The Amalfi Coast

Positano: The Happy Accident

When we stepped onto the first departing ferry from Salerno on Saturday morning, we had a plan in mind. We were off to visit Amalfi, the namesake of the coast and the cheaper town to travel to. The ferry ride was incredibly enjoyable, with stunning views of the coast and the pastel-coloured houses that tumble down the cliffs like marbles. With every mountainous corner we turned, a fresh sight was revealed, and each one was more breathtaking than the last. When we finally arrived in Amalfi, we were itching to get off and explore the famous town. We waited patiently for the people in our aisle to move and for the passengers on our floor to be ushered down the stairs, as we were sure that this was the final stop. 

But then the boat started moving again. 

What was happening? Was the boat redocking? Were we heading back to Salerno? No. We were pulling out of the port of Amalfi and heading onto a new, more expensive destination: Positano.

Admittedly, I was panicking. Although I had been desperate to see Positano, I ruled it out as too expensive. With a 28 euro return ferry being our only option for transport - bus tickets, although much cheaper, cannot be bought onboard the bus, and none of the tobacconists we asked sold tickets - our daily budget would be blown on transport alone. At the same time, having heard horror stories about tourists who were caught shirking Italian public transport rules, I was worried about being stopped and fined at the next port. Red-faced and anxious, I asked the crew in sketchy Italian if we could pay the extra fare. In hindsight, they would hardly have noticed if we dived overboard, let alone stopped at the wrong port, but they were very gracious, even offering us a free lift back to Amalfi. The next 10 minutes of the journey, although beautiful, were overshadowed by my attempts to think of a cheaper way home. 

When we turned the corner to Positano, however, all of these thoughts were blown out of my mind. The town is indescribably beautiful. It sits in the basin between two cliffs, with a combination of white and candy-coloured houses dotted in between thick trees up the sides of the mountains. It looks like a scene from a postcard, and indeed it is, with Intagrammers usually piling the sky-high staircases cut into the rock to take photos of the views. As travellers during COVID, we seemed to be some of the only Brits to have made it to the town, but there were plenty of Americans to fill in the gaps. 

     

Indeed, the elegant, joyous, and serene beauty of the town's foundations is starkly contrasted by the opulent, lavish, and stinckingly-overpriced hotels and restaurants that fill it. Being true cheapskates, we had brought packed lunch and snacks and water bottles - lucky, because supplies from any of these shops would be inflated at least 2 or 3 times from Salerno prices. This was a hotspot of the megarich, and they were not subtle about it: the six-story, gunmetal grey yacht parked in the bay was testament to this, especially considering the helicopter sat on top deck. 

Having resolved not to spend like the uber-rich around us, we profited from the facilities made to serve them. Shops selling silk shirts became air-conditioned havens, the streets lined with classic cars were spotlessly clean, and we were welcomed inside art galleries which may as well have been museums. Meanwhile, when we hiked the many flights of stairs heading away from the touristy centre, we were greeted with picturesque views of the town and the stretch of twinkling sea. Whilst the cafes and central streets may have been busy, there was no doubting that without the current travel restrictions, we would be squished shoulder-to-shoulder for views like these. 

As we stepped back onto the ferry at the end of our day, we were still buzzing from the excitement of our accidental trip. Although even Positano gelato would have pushed us over-budget, there was no doubt that the ferry fare was well spent. Maybe in twenty years time we will return with a little extra money to splash, but for a daytrip on a budget, the free views of Positano made this a day well spent. 

Castello d'Arechi: A Perfect Hike

This was another early morning as we aimed to beat the heat on our hike to the Castello, a 6th-century fortress that perches near the top of the mountain above the city. Built by the Romans or Byzantines (historians can't agree), then occupied by the Southern Fascists and damaged by the Allies who ousted them in the 20th-century, the castle is oozing with history. It also comes with the perk of incredible views over the coast and a decent trek through Pine forests. 

Even in the comparatively mild morning heat (28 degrees), the hike brought on a sweat. The path to the top of the mountain was a series of stone steps which weaved through a sparse forest. The only other visitors on the trail were geckos.

When we arrived at the top, we were greeted by the deserted ramparts of the castle. They offered birdeye views of the city below us, as well as other towns stretching out to the horizon, and the boundary between the sky and the ocean was broken only by the frothy tails of boats. 

Eventually we stumbled across the entrance to the castle and the museum inside. The humongous cafe was bereft of tourists, and we were the only visitors so far. As 18-year-olds we somehow scrounged free entry to the museum, where pottery and coins lined the walls. 

While this trip may not have revealed the same refined beauty and class of the Amalfi towns, we were able to explore a part of Italy that is not usually included on the tourist itinerary - the natural landscape.

That evening, however, peace was swapped for tension: the Euro Finals took place. Slightly apprehensively, we decided to watch the game at one of Salerno's beachfront bars. When we arrived, there were many empty seats dotted around, but we soon learned that they were all reserved. In contrast to English fans, who had crowded every pub and bar from the early afternoon, the Italians chose to arrive at 9pm on the dot. We wondered whether the atmosphere would manage to compare with that back in Bath.

We needn't have worried. Soon enough the bars were packed with people and the street was crammed with standing spectators. The Italian national anthem was belted out passionately, the English national anthem was heartily booed, and feeling a smidge like undercover agents, we resolved to speak only in whispers so that we weren’t noticed as ‘the enemy’. 

The Packed Street

With no access to seats with views, we ended up standing on the pavement and leaning on a lamppost, but what we sacrificed in comfort was made up for with great views of 2 TV screens. As England scored their early goal, the hostility of the Italians around us was stifling, and we felt grateful for the 7-foot security guard who had been stationed directly next to us. 

As everyone who watched the game knows, it was an extremely close one, and when it ticked over to penalties, the whole crowd watched with bated breath. As England fans, we kept our fingers quietly crossed, but the excitement of the Italians was infectious. 

When England missed the crucial penalty, the celebrations around us were unlike anything I've ever seen. At once a street party and a riot, there were moshpits in the road, smoke grenades unleashed in the middle of crowds, and fireworks squealing overhead. 

The Aftermath: smoke and fireworks

We spent a few moments soaking in the celebrations - the air sparked with ecstasy and the chanting of fans was earsplitting. When motorbikes began hurtling through the middle of crowds and a few fireworks were ignited inside a building, however, we thought it was time to escape the madness and headed back to the apartment, simultaneously nursing the sadness of all English fans and riding on the wave of joy of the others in the streets, all of whom were belting 7 Nation Army with outstretched arms. 

Salerno: Amalfi's Best-Kept Secret?

During our final full day on the Amalfi coast, we thought it was only fair to explore Salerno itself (and we were so exhausted from the football that we couldn't face leaving the house in time for a day trip anywhere else). By the end of the day, however, we had fully fallen in love with Salerno. It possesses none of the pompousness of its picturesque neighbours, but it offers a rugged charm that grew on us slowly before hitting all at once. 

To begin the day, we explored the quaint cobbled streets of the city. The quiet friendliness of the locals, as well as the prettiness of the goods sold in the shopfronts, was enough to entertain us for hours. We headed into the stunning Cathedral, paced the cobbled streets, and enjoyed the seeming authenticity of our surroundings. Despite all of our efforts, we couldn't find a single postcard in Salerno. 

The Cathedral

The Streets

Undoubtedly, the highlight of the day was pizza. Max's genius idea was to pick up some lunch in the centre, so we headed to what was outwardly a very average pizzeria. Little did we know we were about to experience the best pizza we had ever tasted. For 3 Euros I was served the Neapolitana, a thin-crusted pizza with a sauce of passata, basil, olive oil, and oregano. These simple ingredients combined to create the perfect pizza toping. Eating such good food next to tables of smiling locals, many of whom seemed friends with the waiter, was an unforgettable experience. 

The day ended with the perfect sunset over the water as we strolled along the beach. Max and I agreed that, whilst leaving for Rome was exciting, leaving Salerno was sad. This unfussy city on the Amalfi coast had become more than just a base to explore the area; it was the perfect example of the regional Italian charm, and we felt glad to have discovered Amalfi's best-kept secret. 

Sunset over the Harbour