What a contrast to wake up and enjoy the sound of the sea from the hills of Umbria. Both places are beautiful, but completely different. Our hotel in Positano was perfect. Terrific views of the beach and sea coupled with a panoramic of the hilltown of Positano – WOW! Plus our hotel was right next to the boat ferries to Capri, Amalfi and Sorrento.
We slept in as long as we could or at least until our curiosity of this magical place overtook our desire to just chill in bed and prolong the view of the sea. Finally, we craved coffee and breakfast and we were up and moving.
The hotel breakfast was fantastic and also made the best of the endless view. Slowly, most of my travelers appeared and we all chatted and discussed our strategies for the day. As usual, everyone looks to me for what was on the agenda. At this point of the trip it seems everyone wants to explore on their own but it always starts with the safety of asking me what the group is up to. I responded with, ”How about I charter a boat to Capri and we can all make our way over there for a few hours this afternoon and catch the sunset ride back and enjoy the full moon over the sea?” Of course everyone responded with that sounds great but how about we leave earlier or we want to go to Amalfi, or we want to just stay and enjoy the pool or beach. Well as always at this point of the trip everyone scatters and pursues their own adventures, which is great! This was my first time here too so I was ready to explore!
Following breakfast, I made my way back up to the room to catch up on emails when all of a sudden I bumped into a familiar face in the hall, a traveler from my 2010 trip, John Lennon. No not a ghost from the Beatles, but John Lennon from Paradise Valley. He was down in Positano for the weekend as he and his wife had been staying in London where their son was now playing on a professional soccer team. Earlier in the trip I ran into two of my clients enjoying Italy on their own, having coffee in a piazza in Florence. It’s all about the energy!
So with the whole day ahead of us, we joined Doray and Phyllis, and another couple from our group, the Giltners, and took the ferry to Capri. What a beautiful ride and what great views of Positano and the road into Positano from a whole different perspective.
The approach to Capri was spectacular, with Naples and Sorrento off in the distance across the Naples Bay, and then the majestic mountains and picturesque seaside town of Capri. Fishing boats, shops, cafes and plenty of people. We grabbed tickets for the tram that took us from the village by the sea up the mountain to the village on top. As soon as you departed the tram the view stopped you in your tracks. WOW.
Of course it was lunch time by now and what else do you do in Italy but find a great place to eat and catch the view. It was actually about 2pm so the lunch crowd had died down and using YELP I found a wonderful spot, The Panorama Restaruant, that required somewhat of a demanding hike but definitely well worth the effort as it turned out! By the time we finished we were the only 4 people there and what a view. The view lived up to the restaurant’s name! A little pizza appetizer, and then seafood. Delicious.
A little shopping and Isabel purchased a blue poncho from a wonderful shopkeeper and her daughter and it was time to ride the tram back down. Fortunately, our ticket was only for a ride up and so we took an open air taxi down – totally the way to do this both going up and going down. Much better views and not standing and sharing the tram with 50 of your closest tourists!
We had a little time until our ferry ride home so we stopped at a café and grabbed a drink and a gelato and enjoyed the vibe and energy of Capri. While waiting I received a text from our fellow travelers, Jennifer and Matt Gage, who had chartered a private boat and wanted to know if we were still in Capri and wanted to return with them. Given just seeing the difference between the open air taxi and the tram somehow this sounded better than the ferry! Ya think??? Oh my God, talk about a great way to conclude our day in Capri! The sea air, the ups and downs of the waves, and the sound of happy travelers.
We arrived back in Positano and found a wonderful spot to enjoy dinner and the fireworks over the village. Just another fabulous day in Italy.
