With Shells in our Pockets and Sand on our Toes

By Emma Collins -

7.15.15

What would we do without grandparents? My parents wanted to take the kids to Disney World for spring break and asked from us if we would approve. Approve??? are you kidding me? I love my children, I love spending time with them, but a few days just hubby and I every once in a while are priceless, so we immediately agreed of course. With the kids gone for 10 days, this was the perfect opportunity for us to go on that trip down the Amalfi Coast we had taken hundreds of times in our dreams. We had planned it carefully in our heads for years, so it was really just a matter of booking it.

 

We arrived in Naples International Airport and had a beautiful Bentley Continental GTC waiting for us. We pulled the top down and made our way through winding roads with the azure Mediterranean Sea below us. The smell of the ocean, the warmth in the air, it was just spectacular. We were quickly easing into our vacation mode. An hour and a half later, safe from daring Italian drivers, we arrived in Positano. The small village seems to have come out from a painting. Suspended between the clear blue sky and the crystalline sea. We booked our stay at The Sirenuse, a gorgeous luxury boutique hotel that offers the most spectacular sunset view on the entire coast. Our room was lovely, with french doors that opened up onto a private balcony overlooking the bay, vaulted ceilings and hand-made tiles on the floor. We freshened up and went out for a walk through steep cobbled streets. We came across a place called Franco Sensei, a bright and airy exhibition space that showcased the works of Italian modern artists and sculptures. We visited the Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta, which has a marvelous classical interior and then walked around the stunning courtyard of the Palazzo Murat, a luxury hotel that was originally built as the summer residence for the French king of Naples and his wife Caroline Bonaparte. We had a delicious and romantic candlelit dinner our first night at Rossellini’s in Ravello. I loved the olive-crusted cod and hubby’s rose-wrapped lamb was to-die-for.

 

The next day, as the sun seeped through the shutters, we woke up and had a sumptuous breakfast that included fresh cheeses, tomatoes, meats, fruits and yoghurts right on our private balcony. We drove to the harbour where we had arranged a hired boat. We went by the islands of Li Galli, where Homer’s sirens lured sailors to their doom with their enchanting songs, we had some time to snorkel in the area and then we went to see the impressive stalactites and stalagmites at the Grotta dello Smeraldo, a grotto where the waters are a deep emerald color.

 

The following day we visited the beautiful Island of Capri, just a short ferry ride away. We walked along Roman ruins, visited Villa Jovis, the opulent home of Emperor Tiberius, took a dip in the sea and just lounged on the beach sipping limoncello.  

 

French novelist André Gide was right when he described Ravello as appearing closer to the sky than the sea. We visited the idyllic gardens of Villa Rufolo, which provided a spectacular view of the sea.

 

Of course, we couldn’t go back without visiting the gorgeous town of Amalfi. The Cattedrale di Sant’Andrea, the magnificent cloisters of Chiostro del Paradiso and the Basilica del Crocefisso. We even got a chance to visit the Museo della Carta, Amalfi’s paper museum housed in a 13th-century paper mill.

 

The Amalfi coast and its enchanting villages dotted with white-washed houses adorned with bougainvillea is fashionable and glamorous, but it is also quiet and calm. It was all we had dreamed of and more. The perfect destination for a romantic few days away. And now, as I sit on the plane writing these lines, I realize I miss my children. Can’t wait to get home and hear all about Disney World.