dream of

“This is the South, exuberant, colorful, sybaritic, Eastern, Byzantine, Greek.” —Waverly Root

INSIDE:

Positano Hotels 4

Broaden Your Visit—Naples and Pompeii 6

Guide to the Villages of the Amalfi Coast 9

Shopping, Cooking & Hiking 10

Local Favorites 12

ITALYVolume 5, Issue 8 www.dreamofitaly.com October 2006

is a bit overfished now, the daily catchof fishermen includes a wide variety offish and shellfish. And of course the

climate remains appealing,though it can be very hot insummer and it’s cold andrainy in the winter — in fact,almost all the hotels andrestaurants on the AmalfiCoast close from mid- to late-November to mid- to late-March.

The Amalfi Coastproper includes, from westto east, Positano, Praiano,Furore, Conca dei Marini,Amalfi, Atrani, Ravello,Minori, Maiori, Cetara andVietri sul Mare. Sorrento and theSorrentine peninsula are not strictly apart of the coast, and charming as

Positano

Amalfi

continued on page 7 continued on page 2

a Costiera Amalfitana, perhapsmore than any other part of

Italy, quintessentially definesthe Italian expression dolce farniente, carefree idleness, or lit-erally, sweet doing nothing.Well before the Amalfi Drive— Strada Statale 163 — wascompleted, in 1852, the coastand the land around Vesuviuswas especially admired by the Romans, who named itCampania Felix, happy or fortunate countryside. Anabundance of vegetables and fruit (including grapevines planted bythe Greeks, who arrived before theRomans) thrived in the volcanic soil,and still do; some of the best produceyou’ll ever eat in your life grows righthere. The sea (technically theTyrrhenian) also brought forth anabundance of creatures, and though it

SMELL LEMONS. FIND BLISS.The Amalfi Coast AwaitsL

he Amalfi Coast has a dispro-portionate number of spectacu-

lar places to stay, and a number ofthem are not only among the finestplaces in Italy, but the world. I urgevisitors to stay at least one night inone of these distinctive inns becausemost of them were originally privatehomes on land that is so rare andvaluable today it’s almost impossibleto put a price tag on it (in fact, thelaw is that one may not build on anew piece of land, only restore oradd to what’s on an existing proper-ty). Therefore, these hotels are part ofthe history of the Amalfi Coast, andare an experience. They are also, byany measure, expensive, but evenone night is worth every euro.

Hotel Caruso (Ravello) The newly reopened 5-star Caruso iswithout doubt the Amalfi Coast’shotel jewel. Acquired by the Orient-Express Hotels group in 1999, thehotel and grounds underwent a $30million restoration, reopening with52 guest rooms (including 26 suitesand junior suites, most with seaviews), two restaurants, and an out-door heated infinity pool. The Carusowas originally a palazzo dating fromthe 11th century for the D’Afflittofamily from Rome, who settled inRavello after their ship, bound forConstantinople, was wrecked off thecoast. Over the centuries the originalpalazzo was destroyed, rebuilt andneglected, but its 17th century

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Hotels on the Amalfi Coast continued from page 1

colonnade and afew other archi-tectural detailssurvive.

As the hotel’s history and four-yearrestoration is well documented on theCaruso’s Web site, I won’t duplicatethe details here. But by the early 1900s,when it became the Hotel CarusoBelvedere, it was a favorite haunt ofmany British and American luminaries.More impressive than the guest list isthe Caruso’s stunning location, 1,200feet above sea level — the hotel is actu-ally the highest point in Ravello —with breathtaking views and an air ofutter tranquility.

Renowned designer Federico Forquetcreated the hotel’s new interior, forwhich textiles were specially created,cotto tiles chosen for the flooring, androoms painted in rose, sky blue, andNaples yellow. And what rooms theyare: each guest room is unique, and afew feature roughhewn stone wallsand vaulted arches, left as they werefound; instead of painting over them,the stones remain, reminding you thatyou’re staying in an ancient place yetwith all modern luxuries at hand.

Though the guest rooms deserve arave, to me the best part of the hotelare its many public spaces and corners,which never seem to be crowded, giving guests an extended sense of pri-vacy. Other favorite features are thepitcher of fresh-squeezed lemon juicewith mint next to the reception deskfor guests to enjoy at any time; the gar-

dens, meant for strolling; and the infin-ity pool, which is da morire, to die for.And an al fresco meal at the Belvedereterrace is unmatched: the menu fea-tures a range of seafood (delivereddaily), pasta, buffalo tenderloin steak,

and an outstanding selectionof local mozzarella and toma-toes. Service at the Caruso isflawless. Its 5-star ratingforces one to ponder the fivestars awarded other hotels. If

you stay here, you may never leave thegrounds to see Ravello or the rest ofthe coast. Which would be a shame.But you’d be forgiven.

Piazza San Giovanni del Toro, 2Ravello(39) 089 858801 www.hotelcaruso.com Rates: 446 to 2,350€ per room, pernight, including half-board (breakfast and one other meal). Complimentary shuttle busservice to/from Amalfi and Positano, andcomplimentary boat trips from Amalfi port.Gift shop with one-of-a-kind items.Valet parking garage.

Casa Angelina (Praiano)As the only contemporary hotel on theAmalfi Coast, the 5-star Casa Angelinais a breath of fresh air. The hotel wasoriginally built in 1975, but underwenta complete transformation, reopeningin June 2005 as an ultra modern, hipresort (its logo is also one of the bestI’ve ever seen). To borrow from thehotel’s motto, “sea, sun, and skybecome one” at Casa Angelina, andthis is no exaggeration. Every room,whether public or private, framesviews of the Gulf of Salerno. And asthe overall look is white-on-white,guests are enveloped by the sky aboveand the sea below. Simplicity and aminimalist interior design reign,emphasizing the sense of calm thatpervades every corner of the hotel.

Casa Angelina is more vertical thanhorizontal, built into the side of a cliffin Praiano, whose original name was,fittingly, Pelagianum (open sea). The sit-ting rooms are furnished with PhilippeStarck lamps, white slipcovered sofasand chairs, contemporary Moroccantables, and whimsical sculptures madeof Murano glass as well as modernpaintings. The hip lobby level has atwinkling-lights ceiling and access tothe teakwood outdoor terrace, wherethe pool is found. The restaurant, UnPiano nel Cielo, is on the top floor withseating outside and in, and featuresMediterranean dishes enriched by

Amalfi Coast flavors.

The 40 guest rooms are pareddown but all have plasma screen

TVs, interactive digital systems, lotsof space to hang garments, and a verymod bathroom scale. In fact, every-thing at Casa Angelina is so mod that Ibegan to believe that anyone over theage of 50 would feel lost here. Most ofthe hotel’s guests are young — I sawonly four people who appeared to beover 50 — and though I am fairly tech-nologically savvy, it took me a goodfive minutes to figure out how to getthe water to come out of the shower-head. Additionally, the elevator (glass,with a view out over the sea) to thebeach drops guests off more thanhalfwaydownthe cliff,butthere are

still 200 steps toclimb down (andback up). As themain entrance tothe hotel is at thebottom of thebuilding, there is

Casa Angelina

Hotel Caruso

D.H. Lawrence wrote Lady Chatterly’s

“I urge visitors to stay at least oneprivate homes on land

3dream ofITALY

Kathleen A. McCabePublisher and Editor-In-Chief

Copy Editor: Stephen J. McCabeEditorial Assistants: Cailin Birch

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Dream of Italy, the subscription newsletter coveringItalian travel and culture, is published 10 times a year.Delivery by mail is $79 per year in the United Statesand $95 abroad. An Internet subscription (download-able PDF) costs $69 per year. Subscriptions includeonline access to back issues and regular e-mail updates.

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continued on page 4

a serpentine driveway to navigate fromthe main road; and from the hotel’soutdoor terrace you can climb a stonestaircase for a shortcut to Praiano. All of this is to say that Casa Angelinais better suited to those who are physically fit.

The staff at Casa Angelina are remark-ably friendly, energetic, and accommo-dating, and no request seems to flusterthem. No doubt because they work inone of the world’s most original cliffside retreats, and appear genuinelyenthusiastic about it.

Via G. Capriglione, 147Praiano(39) 089 8131333www.casangelina.comRates: 200 to 720€ per room, per night.Parking on-site. Excursions, babysitting, andcar, limousine, boat, yacht and scooter rentalsarranged. New infinity and spa pools in 2007.

Hotel Luna Convento (Amalfi)The delightful 4-star Luna Conventooccupies a prime promontory at theeastern extremity of town. It’s literallybuilt right on the curve of SS 163, mak-ing parking a bit problematic, but it’sstill convenient to everything onewould want to see and do in Amalfi.Originally a monastery founded by St.Francis of Assisi in 1222, the hotel grewup around the beautiful cloister.Monk’s cells became beautiful tile-floored rooms (40 of them, plus 8suites), and all the rooms overlook thesea. The Convento’s illustrious guestlist is long, and includes IngridBergman, Wagner and Ibsen. There is abeautiful, private chapel available forweddings, and indeed, when I stayedthere a wedding was in progress, pre-venting me from having dinner in oneof the pretty, panoramic restaurants. Idined instead in the hotel’s TorreSaraceno, directly across the street,

which might offer the coast’s verybest view.

Owned by the Barbaro family since1822, the Convento also has a seawaterpool in a fantastic location: down theflight of stairs next to the Torre, so youare rightabove thesea. Andwithin theTorre itself isa specialsuite with, ofcourse, thevery best views of all. Light-filled LunaConvento is a swell place to stay.Guests won’t long forget the magnifi-cent sea views.

Via Pantaleone Comite, 33Amalfi(39) 089 871002 www.lunahotel.it Rates: 210 to 600€ per room, per night.Excursions and transportation arranged.

Palazzo Murat (Positano) In Escape to the Amalfi Coast, authorRobert I. C. Fisher noted that “ifPositano can be likened to a naturalamphitheater, the best seat in the houseis probably the Hotel Palazzo Murat(HPM),” which is absolutely true. Tostay at the 4-star Palazzo Murat is tostay in the true heart of Positano as it isjust steps off Via dei Mulini. This beau-tiful building, in the style of theVanvitelli (leading exponents of theNeapolitan baroque) was the summerhome of Joachim Murat, Napoleon’sbrother-in-law. The story of Murat’slife isn’t much mentioned in guide-books, but H.V. Morton, in A Travellerin Southern Italy, recounts it in full (youmay recall that Murat was — falsely —accused of incitement to civil war andconspiring against King Ferdinand IV,and was sentenced to be shot; he died,

by firing squad, at the age of 48 inthe Calabrian town of Pizzo).

There is no hint of Murat’s fatefulend within the hotel, which is owned

by Leni and Mario Attanasio. Part of thehotel is Murat’s original home and parthas been tastefully added. The mostwonderful characteristics of HPM arethat you feel you’re in an oasis — it’sremarkable that you don’t hear anyoutside noise even though there is con-stant foot traffic on Via dei Mulini —and the garden, which bursts withpalms and flowering plants. Carsaren’t permitted on this street (theycan’t fit) so porters on motorized cartsbring guests’ luggage to and fro.Though the hotel’s really exceptionalrooms — numbers 5, 24 and 32 — haveviews of S. Maria Assunta and the sur-

Hotel Luna Convento

Lover while staying in Ravello.

night in one of these distinctive inns because most of them were originally d that is so rare and valuable today it’s almost impossible to put a price tag on it.”

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Hotels on the Amalfi Coast continued from page 3

rounding village, therooms at garden level areno less special — in fact,due to the terrace plants,one has the sense of thegarden being quite vast.

The pretty, tile-floored rooms haveevery modern convenience, and thebreakfast buffet, served on the patio, isimpressive. The patio is also the settingfor frequent chamber music concerts,and Al Palazzo, the restaurant, is alsooutdoors and serves pan-Mediterranean dishes. HPM couldn’tbe more convenient, midway betweenbeach and shops, and is one of Italy’sspecial places.

Via dei Mulini, 23(39) 089 875177 www.palazzomurat.itRates: 120 to 425€ perroom, per night, including breakfast.Excursions, transportation, babysitting, etc.arranged. Family gozzo available for guests.

Albergo Punta Regina (Positano)Punta Regina opened in 2000, havingpreviously been a modest pensione. Theremodeling resulted in 18 guest rooms,including two suites, on four levels.The overall feel of the albergo is warmand inviting, with terra cotta floors,pastel colored walls, marble and tilebathrooms and antique furnishings.Most of the guest rooms are quite spa-cious (those that are smaller have bal-conies nearly as large as the room), andall face the street side — rooms onhigher floors have an uninterruptedview of the sea. Some rooms have ter-races and balconies, while others havean outdoor Jacuzzi.

One of the best features of 4-star PuntaRegina is its location on Via Pasitea: it’snot in the heart of Positano but stillwithin walking distance of absolutely

everything, and it’salso just a fewdoors down fromthe good and livelyMediterraneo restau-rant. But even with

the double-paned glass window in myroom I could hear every vehicle andevery conversation of people walkingby. My room was on the lowest floor,so it’s possible that street noise was nota problem in rooms above mine.Regardless, I have a few other minorquibbles: when I turned on the bath-room light at about 1:00 a.m., a band ofsmall cockroaches scurried away. Notthe most comforting sight, but we allknow the critters are everywhere; still,I didn’t see any others anywhereelse. Lastly, the Punta ReginaWeb site and brochure describethe guest rooms as “lavish,” andI think this is misleading. Therooms are very nicely appointed,and pretty, and not lacking inamenities, but lavish impliesmuch more.

Because I did otherwise really enjoythe hotel — the reception desk staffwere exceptionally kind and helpful,and the breakfast buffet and the out-door terrace are wonderful — I’m will-ing to overlook these faults. I do won-der, however, if the Punta Regina is a3-star hotel in disguise.

Via Pasitea, 224Positano(39) 089 812020 www.puntaregina.comRates: 175 to 390€ per room, per night,including breakfast. Excursions and transportation arranged.

Le Sirenuse (Positano) The legend of Odysseus and the Sirensis just impossible not to love: sailorspassing by the Campanian coast felt an

irresistible urge to jump into the waterto get close to the Sirens’ call —described as eigher, a high-pitched toneor a beautiful song — and then theywould die. Le Sirenuse means theSirens, which of course brings to minda vision of an irresistible place, whichmeans the 5-star Le Sirenuse inPositano. Readers of Condé NastTraveler rated it Best Hotel in the World in 2003. They also rated it BestEuropean Hotel. I wanted to move in.

The hotel was a family home, after all.After World War II, four Neapolitansiblings in the Sersale family reunited atthe family’s 18th-century summerhome in Positano. They made a deci-

sion that would affectfuture generations ofthe Sersale family andset a standard in luxuryboutique hotels: thefamily home became ahotel in 1951, with eightrooms and a terraceoverlooking…the

Islands of the Sirens. Le Sirenuse nowhas 63 rooms and two suites, but hasn’tlost the family home atmosphere.

Guest rooms are homey and beautiful,no two alike, and some with the mostbeautiful tile flooring made in Vietri —there is one particular pattern I can’tstop thinking about, and wish I couldget just one tile so that I could put itunder glass and frame it. The publicspaces are cozy and filled with unusualantiques, mostly collected by FrancoSersale (each guestroom includes abook detailing the history of eachpiece). Of particular interest are theframed family passports lining a stair-case wall — these are among the mostuncommon pieces in the hotel, and notlike any “passport” you’ve ever seen.

It seems one of the decorating goals isto create a feeling that there is no dis-tinction between outdoors and in –

“The Amalfi Drive — many people would state without hesitation

Palazzo Murat

Punta Regina

5

every roomis veryopen to theoutdoors,

literally, andplants aretrained toclimb upwalls andceilings to eventually tumble out ontooutdoor terraces. Several floors downfrom the main level is the spa and fit-ness center, designed by Gae Aulenti,who created a modern atmosphere ofluminous white glass and teak timberflooring. The spa has won numerousinternational awards, and includes aFinnish sauna, a bio-sauna, Turkishbath and a gym.

Not every room has a terrace or bal-cony, but as the hotel is built into theside of the cliff, the sea is everywhere.The restaurant La Sponda, the cham-pagne and oyster bar, and the pool allface the sea, and all of Positano isspread out around you. Le Sirenuse isnot remote, which may not appeal tosome, though I can vouch that whenyou are outside on one of the terraces,there are no distractions.

Today the hotel is run by Franco’s son,Antonio, and his wife, Carla, overseesthe fantastic Emporio Le Sirenuse bou-tique, across the street. She helps con-vey that Le Sirenuse is really a lifestyleas much as a hotel. Steinbeck wrote ofPositano that it “becomes beckoninglyreal after you have gone.” For me, it isLe Sirenuse that is Positano, and it hasbecome achingly real now that I havegone.

Via Cristoforo Colombo, 30Positano(39) 089 875066 www.sirenuse.it

Rates: 270 to 3,400€ per room, per night.Complimentary excursions on the hotel’sgozzo; champagne at sunset on the RivaAquarama; 500+ DVDs free of charge forviewing in guest rooms.

Hotel Villa Cimbrone, Ravello The Caruso, Palazzo Sasso, the Rufoloand the Hotel Palumbo all shareRavello with Villa Cimbrone. But onlythe 5-star Cimbrone has the incompa-rable terrazza dell’infinito (infinity ter-race), which former resident GoreVidal called “the most beautifulpanorama in the world.” Brochuresand books about the Amalfi Coastnever fail to feature a photo of this stat-ue-lined terrace on a promontoryseemingly hanging over the sea; only achurl would deny the view doesn’ttake your breath away. Poet GabrieleD’Annunzio described it as the onlyplace in the world where you can be“kissed by eternity.” Best of all forvisitors, the terrace — and thesurrounding park — is open toall (5€ fee).

As unique as the gardens is thehotel itself: dating back to the 11th cen-tury, when it was called Cimbronium,the Villa was the private home of sev-eral aristocratic families before beingacquired by Ernest William Beckett,later Lord Grimthorpe, in 1904 (hedesigned the clockworks of Big Ben).The Villa became a destination forcelebrities and others whosought privacy, includingGreta Garbo and LeopoldStokowsky. AfterGrimthorpe’s death, the Villafell into a decline, but in the1950s it was acquired by thelocal family Vuilleumier, whoown it still. Now a refined, 19-roomhotel, the Villa Cimbrone is almost adestination itself. When I visited, awedding party had reserved the entire

hotel. I was envious of the big fun thisgroup was having — in truth, I’m notsure these folks could have hung outas casually and convivially at the swishCaruso — though visitors to the gar-dens could easily observe their festivi-ties (the Caruso is a better place fortrue privacy).

Rooms at the Cimbrone, which areidentified by number and the name ofone of the park’s flowers, nicely com-bine antique furniture, frescoed walls,stone fireplaces, and majolica tiles,with satellite TV, high speed Internetaccess, and whirlpool baths. Its restau-rant, The Flute of Pan, features freshingredients from the Villa’s own gar-dens and excels at Campanian recipes.The restaurant is situated on two lev-els, with vaulted rooms and a terraceoverlooking the sea. The curving pool’slocation, too, affords sweeping vistas.

As with many worthwhile destina-tions, the Cimbrone takes an effort to

reach: it’s a 15-20 minute walk fromRavello’s piazza — cars cannot getany closer than the parking lotbelow the piazza. The route to the

Villa is mostly flat, and there areramps alongside steps you encounter,but for anyone who has difficultywalking, this may not be the idealplace to stay. (About halfway to theVilla is another inn, the Hotel VillaMaria, which is a four-star alternativeas it’s still very private, you don’t haveto walk as far, and rates are 150 to 235€

per night; vil-lamaria.it

that it is the most beautiful drive in Italy.” — Samuel Chamberlain

La Sirenuse

Villa Cimbrone

on’t come to this area ofItaly without taking the

opportunity to explore thevast archaeological treasures here. Youcan visit Pompeii (and possiblyHerculaneum) on one day, and then fol-low it up on a different day with a visitto the National ArchaeologicalMuseum in Naples, one of the world’smost important archaeological muse-ums. It holds the world’s largest collec-tion of classical antiques, and is filledwith pieces excavated from Pompeiiand southern Italy.

To get to Napoli from the Amalfi Coast,take a Metro del Mare (Subway of theSea) boat. This sea route was created torelieve some of the traffic on SS 163,and what a brilliant idea it is. The onlytwo towns on the coast it serves areAmalfi and Positano; but it’s a great wayto get between these two towns and theonly way to go to and from Naples: ifyou time it right, you can catch theboat that makes the trip in 50 minutes(by bus and train it’s two hours, by car,over an hour). Boats are quite nice, too,with plush seats and a bar (of course),

all for 9€ each way. (39-199-600700;www.metrodelmare.com).

The boat arrives at Naples’ Beverelloport which is at the Castel Nuovo. Onyour way to the museum,walk up Via Toledo andstop at one of the Gay-Odin chocolate shops (atnumbers 214 and 427) topick up some beautifullywrapped chocolate bars orNeapolitan-scene giftboxes. Turn right on to ViaBenedetto Croce to Piazza Gesù Nuovo tosee the not-to-be-missed majolica-tiledcloister of Santa Chiara. Return to ViaToledo (which becomes Via Roma) tothe Museo Nazionale Archeologico(Piazza Museo, 19; 39-081-440-166;open Wednesday to Monday, 9:00 a.m.to 8:00 p.m.; 6.50€). Your trip will beenriched immeasurably.

It’s easy to visit Pompeii, Herculaneum,Oplontis, Boscoreale, Stabiae or Paestum,or all six, (you can hire a driver, or takethe Circumvesuviana train, www.vesu-viana.it) and even if you’re not into

ruins, you’ll be amazed at how fasci-nated you may become if you visitwith a good guide. Official guides arenot only knowledgeable but can getyou into restricted areas that aren’t

open to regular visitors.Through the UfficioScavi of Pompeii andHerculaneum (39-081-8575347; www.pompei-isites.org) you can booka tour in advance (note,too, that there arenighttime tours at

Pompeii, as well as two new attrac-tions — Terme Suburbane and Casa delMenandro — that require reservationsthrough www.arethusa.net); but inde-pendent guides are typically more pas-sionate and have passed more rigoroustraining (the first requirement is tospeak two other languages besidesItalian).

A superb guide is Bartolo Giusto who,with over 10 years of experience, excelsat illuminating Campania’s sites (ahalf-day tour of Pompeii is 120€) andhe also arranges boat trips, visits toNaples, and other unique excursions).He can be reached at (39) 335 6280867or by fax at (39) 081 8083523 and atwww.tour-italy.net (though the sitedoesn’t convey how truly remarkableand fun Bartolo’s tours are!) Travelersinterested in seeing the Greek ruins atPaestum should note that they are attheir most impressive late in theday/early evening, and before settingoff for Pompeii, a great book to look atis Pompeii: Monuments Past and Present,with acetate pages you lift up to seethe city in 79 A.D. versus now.

For more information on visiting Naples,see DOI’s October 2005 issue.

6

Visit www.campaniartecard.it for information on

Naples and the Archaeological SitesBROADEN YOUR VISIT:

D

See Naples and Eat Pizza!Cantalupo Tours to Italy is offering a great trip to Naples and the Amalfi Coast in 2007.

(Two sets of dates: May 21 to May 30 or September 24 to October 3.) Highlights of The

Pizza Tour of Italy include watching a pizza-making demonstration at a famous pizzeria,

observing mozzarella being made at a traditional water buffalo dairy, and savoring a tasting

menu at the Feudi di San Gregorio estate.The trips

are led by Charles and Michele Scicolone, authors

of Pizza,Any Way You Slice It (Charles is also wine

director at New York’s award-winning I Trulli

restaurant and Michele has authored a number of

books on Italian cuisine).The land-only price of

the tour is $3,895 per person, based on double

occupancy. For more information, call (646) 837-

0782 or visit www.cantalupotours.com 1 € = $1.25 at press time

Pompeii

Sorrento is, it doesn’t require as mucheffort to get there, and is therefore farmore crowded with tourists than theAmalfi Coast and farless unique. BothSorrento and the AmalfiCoast are, however, part of the region ofCampania, itself dividedinto the provinces ofNaples, Caserta,Benevento, Avellino and Salerno. (TheAmalfi Coast is within the province ofNaples.)

Many visitors are surprised tolearn that Campania is the mostdensely populated region in Italy. Itis also dominated by the city ofNaples, second city of Europe afterParis in the 16th century and amandatory stop on the Grand Tourin the 19th, earning it the moniker“See Naples and die.”Cuisine, too,takes its lead from Naples, asArthur Schwartz notes in Naples atTable: “…since Naples has been thepace-setter of southern Italy for somany centuries, one can prudentlysay that all of Campania cooks lacucina napoletana.” [Note: Thoughthis issue of DOI is devoted to theAmalfi Coast, readers who plan tovisit Pompeii or Herculaneum willfind that a visit to the NationalArchaeological Museum in Naplesis extremely worthwhile.]

Many Amalfi Coast restaurantmenus feature some classicNeapolitan dishes (fortunatelymuch better than most renditionsserved in American restaurants),but also feature dishes with ingre-dients wholly unique to the coastthat are never or rarely found inthe U. S., including sfusato lemons(larger, pointier and sweeter thanany American variety); colaturad’alici (juices from salted anchoviescured in a wooden barrel; sounds

odd but is quite savory); wildly deli-cious tomatoes; mozzarella (notablyfrom Battipaglia and Aversa); pasta

(notably from the village ofGragnano, which pro-duces 26 shapes ofpasta); and limoncello,lemon liqueur. Dishestend to be simple, but areprepared with qualityingredients; while few

meals may knock your socks off,none are likely to be bad. The only

Michelin stars in these parts are inRavello (Rossellinis in Palazzo Sasso,

two stars) and in Sant’Agata suidue Golfi, towards Sorrento

(Don Alfonso 1890, two stars).Key grape varieties include

Falanghina, Fiano, Greco and Codedi Volpe (whites) and Aglianico

and Piedirosso (reds). Taurasiand Marisa Cuomo are reliableproducers.

The best way to really experience thecoast is to visit Amalfi, Positanoand Ravello and one or more of thesmaller coastal villages; include avisit to one of the tiny hamletseven higher up, such asMontepertuso and Nocelle (a localbus can take you there, but it’smore rewarding to hike); and takea boat trip, as you can’t appreciatethis coast without seeing it fromthe water. This combination willreveal the countless things to seeand do on the Amalfi Coast, andthat it is far more than dolce farniente.

No doubt you will read that theAmalfi Coast has been ruined,spoiled, overdeveloped. But thetruth is that there isn’t any moreland to develop than when theroad was built more than 150 yearsago. The Lattari mountain rangestill divides the coast from the restof Campania. There are moretourists, and the tourist buses aretoo large for the road (the mayor ofPositano is reportedly the only onewho opposes them as the buseshave nowhere to park in Positanoso tourists can’t spend any moneythere). But none of this can spoilwhat is one of the most naturallybeautiful, intoxicating corners ofthe earth. Go. Be inspired. Eatmozzarella. Smell lemons. Findbliss.

7

Smell Lemons. Find Bliss. continued from page 1

Between Salt Water and Holy Water:A History of Southern Italy

by Tommaso Astarita

The Food and Wine Guide to Naples and Campania

by Carla Capalbo

Naples at Table: Cooking in Campaniaby Arthur Schwartz

Pompeii: A Novel by Robert Harris(see review in DOI’s Dec. 2003/Jan. 2004 issue)

Made in Italy by Laura Morelli (a shopper’s guide to Italy’s

artisanal traditions, including listings for Amalfi, Naples and Vietri)

BEST GUIDEBOOKS:

Cadogan’s Bay of Naples & SouthernItaly, Frommer’s Naples and the Amalfi

Coast, Knopf Guides’ Naples andPompeii, Blue Guides’ Southern Italy

Salerno Memo is a monthly periodical with listings for what’s happening on the Amalfi Coast

from Positano to Salerno. Look for the paper edition at newsstands, or browse

www.salernomemo.com

WEB SITES:

Only a few sites are worthwhile:www.amalficoastweb.com

and www.ravellotime.it

Essential Reading

an integrated ticket for local museums and sites.

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Positano:Superlatives about Positano abound:“There are no words which doPositanojustice…Positano is thecompendium of all thecharacteristics of theAmalfi Coast, so oftenconsidered ‘divine,’where every momentand every panorama ispure pleasure.” (AssuntaCuozzo) And from John Steinbeck:“Nearly always when you find a placeas beautiful as Positano, your impulseis to conceal it. You think, ‘If I tell, itwill be crowded with tourists and theywill ruin it, turn it into a honky-tonkand then the local people will gettouristy and there’s your lovely placegone to hell.’ There isn’t the slightestchance of this in Positano.” (Harper’sBazaar, 1953) Steinbeck went on to saythat there is only room in Positano forabout 500 visitors and no more. He’dprobably be shocked at how creativethe Positanese have become at accom-modating more than 500 visitors, butnonetheless, Positano is an intoxicatingplace. Its name may come fromPoseidon, Greek god of the sea, orPasitea, one of the nymphs beloved byNeptune. Or a freed slave namedPosides, a favorite of Emperor Claudiusand perhaps the owner of a Positanovilla destroyed by Vesuvius, or fromrefugees from Paestum who wereescaping a Saracen invasion (Paestanuswas “person from Paestum”).Whatever. The most magnificent viewof it is from the water, where you cansee how it resembles a presepio, themini Neapolitan model of the nativity— the buildings are packed togetheraround Santa Maria Assunta in thesame way all the characters of thenativity fan out around the baby Jesus.

A great trip that highlights this view isthe 15-minute ride on a gozzo (woodenmotorized boat) to the beach of Laurito,which can only be reached by boat.Walk down to the port and look for the

gozzo bearing a red flagimprinted with Da Adolfo,the name of the restaurantwhere you can order a sim-ple, delicious meal (try themozzarella grilled withlemon leaves). Call (39) 089875022 in advance to reservea day bed (14€) on the

beach. Boat departs every half hourfrom 10:30 onwards. Two unique fea-tures of Positano are the scalinatelle(stone staircases with hundreds ofsteps) and Via dei Mulini, which windsdown to the port — it’s very reminis-cent of an Arab souk, and part of it iscovered by a thick trellis of floweringvines. You can stroll for hours and stopperiodically for a gelato, fresh lemonjuice, a meal, or shopping (remember,this walk, like most on the coast, is allon a hill). Positano is definitely themost chic village on thecoast. It even has metalboxes mounted on thestone walls for dogpoop.

Amalfi:The flag of the Italiannavy features the red, white, and greenof the national tricolor as well as thesymbols of the four famous port citiesof Venice, Genoa, Pisa and Amalfi. Itmay be hard to believe today that pret-ty, touristy Amalfi was once a powerfulmedieval maritime republic, but it was,and its achievements were remarkable.The Marine Republic of Amalfi’s reignlasted from the 9th century to 1137; itbecame an outpost of the ByzantineEmpire and was the most importantcenter for exchanges between southern

Italy and Constantinople. During thistime its shipyards were capable ofbuilding galleys for 120 oarsmen,assisting crusaders in reaching theHoly Land. Its most famous citizen,Flavio Gioia, was credited with invent-ing (or reinventing, as it’s likely thePhoenicians knew it first) the magneticcompass. Mediterranean maritime traf-fic was regulated by the AmalfitanTables, which are preserved in Amalfi’scity hall and which remained validuntil 1570. Every June there is a racebetween the four ancient maritimerepublics — the Regata Storica dellaRepubbliche Marinare — and visitorsmay see the boat that races for Amalfiin the underground arsenal/art gallerybetween Piazza Duomo and PiazzaFlavio Gioia. Trade with the Levantexpressed itself in Amalfi’s architec-ture, notably in its duomo and thechiostro del paradiso (cloister of para-dise), wholly unlike any other on thecoast, and its narrow, maze-like streets.Paper making, too, put Amalfi on themap, and one of the most interesting

things to do here is to visitthe Museo della Carta (viaDelle Cartiere, 24;www.museodellacarta.it).Though the Egyptiansinvented the art of makingpaper, the process was mas-tered in Amalfi, whichbecame a regional center for

the craft. The industry eventuallydwindled, and in 1959, Nicola Milano,whose family had been in the businessfor generations, acquired the papermill and created a museum. Guidedtours (available in English) are offeredthroughout the day, usually dependentupon how many people walk in, andvisitors can see wooden mallets thatpounded the materials into pulp, ahydraulic wheel, and the Hollander,dating from 1745, that would squeezeas much water as possible from the

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A Guide to the Villages

In the 13th century, Ravello had a population

sheets of pulp. At the end of the tourthe guide produces a blank sheet actu-ally made in the mill. The shop stockssheets and notecards of the famous,white Amalfitan paper (and it’s cheap-er than elsewhere in town). Amalfi is atonce a tourist town and a regulartown, more so than Positano, and thisis its greatest attribute.

Ravello:Idyllic Ravello dates from the 6th centu-ry, and about the time of the year 1,000,it was populated by a group of noblesfrom Amalfi who had rebelled againstthe authority of the dukes of Amalfi.They picked a good spot to enlargeupon as Ravello’s height is easilydefendable. It is also the characteristicthat makes Ravello truly unique on theAmalfi Coast — you are so high upthat you feel truly removed, not onlyfrom the hustle and bustle of the coastbut from…the world, actually. Boccacciodescribed the Amalfi Coast as “…themost delightful place in Italy…acoast…covered with little towns…gar-dens and fountains..amongst whichthere is one called Ravello,” and a pro-tagonist in the Decameron, LandolfoRufolo, is Ravellian. Even the vista fromits fermata (bus stop) has to be the mostbeautiful place in the world to wait fora bus (though note that from this spotyou still have to climb up to reach thevillage center). Ravello’s piazza is themost delightful in the area, and thebest for watching the evening passegia-ta. It’s not as loud and animated asother tourist squares on the coast,though there are plenty of places toeat, drink, and shop — the stores sell-ing baskets woven from chestnut stripsare my favorite (note to self: I will finda way to get one on the plane nexttime). The Romanesque cathedral ofSan Pantaleon is beautiful — step insideto see the mosaic-laden pulpit – and its

bronze doors, by Barisano da Trani, fea-ture 54 panels depicting the Passion ofChrist. Richard Wagner’s arrival in1880 marked the beginning ofRavello’s popularity in modern times.Opera fans know that itwas the Villa Rufolothat inspired the gar-den of Klingsor(Wagner reportedlywrote in the Villa’sguest book, on May26th, “The enchanted garden ofKlingsor has been found.”) Ravello’sillustrious guest list has included, overthe years, Arturo Toscanini, LeonardBernstein, Joan Miró, Escher, Ruskin,Turner, Gide, Graham Greene,Tennessee Williams, John Kennedy andFrancois Mitterand. The Ravello ConcertSociety — also known as The AmalfiCoast Chamber Orchestra Festival — isnow the village’s most renowned fea-ture. The 2007 dates are March 3through June 28 (39-089-858149;www.ravelloarts.org).

Other villages:What’s noteworthy about the smallervillages of Praiano, Atrani, Furore, Conca

dei Marini, Maori, Minori,Cetara and Vietri sul Mare isthat they are simply the anti-dote to the larger villages theytouch. They’re never crowded,they’re (mostly) free of limon-cello shops, they’re like a

breath of fresh air, and they’re quiet.Vietri has its ceramics, so it’s a bitbusier than its neighbors, but even inthe middle of summer it’s never ascrowded as it is in Amalfi. Each villagehas its particular site or quality —Atrani is known for the sunset seenfrom the piazza in front of San Salvatorede Bireto, Minori has great, free beach-es, Maiori (bombed during World WarII, so much of the town is modern) alsohas nice beaches and a 15th centurychurch — but the real reason to visit isfor what they’re not.

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of the Amalfi Coast

of 36,000; today there are 2,500 residents.

Pompeii

Sorrento Positano

Nocelle

Montepertuso

PraianoFurore

Amalfi

Atrani

Conca deiMarini

Naples

The Amalfi Coast

Capri

Minori

Maiori Cetara

Vietri sul Mare

Ravello

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News, Tips, DealsA s in most other parts of Italy, parting

with your money isn’t very difficult onthe Amalfi Coast.There’s something foreveryone’s taste, but here are a few distinc-tive shops:

*Sapori di Positano (Via dei Mulini, 6) forlemon-related gifts, such as soaps, tablelinens, ceramics, salad servers and lotions.

*Artigianato Rallo (Viale Pasitea, 96,Positano) for the largest selection of hand-made sandals. Positano is known for its cus-tom-made sandal shops, and this one willmake a pair (prices start at 30€) for you in30 minutes.

*La Botteguccia (Via T. Genoino, 13, Positano)is another custom sandal shop with a smallbut smart selection.

*La Libreria in Positano (Via CristoforoColombo, 165), the best bookstore on thecoast, with novels, cookbooks, guidebooksand an unmatched selection of art, archaeol-ogy and history books on Naples andCampania.Also features gifts and paintings byPositanese artists.

* Emporio Le Sirenuse (directly across thestreet from the hotel) is a fabulous boutique —everything from the clothing to the tablelinens is unique, including the hotel’s signa-ture scent, Eau d’Italie, which happily is nowalso available in the U.S. at Aedes de Venustas(212-206-8674; www.aedes.com)

*Pasticceria Andrea Panza (Piazza Duomo40, Amalfi), dating from 1830, is a beautifulbar/pastry shop with many items perfect forsouvenirs.

*Solimene (Via Madonna degli Angeli, 7,Vietrisul Mare; www.solimene.com), makes the list,not only because the selection is vast but forthe building itself, designed by architect Paolo

Soleri.You won’tmiss it: it’s awild, daringstructure withpieces ofceramicspressed into

the cement There are many items under 10€

each, and lots of large items for the out-doors.The only catch here is that if you’relooking for large sets of plates, for example,you may not find a dozen all alike, but if youdon’t mind mixing and matching, you’ll get agreat value and can have the items shipped(cost is about 60€ per kilogram).

*Positan Flower (Via Pasitea, 51, Positano),offers ceramics in exclusive and fancifuldesigns, handmade and hand-painted.Artisan/owner Peppe ships worldwide.

*Emporio della Ceramica (Via CristoforoColombo, 11, Positano;www.emporioceramica.com), has two floorspacked with appealing designs. Celeste andLorenzo will helpyou select entireplace settings orrandom patterns.What’s not in stockis made to orderand shipped later.Emporio’s selectionis the best I’veseen, and its ceramic sets of wine coastersand corks are great gifts.

Shopping for Souvenirs (Riccordi)

1 € = $1.25 at press time

Lemon Lifestyle (39-333-9121961;marco.predieri@flashnet.it) in Positano

offers in-depth cooking classes and

culinary/historical excursions on the Amalfi

Coast and the Sorrentine peninsula. Host

Marco Predieri is amazingly passionate about

his home and his enthusiasm is infectious.

Guests stay in his family home, Casa

Giovannina, and he tailors each trip to his

clients’ desires (these have ranged from visit-

ing lemon and olive groves, tasting mozzarella

at its source, and early morning trips with

fishermen for sardines). Marco doesn’t miss a

detail — you’ll never look at a building or a

landscape the same way again after you see

them with Marco. A seven-day program is

priced at $2,900 per person; Marco also

offers shorter packages.

Take�a�HikeThere are a number of memorable hikingroutes on the Amalfi Coast, and all rewardwalkers with astoundingly beautiful views.Don’t even think about setting off without acopy of Landscapes of Sorrento and the AmalfiCoast by Julian Tippet.Alternatively, ask atyour hotel for a local guide.Three of themost noteworthy hikes are the Sentiero degliDei, Pathway of the Gods, fourto five hours; the Valle delleFerriere walk, about five hours;and the Atrani to Ravello hike, aloop of about three to fourhours.

Cooking onthe Coast

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The first official stop on the Amalfi

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and Events GGetting Around

B efore deciding where to stay, it’s best tofirst decide how you will get around

the coast. Renting a car here is difficultbecause there is little to no parking andwhen it exists can cost as much as 70€ a day.Taxi service is good, but can also be expen-sive — a 10-minute ride from Praiano toAmalfi, for example, can cost 50€ (many taxisoriginate in Positano, so you pay for theentire trip).The SITA bus line serves all thetowns on the coast but not all buses stop inevery village, which canbe inconvenient at best,especially with luggage.The train, of course,does not run on thecoast, and can only bemet at Salerno, wherethere are many trains toNaples and elsewhere.The Metro del Mareboat service is also an option; see details onpage six of this issue.

Hiring a car with a driver turns out to bevery economical in comparison, and youwork out the details and the price inadvance (this is particularly good for excur-sions). Generally, rates for a Naples airporttransfer is about 90€, and excursions areabout 35€ per hour; but again, prices varyand may be negotiable.Two drivers I highlyrecommend are Nello Russo (39-338-643-1229; www.drivesorrento.com) and Ottavio(39-089-811379; www.positanotaxiservice.com). Nello, who is one of the kindesthuman beings I’ve ever met, worked forDiane Lane when she was in Italy filmingUnder the Tuscan Sun. He loves to meetAmericans and no itinerary is too complicat-ed for him (he even helped me bargain forsome plates at Solimene inVietri). Ottavio isthe ultimate can-do man — if he could betwo places at once he would — and likeNello, he knows an awful lot aboutCampania.Visitors are in good hands witheither fellow.

A meal at one ofthe grand hotelrestaurants isrecommended.The food isquite good at allof them (a fewwow dishes I had were the sea basscarpaccio at Palazzo Murat; lobster saladwith citrus fruits and mixed greens at CasaAngelina; vermicelli with lemon, anchovy,and parsley at Le Sirenuse; and a perfectpeach dessert at Hotel Caruso) and thesettings insure that the meal will be mem-orable. But in addition, some great placesto seek out include:

La Strada for pizza and saladsVia G. Capriglione, 178Praiano(39) 089 913081

‘A Paranza for(mostly) seafooddishes in a barrel-vaulted room recommended bySlow FoodVia TraversaDragone, 1/2Atrani(39) 089 871840

La Zagara for delicious sweetsVia dei Mulini, 6Positano(39) 089 875964

Eurofly�Makes�Getting�There�EasierEurofly is positively the onlyairline to fly for visiting theAmalfi Coast: it’s the only oneto fly direct to Naples fromthe U. S., making the journeyso much easier than flying intoand out of Rome.The Milan-based airline is Italy’s leadingcarrier in the leisure flightsmarket, and was also the offi-cial airline for the WorldCup-winning Italian soccerteam. Eurofly owns a modern

fleet of 11 Airbus aircrafts,each with an average age ofonly four years. My Euroflyexperience was great frombeginning to end. I was suffer-ing from some backproblems, and thepersonnel couldn’thave been morehelpful — onerepresentative even left herpost and wheeled my bagsover to the conveyor belt.

On board the attendantswere extremely accommo-dating. In the high season,Eurofly offers three flights aweek from New York/JFK to

Naples, and theroundtrip fare is

$659. In addition toNaples, Eurofly flies seasonal-ly to Rome, Palermo andBologna. For more informa-tion, call (800) 459-0581 orvisit www.euroflyUSA.com

Where to Catch a Bite

EXPERIENCE Amalfi LifeAmalfi Life is offering Traditional Food,Wine & Culture, a 6-night tour to this region, will run in

April, May and October 2007, and include a cooking lesson at the famous Trattoria Da Gemma

and wine tasting at Villa Cimbrone. The price of $3,530 per person includes many more activities,

accommodations and nearly all meals. For more information, call (718) 797-9300 or visit

www.amalfilife.com

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Drive is the quiet village of Nerano.

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e asked a few residents andhabituées of the Amalfi Coast

about what they especially love aboutthis special coastline. Their recommen-dations (and great tips!) were so valuable that we didn’t want to cut asingle one, so we’ve included a smallselection here and have featured therest on the Dream of Italy Blog atwww.dreamofitaly.com

Leni Attanasio, owner, with her husband, Palazzo Murat, Positano:

• a boat trip, to anywhere — we arelucky here on the coast becausewe’re protected by the mountainsand we’re far enough from Naples to avoid urban problems. But we’reright on the water, and you reallymust look at the coast from the water to understand it.

• lunch at a small, unpretentious placeand a lazy afternoon.

• the small streets of Amalfi.

• in Positano, Marilu forshoes; CeramicaAssunta (see below)and Emporio dellaCeramica for local ceramics;and Brunella boutique for clothing.

Faith Willinger, food writer, host ofMarket-to-Table cooking classes, andauthor of Eating in Italy and theupcoming Adventures of an ItalianFood Lover: With Recipes from 213 ofMy Very Best Friends:

• the organic lemons from Solagri, acooperative of hundreds of organicfarmers.

• Le Sirenuse, my favorite hotel in Italy.

• Salvatore and his superlative foodshop in Seiano-Vico Equense, LaTradizione, which is a showcase for all the culinary specialties ofCampania. [Seiano isn’t technicallyon the Amalfi Coast, but is not a fardrive, and La Tradizione is definitely

worthy of the journey. The store isliterally on the road to Naples, at Via R. Bosco, 969; 39-081-8029791;www.latradizione.com]

Giulia Sersale, supervisor, plants andflowers, Le Sirenuse, Positano:

• Il Capitano, close to La Libreria, is runby an antiquarian who sells originalobjects that you’re unlikely to findanywhere else.

• Le Myricae is another art shop I love,just down the road from Le Sirenuse.

• Ceramica Assunta for ceramics (Via Cristoforo Colombo, 97;www.ceramicassunta.it)

• Lucia Lucibello and her sisters forboat rental, (39) 089 875032. They areexceptionally nice and helpful.

• special dishes, such as Linguine allaPuttanesca, Vermicelli di Gragnano allimone della costiera con colatura di alicie foglie di prezzemolo (Vermicelli fromGragnano with lemon of the AmalfiCoast, anchovy sauce and parsley),fresh fish baked in a salt crust, and la torta caprese, chocolate and almondcake with vanilla ice cream.

• La Gavitella restaurant in Praiano (39-089-8131319; www.ristorantelagavitella.it) Ask for Francesca orSalvatore and have the delicious freshfish. The beach at La Gavitella can bevery hot during the day but it trulyhas the most beautiful sunset withviews of I Faraglioni in the distance.Definitely deserves a visit and anaperitif.

Carla Capalbo, author, The Food andWine Guide to Naples and Campania:

• The dry-stone wall, terraced veg-etable garden at Hotel Il San Pietro diPositano: it is breathtaking, built

steeply up within the natural gorgethat the great hotel sits above. Itretains the feel of a peasant garden,and is a fitting extension of this family-run hotel that feels like home(albeit a very grand one).

• La Macchia Mediterranea: the collec-tion of wild flowers, grasses, andherbs that forms the indigenousscrub (like France’s maquis) thatgives the area its delicious scents ofwild fennel, rosemary, and thyme asyou walk through it. These are plantsthat have had to develop life-savingstrategies to fend off the intense heatand lack of rain in summer — likesilver, light-reflecting leaves, orumbrella shapes to give shade to theplant’s roots.

• The tiny dining tables of RistoranteAcquapazza (Corso Garibaldi, 38; 39-089-261606; www.acquapazza.it)under the portico on thebay at Cetara, fromwhich you canwatch the men inthe bar across thestreet playing cards,the small fishing boatsand bathers on the beach,and the continuous procession ofbrides and grooms, in full bridalattire, coming down to the port to bephotographed for the incredibly com-plex commemorative bridal booksthe Campanians invest a small for-tune in as a record of their marriages.

Guest Editor: Barrie KerperVery special thanks to intrepid travel writer and editor Barrie Kerper, who was the guest editor of this issue. She wrote all of thearticles. Kerper, author of TheCollected Traveler series,lived for a few years in theCalifornia Bay Area, whereeveryone told her the Big Surcoastline was “more beautifulthan the Amalfi Coast.” Shefound that indeed, Big Sur was beautiful, but in noway does it surpass la Costiera Amalfitana.

WA Few of Their Favorite Things

“…in the end nature reigns supreme along the Amalfi Coast…” —Assunta Cuozzo