The Italian Riviera - Mamma Mia!

I'm starting to feel like quite the little jet-setter! Kim and I spent the weekend traveling the Amalfi Coast where we spent time in Sorrento, Capri, Positano, and Pompeii (how lucky am I!) In a lot of ways, the scenery was reminiscent of Cinque Terre in that most of these places, with the exception of Pompeii, were sea towns known for their breathtaking coastal views. We stayed in Sorrento at a quaint hotel with a spectacular view of Mt. Vesuvius. I learned that it's the only volcano on the European mainland to have erupted within the last hundred years, which was amazing to witness in person but a little ominous knowing that it is still active. We were able to witness what Vesuvius was actually capable of in the ruins of Pompeii. Inside the town, which is still an excavation site, I saw figures of men and women whose bodies are still preserved and encased by the volcanic ash and pumice that covered the surrounding areas (the town was submerged by nearly 15-25 feet of volcanic ash.)It was amazing to me the extent of work archeologists had to do in order to recover the sites i was seeing: entire houses, mosaic floors, roman baths, and the list goes on.
Capri was by far my favorite destination on this trip. It helped that the weather was in the mid to upper 80s the entire day and there was not a single cloud in the perfect, turquoise sky. We arrived to the island Saturday morning by ferry from Sorrento and as soon as we got to shore, jumped on a smaller boat for a boat-tour around the island. While we were really hoping to see the illustrious blue grotto, the waves were just too choppy. It worked out in the end since we were able to see the green and white grottos. The Italian coastline is a true splendor. Some of the other sights to be seen were Sophia Loren’s mansion near Marina Piccola, ancient lighthouses, and amazing rock formations in which you can see natural arches and caverns. Eager to see more, we explored Marina Piccola, Capri Town, and Ana Capri. One of the highlights of the day was taking a chairlift to the top of Ana Capri, the highest point of the Island, and taking in the views at the top. All around you were pure shades of blue from sea and sky. It didn’t feel real until you began your steep decent from high above to the bottom. My fear of heights kicked in only when the wind picked up and rocked my seat on the lift but it was the most amazing perspective to view such a beautiful place. I splashed around in the water, sampled some of the best seafood I’ve ever had, and finished the day with some lemon gelato (a must in southern Italy where they are known for their lemons.)I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect day.
Sorrento and Positano were equally alluring sea towns which had their own character differing them from the others. Sorrento was the largest of the three and had great shopping (especially for those buying leather, coral jewelry, or cheese.) In Positano, everywhere you turned was beach front access and it was a place that truly was centered around the sea in culture and industry. I took nearly 400 pictures and will upload them to the link when I get some decent internet connection! For now, enjoy the one above and stay tuned for my next post on Austria. I am leaving for Saltzburg and Vienna tomorrow night and will be there the entire weekend. It is going to be amazing and such a cool transition from such a polar opposite trip from last weekend!