Sorrento 2002

This year Julie wanted to go to Sorrento for our anniversary, so who am I to argue?? Off we went in mid-August, not the best time of year to be in southern Italy - Quite hot!! Also, I think it drives the locals a bit mad, as they like to ride small motorbikes at break-neck speed, without regard to their (or our) safety! Even the young girls rode like complete nutters... Usually with the helmet firmly on their arm or on the back of the bike - no need to mess up the hair!

The place is absolutely beautiful and we stayed at the Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria, a beautiful hotel right off the main square in Sorrento. We stayed in Apartment 361. The hotel has its own balcony overlooking the Bay of Naples and a private elevator down to the waterfront where you catch the ferries to Capri.

When it was time to find a nice restaurant in which to have our anniversary dinner, we were recommended the Caruso and it was spectacular. The wine list was like a phone book and quite daunting, but the waiters were very helpful and the food was fantastic. We were even given complementary glasses of the proprietor's wife's limoncello - Good Stuff!! After dinner, we usually went for a walk and ended up in the square at a little café, where we ordered limoncello and lemon sorbet in a glass - That is a must when in the area. Absolutely wonderful! (Limoncello is a lemon flavoured liqueur. Here is a recipe I have not tried, but it gives you the idea...)

We went on a drive around the coast, from Sorrento through Positano, lunch at Praiano, through Amalfi (where the coastline gets its name), up to Ravello (another stop at Villa Cimbrone - Please click here to see more than my few photos can, beautiful movies of the place), then north, down the mountains to the motorway and back to Sorrento - Quite a day out considering the looney drivers (buses as well!), but the views make it all worthwhile!

We went to Capri for the day and had a walk around the old town, you catch a tram up the side of the mountain. Quite lovely. The amount of stunning boats/ships in the harbour was amazing - I think that the average size was about 30 meters in length - Some even had helicopters on board.

Since we were so close, we also popped over to Mt Vesuvius. It is only dormant (look for the smoke in the photos), it last erupted in 1944 (see here for more information). We walked up the crater's side and had a stunning vista over the bay. We did not go to Pompeii, as it was scorchingly hot and we heard it was very busy. I think we need to go back for a weekend in Spring.

All in all - A great trip, although not too much fun driving and lots of traffic jams!

Apartment/Hotel
	Ivy on the wall of the adjoining apartment shot from our balcony.


Amalfi Coast trip
The first two were taken from a rest stop on the road before Positano.
These were taken between Positano and Praiano.
These were taken from Praiano.	You can just see the wing mirrors of the parked cars. Quite challenging to park here!
The church roof in Praiano.	The view from da Cataldo Restaurant in Praiano - Amazing place, very beautiful, the owner is very friendly, the food is great...
Beautiful Hydrangeas in the car park in Ravello.	The view from a walk in Ravello towards the Villa Cimbrone.
View from Villa Cimbrone.	A statue in Villa Cimbrone.
Isle of Capri trip
Near the Blue Grotto on the Isle of Capri.	Most of the street signs are tiles on Capri.
Mt Vesuvius trip
Inside the crater.	It's not quite dead....