Drive Like an Italian - Along the Sorrento Peninsula

South of Naples is the beautiful, and expensive, Sorrento Peninsula where towns like Amalfi and the Isle of Capri are internationally famous. After our explorations of Pompeii and Hurculaneum, we decided we needed a luxury break and the Turk drove us to Praiano - between Sorrento and Amalfi.

Driving on the autostrassa (toll freeway) is only somewhat challenging with roadsigns in Italian. The cars mostly drive as expected  - which means they drive down the center of the available two lanes at the proper speed, moving over when someone passes on the left - only on the left. Note that in Italy, your vehicle is tracked from point to point. If you get to the end point before you are supposed to - because you were speeding - you will be mailed a speeding ticket.
The trip along the Sorrento Peninsula was very different. The roads are narrow and very windy as they hug the cliffs overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. It is very picturesque until a tour bus wants to pass by you. But the Turk handled it all like he was Italian himself!

The Sorrento Peninsula

twisty roads

Really pretty when you looked out - many boats on a Sunday

Typical vertical access to buildings, and tight squeeze for cars

It was August, so not surprising that the roads were this crowded

We stayed at a beautiful hotel, built into the rock aside the cliff. Our room looked out at the Sea, and down to the walkway below. Small restaurants and bars were built alongside the cliff and the sea. No photo - but in the night I swam in the Mediterranean in a nearby cove that was lit for the surrounding restaurants.

View from our room

our patio

Turk enjoys the view...i think

turk standing on the walkway that curves around the cliffs. My cove is behind his left shoulder

the cove where i swam is partially visible in the bottom left. The cove goes back into the cliff.

This area is known for their ceramics and we bought some plates to remind us of the area. There are many galleries, great seafood, wonderful apertivos where I enjoyed my negronis.

swimmers and sunbathers - looking down from our room

sculptures along the roadside

My ceramic wish list was reduced to 4 plates  - the trip was just starting and we had luggage weight limits

ceramic artisan - he installed one of his works at the jazz bar in Lincoln Center NYC

one of the towns we drove through

Old church with great bells

delicious mixed seafood plate - until i got sick the next morning. Painted plate is typical for Priano

Priano church and fig tree