Positano — Travelogue

Sorrento – A Favorite on the Amalfi Coast

Sorrento is a lovely city on the Amalfi Coast and a great place to base yourself for day trips to Pompeii, Capri, Positano or other places along the beautiful Amalfi Coast. The first time I went to Italy I spent three days there and it was perfect. Aside from wandering through Sorrento's streets and enjoying the busy piazzas, there are two reasons I love Sorrento, limoncello and the craft known as intarsia.

Limoncello

Specific to Sorrento and the surrounding area, a refreshing alcoholic drink called limoncello (pronounced lee-mohn-CHEH-loh) is produced here from locally grown Sorrento lemons. Limoncello shops abound in Sorrento and you can also buy bottles of it almost every gift shop, tabacchi and groceria here. Its strong lemony sour taste is refreshing on a hot afternoon.

Limoncello is a liqueur which is best served chilled. It is frequently served as a palate cleanser between meal courses and also as an after dinner alcoholic beverage. I even know some Italofiles who have learned the recipe and now make it at home. Its ingredients consist of lemons, vodka, sugar and water, and of course the right amount of lemon zest. Every restaurant in Sorrento and every Sorrento family has its own recipe for this favorite drink.

I enjoyed tasting the limoncello while I was in Italy and naturally brought some home with me. It is a very popular liqueur throughout Italy, not just the Amalfi coast. On several different occasions Italians offered me some limoncello in their homes at various times of the day. It is so popular in Italy it is almost like stopping in to visit someone in America, and they automatically offer you a Coke.

Intarsia

What I really enjoy in Sorrento is the inlaid wood or intarsia. Skilled artisans have learned this craft from previous generations, and they create beautiful jewelry boxes, music boxes, statues and even furniture.

I was lucky enough to be able to observe first hand some of these artisans at work in their small shops. Each shop is filled with templates made from different types of wood that come from trees in the surrounding area. Olive wood was one of the most popular varieties here.

The music boxes were very reasonable priced and I was able to choose which music I liked to go inside the box mechanism. Naturally one of the favorites is the popular Italian song, "Take me back to Sorrento."

I am always ready to return to Sorrento and the Amalfi coast. Time for some limoncello!

Guest Post By: Margie Miklas

Follow Margie on her blog at margieinitaly.wordpress.com

Positano –Beauty on the Amalfi Coast

Guest Post By: Margie Miklas

Positano has to be one of my favorite places on the Amalfi Coast and I would enjoy returning there over and over again. There really is no other place as unique as this vertically built town in one of the most beautiful places of the world. Positano has the views, the shopping, the food and the beach. What more could I want in Italy?

Positano is a walking town and only small shuttle buses can navigate the streets here as they are so steep and have endless turns. To really explore Positano the experience begins at the top where the buses must drop everyone off and the rest of the way is on foot. The views from above the town looking down onto la spiaggia or the beach are awesome, especially on a sunny day. As a photographer I was in my glory here, shooting every angle possible.

On the walk down and through the town that was featured in the film Under the Tuscan Sun, I notice that the many of the hotels in this resort city are situated on these hills, and I can’t help but think that if you stay here, you had better be prepared for a lot of walking. The views though are totally worth it.

Positano is a shopper’s paradise as there are many small boutique type shops and ceramics, clothing and artwork are the main attractions here. Since Positano is a resort, you can expect the prices to be higher than in Sorrento but I still found a print here that I thought was reasonable and brought it home with me.

Of course the food is incredible and both times I was here I was not disappointed. Lunch at the beachfront restaurant Buco di Bacco was outside as the breeze was blowing and the ocean waves were gently rolling. Other restaurants along the winding road down gave me the opportunity to have a cappuccino and dolci and the cannoli were delicious. Are you hungry yet?

Positano’s beach is named Spiaggia Grande and like most beaches on the Amalfi Coast, it is not sandy but consists of small stones. Nevertheless it is a beach and the views are stunning. Boats are docked here and sometimes locals are painting or fishermen are mending their nets. Positano is a very impressive and relaxing place to enjoy the natural beauty on the Amalfi Coast and is a “must-see” destination.

Guest Post By: Margie Miklas

Sorrento – A Favorite on the Amalfi Coast

Positano –Beauty on the Amalfi Coast

Beachcomber Pete Travel Destination Guides

Become A Fan Of Beachcomber Pete

TopofBlogs