The Amalfi Coast consists of a string of towns along the Mediterranean in southwestern Italy. For our last weekend in Italy before the end of our program, eight girlfriends and I took a trip there to soak in the sun, marvel at the stunning views of sharp cliffs meeting the ocean, and enjoy a few days of uninterrupted girl time.
We stayed in the town of Sorrento, but spent time in several other towns along the Amalfi Coast as well as a day on the island of Capri. Capri is one of those destinations that sounds terribly glamorous, and indeed it was. All taxis on the island are convertibles, and I must admit I felt like a movie star riding in one with my sunglasses on and hair blowing in the salty sea breeze. I also had my very best gelato experience in Capri, at a little stand that served my pistachio and straticcella (vanilla with chocolate shavings) gelato combo in a fresh waffle cone that was made right before my eyes. Another unforgettable part of my day at Capri was going inside the famous Blue Grotto where I experienced a color that was truly dazzling. Pictures cannot do it justice.
We also spent a day in the beach town called Positano. It was there that we all became addicted to granitas, a lemon-ice drink that is perfect for hot days at the beach. Positano was probably my favorite place along the Amalfi Coast; I loved the beach and the darling shops and the gorgeous cliffs with the colorful houses facing that never-ending, viciously blue ocean.
Our last day was less tranquil, as we visited the nearby site of Pompeii and hiked Mount Vesuvius. It was incredibly interesting to walk around the ghost city whose structures are perfectly in tact whereas its people had been wiped out in a volcanic eruption 79 years before Christ. It is a city truly frozen in time, remarkable but also somewhat eerie.
All in all, the weekend was a perfect last weekend in Italy with just the right mix of relaxation and activity, plus a dash of history and lots of granitas. Any Italian would approve of such a balance.
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