Reminder: the panoramic photos at the start of the blog change every 7/8 seconds and there are more photos below the text if you want to skip the diary details; and if you double click on any of the photos you will get an enlarged, clearer image. You can return to the text anytime.
Day 5 Friday 28th October: having disenchanted with local travel following our experiences on the Amalfi Coast and Herculaneum we decided that the best thing to do would be to stay overnight in Sorrento town rather than being beholden to the hotel shuttle bus timings. So Jane booked a luxury sea view room in the rather opulent Imperial Hotel Tramontano, one of the grand hotels which line the cliffs above Sorrentos beaches and harbours. The hotel wasnt as grand as wed thought and the room was probably 3 star at best: but the view from the balcony was definitely 5 star: directly above the beaches with an uninterrupted view across the Bay of Naples to the city and Mount Vesuvius.
As the hotel dinner menu didnt appear to be very varied or enticing we booked at a nearby restaurant called LAntica Trattoria
which the Lonely Planet Guide to Sorrento rated as the best in town. It was situated up a lane across the road from the hotel grounds along with quite a few other restaurants: ice cream parlours (including the World Champion of Ice Cream) and shops selling handicrafts and tourist tat. The food and service at LAntica fully justified the Lonely Planet rating and we had a magnificent meal; four courses (small helpings) of equisitely prepared and presented delicacies. Also, it turned out that our friendly waiter, Salvatore, had lived in Penarth for a time back in the 1980s, and had good memories of Wales; and hed also lived on Kennedy Road in Hong Kong for a while - as I had done (maybe were related) - small world.
The next morning, Saturday 29th, after a not very good breakfast at the Imperial Tramontano (justifying the decision to have dinner at LAntica), albeit with a wonderful view from the restaurant windows, we had a walk around the town and then headed back up the mountain to our hotel and a lazy afternoon by the very nice, heated (28C), swimming pool. Later on I went for a walk to try to
find a viewpoint overlooking the Amalfi Coast which I found, but as the site hadnt been maintained the view was obstructed by shrubs and trees; nevertheless a good walk.
We dont have any plan for our last day but as we dont relish the prospect of being governed by the timings of the shuttle service to and from Sorrento, and as the weather forecast is again very good (sunny and 25/26C ) well probably stay at the hotel; with maybe a little walk to the nearby village of Colli di Fontanelle which has a nice cafe and views over Sorrento.
