The Amalfi Coast

The Amalfi Coast is a large area spanning the Campania coastline. On the weekend of April 14^th I took a long journey to Sorrento when I spent a few days exploring the Amalfi Coast. We stayed in Sorrento but traveled to neighboring areas like Positano, Capri, Amalfi, and Anacapri. We took a boat ride around the coasts, which was really amazing to see how large the area is. The towns all look relatively similar with their rocky beaches and colorful chairs greeting everyone who arrives. The stores are overflowing with Limoncello paraphernalia and granita stands. Around the coast of Capri we passed the love rocks, which are the inspiration for a lot of Dolce and Gabannas products. There were mansions on the mountains that overlook the rocks and the grottos. When we got off the boats we had to hike from one level of the town to the middle level. It took around 15 minutes to navigate through the winding streets that eventually led to a large terrace that overlooked where we had gotten off of the boat. After looking in shops and wandering around we decided we wanted to venture to the peak of the town called Anacapri. The only way to access this part of the town is by chairlift. Just like a ski lift each person pays to ride up the slope for around 15 minutes. When we finally got to the top and looked over the ledge I was really shocked. The view looked like a scene from Jurassic Park or Avatar. Pictures do not do the view of the coastline a justice. The view from the top of Anacapri is hands down the most beautiful sight I have ever seen. It is amazing what our world has created. Before we headed home we stopped in the City of Pompei, which was destroyed by the volcano Vesuvius. The ruins were not discovered until 1709 when they were finally uncovered by an archeologist. The city used to be home to 20,000 people and was often used as a place of vacation for those who could afford it. The volcano erupted so spontaneously that people did not have enough time to escape from the town. While walking through you can see the ash hardened bodies that remain. The city is very large and looks like the beginnings of a city like Florence. I couldn’t help but wonder what it would look like today had Vesuvius never erupted. If I had more time to spend on the Amalfi Coast I would have liked to see more towns on the coastline. Next time I go back I am making it my mission to see them all!