Positano & Amalfi
Pictures tell so much of the story. And it is so easy to let picturesque Italy do just that. But then, there are the little bits that pictures cannot tell – the smells, the bustle of interaction, the sounds. So today it is on to famous Positano. The little two lane road bordering the cliff from Sorrento to that part of the coast is always overwhelmed. Buses trying to squeeze by each other; cars backing up because there’s no room to go forward and a bus cannot negotiate the corner until they do. The gestures and the gesticulations – great entertainment if you can keep in mind that you cannot be in a hurry. This time of year it is all a daily occurrence.
It takes over 90 minutes to drive the 22 km (less than 14 miles) from Villa Murat to Positano. It tested Janice’s patience to the point she got out of the car while exclaiming she could beat us to Amalfi by walking. She actually did one better, not only beating us on foot, but negotiating a street-side parking spot at a hotel. Spying the open space she ran into the lobby and asked straight up – “How much for that parking space out front?”
The front desk man demurred to the hotel manager, who looked quizzically at her and then said simply, “20 Euros.”
“For all day, yes?”
“Si.” She slapped down the twenty, ran outside and flagged us down as we lazily approached through our centipede crawl of cars. “Over there!” she yelled pointing. One glance and we all knew what she was pointing at.
To top it off the spot was only a couple hundred yards from a staircase to the Amalfi beach – and a superb early dinner. After dark, the ride home was almost as fun when we stopped at a cliffside hotel for a nightcap.
Into Positano we passed hotels and restaurants so close you could almost touch them from the car. Had I asked this waiter to hand me those drinks he could have done so with only a pirouette. This begins to give an idea of how narrow the roads are. Below, the hotels on the crest of the cliffs create ingenious lounging beaches at the base. Amafli looms in the background. And yes, the water really is that blue!
From Janice’s parking spot we descend a 150 feet or so to the promenade along the waterfront. By this time we are all hungry, but it’s windy out today so we look for a restaurant with a bit of shelter. A few hundred yards of walking and we find the perfect spot for a late afternoon lunch. With clear curtains and sturdy fastenings this restaurant’s deck becomes the perfect spot to keep our food on our plates. The locals are obviously prepared for these afternoon breezes, allowing us to enjoy yet another great seafood-centric meal. And in the best Italian tradition, wine is always part of that experience.
From here, we venture further south into Amalfi proper. The walk along the waterfront is a welcome change from the hectic traffic on the road above us.
The road and promenade narrow a bit and become more touristy as we enter the main part of town. The street makes a left turn into the hillside and then suddenly opens up into the main town piazza. And there, exploding unexpectedly upon us is the Cathedral of Saint Andrew. The gold leaf mosiacs glitter and come to life as the sun moves low in the sky.
The cathedral, the second of two churches here, was built in the 10th century. Modifications led to combining it with the original 9th century church in the 12th century. I’d say this is o-old. The bell tower to the left was added between the 12th and 13th centuries, partially obscuring the first church.
It is a unique combination of Gothic, Romanesque, Baroque and Arab-Norman architectural styles notable for all of the additions, re-modeling and reconstruction through the ages. The last was caused by the partial collapse of the facade in 1861. It took 30 years to rebuild to its current state in an ornate combination of Italian Gothic and Arab-Norman styles.
We did not get to see the stunning ornate interior as it was nearing sunset when we arrived. Nevertheless, we did see the breathtaking bronze doors cast in Constantinople about 1061. They are said to be the oldest surviving doors from post-Roman Italy. The gold-tiled mosaics are as impressive as the 62 step ascent to those bronze doors. The cathedral was a really fun find because it was so unexpected.
Saint Andrew looks down over the doorway, blessing visitors through those nearly 1,000 year old bronze doors that feature the worn, silver plated figures of Christ, Mary, Saint Andrew and Saint Peter in the central panels. The doors were a gift of Pantaleo de Maurus Comite, a wealthy Amalfi merchant who commissioned them in Constantinople.
The sun set on us here. As it abandoned us, so did the tourists. Back at the car, the road was now clear of tourists, so we found an exclusive cliffside hotel and treated ourselves to an aperitif on their stunning terrace clinging to the granite escarpment. Then, it was home to Villa Murat.
But there is more adventure to come. Stay tuned.
