Amalfi Coastin'

I'm back everyone! Sorry for going MIA the past year, a LOT has been going on (more on that later) but I'll definitely try my best to keep consistent about my adventures in style, food and travel now that things have mellowed out. I'm going to work backwards a little here since I have a lot to catch you guys up on, but let's start (or re-start, rather) with my latest galavant to the Amalfi Coast!

You can't visit Italy without first starting in the Eternal City, Rome. It's the closest thing you'll have to time travel. For those of you who enjoy museums when traveling Rome is a living, breathing historical painting come to life. If you have time, I suggested wandering without a map and get lost in it all (ok maybe have one handy just in case.) Walk the narrow, shaded cobbled streets of Rome where you'll find al fresco bistros and gelaterias on every corner and relish the realization that you're strolling the same streets of the ancient Romans.

Next stop, Naples! While didn't have a chance to actually experience the alleged birthplace of pizza but our short 2 hours in the city center to get our rental car was enough to give us a slice (ha) of Naples life -- crowded train stations much akin to Penn Station and busy roundabouts where Italians expertly and casually manuever their cars with only inches to spare from one another. There seems to be an inherent understanding among Napoli drivers: no 'thank you' waves or arms out the window for permission -- simply "I see you, you see me. It'll be alright."

From there we're off to Amalfi! The map said 22 miles, not too bad right? No one told us that 15 of those miles would be cruising up the hills of Amalfi for the next 1.5 hours at about 20 mph on the infamously tight Amalfi coastal road (hats off to my brother for driving, albeit white knuckled the whole way!) to our Airbnb home for the next week. But boy, was it worth it! Opening your blinds in the morning to a gorgeous, hilltop view of the sparkling Tyrrhenian Sea was simply magical and unforgettable.

We were centered just a few miles between Amalfi and Positano and had 4 days to spend, so off we went!

Our first day was gorgeously sunny and we hit the town of Amalfi. Famous for their lemons and of course limoncello liquer, everywhere were turned were lemons, lemons, lemons! We strolled through a small archway and we were welcomed by a bustling plaza of restaurants, cafes and the Cathedral of St. Andrew. Gelato in hand, we moseyed through the main shopping street filled with their famous porcelain and lemon-flavor and lemon-scented goods. I couldn't resist and picked up a few colorful ceramic dishes and kitchenware items.

The next day, we made our way to Positano. Not so lucky with the weather but let's face it, Positano in the rain is still more beautiful than most places on earth. With the colorful cliffside homes, it still brought color to an otherwise gray day. It's a top-down town where it's best you park up top and work your way down on foot. The roadway for car ends with narrowed streets fit for pedestrians only so your best bet is to walk - fashionable sneaks will be your friend for this trek. I made the mistake of wearing TOMS...in the rain. Narrow, cobbled walkways lead you through a string of shops and cafes that eventually take you down to the water where you can have a fabulous lunch by the coast.

I didn't bring my good camera on this trip, but I managed to get some great shots compliments of my iPhone. So without further ado, check out some my snapshots of these famous coastlines and more!