Posts tagged #amalfi

Sorrento, eye candy... tomayto, tomahto

After spending two nights in Naples (which were, of course, educational in their own right...), it was time to move south and arrive at our resting spot for the next three nights: 

Ahhh... Sorrento.... 

...my hands-down favorite spot of the entire Amalfi Coast (or at least the small portion that I saw :). What a shame I have some OCD tendencies and have to go in order. Otherwise, I'd definitely save Sorrento for last. Alas. Second it is! Before I dive into my favorites though, let's pause for some more eye candy:

But wait... there's more...

This place is unbelievable, ins't it? I wish I could say these images were a function of the amazing photography skills of this blogger, but let's be real. That was not the case. Not even close. It's just that every turn, every corner, every lookout... all of it presents itself to be perfectly captured in a hard-to-believe completely perfect photograph. Every time. Even this shot below, courtesy of my iPhone's camera, is hard to believe. As evidence would point out... Sorrento boasts incredible vast skies, deep turquoise water, and the warmth of all those Italian rooftops. Also known as, heaven.

Right. So now that I am done selling you on the scenery... let's suggest a few things to do there, shall we?

1. Eat. Come to think of it, that is probably the only thing you need to really be doing there. Oh, and take pictures, in case I was not explicit before :). But I digress.. back to food. I have to tell you about this place. It's called L'Antica Trattoria, a Michelin-rated gem, in the heart of Sorrento, where everything placed on a plate in front of me deserved a medal of some sort and then would quickly disappear within minutes.

For the record, L'Antica Trattoria was the ONLY food reservation I made for the entire trip. And it was worth every drop of sweat and effort. I mean... who knew zucchini flowers tasted this good?!? 

Now, I would not let you assume that I am this pompous traveler who only knows the high life. Not even close. We just had a great reason to celebrate. Namely, this guy (happy belated birthday, dad!!). 

Which reminds me. The one thing I would suggest you should avoid in Sorrento: riding in a cab! You will feel greatly ripped off. There, I warned you! Even if the driver is charming (and rather handsome) and wants to woo you. Nope, do not do it! And also because the longest distance in Sorrento is 2KM max.... 

Ok, that said... I think I should tell you the second thing you should do when in Sorrento:

2. Visit Capri.

But more on that... next week!

Happy Monday!!

Ok, Italia... I can no longer keep you to myself...

Hello, sensory overload!

How hard it is to organize you into coherent thoughts! For three weeks in vain I have struggled to find a clever way to tell you the story of this trip (as evidenced by the complete and utter silence on here...). Oops! Well, it is time we gave it a try. So, here we go...

I thought I would break this down by city visited and spend some time telling you about each separately. That should keep us all busy for a little while, right?

Let's start with...

...the city that gave us this thing called PIZZA. Oh, and the city where you should always keep your eyesight at a good 6-8 feet above ground... Because the waste management company there is always on strike (at least that's what the locals would say lovingly/jokingly)!

What should you do in Napoli, you ask?

Eat gelato. And lots of it. Don't hold back at all! They have the most charming gelato stores I have ever seen, each with its own flavor and decor; each within a walking distance of each other. You can go on and sample for days!  

Visit Pompeii. Because it's impeccably preserved and absolutely stunning. It overlooks Vesuvius and has incredibly luscious gardens that you can walk through for days. Then eat pizza Neapolitana right outside the exit thus effectively avoiding paying for parking. In for the win! 

Stay at a local villa. We used Airbnb to find our villa that happens to be from the 17th century... Of course, with that come certain challenges, such as about a thousand steps to get to your room and very spotty wi-fi. But, hey, you do get the quintessential Italian experience! Oh, and they park your car for you. Which is where you hold you breath and pray that that scratch won't get noticed when you return your rental :-/.  

Eat at C&D in Portici. First taste of Italian food happened there. And it was glorious. I think I'll always remember that place for so many good reasons but mainly, for their seafood risotto.. Yum. And their welcome prosecco treat (Monday nights are rather slow in Portici, as it turns out :). 

Up next on our itinerary... Sorrento, or, the land of the lemons! But not until next week :) 

Happy Saturday and enjoy the rest of your weekend!!

Posted on June 18, 2016 and filed under Travel Diaries.

Off we go...

Ciao, America! 

I am going off to celebrate my dad's 61st birthday. Oh, and I published my first book. Well, not exactly but close enough. I'l tell you all about this little gift I put together for my family when I get back.

Until then... stay warm, Houston!

Posted on May 21, 2016 and filed under Travel Diaries.