Napoli, Capri, Pompeii, and the beautiful Amalfi Coast - picture postcard perfection! This will be our fourth visit here and I am looking forward to it as much as my first visit!
The
first time we were in Naples, we took the ship’s
tour which included Pompeii, Sorrento
and Capri.
Be sure to see Pompeii;
there is nothing like it in the world. The
Isle of Capri is beautiful! It was a
full day but we saw a lot. We had lunch
in a wonderful restaurant in Sorrento
and I remember the waiter serving me profiteroles for dessert and saying
“Amore” while he did so.
Ah, Italy. The
next time we were in Naples,
we once again took a ship’s tour which included an olive and lemon farm. We saw how olive oil is made. We were served a light lunch of Italian
cheeses, salami, wine, and limoncello!
Delightful! Another time we took a tour which allowed us to spend a bit of time in Sorrento where I shopped for Italian figurines and pottery. We also made another trip to a family farm where we had an wonderful lunch of antipasto, pasta, cheeses, bread, olive oil, and wine... followed by a limoncello tasting! I dream of it still!
The next time, we did an
independent tour of the Amalfi
Coast with a group of 6. We saw Amalfi, Positano, Ravello, and had a
wonderful Italian lunch in a charming local family-owned restaurant overlooking
the sea. The lunch was a family style
tasting menu and included wine and all flavors of limoncello. I bought some beautiful pottery, some
watercolor paintings, and, of course, limoncello. Roberto, our guide, was excellent... both as a guide and a driver as we squeezed past vehicles on those hair pin turns. Many vehicles are without side mirrors as they have been knocked off on these narrow mountain roads!
This year, we may explore Naples on our own, since we have never really seen Naples! I like the idea of a fellow cruiser to have a quest for the best pizza in Naples! As pizza originated in Naples, this makes sense to me. The Margherita - tomato, mozzarella, & basil, for the three colors of the Italian flag is a local favorite. It was created in honor of the visit of Queen Margherita of Spain in 1889. Interestingly enough, Eggplant Parmesan also originated in Naples. Another regional specialty is linguine cozze e vongole (spaghetti with clams or mussels) as seafood is abundant and excellent.
Click here for information on Naples Sight Seeing HOHO Tours. You purchase only one ticket for up to three routes. Frommers has a great map of a self guided walking tour of Naples.
Though I can be claustrophobic at times, I want to do the Underground Walking Tour in Naples. The New York Times has a great article about this city under the city. You can also learn more at the Napoli Sotterranea site.
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