This was one of those days where we had all types of weather. The cloudy and cold morning gave way to beautiful, sunny skies in the afternoon.
Our day began in Scala, the oldest village on the Amalfi Coast and perched 1,500 feet above sea level on a steep hillside. We hiked 600 steps down from the bus to get to the bottom of the village (I didn’t count, but I took Francesco’s word for it!), visiting the ruins of the Romanesque Basilica of St. Eustachio along the way.
Consecrated in 1244, there is not much left to the basilica, but the views from the ruins were spectacular. When we arrived, a sweet little lady greeted us with candy. She has been volunteering at the site for years and was happy to see Francesco and greet the group.
(For all photos, click on the image for a full screen view.)
Walking down the steps through this historic village felt so authentic Italy, and what I loved the most was not seeing anyone else except our group and a few locals.
Our group continued to the town of Ravello, which is also situated in the hills with beautiful views of the Amalfi Coast and Scala. The best views were from 13th—century Villa Rufolo where we took a self-guided tour. The skies hadn’t quite cleared yet here, but the views were no less gorgeous from the villa.
Ravello is a small town of just 2,500 people and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Founded in the 5th century as a shelter place against the barbarian invasions, it later became known for producing wool. The history is long and quite involved, but Ravello became a destination for artists, musicians, and writers. It is quite popular with tourists now, partly because of the beautiful views.
Bruce and I found the town to be quite charming, and we enjoyed browsing through the ceramic shops and galleries. Rather than take the time to dine at one of the outdoor cafes on the piazza, we opted to grab a sandwich from the Italian deli and watch the cats beg and compete for the scraps the café diners tossed to them. It was quite entertaining to watch, and our sandwich was delicious!
Coming up next: SICILY & AMALFI COAST #25: PERSERVERING THROUGH POMPEII
Elaine-iaK's Travels: A Traveler's Tales of People, Places, Photos, Pools... and CHOCOLATE! 