Part 2 – Amalfi Coast
Day 1 - arriving Sorrento/ Massa Lubrense
We traveled by train from Rome to Sorrento via Naples (approximately 3 hours travel time). Once we arrived in Sorrento we got a cab to our hotel in Massa Lubrense. We stayed at Hotel & Spa Bellavista Francischiello which had amazing views of Capri.
The weather was not so good so after relaxing in our room we went downstairs to the hotel restaurant for some lunch.
The afternoon was spent relaxing in the thermal pool, sauna and having a massage. It was so enjoyable that we booked the thermal pool and sauna every day while on our stay.
In the evening we took the bus to Sorrento to take an evening stroll and grab a bite to eat. We danced our way through the streets and rain showers.
Day 2 - Pompeii & Sorrento
The sun peaked out for a bit and we enjoyed a relaxing morning in the spa/sauna before getting ready to take the bus into Sorrento for lunch. We visited Ristorante Sorrento as they had several GF options. The homemade ravioli was delicious. And I also enjoyed some fried zucchini flowers.
Then we set off to the train station to head to the Pompeii ruins. With our umbrellas in hand we made the best of a wet adventure through the Pompeii ruins. Then it was back to our hotel to reset and change for dinner.
A bit later that evening we set off by bus to Ristorante Pizzeria Emilia. The journey there was an adventure. I had read reviews about this restaurant and being famous for their GF pizza. They did not disappoint. The restaurant was filled with shelves of trophies for both their regular and gluten free pizza crusts. I enjoyed a delightful gluten free pizza with spinach, onion and tomato. And for dessert a gluten free crème brulee and traditional Italian almond cake.
Spa/ Sauna time at the hotel.
The fried zuchinni flowers and ravioli were delicious.
We tried their GF pizza. It wasn't terrible but certainly didn't stand up to those we had in Rome.
Pompeii. 2nd image is of a kitchen in one of the homes. They used to place big pots in the holes to make stews and soups.
Ristorante Pizzeria Emilia
Day 3 - Positano
The rain still hadn’t eased up and as disappointed as we were to not have our own transportation to freely explore the coast we decided to hop on a bus to Positano. This process meant we had to head back to Sorento and go to the main station to get a different bus that would travel to Positano and Amalfi. Patience is key as the wait times for buses to this area are lengthy.
Positano is a charming coastal town and the drive there was both exhilarating and scary at the same time. I give props to the bus drivers. These roads are hilly and winding and small like Bermuda but these big buses get around. We only had about 3 -4 hours to spend in Positano by the time we got there as we were expecting to be back in Sorento for a pizza making class that evening. Unfortunately when we got back to Sorento we learned that our pizza class got cancelled as the hosts wife went into labour. Wonderful news for them not so great news for our gluten free pizza making lesson.
But back to Positano. Pottery was everywhere. I wish I could have brought it all back. And lemon everything. We enjoyed the best lunch at Casa e Botega. Everything they offer is sustainably sourced from local farmers and you can literally taste the freshness with every bite. I enjoyed a wonderful energy bowl with nourishing ingredients. The coffee was great and we also enjoyed some unique cocktails. For dessert we enjoyed a lemony treat.
After a quick stop back at our hotel to freshen up we headed back to Sorento for dinner at La Fenice which is an AIC restaurant. They have a separate gluten free menu. I thoroughly enjoyed fresh traditional tomato spaghetti and homemade gf focaccia. The focaccia was to die for.
Day 4 - Capri
Yay sunshine! Finally!
We took a boat over to the island of Capri to spend a few hours. It was a bit of a whirlwind adventure due to our short timeframe there.
We strolled Marina Grande and had a gelato. Visited the Gardens of Augustus. Took the chair lift to to Monte Solaro but the cloud cover meant we couldn't see anything except for clouds. I'm terrified of heights so the solo chair ride back and forth was a lot but I'm glad I did it. We visited an art gallery and strolled the alleyways of Anacapri town.
To end the day our boat tour took us around the entire island and showed us several coves, mansions and the Blue Grotto which was not open due to the tides being too high. We also got up close and under Faraglioni Rocks. It was stunning.
After a full day of adventure we headed back to the hotel and enjoyed a final visit to the spa, sauna and thermal pool. We enjoyed dinner at the hotel, Riccardo Francischiello, which was able to accommodate a gluten free meal for me.
Summary of recommendations:
Hotel:
- Hotel & Spa Bellavista Francischiello - https://www.francischiello.it/en/
Restaurants:
- Ristorante Pizzeria Emilia, Massa Lubrense (find them on Trip Advisor)
- Ristorante Sorrento (located this one while visiting and cannot find a website for them now)
- La Fenice, Sorrento - http://www.ristorantelafenicesorrento.com/
- Casa e Botega - https://www.casaebottegapositano.it/
- Riccardo Francischiello - https://www.francischiello.it/it/restaurant