Welcome back to my Italian journey! Join me in part 2 of my blog series, as I travel from the city of Napoli to the coast of Positano.
From Pompeii, my next stop was at Napoli – a port city leading to the gem that is Capri. Here, I just lounged and waited around until our boat ride the next day.
Finally, we’re in Capri! It’s actually s small island than travelers usually expect, but its beautiful views are all worth it. Though it’s my 2nd time here, this visit, I got to connect more with the locals, and met a few new friends along the way, too.
Here, I got to explore the charming fashion boutiques in its small streets. There were fewer tourists too, which added to the ease of traveling.
Right after, we had some beauty rest at the stunning Hotel Gatto Bianco, with its cute furry mascot Matisse! But then again, Gatto Bianco itself means ‘white cat’ in Italian.
Located in the elegant central part of the island, Hotel Gatto Bianco is a wonderful hotel. Still, I looked to see the deep blue waters right from my room. This was why we then transferred to Casa Morgano, with convenient views of the Tyrrhenian Sea. We even saw Will from Will and Grace, dining with his group of friends!
Our enjoyment continued at the Ristorante di Giorgio, where they served us fine plates of seafood. From the fresh lobster to the fish being deboned in front of you, the food was simply excellent. I did feel that they threw out some of the tastiest parts of the fish, but hey, it’s the Italian way.
We stayed here for 4 days and 3 nights, and enjoyed the fresh seaside breeze and bright sunshine. Nearby, there were batches of lemon trees, given that this is Italy’s lemon growing region. As expected, the refreshing limoncello was amazing – probably the best I’ve ever tasted.
At last, it was time to head back to the hotel recharge for our second day in Capri.
As dawn broke, I was quite excited for our 2nd day – we were going on a boating trip, with some dramatic rocky scenery as our backdrop. Our kind – and cute – Italian boatman was very helpful to our group too, telling us some interesting stories about the sights we passed by.
Our itinerary that day let us go to iconic sights such as Blue Grotto, where the water was shaded in a deep blue hue. Inside the cave, there were also pink and orange corals, and light crashing waves. Still, we felt quite safe thanks to our guide.
As our boating trip ended, we didn’t immediately go back to town. We intended to head up, to a relaxing swimming spot where celebrities often flock to. But, our drop-off place was quite remote – and to top it all off, we lost our phone signals too.
Thankfully, we were helped by two men, one tall Italian, and another with an American accent. They too were heading swimming, and asked us to take a picture of them. The American man seemed familiar, but I couldn’t exactly tell who it was at the time.
After they left, we felt quite hungry, stopping by the first restaurant we could find. We went to Aurora, a high-end restaurant that served plenty of seafood pastas. As we entered, we were asked by the hostess, “Were you guys able to see Michael Kors earlier?” My jaw dropped. I knew the American was familiar. Apparently, he’s a frequent vacationer in Capri, owning a large villa somewhere on the island.
Eating my pasta, I thought to myself how one can easily encounter big celebrities here, away from all the paparazzi and fans. Regrets aside, I did enjoy the food though. There wasn’t even a can in sight – all of the ingredients were grown fresh.
We then continued to stroll in the beautiful city, with its port-side houses and cobblestone streets.
Our art journey continued, as we met one of the region’s best painters Antonio Palomba. His work is inspired by Capri’s landscapes and seaside panoramas.
We then stopped by for some celebration at the city. It was the feast day of San Constanzo, Capri’s beloved patron saint. People were a holding parade in his honour, carrying his image down its small streets. Like us Filipinos, Italians are still very fond of their religious ceremonies too.
After this joyful gathering, I felt it was time to get some retail therapy too, at this colorful boutique called Ecocapri. Every corner of the shop looked like a detailed art installation.
We then marked our 2nd night in Capri with a party at the city center. It was overflowing with cocktails, great music, and lots of dancing to Italian songs. Even our group joined along.
Ending our day, we walked back to our lovely hotel rooms and got some much-needed sleep. It was time to head up to Anacapri the following day!
On our last day in this island paradise, we went on an excursion to the mountain town of Anacapri, where there were almost frightening views of the cliffs and the waters below. It is said that this place is the preferred vacation spot of Caesar Maximus, a former ruler of the Roman Empire. All along the way, were accompanied by our friend Dimitri, who knew his way around the area.
Going up the greenery, we also went to see Antonio Palomba’s bitter rival, the renowned Federico Salvatore. Like his counterpart, Federico also paints the area’s dramatic cliffs and waters – maybe that’s why they’re not so fond of each other.
It was a must for us to see Anacapri’s architectural side too, which was why we dropped by the Church of San Michele. With its tiny yet decorative interiors, I saw how its floor paintings depicted the whole story of Adam and Eve.
While we were all happy touring around the place, we were also rushing to get onboard our boat to Positano, on the Amalfi Coast. We bid this stunning church goodbye, and hurried to our 4pm boat ride which we almost missed. With our bags in hand, we took a beautiful voyage to another land many Italians hold dear.
#JuanderWithUs, and stay tuned to part 3 of my Italy blog series, in lovely Positano!
