and the next day I had my answer. The collection of buildings high up on the right side of the photo is Nocelle, and the path passes through that town and carries on to the highest-most buildings to the left of the photo which is Montepertuso. From there, one thousand steps descend to the centre of Positano!

The next communities are Vettica Maggiore and Praiano which are unlike most of the other local communities in that they straddle a headland rather than climb inland up a narrow valley.

Soon we reached Amalfi which was once a mighty independent maritime republic with a trading fleet that rivalled those of Pisa, Genoa, and Venice. But, in 1343, a tsunami that was caused by an undersea earthquake destroyed much of the town. The ensuing centuries brought disastrous plagues and pirate raids, and Amalfi was never able to regain its former position of power and influence in the area.

We docked at the busy pier (like Capri and Positano, Amalfi receives huge amounts of tourists each day) and I made my way directly to the bus station, knowing that I would have time to explore Amalfi on another day.

And here’s where my nod to Italian bus drivers comes in, or at least the ones I’ve encountered on this trip. I know that I have complained about line ups, waits, and crowds on the Capri buses, and unfortunately line ups, waits, and crowds would continue to be a source of frustration over the following days as I travelled here and there on the Amalfi coast. But the drivers? Wow, so skilled! And the roads? Just wow! They are so windy, so narrow, so much right-on-the-edge of high sheer cliffs, especially the road from Amalfi to Bomerano that I would travel multiple times. It was scary going both up and down and it was amazing to me how much trust all of us passengers put in those drivers. The drivers blared their horns at the hairpin turns to warn onward-coming traffic that the bus needed the entire turning radius of the curve, and if two buses encountered each other, one would often have to back up to a marginally wider section of road so they could pass each other, and even then they passed with only inches between them and also within inches of the cliffside rails. Yikes, gulp, holy expletive. So, thank you very much to the very skilled and quite fearless bus drivers of Capri and the Amalfi Coast!

Naples and the Amalfi Coast, Fall 2022 – Takin’ it easy on Capri (except for some moments of heart-pounding fear!)

October 6, 2022

My intention on my last day on Capri had been to take one of the tour boats around the island and visit the Blue Grotto, but I just did not feel like being in the midst of lots of people and lineups etc., so I decided to make an early visit to the Villa Jovis, a ruined Roman Villa at the top of a hill above Capri town, one of twelve imperial villas that were built on the island. The main square in Capri town was not yet crowded as the first ferries bringing day trippers to the island had not yet arrived. (Capri has a population of around 12,000 people, and up to 20,000 people per day might visit in the high season, the majority of them coming just for the day.) I took a quick photo of the clock tower and top of the cathedral, backlit and with the sky so blue behind. It was going to be another beautiful day on Capri!

My route to Villa Jovis led me first through narrow pedestrian lanes lined with small shops just opening up (and locals hurrying to get to work), and then as I climbed the paved path of Via Tiberio, I passed many large villas set in lush gardens. In the quiet of the morning, and with few people around, I began to see the charms of Capri town.

As I rose higher and turned a corner, Villa Jovis came into view high up on Monte Tiberio.

In the final ascent to the villa,

there were excellent views back over Capri town (half hidden by the middle hill), Marina Grande down at the sea, and Mount Solaro, the highest point in the distance (Anacapri is tucked in on the other side and below Mount Solaro).

I was surprised when I reached Villa Jovis as it is not very professionally managed for such a magnificent historical site. The facilities were minimal, the advertised audio guides were unavailable, and there was almost nothing in the way of descriptive information beyond a few signs leading you in a circuit around the site (though there were plenty of safety signs, including “careful, rocks might fall on your head” (my translation!)). But, once I got over my surprise and slight disappointment, I really enjoyed my walk around Villa Jovis. There were only a few other people there and I began to appreciate the atmospheric setting and ambiance of this 2000 year old ruin surrounded by wild vegetation and amazing views.

The villa was built by Augustus before he became Emperor and was later restructured by Emperor Tiberius who lived here for ten years, from AD 26-37, and he ruled the Roman Empire from here rather than from Rome. The walk circled through the servants quarters and then up to the Imperial quarters where a terrace provided this fantastic view of the end of the Sorrentine Peninsula and of Mount Vesuvius off in the distance to the left. (A nearby terrace, with another sheer drop at its edge, is reputedly where the cruel Tiberius had people he was displeased with pushed to their deaths.)

The terrace is now dominated by the 17th century Church of Santa Maria del Soccorso which seemed to proclaim and assert the triumph of the Church over the lost might of the Romans.

I continued my walk and marvelled at all of the work that went into creating this villa so long ago – even just the quarrying and transporting of the stone and the creation of the bricks would have been a massive enterprise.

Next, I visited the Park Astarita which is next to Villa Jovis. There was a gate and a very old man on a camp chair asking one Euro for admission – I’m not sure whether or not he was an authorized gate keeper, and that was okay, but later I wondered about the upkeep and safety of some of the constructions in this cliffside park. My first view was of this cliff where you can see three belvederes (viewing platforms) constructed at various levels on its edge. Wow!

I came to this stairway and proceeded down but felt quite nervous doing so!

These were the spectacular views to my left and to my right at the first landing.

The stairs continued downwards along a narrow and precipitous ledge. I was either foolish or brave, or perhaps both, but despite my pounding heart I keep going, slowly and carefully.

The staircase went all the way down this spine of rock and kept descending,

and despite some crumbling steps I kept going, hoping that it would end soon. I thought of the old man at the gate, and wondered how often properly-trained personnel assessed the safety of this stairway and its foundation! I’m not sure if my little stops for quick pictures of the sheer cliffs helped to calm me or make me more nervous.

Finally I reached the very end of the path. Thank goodness! This sign showed me what I had walked out onto (at T2!), and I did not want to sit for even one second on the bench!

Going back was just as frightening as coming down had been, and I started muttering “Please no earthquake, please no earthquake, please no earthquake,” aloud as I climbed.

Needless to say, I did make it back safe and sound, but it took a long while for my heart to settle down and it re-started its pounding when I could see from one of the belvederes the path that I had taken.

And later, when I looked over my photos, there was this view that I had taken from Villa Jovis of the long and jagged spine of limestone that the path is built upon. I likely would not have started down that staircase if I had noticed it from this vantage point!

I visited each belvedere and continued to take photos of the thrilling views, my heart still pounding. On the left, looking straight down, tour boats are offering their passengers a peek into the White Grotto below.

After the excitement of the belvederes, I sat for a while in the nice, level, safe-feeling portion of the park and enjoyed the greenery of the native plants all around me, and then I began my walk to my next destination, the Arco Naturale which was a good thirty minutes away along scenic lanes that passed homes, a few shops, villas and gardens. The tall mature pines and cacti were stunning!

A descent through a shady forested area, and past a dramatically-placed restaurant, led to the viewing platform for the Arco Naturale which was a definite, “Wow!” Unfortunately, none of my photos can even come close to capturing its size and visual impact.

This little fellow though was surprisingly easy to photograph. Perhaps he’s used to the number of people who come here to see the arch, or maybe he was just too happy and sleepy on his warm rock in the sun to bother moving as I inched closer and closer.

By now it was well past noon and, very happy with my morning adventures, I walked back into the centre of Capri town which was, of course, now incredibly busy again with tourists. And, grrr, there was only one window open for bus tickets (!), with a long line, and then an even longer line of people already waiting for the small buses to Anacapri! I asked someone to hold my place in the ticket line and walked over to one of the taxis to ask the rate which was twenty euros, not as high as I had expected. Back at the lineup I asked if anyone wanted to share a taxi ride and three lively Irish women of about my age agreed immediately. They were so fun, and we chatted a mile a minute in the jazzy convertible taxi up to Anacapri along the crazy, windy, death-defying cliffside road. (The following photo is one I took in the morning from Capri town. The white line on the rock bluff to the right is part of the road to Anacapri!)

Back in Anacapri I had an inexpensive picnic lunch on a shaded bench in the town square, and then a rest out of the sun at my BnB until the late afternoon when I took the bus to Faro for a swim. I did not bring my camera or cell phone as I wanted to relax completely and not have to worry about leaving my valuables on the shore, but later I regretted not taking a photo of this wonderful place to swim (though I think that it will probably stay in my memory forever). Facing west, the small swimming bay at Faro has no beach and one enters the water from the rocks either by diving in or, for those like me who need to get in gradually, by way of a metal ladder attached to the rock. Locals and tourists alike sunned themselves on the rocks or swam in the sea – it was a relaxed and happy place and not overly busy. The water was perfect! And the views of the sunlit rocky bay, the lighthouse, the open sea, and the lovely clear blue water were just simply marvellous. It was the perfect way to end my last day on the beautiful island of Capri.

Naples and the Amalfi Coast, Fall 2022 – A trail of forts, a crush in Capri town, and a swim in the sea

October 5, 2022

“Peaceful and solitary, this walk traverses a veritable garden of herbs and unusual Mediterranean plants…”.

The line above, from the guide book, “Walking on the Amalfi Coast” by Gillian Price, basically “had me at hello”. So, on my second day in Capri, I set off early to walk the Sentiero dei Fortini, a 5 km trail along the west side of the island that travels past a series of forts that date to the early 1800s when, during the Napoleonic Wars, the French and the English fought each other and took turns seizing control of the strategically-placed isle of Capri.

From Anacapri, I took a local bus to Faro where the trail begins. Faro means “lighthouse” in Italian, and the trail started at this beautiful lighthouse at Punta Carena, with a view northwards from there in my direction of travel.

The path rose steeply at first in order to rise above and traverse the deeply indented coastline, and then it reached the first fort, the Fortino dei Tombosiello, with great views back to the lighthouse. I had not met or seen anyone else on the trail, so this walk was definitely “peaceful and solitary.”

It was a fresh cool morning, and the trail alternated between travelling in the shade of trees and shrubs and out in the open, often with somewhat alarming views down.

The next fort, Fortino del Pino, was very near by,

and then the trail became really fun! Narrow, rocky, twisty, precarious – it required my full attention, but then so did the views so I had to stop time and time again, quite happily.

Also fun was the series of ceramic plaques attached to the rocks all along the route that provided illustrations and information about the local flora and fauna. The botanist who provided the text for the flora seems to be a very passionate person who describes plants in the most flowery (excuse the pun) and poetic language. Here are just two examples, please read!

The zoologist, on the other hand, seem to be a much more straightforward person that sticks to simple matters of fact rather than romantic and whimsical notions. The fauna plaques described birds, land animals and insects as well as creatures to be found in the sea to my left like various fishes, crustaceans, octopi, and marine mammals (dolphins, fin whales, sperm whales). I will share two plaques – the lizard, because I have seen so many lizards (first in Naples, but especially at Pompei and at the Roman ruins at the Bagni di Regina Giovanni) but I keep forgetting to mention them (they are shy and fast and hard to photograph), and the Kestrel because I saw one on this hike, shortly before reaching this plaque, soaring high above the cliffs.

I did not photograph one of the first plaques that I passed on the trail which named the one species of snake that lives on Capri, but I do remember that, “it can grow up to 2 metres”, and “it is not venomous but is prone to biting”! In the next photo, you can see several of the plaques alongside a series of stone steps that lead up through the rough terrain. A few plaques also described some of the geology of the area and the kinds of fossils that can be found in these limestone rocks. What an educational trail!

The trail continued to be tricky but fun and included some sections where extra care with my footing was needed. At one point, I looked back and saw a couple coming along behind me. At first I felt disappointed to no longer be completely alone on the trail, but then I reasoned that if I were to stumble and fall down the cliff there would be someone to call out to!

This next section consisted of a zigzagging set of stairs on a near-vertical wall, followed by a wooden bridge that traversed a gorge.

Looking back, it didn’t look too scary,

until I had travelled a tiny bit further and had this view back!

As well as the couple behind me, I began to pass several couples that were walking the trail from the opposite direction, and the sea began to be busy with the tour boats that circle the island, but mostly, peace and solitude still reigned.

And, stopping to photograph the flowers and shrubs continued to provide an opportunity to be still for a moment and to appreciate the plants that are adapted to live in this harsh environment of rocky soil, baking sun, wind, salt spray, and little rain.

The next fort, Fortino di Mesola, blended well into the rocks of the cliff,

and later, a detour around another small inlet provided this more verdant view looking inland towards Mount Solaro.

The trail passed these impressive plants that were taller than me,

and then passed alongside a stone fence, past an olive orchard, and then into a small forest of oaks and pines, with lovely cyclamens dotting the forest floor and their poetic descriptive plaque located nearby.

The trail returned to the rocky coast and I soon reached the last fort on this hike, the Fortino di Orrico which was retaken from the British by the French in a battle here in 1808.

Then, all too soon, the trail rose up to this road,

and it was only a few hundred metres more to reach the trail’s end and the bus stop above the Grotta Azurra (The Blue Grotto). There, while I waited for the bus, I was able to watch passengers from the tour boats being loaded into small row boats in order to enter the famous Blue Grotto.

What a wonderful morning and a wonderful walk! I am so glad that I hiked Capri’s Sentiero dei Fortino.

I returned to Anacapri for lunch and a rest out of the sun until the late afternoon when I caught a very crowded bus to Capri town, my first visit there. What a crush! I couldn’t believe how many people were crowded into the town’s main square and on all of the nearby streets which are lined with exclusive shops and expensive restaurants and cafes. Not my scene at all. Yikes! I wove my way through the mass of people as quickly as I could towards my first sightseeing goal, the Giardini di Augusta, a public garden with amazing views. But of course it was very crowded there as well. I waited patiently for my turn to take a few quick snaps, first of the Faraglioni Rocks,

and then straight down to the beautiful blue sea,

and then of this amazing view of the Via Krupp, an impossibly steep, switchbacking path that was built onto the cliffside in the early 1900s by the German industrialist Friedrich Alfred Krupp.

I had intended to explore Capri town a little more but the crush of people was just too much for me so I returned to the bus stop in order to get to my next destination, Marina Piccola where I had planned to take a swim. The ticket line up was long (only one window was open – grrr), and the bus line up was longer (grrr again), but I ended up chatting with a young couple from Chile which helped to pass the time. Finally, it was our turn to cram ourselves onto the small bus, but at least we were on our way, whisked by the fearless driver down the switchbacking road that led to Marina Piccola where there is a small public beach.

Marina Piccola is in shade in the afternoon so the beach was relatively empty and my swim out to and around those rocks, again and again, was divine.

My good humour restored, I walked out onto the small Marina Piccola dock to take this last photo of the day. Yes, it’s the Faraglioni Rocks again, but this time from sea level and lit by the lowering sun. A fine way to end my second day on Capri.

Naples and the Amalfi Coast, Fall 2022 – Finding moments of quiet on busy, beautiful Capri

October 4, 2022

The ferry ride over to Capri was a crowded and confusing affair, as was accessing and riding the public buses once I arrived on the island, with ridiculously long lines for buying the tickets and getting on. I could complain more about the crowding and inefficient systems in place to move people around, but that is not very fun to read about! If any of my readers decide to visit Capri, feel free to get in touch with me first as I will have lots of good advice for you to make the experience less frustrating and more rewarding because this incredibly beautiful island has many wonderful rewards to offer visitors away from the hustle and bustle of the crowds.

My first piece of advice would be to stay over for at least a night or more rather than just coming over for a rushed day trip. There are some budget-friendly options available including my bed and breakfast accommodation at Casa Adriana, a lovely villa that is located in the centre of Anacapri just a few minutes’ walk from the principal pedestrian street. It features a large peaceful garden, and a view of Monte Solaro, Capri’s highest point.

The island of Capri has two main towns. Anacapri is located higher up on the island and is quieter, less crowded, and less ritzy than the town of Capri. Here are just a few photos from my first stroll through the quiet lanes of Anacapri.

After settling in to my accommodation, it was time to ride up to the top of Monte Solaro on the chairlift! The ride takes thirteen minutes, and rises 288 metres along an inclined length of more than a kilometre to the top of Monte Solaro (elevation 589 m). It was a very fun ride with wonderful views down to Anacapri and across the sea to the island of Ischia.

From the top, I got my first views of the famous Faraglioni Rocks, and also a dizzying view straight down a sheer cliff to the brilliant sea below.

I only stayed at the top for a few minutes as it was busy with people and I was greatly looking forward to my the hike down the mountain. Only a few people were ahead of me as I started the descent which began with a series of stone steps amongst a scattering of pines. A little lower, the trail entered a small forest and I noticed pink cyclamens growing wild in the patches of shade. I stopped to photograph them and noticed a narrow trail heading off to the right and so I decided to follow it. The trail led out of the trees and cut directly across the mountainside, and I had fun finding a few wildflowers growing amongst the rocks and low shrubby vegetation as I walked along.

There was absolutely no one around and it was blessedly quiet except for the pleasing sound of cicadas. I walked as far as I could until the trail ended at a sheer cliff with this magnificent pine tree perched precariously on its edge.

The pine graciously offered me a patch of shade and I sat for a good long while with this view before me, crunching on an apple and marvelling that I had this place all to myself.

Here is a zoomed in view of the Faraglioni Rocks below.

And to their left, also zoomed in, is the town of Capri. The cluster of buildings higher up and to the left of centre in the photo is Cetrella which sits halfway up Monte Solaro. Among the handful of buildings is the hermitage of Santa Maria a Cetrella which dates back to the 15th century. Sailors used to climb up to this church to ask for the Madonna’s protection for their voyages at sea. In the background, across the sea, is the Sorrentine peninsula.

Eventually, it was time to walk back along my trail to rejoin the main trail down, and on the way I enjoyed the views of Vesuvius in the distance.

After a short descent on the main trail, I reached the junction to Cetrella which was a mere half kilometre away. The pleasant path there travelled beside a stone wall that was inset with stations of the cross. When I reached Cetrella, there was no one about, but apparently sometimes the church is open.

From Cetrella, there were even closer views of the Faraglioni Rocks. The center Faraglioni has a large arch through its centre and tour boats take visitors through that arch. In the photo below, you can just see the wake of a boat that is about to travel through the arch.

I returned to the main trail and continued on down the mountain, with endless breathtaking views as I went. Along the way, I encountered a small herd of wild goats, and later I met a couple who were climbing up the mountain and they kindly agreed to take my picture.

It was a fabulous walk with stunning views, and a wonderful way to experience the first of several quiet and peaceful places on the beautiful isle of Capri.

Naples and the Amalfi Coast, Fall 2022 – Skipping ahead to Serene Sorrento

October 3, 2022

I hope that I wasn’t too hard on poor old Naples in my last post! As I had mentioned in my first paragraph, the city did start to grow on me, and I hope to write another post about Naples (and my trip to Pompei) when I return to Naples before flying back to London. For now, I’m skipping ahead to my two days in serene and beautiful Sorrento, a resort town about an hour away by train from Naples. Perched above the sea, and backed by green-clad mountains, the setting is as picture-perfect as the town. And it is clean! Very reliant on tourism, this town aims to please, as does my lovely accommodation with its outdoor seating and dining area, and my own little kitchen.

On my first day, I had about two hours to explore Sorrento before going on an organized farm tour in the afternoon so I headed first to Piazza Tasso in the centre of town.

From there, I walked towards the sea to reach the Villa Communale, a small public park with views across the Bay of Naples to Vesuvius. Down to the right is the Marina Piccola where ferries come and go from Naples, Capri, and towns along the Amalfi Coast. Also below there was a series of sunbathing docks where people on holiday pay to lounge on deck chairs, swim in the sea, and sip cold beverages.

Near to the park was a 14th century Franciscan church and its adjacent peaceful cloister. Above the cloister there is a photo exhibit entitled “The Italians” by a local photographer, Raffael Celentano, and one of his wonderful photos is of nuns having fun swinging on the monastery’s terrace. The terrace and swing are accessible with admission to the exhibit but I was satisfied with a photo of the entrance poster.

Also nearby were several grand old buildings, a lemon-yellow church, and a beautiful garden hiding the entrance to one of the town’s upscale hotels.

I ended up wandering happily around the narrow, pedestrian-only streets of the old quarter, that were filled with shops selling clothing, jewellery, handbags, shoes, and every imaginable kind of lemon-based or lemon-themed product such as bottles of limoncello, lemon candies, lemon soaps, lemon-covered ceramics, aprons, and even little girls’ dresses.

Soon it was time for me to meet up with the shuttle bus for my “Azienda Agrituristica la Masseria” tour – a two-hour farm tour followed by a dinner cooked by Mama. The bus ride itself was so much fun along the very narrow and windy Amalfi coast road with its beep-beep-beep-necessary corners. I sat right at the front and on the righthand side, with views of the curves ahead and of the cliff edge right beside me with the sea far below (my mom would have been petrified!).

We arrived at the farmhouse which was built in the 1700s out of local volcanic stone. The current family, and the hosts for our tour and dinner were: Mama, Papa, and their two sons Raffaele and Eugenio. The farmhouse and six acre farm have been in their family for four generations, since 1898.

Eugenio was an excellent tour leader and I learned so much about their organic farm operation. Their principal crop is lemons, but they also grow olives, kiwis, oranges, grapefruit, figs, and chestnuts, and their vegetable garden produces tomatoes (Romas for making tomato sauce, and beefsteak tomatoes for Caprese salads), peppers, zucchini, eggplant, and herbs. The animals on the farm include two goats (who eat the weeds below the lemon trees), chickens, ducks, turkeys, pigs, and two milk cows. The farm is built on terraces with a stream running deep in the valley below that provides irrigation in the hot summer months. A cluster of wild chestnut trees on the lowest terrace provides wood for the posts that support the nets which are necessary to protect the lemon crop from hail storms during the winter.

The view across the valley of villas and other farmhouses and terraced lemon groves was beautiful!

After our very interesting and educational tour, the family hosted a delicious four-course dinner accompanied by their house-made wine. I sat with Stacy, a solo traveller from Wisconsin, and with a couple from New York, and it was a pleasure to have a relaxed dinner and good conversation in such a unique setting. Thank you, La Masseria, for your hospitality and for the excellent and gracious welcome to the Amalfi coast!

On my second day in Sorrento I was very excited to visit the Bagni Della Regina Giovanna which is a large pool that is fed by the sea through a natural rock arch. The pool is named after Queen Joanna of Anjou who reportedly enjoyed bathing here (the Angevins ruled Naples for part of the 13th and 14th centuries), but more than a millennia before that it was incorporated into a Roman villa built by Pollius Felix in the 1st century AD. I travelled to the Capo di Sorrento by local bus and walked down this steep paved lane and then onto an even steeper path that led towards the sea.

This was my first view down to where the villa was built at the tip of the Capo di Sorrento headland. The Amalfi coast was as popular with the ancient Romans as it is with today’s tourists, and many of the wealthiest Romans built large villas here.

This is the view towards Vesuvius from atop the villa site.

Below this level, and surrounding it on three sides, were the remains of walls and several vaulted rooms that one could enter. In some places, the building stones and bricks were still partially covered in plaster that would have been painted with colourful frescoes.

After exploring the ruins, I took several photos down to the Bagni di Regina Giovanni. This is the view from above the rock arch, looking down to the pool and small rocky beach below.

And this is the view from the other side, looking towards the natural rock arch and the sea beyond.

And then I went down and had a swim!

The water was a wonderful temperature and seemed very buoyant. Many tour boats passed by on the other side and it was fun to go up and down with the swells that they created. There was evidence all around of the Roman use of this place and it felt very special to be part of the continuum of the history here.

After my wonderful swim, I returned to my accommodations to make lunch, have a rest, and start this blog post. Then, in the late afternoon, I headed back into town to visit Marina Grande which is a small harbour and old fishing village just to the west of Sorrento. On the way, I made a stop to peer down into the Vallone dei Mulini, the Valley of the Mills, which is a deep gorge that runs through the middle of Sorrento and down to the sea (it is covered over by roads near to Piazza Tasso and comes as quite a surprise when you come up to a railing and look down into it!). In the gorge are the ruins of saw- and flour mills that operated into the 19th century. The stairs visible in the photo on the left were carved into the cliff face over 2000 years ago!

Here is my first view of Marina Grande.

The route down passed by a beautiful tree and bush blooming different shades of pink, and then through an Ancient Greek gate that was once part of the fortifications of the city of Sorrento. To the left of the gate was a tiled image of Saint Anthony who is the patron saint of Sorrento.

Despite its name, Marina Grande is a small harbour and it didn’t take long to walk from one end to the other. Here are a few views from my stroll along the waterfront, and onto the docks, of Marina Grande. (The black and white images were displayed on the outside wall of a restaurant and are from the 1955 movie “Pane, Amore, E …” (the English title was “Scandal in Sorrento”), starring Sophia Loren, that was filmed here.)

Back up in Sorrento, I took one more photo looking down onto Marina Piccola where tomorrow morning I will say goodbye to serene Sorrento and take a ferry to the Isle of Capri. I feel reluctant to leave, perhaps because Sorrento is the legendary place of the sirens that called to Ulysses. But, the sea calls as well, so off I’ll go!

Alla Prossima! (Till next time).