Enchanted With Positano

Positano, Italy.  Hands down, one of the most enchanting places I have ever been.

As I'm watching the Food Network Cooking Shows recently 

('cause I just love to cook, and here's where I learn "stuff");

And I see that Giada now has a "Giada in Italy" series.  If fact, she's cookin' in Positano!  I'm instantly intrigued.  I'm drawn back to our visit there by all the places I recognize on screen.  I'm thinking a cooking series here makes sense for her, with her Italian heritage. 

Then Mr. C is reading the articles that say that, hmmmm, looks like hubby got the house in Cali and some big alimony during their recent (and evidently very public) divorce.  That would be the house where her show "Giada At Home" was filmed......

So now this new series makes a little more sense.  With her & hubby split up, she goes home to family in Italy. 

Which is the Bay of Naples / The Amalfi  Coast

I'm just lovin' watchin this.  Positano is tiny.  Itty bitty.  So as I'm watching her show, doing a dinner party here or a wine tasting in the tower (right there, this one!) there; I realize that, I've been both here and there in Positano.

It's one of the most charming places I have ever been, for several reasons.

No less because of the adventure of arriving here.

It's the Amalfi coast ~ and the norm is to stay somewhere more populated, like Sorrento ~ and then do day trips from there.

But our travel expert (thank you, Linda!), suggested that, for those with a "sense of adventure"  (oh my gosh, that has to be us!);  one could take the train from X,  to connect to the commuter train to X; then the bus to Positano.

So of course we said a hearty yes!!!

We took the train from Florence to Naples, where we stopped off for a bit of lunch.  Love all these little cafe's along the streets. 

Does this (simple) food not look delicious???  (It was!)

Gosh, this makes me hungry......

From there we hopped the commuter train from Naples to Sorrento. Which, by the way, was completely jammed with local commuters, with standing room only, which left us clinging for dear life to our (rolling) luggage the entire time........

But when those train doors opened......I will never forget this moment.....I completely stopped traffic.   Because the fragrance of the lemon blossoms, wafting on the wind.......was.  Show-stopping. 

I halted, mid-exit, to exclaim, "Oh my God!  Can you smell that???  And then, since I was blocking the door,  the entire train was obligated to do just that.....

It's lemon chello heaven.   It might just be heaven, period.

From there, we dismounted to go find the bus to Positano ~ 

And, once aboard, after several stops, we realized that we did not know where to dismount!  'Cause they all speak Italian here in Italy.....

Finally, we decide we are about "Out of Dodge"; and we should just get off the bus and take it from there....and THIS is what I love about travel!

So we did.

We hopped off the bus at the top of the big hill heading out of town and, schlepping our bags, started our journey "down the hill" to Positano.

All part of the experience.  All part of the experience I will never forget.

Cause here's the thing.   There are not cars, nor taxi's, nor luggage carriers, allowed in the town center.  (This is more common than you might think, prior to traveling in Europe.)

So you schlep 
your bags.  

Yes, you do.

Off the bus @ the top of hill.

Down the hill.

Down some more streets.

(And I might point out here, this is how you best learn to travel light.....)












Eventually, down some steps, 
Mr. C (wisely) suggests that I go ahead, to see if, indeed, our hotel is down this lane, like we think. 

 'Cause otherwise, we are schlepping them back UP the steps, unneccisarlily.

So I forge ahead, luggage free;  and I locate and lock into our hotel. I feel like James Bond right now, I won't lie.

And it's amazing.




These little Italian towns which do not accommodate vehicles (I know that freaks you out, right?!?} are completely wonderful. They hold to tradition;  they suggest that you engage; they are wonderful. Completely wonderful.  You walk.  You interact.  You ask.  You connect.  It's wonderful.

Now, mind you, we are paying top dollar to stay here ~ a place that we need to schlep our own bags to.  And THAT'S the real beauty of Itlay's Amalfi Coast.

It's a city built on a hill (not so uncommon on Italy's Amalfi coast).  Because they couldn't build "out", they built "up".   It creates this amazing vertical city (town, village, whatever);  Whatever.  But the result is, it's entirely scenic; it's entirely charming;  and it's entirely photogenic.

We eventually find our hotel; 

we find our room;  

and there are few places I've stayed world-wide that compare to this. 

The drapes...

open up to the sheers...

that open up to the shutters... 

That open up to the French doors...

that open up to the patio...

that open up to.......heaven. 
















It's the ocean, it's the Mediterranean, it's the Bay of Naples, it's pristine, tranquil beauty and .......

I instantly love this place!!!

Stay tune, there is much of this story to come!