Resumee of Naples & the Amalfi coast

The Amalfi coast is very scenic but also very touristic and Amalfi and Positano are very expensive. Unfortunately most of the hotels close end of October elsewhere. These two places are the only ones that are open all year.
I liked the other side of the peninsula, the Gulf of Sorrent more. At this time of the year you can see the sunset just behind the island of Capri. People are friendly and if you walk away a little bit from the touristic parts you can find small towns where time almost stands still and you find Italy as you want it.

Scooters are the most common vehicle, second are small cars with serious injuries. 4 million cars in Italy or 8% of all cars are not insured because people can't afford it. Repairing is obviously not affordable too.

Honking ist he most common way of communicating between cars, scooters and pedestrians. Though traffic is without any rules (at least without any I knew) it works. Once you get used to it, you love it. Pedestrians are attentive because they can't rely on that a car stops. It's heaven for cars and scooters. 

Napoli was a surprise. I knew, that it's located nicely at the foot of Vesuvius but it was also quite clean. As clean as a Southern Italian city can be. But no trace of huge piles of garbage.

To travel this time of the year has some advantages. Less people, wheather can still be nice and the sea is warmer than in spring. Sometimes you can get a special deal in one of the luxury hotels and have it almost only to yourself (if you want it or not - I did).
The disadvantage is, that it gets dark around 5 p.m. and days are short.

Tips
Herculaneum
www.museomav.it
www.rometoolkit.com/whattodo/pompeii_ercolano.html
www.herculaneum.org/hcp-home/eng/index.html
www.ipapiri.com

Massa Lubrense

The bakery in Massa Lubrense in Via Massa Turo just around the corner of the main square has delicious Cantuccini.
www.hoteldelfino.com

Capri
Villa Lysis http://www.capritourism.com/de/article?article1_id=3519

Amalfi
Cattedrale di Sant'Andrea in Amalfi http://www.naviquan.com/page/amalfi-cathedral-italy/1/

Ciao Napoli

Last day in Napoli. Nothing much to report. Did some further sightseeing, went to bed and took an early morning plane back to Vienna.

Only one thing is left to tell:
Once these statues were placed on the main facade of the Palazzo Reale, local pranksters invented vulgar expressions in dialect form and put it in the mouths of the statues, as if talking to each other

Who pissed on the floor?
Karl V.

Look, these pigs.
Karl III.

I swear, it wasn't me.
Joachim Murat

If I find out who it was, I'll cut his ... of
Victor Emanuel II.

Napoli

In the morning I took a last look from my terrace, paid my enormous bill (Amalfi is really, really expensive) and drove to Napoli.

Driving in Napoli was painful. I have a car without a working horn! I can't honk and this really puts me in a disadvantage. Instead of honking my way clear I have to pay attention.
I returned my surprisingly undamaged car when the Europcar-staff returned from lunch (yes, they close for lunch time!) and started to explore the city. My B&B (bed & bed, it didn't include a breakfast) was in Santa Lucia, the former fisherman quarter, in walking distance of all the places of interest.

Piazza del Plebiscito

Vesuv in the back

During the night the wind was very strong and the shutters of my window kept banging against the wall. I couldn't secure them and they couldn't be closed. A coat-hanger came in very handy.

Positano

Today I took the boat to Positano, walked up another thousands steps to the main road and took the bus back to Amalfi.

Positano

Positano

In Praiano I left the bus to pick up my jacket which I left in a bar there two days ago. The bar was closed until 2:30 pm and I decided to have lunch in a restaurant nearby. After I had my jacket back I intended to hop on the next bus to Amalfi which was supposed to come at 3:15. Unfortunately it came at 3:00 when I was still in the bar drinking my coffee. No one could tell me when the next bus was to come (the schedule just changed to winter time and it was a Sunday too) so I was not taking any risk and waited outside at the bus stop - FOR TWO HOURS in this hicktown!! That was definitely too much.
Back in Amalfi however, I was rewarded with another stunning sunset.

Amalfi

Agrópoli was nice but I had seen all what was there and so I headed back to Amalfi. On the SP175 (Strada Provinciale) the sexy ladies where already up and offering their services. These girls are very hardworking because they were here when I came along yesterday in the late afternoon and now they are here again at ten in the morning.
I stopped to take a look at the beach which in summer is probably full with people and garbage. Now it was only full with garbage.

This time I checked into a hotel in Amalfi and went on a walk to town. From the Piazza Duomo leads an imposing staircase to the Duomo Sant'Andrea, chronicle in stone of the rich and confident city. From the 9th to the 12th century, Amalfi was the powerful capital of Italy's oldest maritime republic.

The crypt houses the relics of St. Andreas which were
 brought from Constantinople in 1208.

The evening provided picturesquely cloud formations...

and and even more picturesquely sunset.

Agrópoli, Cilento

Amalfi coast

It was maybe not the smartest idea to drive down the Amalfi coast on a holiday but as my hotel closed for the winter I had to move on. The plan was to find another place to stay somewhere near Amalfi. It wasn't that easy as it turned out. Too much traffic, no space to park a  car anywhere.

The land of lemons

Only in Praiano I found a parking place and I decided to find out if this was a place to stay. It wasn't. After perceived thousands steps down to the beach it was clear I had to drive a little further and ended up 90 km later in Agrópoli, the gateway to the Cilento.It began to dawn already and I had to find a hotel for the night. This wasn't easy as well because most of the hotels close end of October.I found a dockside B&B but the lady who opened the door was very suspicious when I told her I needed a room only for me alone. It was obvious that she didn't want to give me a room but I was persistent and finally she gave in.

Agrópoli was founded by the Greeks a little bit earlier than the nearby Paestum  in 7th century B.C. and the old town is located high on a mighty cliff. It is a charming city with winding alleys leading to the highest point, the old fort from which you have a view over the Gulf of Salerno and the peninsula of Sorrent.

Agrópoli

S. Agata sui due Golfi

Today I decided to take the car to go around. I drove to S. Agata which promised to have a view over the Gulf of Sorrent as well as over the Gulf of Salerno. Not that you could see much these days because it was always a bit hazy but it was worth a try. But the monastery "il deserto" from which roof you should have this spectacular view was closed anyway.
The town itself is charming and the church has a magnificent altar from the 16th century. It was made originally for a church in Naples.

Another place worth going is Don Alfonso 1890, one of the best restaurants in South Italy with luxurious guest rooms.

Marina della Lobra is a nice little harbour I wanted to visit by foot from Massa Lobrense two days ago but cancelled it half way due to the falling darkness. It's much more pretty in daylight anyway.

Marina della Lobra

The last sunset over Capri. Tomorrow I have to leave this nice place. The hotel closes for the winter. It was fantastic to have to share a whole hotel with pool and private beach with only a handful other guests.