Thursday 13th October–Tour of the Amalfi Coast, Italy (Ravello, Amalfi, Positano, Sorrento)

 

As we didn’t fancy driving ourselves around the torturous bends of the Amalfi Coast, we booked onto a small tour.  We were to be picked up from the campsite and urged by the organisers not to be late, so we made sure  we were there in plenty of time to make the minibus for a prompt 09:15 start.  Of course, the driver was working on Italian time so, although all the passengers were on time, the minibus never actually arrived until 09:45 and the driver still had a couple of people to pick up.

This was billed as tour by ‘a luxury minibus’ so we were somewhat surprised that it sounded so ropey and that the bench seat we were sitting on didn’t seem fixed and moved about every time the driver braked.  We mentioned this to the driver.  He never even looked at it but just said  “is tranquil” and drove off.  We were also surprised at the large fluorescent sign on the dashboard asking for TIP FOR DRIVER, which we thought was rather rude, especially as it was there from the beginning of the trip.  However, even at this early stage we could have given him a couple of tips: 1) try arriving on time and 2) get the seat fixed.

 

 

The roads around the Amalfi Coast are steep, narrow and winding  with amazing views and the promise of postcard villages along the way.  We felt in safe hands with our driver but he certainly wasn’t a tour guide.  He didn’t point out things of interest or advise where to go at the various stops, or talk at all, which surprised us, but at least he was concentrating on the road.  To be honest, the views speak for themselves anyway.

 

RAVELLO

                               

                    The hills around Ravello                                                                      Ravello Square

 

         

                     Our kind of shop!                                                                    Looking out to sea from Ravello

 

 

AMALFI     

                             

                                                                                                       Amalfi

 

         

                                   Amalfi Cathedral                                                       View down from the cathedral

 

 

 

                    A street in Amalfi

 

 

POSITANO

 

         

 

                                             So beautiful

 

SORRENTO

 

 

         

 

         

 

By the time we got to Sorrento we were all toured out and tired out so, having given the town a brief once over, we retired to a bar in the centre for drinks and to soak up the sights and sounds around us.  It’s a hard life.

 

      Back at camp:  Roland’s turn to cook dinner

 

 

 

Note: Double-Click on photos for an enlarged view.  Feel free to post a comment on the blog.