It’s taken us three full days to get to Praiano, Italy. Our original itinerary of San Francisco – Atlanta – Madrid – Naples was eventually replaced with San Francisco – Tulsa – Atlanta – Montreal – Paris – Istanbul – Naples. Add on 2 days of travel, $1000 in extra ticket costs and three lost luggage bags and here we are!
We arrived in Praiano after a long taxi ride from the Naples airport. The house that we are renting with friends, is a perfect reflection of the Amalfi coast: steep steps, views of the Mediterranean, white walls with bright flowers, cute balconies and classic styling. It’s a great house to kick off our vacation, as local hotels are extremely expensive or have very minimal amenities. Our Airbnb host even owns a local coffee shop/café, so we have a local hang out too.
Although we arrived late in the day, our traveling companions (Allison & Jamie Long and Cara & Cameron Macrae) got here early in the morning and headed to One Fire Beach in Praiano. Nothing but great reviews, so we will need to add that to our list for our next visit.
For those who have not been to this part of the Italian coast, to say the roads are narrow and winding is a wild understatement. To that end, the taxi/bus options are limited and can tend be very delayed or very expensive. Because of that we choose to have dinner at a place that is walking distance from our house – Locanda Costa Diva. Exceptional local food: caprese salad, tuna carpaccio, mushroom pasta, lemon risotto, lemoncelo, cheese cake, to name just a few.
At check in, our host had recommended that we check out a late night club, Africana Famous Club. We googled it an realized it was only a five minute walk. All we can say is Ah-Maz-Ing! Built into the cliffs and grottos of the coast, the club has a welcoming, yet high-end vibe. The crowd seemed like a mix of locals, tourists and those hanging out on yachts. The drinks were not terribly expensive and the DJ and dancers put on a great show. Most house music, so our group was right at home.
Overall, a great first day after a terrible three days of travel. More to come tomorrow.