Travelling by boat from Naples to Amalfi, Jenny Southan finds relaxation comes easily in this part of the world.
As the boat speeds out of the Bay of Naples, it’s a relief to feel the heady summer air in my face, and in 40 minutes the sparkling marina and high cliffs of the island of Capri come into view.
After seeing to business in the once-glorious city of Naples, with its grimy face and broken pavements, it would be a shame not to reward oneself with a sojourn on the Amalfi Coast and its surrounds. Upon disembarkation, we are welcomed by a bronzed Paulo from the Tiberio Palace hotel (preferredboutique.com/tiberio), and as our suitcases are wheeled away, we take the scenic route up the funicular railway. By lunchtime we are unpacked and sipping ice-cold Campari sodas on our balcony.
Capri is thronged with tourists during the summer, be they crowding the hilltop streets in their sunhats as they meander in and out of designer boutiques, or clinking glasses over seafood salads on the outdoor terraces, but it’s also easy to find picturesque havens of peace. On the south side of the island, I descend snaking pathways overflowing with magenta oleander to the Marina Piccola, where I find a lounger facing the water and spend the afternoon reading a book.
The turquoise Tyrrhenian Sea is best enjoyed by boat as there is not much in the way of beaches, and from the Marina Grande, where the ferries dock, small vessels can be rented for a few hours. The next day, we buy a picnic of fresh ciabatta bread stuffed with tomatoes, mozzarella and basil, and take our time doing a lap of the island, stopping for swims en route.
In the evening we dine at the Punta Tragara hotel (manfredihotels.it), perched high on a rock offering panoramic views of a purple sunset and diamond-like cruise ships that glint in the dying light on the sea below. The open-air veranda of Monzu restaurant has tables set with flickering candles and thick white cloths. The catch of the day is presented with pride – lobster, giant prawns and grouper – and a sommelier talks us through the wine, suggesting pairings for the stewed clams with zucchini flowers and the spaghetti with fresh anchovies, capers and tomatoes. By the time the moon is up, the I Borboni “Vite Maritata” Asprino di Aversa is taking its effect.
After a restful sleep, we head back to Sorrento on the mainland, from which it’s easy to take an excursion to Mount Vesuvius and Pompeii. The first time I trekked up the shaley side of the volcano was on a school trip when I was 16, and this time I find it hasn’t changed a bit – the views from the top are just as spectacular, the crater just as ominous and the 30-minute hike just as strenuous in the late morning heat.
We spend the afternoon exploring the 2,000-year-old UNESCO Heritage site of Pompeii, a short drive away, and I am amazed at how much of the ancient city still stands – from the roads intersected with stepping stones, which allowed people to cross without getting their feet wet, to the villas complete with colourful frescos.
A winding 45-minute drive along the coast brings us back to Sorrento, where visitors and locals alike are beginning their evenings with an aperitivo on the square. To escape the bustle, we dine in Donna Sofia restaurant, set in gardens of lemon trees with bats flitting overhead.
The next morning we board a ferry for Amalfi, and the precariously steep cliffsides of its coast – ridged with expensive houses painted pink and pearl and sherbert – soon come into view. After the boat chugs into the harbour, we make our way to the five-star Hotel Santa Caterina di Amalfi (lhw.com), which has the look and feel of a Mediterranean villa, with wrought-iron balconies and whitewashed walls.
With nothing to do until dusk, when we plan to find a pizzeria in the old town for our last meal, we take the glass-fronted lift down to the hotel’s exclusive Beach Club terrace. A glass of freshly squeezed orange juice is brought to me as I lie in the sun looking out to sea, and the thought of work seems very far away.
Visit enit.it, sorrentotourism.com
