Literal translation: My weekend in Amalfi.  Implied translation:  I-had-such-a-marvelous-weekend-in-Amalfi-that-I-can-hardly-type-fast-enough-or-even-begin- to-fully-communicate-the-town’s-beauty-to-you-in-this-blog- post.  (Phew…feels good to get that out.) Let’s start with the basics; here is my list of must-sees in Amalfi, the largest coastal town on the Gulf of Salerno:  The Cathedral of Amalfi, Museo della Carta, Hotel Luna Convento, the pool at Hotel Luna Convento, Gran Caffe, and Bar Savoia.  And did I mention that you must stay overnight so that you can see the town lit up in all of its glory?  The town during the day is super charming, but when the sun goes down—oh my—the sky begins its transition by layering itself in a palette of pinks, oranges, and yellows, and then as the natural lights disappear, the town’s lights and the moon take over with ease.

Let’s start with the best hotel in town, Hotel Luna Convento (www.lunahotel.it).  I just happened to come across this hotel online, and its location and character are both simply breathtaking.  A former convent, founded in 1222 by St. Francis, this unique hotel with its centuries-old charm, is both elegant and comfortable.  Need I say more?  It has a terrace overlooking the sea, a gorgeous courtyard, a tower built in 1500 that is the scene of the hotel’s very own private beach, infinity pool and one-off-two restaurants?  My room had two enormous windows that opened up to the sea,  floors that were colorfully tiled, and hand painted ceilings adorned the bedroom and sitting area.

The gorgeous Cathedral in Amalfi stands proud in the center of town and includes the Cloister of Paradise, the Basilica of the Crucifix, the Crypt of St. Andrew, andof course the Cathedral itself.  A short walk from the Cathedral is the Paper Mill Museum (http://www.museodellacarta.it).  Amalfi is known for the art of handmade paper and the tour and museum related to this art is not to be missed.  A lovely gift shop selling some of the handmade paper and also a collection of calligraphy sets is also a tempting stop on your visit to Amalfi.

And now, moving onto food…my first stop from the SITA bus was a fabulous café right in the main port of Amalfi called Bar Savoia.  A quaint establishment with a vivid green-and-white awning that serves light fare, delicious cappuccinos, tea, and various other beverage selections.  It was just what I was looking for Saturday morning before venturing onto the sights and sounds of Amalfi.  For lunch on Saturday I stopped at a nice outdoor café named Trattoria dei Cartari.  Here I enjoyed a fabulous first course of grilled squid, stuffed with cherry tomatoes, capers, olives, mozzarella cheese, and toasted, buttered bread.  Following that I enjoyed a sliced beef, rocket, and shaved Parmesan salad with a light balsamic vinaigrette.  Back in my room after a full day of sightseeing, I decided to open a bottle of local red wine as I enjoyed writing, with the windows overlooking the town open of course.  I munched on a ripe orange that I purchased from a street market, and a delicious caprese panino, dressed with a sprinkling of salt and a drizzle of quality olive oil.

Sunday, after a morning at the pool and a dip in the sea, I had a bite to eat at Gran Caffe, a nice umbrella-lined, beach-side café with a nice selection of local dishes and coffee drinks. I ordered a refreshing Caffé Shakerato, which is a cold, lightly sweetened coffee drink with milk that has been perfectly shaken in a martini shaker–resulting in a light layer of foam floating on top of a chilled, rich espresso.  (I wish I had another one at this very moment!) For lunch I had a dramatically plated Shrimp Cocktail, served with boiled local shrimp, a creamy remoulade sauce, and red caviar over Bibb lettuce.  I also ordered their Amalfi Panino, crisp Ciabatta bread filled with grilled eggplant, speck, basil, fresh mozzarella cheese, and an olive paste.  It reminded me of the Italian version of a muffaletta, which if you know me, is a sandwich quite near-and-dear to my heart.

So as you can see, no time was wasted and no corner left unturned in this dreamy coastal town.  The best part of visiting each one of these quaint towns on the coast is, yes, marveling in their beauty, but also taking note of what distinct qualities each one possesses; because even though these towns are close in location, they are each one-of-a-kind and quite distinct in feeling.

Tagged: Amalfi, Amalfi coast, culinary school, externship, Italy, weekend trip