“La dolce vita”… Italy Part 2!!

The last leg of our trip was based in the cute, little town of Sorrento. My Dad has been working with a woman named Cristiana Panicco, who is the director of  the Sant’Anna Institute in Sorrento, so both of my parents were familiar with this little piece of heaven nestled in the Bay of Naples, but it was Katie’s and my first time. Cristiana set us up with a BEAUTIFUL apartment that sat literally on the cliff overlooking the Marina Grande. Obviously Sorrento has some serious contrasts to Rome; it is small, not as touristy, and a coastal town. After a few days of walking the streets of Sorrento, I felt a whimsical and romantic, yet small-town vibe. My favorite part about staying in Sorrento was watching the day pass and the dark falling onto the marina and all of the fishing boats that sat in its harbor.

While Sorrento was our “base” for the rest of the vacation, we took a few day trips to some nearby cities. The first trip was guided by the philosophical entreprenuer, Gianluca, to the Almafi Coast. This day was by far the most breathtaking. I had seen pictures of the Almafi Coast before, but they don’t do it justice (as I’m sure it is the same with mine). Since I recently have driven up the coast near Big Sur, I had an easy comparison. The cliffs were higher, the villages were tinier, the houses were closer, the streets were narrower. ALL usable space, was just that; used. There is one road in, and one road out, all while dancing over the steep edges of cliff that dangle you above the Mediterranian (which by the way has NO waves). The views, were, priceless. Gianluca educated us about Italian life as he took us through the cities of Positano, Amalfi, Scala, and Ravello.

While heading back to Sorrento, Gianluca insisted that we stop by his friend’s olive oil factory for a tasting. This was a no brainer. The Garguilo olive oil was amazing! And obviously I came home with a few extra bottles of infused olive oil for Brett and I to cook with 🙂

To be Continued!!!…..Again!!!….