Euro Summer Pt 2: Italy

And finally… the long awaited Italian summer post! For the second portion of our European Summer vacation, I traveled with my family to the Amalfi Coast and then Rome, Italy! From Mallorca, we flew into Naples and a driver took us to the cutest airbnb in the center of Positano, our home for the next few days! For Positano, I had done more research on restaurants and places I wanted to visit, and we definitely fit everything in. This trip made me feel like I was in a movie. Every way I turned, the views were BREATHTAKING and unforgettable.

Our airbnb was perfect walking distance to the beach and to all of the beachside restaurants as well as the port to take boats in and out of Positano. Each day from Positano, we took a ferry or boat to other towns to explore for the day! Here are some of the spots we checked out while on the Amalfi Coast:

Positano

Chez Black- heart shaped pizza, yummy homemade pasta, and a fun atmosphere on the beach

Franco’s Bar- trendy rooftop bar with aperitivo snacks and drinks, I recommend getting early for view as the line was super long and we ended up at L’Ancora instead!

L’ancora- next door from Franco’s for drinks, amazing view and perfect for an aperol spritz and chips <3

Le Très Sorelle- another restaurant right on the beach with delicious food

Max- best quality dinner (more fancy), some of our favorite dishes included the lobster pasta and fresh fish with veggies!

Bar Buca de Bacco/La Pergola- restaurant on beach where we came for lunch the first day and also had yummy pastries in the mornings, must try the spaghetti alla Nerano with zucchini (I’m dreaming about that dish just while writing this!!)

Positano Paradise Lounge Bar- our go-to for pastries in morning, gelato anytime, desserts, coffee, lemon granitas, etc- nice workers and always good food, we were regulars here for the week

Arienzo Beach Club- take private shuttle from pier, a little expensive but worth it and a perfect spot to spend the day on a lounge chair in the sun (also side note: the one day we spent all day at this beach club the Kardashians were exploring Positano and literally RIGHT NEXT TO OUR AIRBNB!! I can’t believe we missed them how funny would that have been!)

Amalfi

We took the ferry from Positano to Amalfi, and started off with walking through the Duomo D’Amalfi! So pretty. Next we went into a tiny shop selling street food- fresh calamari and chips! With no particular plan for the day, we decided to take the bus to Ravello, which was long, windy, and hot but worth it!

Ravello

I loved Ravello because it was less crowded but so pretty and peaceful. We walked around the town and through pretty gardens, finding out that most restaurants have their own garden with fresh produce they use to cook! For lunch, there are so many restaurants with amazing views, and we stopped into Villa Rufolo— a fancy hotel with stunning views for lunch! Before heading back to Amalfi, we walked into the most beautiful handmade pottery shop called “Ceramiche D'Arte Carmela”. Here, we met Carmela and her daughter who design all the pottery and work closely with a small team who handmakes everything in the store! My parents chose a gorgeous painted dish with lemons and leaves to bring home!

Capri

For another day trip, we took the ferry to Capri. From the port, we didn’t have a specific plan in mind so we walked around and ended up buying tickets to take a boat tour around the island. This was so special because from the boat, we could jump out and swim in the crystal blue water, see the blue grottos, and see La Fontelina beach club from the boat. After, we walked around the town, which had mostly high end shops but was fun to see and people watch! Lastly, I had read about this gelato place online and knew I had to go—Gelateria Buonocore Capri. They are known for fresh homemade waffle cones, and there is always a line, but it moves!

Rome

To finish off the trip, we had about 24 hours in Rome, one of my favorite cities. We spent a majority of the day being tourists, and visiting the Colosseum, Pantheon, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, etc. My dad studied abroad in Rome in college, and always loves showing his favorite areas including Piazza Navona! Also, for the best gelato, Giolitti is a must!!! I got blackberry and dark chocolate sorbet... mmm! For dinner, we had reservations for our favorite restaurant in Rome, Roscioli, where we recreated a photo we took here in 2012. Such a special night with the best burrata and homemade pasta! The waitress also gave us extra homemade biscottis to take for the plane home; she was so sweet! Before flying back home, we spent our last morning at the Vatican. The Vatican is always so beautiful and I love the intricate art and architecture!

I couldn’t have asked for a better summer—it was a dream! Thank you mom and dad, love you!

xoxo,

josie

Amalfi Coast, Italy