APRIL 2014

GASTRO-ODISSEY

04012014 I thought the Amalfi Coast would be a little twee, but it's actually enormous. It's overwhelming. It's very glamorous. Very label-centric. Very expensive. Ravello was one of my favourite places, and we stayed near Positano, in a place called Praiano. And then finished in Capri. Rob Brydon and Steve Coogan's Italian road trip | The Tatler

04022014 On this grey, cold and snowy day (in Belgium), I'm dreaming about my favorite place in the world... Capri. If you've never been there, just take a look at my pictures and let me know what you think. Caprilicious | Dolce Limoncella

04032014 I love this shot from Capri. I loved that little island. I plan on going back as soon as my schedule allows it. Remembering Capri. | Rachael Forster  

04032014 Capri is one of the most appealing places on the planet. With its rustic charm and glamorous history, it is easy to see why this small isle was on every jetsetter’s itinerary. When you arrive, do not be disappointed by the endless brand-name boutiques and mobs of tourists. Capri is also a place of deep artisanal traditions, one that produces handmade creations that perfectly capture the essence of the dolce vita lifestyle. This is the moment to treat yourself to indigenous favorites such as bespoke sandals or a pair of custom made Capri pants. City Secrets, Capri Shopping | L-atitude

04042014 Via Camerelle is the essence of Capri sophistication. If your desire to buy a brand name purse or shoes… this is the place to do it! But it’s not just fashion clothes - don’t forget the jewelry and the perfumes too! In Roman times, this street was just an embankment following the road leading to Punta Tragara.The road was supported by big arches that were closed off by the mountain in the back. Thus, little cave-like rooms were formed, or ‘camerelle’ as the Italians call them. That’s how the street got the name…Via Camerelle. Shopping in Capri | Carol's Worldwide Cruise Port Itineraries

04052014 Clinging to the ancient, sun-drenched cliffs along the rugged Amalfi Coast is the tiny and charming, vertical town of Positano. Located in Campania, Southern Italy overlooking the Mediterranean Bay of Salerno, this pedestrian-only town won’t disappoint. With fantastic food and shopping (who can resist gelato?!), breath-taking ocean views, beach-side relaxation and tiny, winding streets carved out of the cliffs, there is something for everyone here. It’s ocean-side living at its best with all of the perks of European culture. Positano and the Amalfi Coast | Entouriste

04062014 Positano A Wandering in Positano | A Wandering Heart

04072014 Steve and Rob visit Pompeii and then have lunch at Relais Blu on the Sorrento coast, overlooking the isle of Capri. They then visit their next restaurant, where Michael Buble is the talking point. Villa Cimbrone, Ravello | BBC

04082014 According to trivago Reputation Ranking, Sorrento, Italy, which has the best online hotel reputation worldwide. 2014 Reputation Ranking: Sorrento, Italy at the top, Paris and London at the bottom | TravelDailyNews

04092014 The best prices are to be found in Naples, where the average room costs 76.00 euros per night. Hotels in Italy Rank Relatively Low in Hotel Price Radar Report | Italy Magazine

04102014 I am excited about this post because Italy is one of my favorite countries – I have been in Italy three times and have visited more than 20 cities, and still I know that it’s definitely not enough. There is so much to share about Italy, so it may seem challenging to choose which city to feature first. But it didn’t actually take me long to decide to select Naples, or as locals call it, Napoli. Why Naples? Because it is a city preceded by its reputation, and I was happy to be disproven during my visit. Beautiful Naples: It is really a sheep in wolf’s clothing | The Diary of a Part-Time Traveler

04112014 The Naples region was the centre of the world if you were a Grand Tourist souvenir hunter. Simultaneously the place was also le dernier cri in Contemporary art, as was made clear to me when I visited the Chapel of Sansevero. It includes both the macabre and the magical. The macabre is supplied by two flayed corpses in the basement which exhibit just the bones and the circulatory system preserved by 18th-century wizardry. The magic comes courtesy of the sculpture of the veiled Christ: the shroud may be marble but veins, knuckle and the rest remain visible. Free from tourist traffic, rough Naples is a cultural haven | Spear's

04112014 We went to Cafe Positano for lunch and got a fantastic view of the sea and the city. I had lasagna, Tricia had spaghetti with cherry tomatoes, and we shared a fresh fruit platter for dessert. But the real star was the location -- you couldn't ask for a better setting! Italy Trip Report - Day 9 (Positano) | Olson Family Matters

04122014 Later we decided to find some lunch and walked back down to the beach. Ristorante la Pergola was right at the waterfront and looked pretty popular, so we gave it a try. We sat at the front of the restaurant where we had a good view of the water. We even saw a bride and groom out on the beach having their wedding photos taken. Honeymoon -- Day 8 -- Positano (Morning/Afternoon) | Delicious Dishings

04132014 In Jean-Luc Godard’s 1963 film Contempt, starring Brigitte Bardot, Jack Palance, Michel Piccoli, and director Fritz Lang, the house is first seen from above. Piccoli and Lang are making their way down a densely overgrown path toward the dark red edifice framed at the end of a steep promontory overlooking the Gulf of Salerno. They have been discussing the script of “Odysseus,” the film that Lang is shooting on the island of Capri. “A House Like Me”: Curzio Malaparte and Jean Luc Godard | American Society of Cinematographers 

04142014 Looking across the Gulf of Naples on the Southwest coast of Italy with Mount Vesuvius off in the distance. Still gives off an eery feeling when thinking back to its destructive days circa 79AD. Grand Hotel Vesuvio | National Geographic Travel 

04152014 The three domus to reopen are Frontone, Trittolemo and Romolo. Frontone is considered by some the most beautiful house in Pompeii, for its complex architecture and beautiful paintings depicting Mars and Venus. Trittolemo is a large domus, while the Romolo and Remo one features famous paintings of animals and a beautiful garden. Three Domus Reopen at Pompeii | Italy Magazine

04162014 Campania. Pastificio Gentile, Gragnano. Book ahead for a pasta demo followed by a meal of Signora Maria’s celestial fusilli and homemade preserves. Italy's Best Pasta, Region-by-Region | Travel + Leisure

04172014 Il Pirata, Praiano, Italy. Antonio Sersale, owner of Positano’s Le Sirenuse hotel, swears by the sea-urchin linguine at this Amalfi Coast idyll, where a sun-drenched terrace is built into rocks above a glittering cove. Europe's Best Places to Eat Like a Local l Travel + Leisure

04182014 We loved staying in Praiano. There was the slight hassle of taking the bus every time we wanted to get into nearby Positano, but we lived next to locals that loved kids. It is truly one of our best “Italians love kids” experiences. Tips for Visiting the Amalfi Coast with Young Kids | Ciao Bambino!

04192014 After crossing Amalfi's southern headland, I entered Atrani via a secret network of backstreet steps and passageways... Amalfi Walks (3) | The Solitary Walker

04202014 Naples and South Italy in general often celebrates religious feasts or traditional recurrences with dedicated food, and Easter it’s no exception. Pastiera is a centuries-old pie made with short crust pastry and filled with ricotta cheese, boiled grain, eggs, aromas and candied fruits. The interesting characteristic of this dolce is the difference in texture between the outside – crispy – and the inside –soft. Italian Pastry Shop: pastiera Napoletana I Swide

04212014 Il Cannito feels like a place I would bring my friends. Although just escaping with my husband and daughter for a quiet vacation of three sounds incredibly energizing too! Il Cannito is hidden: the small rustic buildings that contain the guest rooms are completely tucked into the treed slopes of the Mediterranean landscape. Not too tucked away mind you, you still have a bangin’ view of the island of Capri. The paths that wind through the property are filled with orchids and olive trees. Take one and meander down to the private beach. An Awesome Amalfi Coast Alternative | Italian Fix 

04222014 Many holidaymakers staying along the Amalfi coast will undertake the 72-minute drive north to visit the ancient sites of Herculaneum and Pompeii. However, should they decide to drive south for 85 minutes, they’ll discover an ancient site that many of Italy’s visitors miss. Situated on the edges of Piana del Sele, one of Campania’s buffalo plains famed for its mozzarella, is Paestum, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Rediscovering Paestum | Italy Magazine

04232014 A plaque commemorating Norman Douglas' sojourn in a house near Nerano in May 1908 while writing Siren Land. Sirenland 2014 | Sirenuse Journal

04242014 Everyone should drive the hairpin bends of the Amalfi Coast once in their lifetime, gorging on the endless blue-on-blue horizons. Overlooking the bay of Positano, Le Sirenuse has heirloom furniture, flower-decked terraces and a Michelin-starred restaurant, which uses local, homegrown ingredients. It even produces its own fragrance and bodycare range, Eau d’Italie. Travel: Sweet Dreams | net-a-porter.com

04252014 Danaë was fated to bear a son more powerful than his grandfather, the king, and so the king locked her away. In order to visit her behind closed doors, the god Zeus turned himself into a shower of gold, and Danaë bore a son, Perseus, who avenged her mistreatment with spectacular ingenuity, turning his evil grandfather to stone. This painting was locked away in the “Secret Cabinet” of the Neapolitan monarchy together with lascivious objects from Pompeii until the Cabinet was opened to the public by the Italian patriot Giuseppe Garibaldi. A Magician in Pigment | The New York Review of Books

04262014 As a result of this mood change, cultural landmarks such as the Capodimonte museum have stepped into the spotlight. Set in magnificent gardens that were once the hunting preserve of the Bourbons, the Capodimonte, which opened in its current incarnation in 1840, has one of the world's most underrated art collections. Unlike in more famous spots, where it can be hard to see the art for the throngs, here you can enjoy masterpieces such as Caravaggio's the Flagellation, Titian's Danaë with Eros, and Breughel Senior's the Blind Leading the Blind – almost alone. See Naples and … you'll find a city on the rise | The Guardian

04272014 The Neapolitan-based brand was born in June 2013, and is composed of unique and hand-made floral pieces which are all designed and made by Manuela herself.  Fit for weddings, parties, festivals and much fabulously more, Manuela can also customize your crown using up to three different colours of your liking. Introducing Floral Crown Accessories Label: Joie De Fille by Manuela Palma | My Fashion S/ash Life

04282014 “Napoli is like a woman you fall in love with by mistake. First, it attracts you by its magnetic passionate force, but once you experience the bad manners of the Neapolitans, you cool off". This is how Marina, my personal tour guide, summed it all up while we were walking in the narrow streets of Naples, her hometown. Naples; a City of great Contradictions | Sivan Askayo Photography

04292014  Over the last century, the personal tailor, working one to one with a client, has become as symbolic of Naples as its Roman sculptures and Baroque churches. Many men socializing with friends on the city streets or sitting on public benches wear elegant jackets, in tweed or linen, lightweight, unstructured — and indisputably tailor made. To show that the tide of tailoring has turned, the big names in Naples have opened stores around the world. They also fly experts to their clients or offer them a home-away-from-home welcome in Italy. Naples, a Haven of Hand Work | The New York Times 

04302014 Naples, the other sartorial epicentre, also majors in separates. It is considerably hotter and more relaxed than conservative Milan, and its style is the foil to the traditional business suit. The look is typified by minimal padding and light canvas interlinings, working alongside cunning cutting and unstructured shirt-like sleeves. Italian tailoring | How To Spend It, Financial Times