10-10 Naples

Back to the Amalfi we go!  Off the ship early and headed right to the ferry dock. We were pretty sure the ferries to Positano had stopped already, but wanted to make sure that avenue of transport was closed to us.  Sure enough, it was finito!  So we struck off to the train station. Half an hour walk along the main road by the water. Not the prettiest section of town, but we weren’t looking for sights, just the train!

Bought our tickets and hopped the 8:11 train.  They are quick and efficient – we were in Sorrento at 9:03.  Timing was on our side, we came right out – found the Amalfi bus waiting for us – bought our tickets and within 10 minutes were heading off around the coast and up through the winding, breathtaking Amalfi drive. 

This trip is like our greatest hits – we’re going back to all the places we loved on previous trips – so we planned our time accordingly to be able to be in Praiano (the great little town we stayed when we first visiting the Amalfi Coast) for lunch.  Took the bus all the way to Amalfi – wasn’t that bad – traffic was very light which surprised us.

Wandered around Amalfi for only a little while. We had a cappuccino and croissant on the square in front of the cathedrale basking in the warm sunlight and looking at the cathedrale where the scaffolding had finally been removed. It was the first time we had seen it without all the repair paraphernalia.  After our quick repast, we decided  to head back to Praiano to be sure we had time to eat and catch the bus back into Sorrento.

Back in Praiano – we were only a little too early for lunch, so we wandered up and down the main street looking at the little shop and grocer and reliving our 2 days there.  We waited until 12:30, then climbed the stairs to La Brace, our favorite restaurant there.  We took our table by the open windows and enjoyed the view to Positano while we ate antipasto, octopus salad, mixed vegetables and baked octopus (ok, so Ed ate most of the octopus, while I consumed most of the antipasto and veggies!). 

Had a bottle of San Marco wine with lunch, and I remembered how much I liked it. Also saved the label which brought back memories of the last time we were here – when I did the same thing! So now I have 2 labels from the wine – one day I’ll find it in the states!

Fully sated now, we headed back out to the street – and timing was impeccable!  The bus rolled right up the street within moments of our arrival into the sunshine. We hailed it down, and  packed ourselves into it with all the other tourists and locals heading up the coast.  Fortunately, most people got off at Positano, so we were able to snag some seats for the rest of the journey to Sorrento.

The ride back was just as harrowing as the ride over – the hairpin turns, the death defying drop down the sides of the cliffs to the water, the cars that come right at you and swerve away at the last moment.  It’s the Amalfi Drive experience!

We decided to try for the ferry back from Sorrento instead of the train. We jumped off the bus at the main square and traipsed down the huge flights of stairs then the big hill to the ferry docks. Unfortunately, we just missed a ferry by 5 minutes – and the next one wasn’t for 2 hours.  We didn’t want to wait around that long – nor did we want to spend the extra 8 Euros each for a ferry – so back we trudged up the hill, up the stairs and to the train station.  Hey – at least we got our exercise!

Train to town – seamless. Walked back through an outdoor market of sorts in the back streets of Naples.  Bought some beer, looked at all the produce and things for sale, then managed to find Corso Umberto – the main shopping drag in Naples – and followed it all the way back to the ship.

Back aboard – safe and sound – we did our normal routine – gym, shower, dinner, try to find some entertainment (not much going on around here at night – the passengers are still exhausted from the travel and the non-stop days – what will they be like after Barcelona if they are this wiped out now???).  Then to bed to get ready for Rome tomorrow!