Positano – Francois et Moi

Getting to Positano: Ferry Insight

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Wed, 30 Jul 2014 13:22:17 +0000

When planning our trip abroad, I found the resources on how to actually get to Positano, Italy a bit scarce–there isn’t a lot out there other than Trip Advisor. Positano and many of the Amalfi Coast’s towns are surrounded by mountains on one side and sea on the other, requiring a bit more research and strategery in planning your arrival route/departure route. You can’t just hop on a train and land in Positano, as Positano doesn’t have a train station! So I thought I’d share some of my research and also tips that we found helpful en route. There are two main ways to reach Positano from Rome or anywhere in mainland Italy: Take the train to Sorrento and then hop a bus or rent a car to take you up the windy, single lane coastal roads. Take the train to Salerno and hop a ferry to Positano. We chose the ferry route as we both love being on the water and thought the boat ride would be a fun departure from our otherwise landlocked va-ca. We took the train from Rome to Salerno, using our Eurrail Pass, making sure to leave ourselves 1 hour+ to find the Travelmar ticket booth and purchase tickets. As you exit the train […]

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Hiking the Amalfi Coast

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Tue, 01 Jul 2014 13:33:09 +0000

Hiking the Amalfi Coast was pretty high up on Ken’s ‘to-do’ while in Positano. There is so much pristine coastline to hike that there are people who hire guides and make an entire trip out of hiking from seaside town to seaside town. Ken and I? We indulged in an adventure that took the good part of a day. ‘The Path of the Gods’ was the trail Ken set his sights on. There are a ton of places on the coast where you can hook onto the trail. (Read all about them on Trip Advisor.) We took the bus just south out of Positano proper and climbed a staircase off the main road up to Nocelle, a tiny town clinging to the hillside with a direct connection to the trail. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend doing what we did as it wasn’t just a few stairs. It was 800 stairs. Yep, and we were pretty darn exhausted by the time we reached Nocelle, and we hadn’t even made it to the “hike.” Nonetheless we had fun with it, and there was a stand at the top of those 800 stairs selling freshly squeezed orange juice using oranges the owner had grown in his garden. […]

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Positano Eats + A Freshly Squeezed Summer Cocktail Recipe

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Mon, 30 Jun 2014 12:40:50 +0000

We had some incredible dining experiences in Positano–fresh seafood and flavors, simple ingredients, heart-warmingly accommodating and friendly people, sea breezes, and candlelight seemed to be on the menu each night for dinner. We ate at quite a few places–it was date night every night!–but these were 2 of my favorites: Il Fornillo . This was our first meal in Positano as it was steps from our villa, and it really set the stage for the fantastic cuisine we were to find in this gem of a town. Serving up traditional Italian dishes in a traditional atmosphere, think of Il Fornillo for delicious fare at a good value (in comparison to restaurants in the town center). Their vine-flourishing trellis on the restaurant’s terrace frames out the beautiful view of the sea, and a trio of musicians serenades guests after dark. The image above was Ken’s plate: Homemade pumpkin blossom ravioli with fresh shellfish. Il Fornillo. Via Pasitea, 266. Next2 . Just might have been the best meal of my life. I know that’s a big statement, but I’m tearing up just thinking about it! Next2 offers creative fine dining in a relaxed atmosphere. We we began our meal with a house recommendation of a delicious orange and apricot martini. Check out the recipe […]

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Holiday at the Beach: Italian Style

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Fri, 27 Jun 2014 12:54:32 +0000

As I mentioned yesterday, Spiaggia di Fornillo is a public beach in Positano tucked into a large cove on the Tyrhennian Sea reachable on foot by following the stairs down the hill from La Casa Di Peppe‘s cliffside perch. Technically, the beach is public because anyone is welcome, but the beach is looked after by a few open-air beach restaurants, so there are sun loungers and boats for rent, the beach is well maintained, and cocktails and pizza are just a short pebbly shoreline jaunt away. We particularly loved bar bagni Da Ferdinando, which is run by the kindest and friendliest family who have been serving up beach fun at Spiaggia di Fornillo since 1953. Being that it was the last stop on our two week trip, we decided to really capitalize on the relaxing beach holiday facet of Positano by spending two full afternoons at the beach, combing the shoreline for mermaid tears (sea-worn glass and pottery), sipping mojitos and taking intermittent dips in the sea when the sun became too fierce. We also rented a pedal boat from Da Ferdinando, but it wasn’t just any pedal boat. It was a pedal boat with a layout deck and ladder at the front end of it! Ken and I’d […]

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La Casa Di Peppe, Positano

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Thu, 26 Jun 2014 13:17:07 +0000

La Casa Di Peppe was the spot we called home for the 5 days we spent in Positano, and it really did feel like home. Peppe and his staff treat you like family throughout your stay in his villa which is actually, Peppe’s childhood home! Perched on Positano’s hillside overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea, Peppe’s villa is immaculately kept inside and out. When we arrived at Peppe’s on our first day, and as we made our way down the stairs and through the garden towards the front door, the smell of the flourishing orange blossoms in his garden came over me, and I knew right then we’d get along just fine here! Inside the villa is an incredible menagerie of Italian antiques and delicate lace linens which are, I assume, family heirlooms. We stayed in the New York Suite, a spacious, comfortable room with vaulted ceilings, a snuggly big bed and a large balcony terrace with a stunning view of the sparkling blue sea. There are no private beaches in Positano, but Peppe’s place is located just up the hill from Fornillo Beach, a quieter and more private beach than Spiaggia Grande, where you can rent a lounger for the day. (More on Fornillo Beach tomorrow!). An extraordinary villa with […]

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Amalfi Coastal Charmer: Positano, Italy

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Mon, 23 Jun 2014 12:51:35 +0000

The final stop on our two week adventure was Positano, a small town built into the mountainside on the Amalfi Coast in Southwestern Italy. Positano stole my heart faster and with more conviction than I’d ever imagined it would. The pace of life moves a little slower, the people have a warmness about them, and the natural beauty of the sea and mountain surroundings evoke an emotional reaction. It will bring you to tears. Positano’s juxtaposition of old Italian charm and modern luxury is quite an intriguing melange. The designer shops in town are curated with the finest Italian linen and leather goods, while the hidden “sidewalks” (which are actually better described as narrow pedestrian staircases climbing the hillside) offer glimpses into old, untouched Italy before the seaside town was discovered as a major travel destination around the end of WWII. The locals are friendly and welcoming and exude a sense of pride about their village that is both tangible and contagious. One particular older gentleman, by the name of Mario, warmly welcomed us the moment we stepped out of our taxi, quickly becoming our unofficial ambassador to his great town of Positano. From his idyllic […]

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Let the Countdown Begin!

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Wed, 13 Nov 2013 13:38:05 +0000

I’m so very excited to announce that Ken and I have finally booked our flights abroad for a two week journey to Paris, Zermatt, and Positano this coming Spring! It’s been 7 years (7 years!) since I spent a semester studying design in London, and I’ve been itching to go back abroad ever since. It will be Ken’s first time in Western Europe, and I’m brimming with excitement just thinking about sharing this experience together. The plan is to fly into Paris in early May, take the train down through the Swiss Alps, stop off in a few quaint mountain towns along the way, and eventually land on the Amalfi Coast for few days before flying home out of Naples. The accommodations and subsequent travel details have yet to be planned, so if you have a favorite place to eat, stay, see, or shop, please share! I’ve been to Paris a handful of times, but the Swiss Alps and the Amalfi Coast are entirely new to me. Here’s to 170 days and counting!

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