We have been to the Amalfi Coast twice. I have actually been 3 times, the first time I spent a week on Capri for my friends 30th birthday, but Lisa Dylan and I have been together 2 times. The first was almost immediately upon our arrival in Italy. We had friends visiting for 2 weeks and the temperatures were so hot, we knew we needed to escape to the sea. We rented a house (Arbnb) with an amazing view of Capri in Sorrento. The second was with my brother 2 years later. Also an Airbnb in Sorrento. Almost the same itinerary, although we spent some more time shopping and on beaches.
Our first day we went on a tour that is a collaboration between three families. One family owns a lemon farm and makes the most amazing limoncello. We got a step-by-step lesson in the process and even to sample the finished product.
Another family taught us all about making cheese. I never knew that mozzarella is not considered real mozzarella unless it is made from buffalo!! Did you know that?! Anyway, we watched a great demonstration of making mozzarella and ricotta. We sampled, literally 30 minute old, cheese and it was incredible.
The last family was the owners of the pizzeria. There we would make our own pizza and eat it served with wine from the next-door neighbors. They make it without sulfates. At the pizzeria we stretched our dough and loaded them up with toppings. The pizzas went in the pizza oven for 3 mins at 700-degree F. They turned out great and delicious. Such a fun and interesting day!!
Exploring Beyond Sorrento
I have to say the highlight of both trips was our boat day to Capri. We had a little motorboat with our captain, Guissepe, take us all around Capri. He would stop and let us take a swim when we got warm. The water was amazing, refreshing and clear. We swam through grottos and found tiny private beaches. We even switched boats and took a tour of the blue grotto. It was incredible. For lunch, we docked the boat in the sea and a smaller rowboat collected us and took us to a restaurant only accessible by boat. We ate local seafood and sipped prosecco. It was heavenly. We left Cash at the rental house but everyone else had an amazing time. If you can afford the splurge I can’t recommend it enough….
We also ventured to Pompeii, the ancient city frozen in time by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79. Walking through the remarkably well-preserved ruins gave us a glimpse into daily life in ancient Rome.
The Amalfi coast is a bit of a splurge destination, but so beautiful!
