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Our Honeymoon: Amalfi Coast

Posted on the 27 March 2012 by Msadams @HilaryFerrell
After we finished exploring Pompeii, we hopped back in our Rome in Limo van to head off to our day’s second stop, Sorrento.
Sorrento is located southeast of Pompeii on the Sorrentine Peninsula overlooking the Bay of Naples.  It was 40 minute ride to Sorrento from Pompeii. 
Our Honeymoon: Amalfi Coast
Along the way, our driver pulled over at a scenic overlook so we could get some amazing pictures of the Mt. Vesuvius with the Bay of Naples in the foreground. 
Our Honeymoon: Amalfi Coast
The vibrant bright homes fit so well next to the deep blue ocean.  Truly one of the more beautiful landscapes I’ve ever seen.
Our Honeymoon: Amalfi CoastEven 30 miles away the sleeping beast was still lurking in the background. 
Our Honeymoon: Amalfi Coast
Our Honeymoon: Amalfi Coast
From here, the road became a little treacherous as we started the descent to Sorrento.  
Our Honeymoon: Amalfi Coast
When we arrived in Sorrento, our driver dropped us off in front of this overlook onto an Ancient building called the Deep Valley of the Mills.  Looking at this picture still makes me a little queasy.  Boy was that a far drop. 
Our Honeymoon: Amalfi CoastWe had about 2 hours free time so with our tummies growling we headed straight to the center of town to find lunch. 
Our Honeymoon: Amalfi CoastWe passed right through the main square, Piazza Tasso. 
Our Honeymoon: Amalfi CoastWe decided to head down one of the major streets Corsa Italia to look for a street side café. 
Our Honeymoon: Amalfi CoastAlong the way of course, Mr. A took about a zillion pictures.
Eventually, we found a small sandwich stop and ate a quick pizza. 
Our Honeymoon: Amalfi CoastThen it was back to sightseeing.  First up of course was the cathedral. 
Our Honeymoon: Amalfi Coast
Our Honeymoon: Amalfi CoastNext to the cathedral we found this beautiful hidden courtyard.  It was like something out of a magazine.
Our Honeymoon: Amalfi CoastFurther past the cathedral was an overlook to the bay.  Again, I posed for a picture with Mt. Vesuvius.  It just never really seems to go away. 
Our Honeymoon: Amalfi Coast
The harbor view was gorgeous and the breeze coming from the ocean took the edge off the heat. 
Our Honeymoon: Amalfi CoastWe then headed back to the heart of town to take some more pictures. 
Our Honeymoon: Amalfi CoastThis one is one of my favorites.  I love how this city looks like it’s carved out of the side of a mountain. 
Our Honeymoon: Amalfi Coast
 Another famous sighting in this southern Mediterranean area is arches covered with growing vines.  They made my heart swoon. 
Our Honeymoon: Amalfi CoastWe also went to the major shopping/market area on Via San Cesareo.  Since Sorrento is known for their limoncello, everywhere we looked we saw gigantic lemons. 
Having successfully avoided buying something, we headed back to our tour van so we could drive over to our final stop, Positano.
The drive from Sorrento to Positano runs along the Amalfi coast on the famous Amalfi Drive, which is carved out of the side of the coastal cliffs.
This drive is notorious difficult because of the small width of the road and its abrupt hairpin turns.  Since the drive runs right along the coast, there’s only a tiny guard rail between your car and the Cliffside.  If you are scared of heights, I would not suggest looking down.  The drop is terrifying.
Instead, just look straight ahead.  The landscape is like something out of a dream.
Our Honeymoon: Amalfi Coast
Like he did before Sorrento, our driver pulled over at a scenic overlook so we could get an overhead view of Positano. 
Our Honeymoon: Amalfi Coast
I couldn’t wait to get down there. 
Our Honeymoon: Amalfi CoastWhen we arrived in Positano, our driver dropped us off at the top of the town and told us to follow the road down to the ocean.  
Our Honeymoon: Amalfi Coast
There is only one road that goes through town and larger vehicles cannot fit so we were on our own. 
Our Honeymoon: Amalfi Coast
We followed the Via Del Mulini through it’s twists and turns admiring all the beautiful sweeping vines. 
Our Honeymoon: Amalfi Coast
Along the way, the street was littered with shops and restaurants. 
Our Honeymoon: Amalfi Coast
Our Honeymoon: Amalfi CoastWe made a quick stop at the church in town, Santa Maria Assunta.  The church contains a mysterious 13th century Byzantine icon of a black Madonna.  Legend has it that the icon landed on Positano’s shore because some sailors were facing a terrible storm in the Mediterranean while in transporting the icon.  The sailors heard a voice from above telling them to put down the icon.  The sailors diverted to the closest town, Positano, and unloaded the icon and the storm abated.  The icon has not left Positano since then.  
Our Honeymoon: Amalfi Coast
 From here, I could hear the ocean waves beckoning me and we ran the rest of the way to the ocean. 
Our Honeymoon: Amalfi Coast
Our Honeymoon: Amalfi Coast
Our Honeymoon: Amalfi Coast
It was quite a sight to behold the huge hill we had just descended.  
Our Honeymoon: Amalfi Coast
We stood around taking about a thousand pictures.  It was one of the most unique cities I’ve ever seen with houses jutting out of the Cliffside. 
Our Honeymoon: Amalfi Coast
We loitered around at the beach until we knew we had to start the crazy climb by up the cliff to meet our tour group in time.  
Our Honeymoon: Amalfi CoastI really didn’t want to leave.  After all the hustle and bustle of Florence and Rome, there was something so soothing about the sound of crashing waves.  It was so peaceful and quiet and quaint.  I just wanted to stand there forever.
But alas, we had to leave.  And thus began the climbing.  I’m not going to lie.  We totally took a break half way up.  Going straight up hill is not joke.
We made it back into our van and settled in for the hour trip back to the cruise ship in Naples.  We made a promise one day that we would visit Positano again and the rest of the Amalfi Coast that lies beyond it.  It’s the kind of place you could lose yourself completely in and feel good about it. 
What You've Missed:MonacoPisa Florence
Ancient RomeVatican Museums  Sistine ChapelSt. Peter's Basilica  Pompeii
Up Next: Sicily

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