The Amalfi Coast

We arrived in Positano yesterday morning after a ferry ride that we almost did not think was going to depart!  It is interesting how, when looking over the sea from our balcony at the Hotel Bristol in Sorrento, we had no idea how choppy the water was (much like it was a couple of days ago when the Blue Grotto was closed at Capri because of choppy water).  By the time we got down to the port in Sorrento, the wind was whipping and the waves were rolling.  Luckily, we were able to depart on time!
Positano is, in my opinion, one of the most enchanting little towns on the Amalfi Coast... although I found my very favorite today (more about that in a moment).  It is bustling enough that you do not get bored, but peaceful enough, especially at night after the day trippers leave, that you can enjoy a quiet dinner overlooking the lapping sea and hear the sea perfectly.  However, you have options!  Yesterday we spent the day exploring the town... our hotel, the Marincanto, is extremely well located at the top of a hill overlooking the town but still within a quick walk of the center.  After taking a couple hours to relax in our cliffside pool and sunbathe, we headed back down to the town center, by the harbor, to enjoy a late dinner at Chez Black.  This is not a quiet place to eat, being right on the main promenade next to the harbor, but the food was delicious, the service was great, there was excellent people watching (and lots of people to watch), and all of the diners were serenaded by a traditional Italian quartet.  Sounds cheesy, I know, but it was a lot of fun.
Today we slept in a bit, grabbed breakfast at the hotel, and caught the SITA bus to Amalfi.  Driving the Amalfi Coast is an experience in itself, but not as scary (to me at least) as lots of people make it out to be.  Of course, I have never driven it myself, and I give a lot of credit to those who do, but I am content to ride the bus and let someone else drive! 
Once we arrived in Amalfi, we immediately boarded an open air bus to Ravello, a place I cannot BELIEVE I have never visited before.  It is exactly the kind of place I love... achingly beautiful with the most gorgeous vistas I have ever seen in my life, an orange and lemon tree shaded main square anchored by a centuries old church bordered by outdoor eateries, and countless winding stone walkways along the hilly terrain.  I especially enjoyed the fact that there were hardly any vehicles driving through the town.  My favorite parts of Ravello were the gardens of Villa Rufulo and Villa Cimbrone... absolutely breathtaking... I have never seen vistas like those in my life.  Next time we visit, Roberto and I will make sure to spend at least one night here.
We spent a short time in Amalfi before hopping back on the SITA bus to Positano.  Years ago, I visited Amalfi and did a quick tour of the town, but I did not take the time to tour the magnificent duomo and cathedral here.  Absolutely amazing!  We definitely took the time out to see it this time, and it was well worth the visit.
As soon as we arrived back in Positano, we headed out to walk around town on the western side of the harbor, which we did not get to see much of yesterday.  What a treat!  This area, around Spiaggia Fornillo, is much more residential and quieter.  After a hike down 370 cliffside steps we found a wonderful little restaurant that was highly recommended by Fodors... Lo Guarracino.  Built into the cliff, this romantic little place was quiet and offered a fantastic view of the Mediterranean Sea and a medieval looking watchtower.  Roberto finally got his carbonara pasta he has been craving, and I enjoyed some pasta in lemon cream sauce, very typical to this area.
After dinner we walked down to Spiaggia Grande, the main harbor... if we had only known how much easier it would be to get to Lo Guarracino from here, we may not have taken our original route, but oh well... it is all part of the adventure!  We wound up at La Zacara, a little sweet shoppe, for cappuccino and pastries, and now we are back at the hotel to relax.  Tomorrow we plan to do more relaxing by the pool!