Southern Italy - April

[Bob Whelan]

In celebration of my retirement at the end of June, we are headed back to Italy in early April..... a little more than a week away! This time each of my three children, son-in-law, my son's girl friend and my grandson will join us in southern Italy. We'll start with 5 days in Rome before traveling to Massa Lubrense for a week. We have an Amalfi Coast tour scheduled, a trip to Capri, a day for Pompeii, a possible boat rental tour for an afternoon and plenty of other things planned. Then after everyone leaves to go back to work/school at home, my wife and I will take a place in Positano for 5 more days.

We've rented a 4 bedroom apartment in Rome near Piazza Cavour, a 4 bedroom villa near Sorrento in Sant'Agata sui Due Golfi (Massa Lubrense), and a small apartment in Positano.

Any recommendations of your favorite restaurants would be great. Since there are eight of us, even a few inexpensive places would be nice to try also. And since we will be in the Sorrento area for Easter, any ideas of where to go experience the Easter holiday in Italy?

Since I'm migrating from Slow Travel after years at that forum, I look forward to seeing some familiar names and meeting some people too!

 

[Engred]

I would love to know which apartment you are renting in Pos. We have found our favorite there but are always looking for other suggestions!

One of our top favorite restaurants in Positano is Next2. No view, but a lovely outdoor seating area, wonderful food and a good wine list. It is a ways up the hill so the walk down after the meal is very enjoyable!

Lo Guaracino in Positano is less expensive, in a great location with views of the sea (on the walkway to Fornillo) and has good food/excellent pizza.

I really enjoy Ferdinando on Fornillo for an inexpensive casual lunch.

Tre Sorelle on the beach is great for people watching and has very good food and a nice wine list. Pizza from L'Incanto on the beach is a must for us.

But some of my favorite dinners are when we pick up supplies at the various shops (meat, cheese, veggies, wine) and have a picnic on our terrace.

We had a very good pizza dinner a few years ago in Sant Agata. I can't remember the name of it, but we were staying at Don Alfonso for the night (on our way from Rome ot Pos) and we left the hotel and took a right and meandered down for a while and it was kind of on the edge of town on the right side of the road as it sloped down. Just a short 5 minute walk. It was a large place, with a TV showing soccer and many families getting pizza to go.

If you want to spend a day out of Positano, I can highly recommend a vineyard tour and lunch at Vigne di Raito near Vietri. You can ferry to Salerno and they will arrange to pick you up in Salerno and take you to the vineyard.

 

[Bob Whelan]

Thank you very much for the restaurant ideas Engred! We will definitely try some. We were also planning to pick up some supplies for a nice evening on the terrace. I didn't know about the vineyard tour before but that seems like a great day trip!

Here is the link to the small apartment we have rented. The reviews are nice and the price seems good too!

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/3080276

 

[Engred]

Ah, Holiday House Gilda! I have seen listings for apartments there but I always like to rent in town as I hate having to rely on buses for anything - especially for get into Positano. Since you are in Arienzo, you could also consider taking the steps down to one of the beach establishments for lunch, to save a walk or ride into town.

Our favorites for food supplies are the little grocery on the steps leading up (if you are coming from the beach) up to the Duomo and Eudoteca Cuomo on the pedestrian walkway (on the right if you are coming up from the beach).

 

[Ian Sutton]

I don't know how your knees are (Positano will test them anyway), but would definitely recommend the bus trip up from Positano to Montepertuso, and then the walk down. Taking views from a wonderfully chilled American couple we bumped into, I'd recommend eating at the modest but genuine trattoria in Montepertuso, rather than where we ate at the more celebrated (but IMO pretty average) Donna Rosa a little way along the walk down.

The walk took us very little time - maybe 45 mins, but it's a long way down, albeit with wonderful views. You can certainly take longer over it by taking photos.

For Capri, check out the prices to hire the 'charabang' taxis for the time you are there. Back in 1990, for 6 of us, it was remarkably reasonable, but times may have changed. This option allows you to see more of the island than you would do on foot.

For Pompeii have VERY comfortable footwear, a good wide brimmed hat, and a very cold bottle of water. It's a sprawling place, utterly amazing in it's scale, but on a hot day it can be very tiring / stamina sapping. April is a smart time of year to visit it.

As for festivals, try a search for 'festa+Sorrento' to see if there is anything coming up. I'm sure there will be something.

regards
Ian

 

[Pauline]

We spent two weeks in Positano last May and loved it. Yes, many steps (but the bus helps) and crowded with tourists, but still magical. I wrote a trip report.

We had a very good dinner at Le Tre Sorelle on the beach in Positano.

If you like walking, we did a wonderful easy walk from Montepertuso (that Ian mentions above - take the bus to it), back to Positano at the coast road - not taking the steps (which was fun) but walking at the mid point along the mountains. It is in the Cicerone Guide and I probably have info about it in the trip report (if not and you are interested, I can post more details). It was about 2 hours walking and is an easier alternative to the very popular Path of the Gods.

 

[Mom83]

We spent 5 days in Positano in 2005 - Wednesday through Easter Sunday. There are two unforgettable Easter parades on Thursday and Friday - the White and the Black. We only saw the Black, as the White was in the middle of the night. You will have trouble navigating the streets during the Black.
Then from our apartment terrace high above Positano, we watch the Easter parade on Sunday morning. It was a lovely time to be there.

 

[Bob Whelan]

Thanks for the hint on Vigne di Raito! Looks great and we have booked the lunch tour with Patrizia and Alfonso.

 

[Bob Whelan]

This whole trip has been amazing and yesterday we visited Patrizia and Alfonso at the vineyard. Wonderful people, beautiful views, great wine and a wonderful long lunch. Just the two of us. Petfetto!!! Don't know what else to say. Don't miss this if you come to the Amalfi coast!!!

 

[Engred]

SOOO happy you enjoyed Vigne di Raito! Patricia is so nice (and a great cook) and Alfonso is just a doll! Enjoy the rest of your trip!

 

[Bob Whelan]

It wasn't until after we shopped for some cheese, salume, prosciutto, bread, etc., that I realized this was the same place you suggested. The Gilda House is only 1 km from the road split so we chose to walk during the day if we missed the bus. A bit harder coming back and I wouldn't try it in the evening. Also many restaurants offer free shuttle service so we really had everything at our finger tips here and we are neighbors to the extravagant Villa Treville which is more than $1,000+ per day. A nice location with a great view of Positano... especially in the early evening as the lights begin to come on.

Montepertuso and Nocelle were great. Ristorante Santa Croce was great for lunch and we hiked down for while before we caught the bus back.

Leaving tomorrow. A great five days here exploring the coast.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

 

[Bob Whelan]

Just thought I’d follow up on the great family trip we had to southern Italy in April. Thanks to all who gave advice before we left!

There were eight of us including a 5 year old so finding places to stay in nice areas with 4 bedrooms was the initial hurdle. That being said, each of the places we chose was perfect.

We started with 4 days in Rome (my wife and I had been here before but most of the others had not). We rented this place https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/3360287 just off of Piazza Cavour and while the furnishings were a bit sparse it worked out great. A nice kitchen, a common area and two bathrooms. The owner arranged a very reasonable pick up for us at Fiumicino that went very smoothly. Very convenient location for touring and some rally nice restaurants within a reasonable walk. A great four days including a trip to the zoo with my grandson!

Our next stop was Sant A’gata, just a few miles from Sorrento and close to Massa Lubrense. We used these guys http://www.drivethroughparadise.com/ for transportation from Rome and again for our Amalfi coast tour. We met Tony 5 years ago and knew he and Massimo would treat us great. We highly recommend them for any travel along the Amalfi coast!

We stayed here https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/825464 and it was fabulous. The owner, Laura, could not have been more helpful and friendly. A home made tiramisu greeted us upon arrival! The accommodations were great. Four bedrooms all with a private bathroom. A nicely equipped kitchen. A wonderful terrace that we could see Sorrento from. The village of Sant A’Gata is beautiful. A number of small shops that we were able to purchase salumi, cheese, wine and vegetables, etc. for a few nice evenings on the terrace before going out to dinner. Two nice cafes for espresso, cappuccino and pastries were walkable each morning. From here we easily took the bus to Sorrento for the ferry to Capri as well as another day in Sorrento that allowed some of our party to visit Pompeii while my wife and I took the train to Vico Equense for lunch. We were here for Easter so we were able to see the evening Good Friday procession. Quite the occasion! After a great week here the family left us using “Drive Though Paradise” again to get to the airport.

My wife and I continued on to Positano for an additional five days and we stayed here https://www.vrbo.com/554345 . This is actually in Arienzo but what a view of Positano we had from our private terrace! Gilda, Rosa and the staff were wonderful and provided bus and ferry schedules on arrival and arranged for free shuttle service to dinner. The breakfast provided each morning was great! The grounds were packed with fruit trees, vegetables and flowers and the views were breath taking.....even after five days! It is a beautiful place. The bus stop was just outside the gate (although the walk to Positano was less than 1 km.) From here we visited Nocelle and Montepertuso and enjoyed meeting people hiking in the area. We also took the ferry to Salerno so we could visit Le Vigne di Raito http://www.levignediraito.com/eng/ . What a great afternoon we spent with Patrizia and Alfonso. The multiple course lunch paired with full bottles of three different wines was likely the highlight meal of our time in Italy. Don’t miss this if you are traveling the Amalfi coast!

It was a great trip and to be able to spend it with our entire immediate family was a dream come true.

 

[Engred]

Thanks for reporting back!

 

[Bob Whelan]

I would love to know which apartment you are renting in Pos. We have found our favorite there but are always looking for other suggestions!

One of our top favorite restaurants in Positano is Next2. No view, but a lovely outdoor seating area, wonderful food and a good wine list. It is a ways up the hill so the walk down after the meal is very enjoyable!

Lo Guaracino in Positano is less expensive, in a great location with views of the sea (on the walkway to Fornillo) and has good food/excellent pizza.

I really enjoy Ferdinando on Fornillo for an inexpensive casual lunch.

Tre Sorelle on the beach is great for people watching and has very good food and a nice wine list. Pizza from L'Incanto on the beach is a must for us.

But some of my favorite dinners are when we pick up supplies at the various shops (meat, cheese, veggies, wine) and have a picnic on our terrace.

We had a very good pizza dinner a few years ago in Sant Agata. I can't remember the name of it, but we were staying at Don Alfonso for the night (on our way from Rome ot Pos) and we left the hotel and took a right and meandered down for a while and it was kind of on the edge of town on the right side of the road as it sloped down. Just a short 5 minute walk. It was a large place, with a TV showing soccer and many families getting pizza to go.

If you want to spend a day out of Positano, I can highly recommend a vineyard tour and lunch at Vigne di Raito near Vietri. You can ferry to Salerno and they will arrange to pick you up in Salerno and take you to the vineyard.

I would love to know which apartment you are renting in Pos. We have found our favorite there but are always looking for other suggestions!

One of our top favorite restaurants in Positano is Next2. No view, but a lovely outdoor seating area, wonderful food and a good wine list. It is a ways up the hill so the walk down after the meal is very enjoyable!

Lo Guaracino in Positano is less expensive, in a great location with views of the sea (on the walkway to Fornillo) and has good food/excellent pizza.

I really enjoy Ferdinando on Fornillo for an inexpensive casual lunch.

Tre Sorelle on the beach is great for people watching and has very good food and a nice wine list. Pizza from L'Incanto on the beach is a must for us.

But some of my favorite dinners are when we pick up supplies at the various shops (meat, cheese, veggies, wine) and have a picnic on our terrace.

We had a very good pizza dinner a few years ago in Sant Agata. I can't remember the name of it, but we were staying at Don Alfonso for the night (on our way from Rome ot Pos) and we left the hotel and took a right and meandered down for a while and it was kind of on the edge of town on the right side of the road as it sloped down. Just a short 5 minute walk. It was a large place, with a TV showing soccer and many families getting pizza to go.

If you want to spend a day out of Positano, I can highly recommend a vineyard tour and lunch at Vigne di Raito near Vietri. You can ferry to Salerno and they will arrange to pick you up in Salerno and take you to the vineyard.

 

[Bob Whelan]

Engred, I thought you might be interested in the House Hunters International episode tonight that will feature Alfonso and his friend Stefanie. According to my message from Alfonso, Vigne di Raito will also be shown since one of the home choices is directly above the wine cellar at the vineyard. 10:30PM ET

http://www.hgtv.com/shows/house-hunters-international/episodes/amalfi-coast-reboot

 

[Engred]

I saw that Bob! A friend of mine owns a house near the vineyard so it will be interesting to see the neighborhood. It is on at 10:30 PST also. The DVR is set!