My Adventure on the Alluring Amalfi Coast, Italy

20 July 2003, Amalfi Coast

The breathtaking Almafi Coast

In the summer of 2003, I had the amazing opportunity to visit my good friends living in Naples for a 2 1/2 week Italian adventure of a lifetime. On July 20th my friends, who I will call Jane and John, drove me to the Amalfi Coast for a day of sightseeing.  We drove from Naples to the coast through hair pin turns on steep hills with jaw dropping gorgeous vistas of lush green mountains jutting dramatically from the Mediterranean Sea.  

Herding goats on a busy, narrow road

As we drove on the narrow road up the coast, I was sure several times that our small Volkswagen would not be able to squeeze by the buses that were on the road.  Somehow that cramped road was always able to accommodate both vehicles. At one point I was surprised to see two boys herding goats on that busy road but they were and we drove on by them.  This would not be the first time or the last time that I was surprised by Italian behavior.  As we continued, we drove by one picturesque town right after another all built on the hillsides of the dramatic cliffs.  

I enjoyed stunning views like these on the drive up the Amalfi Coast.

We had planned to stop in Amalfi to walk around, have lunch and go to the beach but there was not a parking spot to be found.  The town was amazingly crowded with people, cars and scooters squeezed into every possible nook and cranny.  The beaches were umbrella to umbrella with barely a square inch of sand to be seen. We gave up on Amalfi and drove on to the next town.  We got the same story there and drove on again.

The extremely crowded beach in Amalfi

Finally we found parking in Vietri, almost an hour's drive from Amalfi. We had lunch at a nice ristorante overlooking the sea.  I had the Penne Pomadora which was delicious as usual.  The food in Italy did not disappoint and indeed was just as good, if not better, than I had imagined. Although, the food was tasty, I am sure that I enjoyed the view that came with lunch more than the food.  It was simply stunning!    

This is the beautiful view we enjoyed with lunch.

After lunch we went shopping for souvenirs.  Vietri is famous for it's beautiful and colorful ceramic dinnerware.  I opted not to buy dinnerware, however, and instead bought a lovely ceramic clock with a colorful Amalfi Coast scene painted on it.  Summer in Italy is hot and humid and after shopping, I was ready to cool off with a swim in the Mediterranean Sea.

Vietri had lots of shops with beautiful Italian souvenirs

We walked about a half of a mile down a steep hill and found a small crowded beach to camp out on for the afternoon. We found a square of uninhabited beach, paid .50 Euro to use the bathroom to change in, and went for a swim.  The water was cool and it felt so good to get out of the heat.  I was disappointed to see that the shoreline was sprinkled with litter but once I swam out a little, the water became fairly clear. Despite the litter, it was a refreshing and exhilarating first swim in the deep blue Mediterranean Sea.  

This is the beach we landed at in Vietri.

Our drive home was crowded and I was surprised by the aggressiveness of the Italian drivers and even more surprised to see a gentleman relieving himself on the side of the highway outside of Naples.  I realized just how sheltered my life had been and just how different other cultures are from ours.   

A gorgeous house built on the cliffs of the Amalfi Coast.

I had a great day exploring the breathtaking Amalfi Coast and soaking in the beauty was food for my soul.  I was impressed by the gorgeous green mountains, the alluring blue sea, and the charming towns but I was disappointed by the immense crowds. I will return to this fabulous coast but I now know not to go during summer when seemingly every other European is trying to share the same crowded space!

I am enjoying a delicious Cappuccino in Vietri.

I hope that you have enjoyed reading my entry from this Traveling Travel Agent's travels.  I am a travel agent because I love to travel and I love helping other people discover our big beautiful world! If you want to learn more about my travel agency and the services we provide, visit us at www.PurplePalmVacations.com. Happy Travels!