Sorrento Sun and Coast Cruising

The final leg of my European summer holiday was a three day tour of Southern Italy. The tour I picked was Busabout's Italian Adventure, which included Capri, Amalfi Coast, Sorrento and Pompeii. As far as tours go, I have found I really enjoy the short tours that give an in-depth experience of a particular region, compared to the bigger tours that go from city to city to city every day or two. I can get from city to city myself, but these small regional tours I've gone on have been amazing and shown me spots I wouldn't even have found myself if I was to hire a car!

Without the tour I may never have seen this view on Capri, and that would nearly be a crime.

Pompeii was home for around 12 000 people, but we walked only a small area

One of the first stops on the tour was the historic Pompeii. We had a guided tour of some of the interesting sights including amphitheatres, shops, bathhouses, homes of the wealthy and the local brothel. Apparently these Romans would walk into the brothel and look up on the wall at the tiles (seen below) painted with pictures promoting the different services on offer and select their inspiration before going into one of the small rooms with stone beds.

Pompeii's pleasure menu 

Riding in a "luxury taxi" to Anacapri

My favourite day of the tour was a trip over to the stunning island of Capri. We had most of the day to explore the island, but the famous Blue Grotto was closed due to weather. I started my island adventure with a luxury taxi ride to the settlement of Anacapri, where the base of the chairlift sits. A return chairlift costs 10 Euros and each way takes about 13 minutes. That's a solid 26 minutes of my life I spent with a ridiculous grin on my face. You must try this! The views are spectacular, to say the least, and even better when you get to Monte Solaro at the top.

If this chairlift took me to and from work every day, would I even work?

The best pizza I have ever had the pleasure of enjoying

Lunch down at Anacapri kept a smile still firmly on my face as I shoved it with this amazing pizza. Each one of the points on that glorious star-shaped masterpiece was filled with the freshest feta cheese I have ever tasted. Italy sure does know how to throw a few good flavours together to make taste-bud magic. After lunch I took a local bus to Capri town and grabbed some gelato and headed to the Augustus Gardens. The gardens themselves are lovely but I still couldn't go past the view out onto the water. Our boat trip back to our accommodation at Sorrento included a lap of the island before we waved goodbye.

I wish I had more time at the Augustus Gardens

Capri is stunning from every angle

Day 3 started early with a drive down the Amalfi Coast. This really is one of the famous roads of the world you should travel on at least once in your life. We stopped at some great lookouts, before having a few hours spare in Amalfi town. After sampling the local pastries I opted to go on a boat cruise that promised a swim in the bluest water I've ever been in. 

Welcome to Amalfi Coast

How could I not love Italy?

Seriously, this water is gorgeous. I kept looking at it wondering how it could be so blue and so clear at the same time! We could see all the fishes! Being the water-loving Aussies that we were, the group swam up to and through a rock arch and back to the boat. When I'm back home I can go to the beach whenever I want, but this is a swim I'll always remember.

My water-loving Aussie tour mates in Amalfi

The trip ended back in Rome and most of the group had dinner together that night and danced the night away with happy-hour cocktail buckets! It was the perfect end to my summer trip and it definitely wouldn't have been the smae without it. I'd love to go back another time to Southern Italy and experience more of the food and culture of the towns in the region. I'm sure I can convince my parents to shout me dinner if I show them around! ;)

Lunch with a view! Italy you are spectacular!