April 9, 2025 • 32 mins
Planning a trip to the Amalfi Coast? In this week’s episode, Italy travel expert and returning guest Dianne Bortoletto joins me to share everything you need to know for an unforgettable visit to one of Italy’s most breathtaking regions.
From iconic cliffside towns and sparkling sea views to delicious food and warm local hospitality, Dianne reveals what makes the Amalfi Coast so magical—and how to experience it like a pro.
We chat about must-see stops, the best way to explore by land and sea, and practical tips for first-time visitors—like managing luggage on steep streets, choosing the right base, and planning the perfect itinerary.
Whether you’re dreaming of a boat trip to Capri, a day in Pompeii, or just soaking up the views with a spritz in hand, this episode is packed with inspiration and advice to help you make the most of your Amalfi adventure.
⭐️ Guest - Dianne Bortolleto (And Away We Go f1 Podcast)
📝 Show Notes - Episode 49
🎧 Listen to next
- Episode #42 – Discover Italy: Essential tips for first-time visitors with Dianne Bortoletto
- Episode #23 - Solo Travel Adventures in Puglia & Beyond
- Episode #27 - Your Ultimate Driving Guide Abroad with John Cortese from Tripiamo
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
In episode 49 of the Global Travel Planning Podcast,
returning guest Diane Bortolettoshares her insider tips for
making the most of a trip toItaly's breathtaking and mouthy
coast.
Diane reveals what you reallyneed to know before you go.
Now if you love to expertadvice in episode 42, you won't
want to miss this essentialguide to one of Italy's most
(00:20):
iconic destinations.
Hi and welcome to the GlobalTravel Planning Podcast.
I'm your host, tracey Collins,who, with my expert guests, will
take you on a weekly journey todestinations around the globe,
providing travel inspiration,itinerary ideas, practical tips
and more to help traveladventure Everybody.
(00:49):
Welcome to episode 49 of theGlobal Travel Planner Podcast.
This week I am excited to haveDiane Bortoletto, if I've
pronounced that correctly, whowas in our previous episode 42,
talking all about her tips forfirst-time visitors to Italy.
Now this week we're talkingabout the Malfi Coast.
But first of all, diane, wouldyou like to introduce yourself,
tell us where you're fromobviously the Italian heritage
(01:11):
of yours and about your podcastas well, please.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Oh, thank you, Tracey , and thank you for having me on
your show.
My name, yes, diane Bortoletto.
I'm born in Melbourne, but Ihave both parents who are
Italian.
I have an Italian passport,I've lived in Italy and I've
traveled to Italy lots and lotsof times.
It's my second home, if youlike.
I have a huge passion foreverything Italian and that
(01:38):
passion includes Ferrari andbeing a Formula One fan.
I recently started a podcastcalled and Away we Go F1 Podcast
, which goes beyond the tracklimits to talk about travel,
food and lifestyle surroundingthe sport, and I co-host that
with another travel writerfriend of mine, monique Chakado,
and their weekly episodes.
(01:59):
So yeah, if you like FormulaOne, you can tune into that as
well.
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
Oh, brilliant as well .
I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I used to be a Formula One fana long time ago, kind of brought
up with a brother who wasobsessed, so I've enjoyed the
episodes.
And obviously, monique has alsobeen on the podcast to talk
about her life in Norway, so itwas great to have you on the
podcast last time to talk aboutItaly, so this time it's all
about the Amalfi Coast.
(02:24):
I'm going to ask you actuallythe same question I probably
started with last time is likecould you sum up the Amalfi
Coast in three words for anybodywho hasn't been there before?
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Three words would be hilly, hilly, beautiful and oh,
hilly, beautiful and unexpectedlovely, lovely and a beautiful
(02:53):
part of the world.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
I totally agree.
Definitely, you have that.
That.
That second adjective, totally.
Um, yeah, let's.
Let's talk about what makes themarfico so special.
So Shall we actually justexplain to our listeners where
the Amalfi Coast is located inItaly?
That's probably a good startactually.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Yeah, so it's in what they call south of Italy.
So pretty much south of Rome issouthern Italy, but the Amalfi
Coast is south of Naples.
About an hour from Naples bytrain is Sorrento, and that's
the gateway for the Amalfi Coast, and then it stretches along
the coast there in the region ofCampania.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
And what makes it so special.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Well, it's just beautiful.
It's where the mountains meetthe sea and you just feel like
you're standing in a postcardthe whole time.
I mean, there's a reason whythat iconic seaside shot of
Italy that you see everywhere isPositano, because it is just so
beautiful.
You have colourful houses thatseem to somehow just stick out
of the side of the mountain,defying gravity, and there's
(04:00):
beautiful rocky outcrops and thesea is just crystal clear and
so beautiful, the most beautifulhues of blue, and obviously
it's Italy.
So the food's amazing and andthe people are vibrant and full
of energy and, um, it's just astunning part of the country it
(04:21):
is.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
It was one.
It was one of the areasactually that I couldn't wait to
go to, and I've actually again.
I managed to go there inNovember, so I was very, very
lucky to be able to do that.
Now, if somebody's planning tospend time on the Murphy Coast,
how long would you recommendthey stay there for to actually
be able to experience it?
Speaker 2 (04:37):
I don't know about 15 years, perhaps no.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
I wish I could afford a house there, Diane.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Yeah, exactly, exactly.
No, I would say, you know itwould.
Look, giving yourself a weekwould be really lovely because
then you could see the AmalfiCoast with, you know, doing
something every day, withoutfeeling too rushed.
If you can do two weeks andyou're just going to have more
opportunities for swimming andtaking boat trips and, just, you
(05:11):
know, lazing around enjoyingthe sun, and I mean the people
watching on the Italian beachesis next level.
Like you know, people watchingin the city is one thing, but on
Italian beaches is next level.
It's incredible.
You will be entertained.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
So in terms of things to experience on the Amalfi
Coast, because I could talkabout places to visit, because
we obviously know, you know,places like Amalfi obviously but
what should you experience tofully kind of get the Amalfi
Coast kind of spirit?
I guess that's the way to sayit.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
I think you definitely need to experience
the Malfi Coast on water.
So I think, taking a boat trip,a boat tour on the island of
Capri, which is a 30-minuteferry ride from Sorrento or
Positano, that ferry ride itselfis stunning, you know.
But when you get to Capri, youcan take a boat tour to the Blue
(06:10):
Grotto, which is just like,absolutely incredible, the
bluest, most aqua iridescentwater you'll ever see in your
life, and that's due to thesunlight hitting the water in a
certain way, and it's in a cave,a grotto.
Yeah, so it's, yeah, that'sjust experiencing the Amalfi
(06:34):
Coast on water is something thatevery visitor should do.
Speaker 1 (06:36):
So what other things should people do?
Should they go for a walk?
I'm just thinking about Monique, because I know, Monique, she
did a hike recently, didn't she?
On Amalfi Coast.
Oh, she did a hike recently,didn't she?
On the?
Speaker 2 (06:44):
Amalfi Coast.
Oh, she did.
Yeah, she did the Walk of theGods, I think, monique, which is
a pretty like.
It's a fairly strenuous hike.
I wouldn't necessarilyrecommend it for everybody.
No, like, before you go to theAmalfi Coast, if you've got your
heart set on the Amalfi Coastas a holiday, my advice would be
(07:05):
take the stairs, ditch the lift, ditch the elevator, take the
stairs and train.
Honestly, you will thank me forit later.
The stairs in Positano,sorrento and even the hills in
Amalfi and Capri are just thenext level.
Like you will get thigh burnevery day going up and down
those stairs.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
Yeah, um, it's true so I used to send my husband
down to the, down to the shop,because we we rented a villa in
I think we're in minori ormayori, one of one of the
smaller um towns, and and I usedto send him the shop to go and
get the supplies because thesteps down were crazy.
I was like no, you can do thatyeah.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
So a tip if you are visiting the amalfi Coast,
especially if you're staying inplaces like Sorrento or
particularly Positano, becausethere's one road in Positano,
like one road, and then all therest of the roads are laneways
and you can't take a vehicledown there.
But there's porters, so you canpay a guy and he'll put your
(08:04):
luggage either in a big like awheelbarrow, a trolley, and take
it to your accommodation, orthey'll just carry it for a fee.
And last time I went toPositano I thought, nope, I had
a backpack.
I was traveling with a backpackbecause we were going to lots
of different places in Italy andI didn't want to drag my
suitcase over cobbled stones.
I thought I'm taking my trustyold backpack and I thought, no,
(08:28):
I can walk up these stairs toour villa.
We rented a villa in Positanoand, oh my goodness, let me tell
you, carrying 17 kilos on myback and going up 97 steps, oh
no, wow, I made it.
I did it, but I only did itonce, and I paid somebody to
take my luggage back.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
Yeah, don't blame me.
I guess one thing is that youcan justify eating all that
lovely food when you do all thesteps.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
That's right and that's exactly what you should
do in the Amalfi Coast, becausethe food there is absolutely
glorious.
But getting back to otherthings you should do, like
visiting the other towns isamazing and like it's just, it's
a must, like Sorrento, positano, capri that we've mentioned,
amalfi that we've mentioned, andgoing away from the sea up the
(09:14):
hill to Ravello is beautiful.
Ravello is so gorgeous.
You just have theseuninterrupted vistas of the sea
and the coastline and the rockyoutcrops.
But there's also beautifulvillas and gardens there that
you can visit.
And the ceramics in the AmalfiCoast as well.
(09:34):
They're really well known fortheir ceramics and their
particular design on theirceramics.
So another tip I'd love to giveyour listeners is to, if you
love it, buy it.
We bought a salad bowl from whenwe were in Positano we actually
bought it from Ravello when wewere visiting there and this
(09:57):
other platter that had all thesesort of mini dishes that fitted
inside the platter.
The platter we never use, butthe salad bowl, we use that four
or five times a week and youknow you can customise it as
well.
So I think I changed the colourof something, or I wanted it,
and they you know the paintersigned it underneath with our
(10:19):
name, you know, and the yearthat we bought it and they
shipped that straight toAustralia Like, yes, it costs,
it's probably the most expensivesalad bowl I'll ever own.
But, you know, every time Ipick that up I'm reminded of our
time in positano and on theamalfi coast and it's I think
they've, and it's lasted like Ibought that in.
(10:40):
It was 2010, so yeah, 15 yearsago, wow oh, what a great
souvenir that's it.
Speaker 1 (10:46):
You're actually still using it and, as you say, you
can ship it back.
I did.
I did buy a whole lot of things.
I remember actually, um, when Iwas in in sorrento, which are
now at my friend's house, whichI'm going to get back to
australia somehow, um, because Ididn't ship it back, I bought
little things actually, um, butyeah, I mean, there's some,
there's some amazing things toto see and do and buy, that's
(11:07):
for sure, and being able to shipit back makes things a lot
easier.
So if you're thinking I'm goingto be going and I really want
to buy this stuff, don't worry,you can ship it and they will do
that for you.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
Yeah, definitely.
So that's something I wouldrecommend that people do,
especially everyday items.
Like you know, the fancy traythat I bought, you know that was
so expensive and I never get itout.
It's just too big and there'sonly my husband and I.
We don't you know have peoplearound every, every weekend or
whatever.
So anyway, another thing thatpeople might consider doing when
(11:41):
they're on the Amalfi Coast, ifthey have time, is a day trip
to Pompeii, which is really easyto do from the Amalfi Coast.
It's only about an hour awayand Pompeii is just one of the
marvels of the world.
And for any history buff, oreven if you're not a history
buff, and my number one tip forvisiting Pompeii is to do a tour
I've done it several times,once on my own, and I'll never
(12:07):
do that again, because you justdon't get enough out of it.
You don't really know whatyou're looking at.
There's only so much reading ofthe you know interpretive signs
that you can do.
You know and avoid going ifit's going to be like 38 degrees
, because it's really hot,there's no shade, no shade, none
at all.
(12:27):
But so fascinating and sointeresting.
Those romans, gosh, they were aclever bunch, weren't they?
Speaker 1 (12:34):
oh, it's a.
It's a, it's an amazingdestination.
I was there in november and hada historian guide which was
like you, I think, the firsttime I went, we we just wandered
around ourselves, um, in theheat, and, uh, and didn't you
can't?
You know you take it in, butyou don't really understand or
know anything about anythingreally about it.
(12:55):
You just go.
Okay, it's Pompeii, I know, Iknow there was a, I know the
volcano went off and covered itover and these are the, you know
the bodies that they'verecovered, because you can see
the casts and stuff like that.
So you know that, but you don'treally get it, whereas the this
last trip I did particularlywas with the historian who'd
been involved, I think, in digsas well.
It was just amazing, it wasfabulous, um, so absolutely 100%
(13:15):
.
I was actually just talking toa friend of mine who's traveling
to Amalfi and I said you haveto do a tour.
You have to do a tour ofPompeii.
Don't just go, uh, because itis just, and they keep
discovering new things up andand also, I think this time as
well, I'm far more interestedkeep an eye on what's happening
there.
Uh, because you know they'rediscovering, you know, on earth
and new parts of it, so it wasfascinating amazing and it's an
easy day trip as well.
Speaker 2 (13:37):
Oh yeah, and just how they.
You know, from the librarywhere the husbands would trot
off to the by my wife, I'm goingto the library and there was an
underground tunnel to thebrothel, do you know, so they
could do other things like that.
You're like what that's, youknow, I know, and the aqueducts,
and you know how.
They had the world's firstsewerage system and all of that.
(13:59):
It's just, it sounds disgusting, sewerage system, but it was,
you know, innovative.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
But it's amazing yeah yeah, but I love you know, just
seeing that you can see thetracks on the road where the
carts went and the way that theyhave that where you can walk
over the actual roads becausethey've got, because it was so
disgusting in them with theactual things you can stand on
and go across, but you can seethe grooves where the carts were
going, you know, and this is acouple thousand years ago, and
(14:28):
you're like, wow, this isamazing, I know.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
And that the sea used to lap, yeah, and now the sea
is two kilometres away.
Like to me, that's just.
Speaker 1 (14:39):
Oh, it just shows you how big that volcanic eruption
was, because that's what theysay.
We were standing there and saidactually the sea was here, this
was a port, but you can seefrom the eruption now how far
the sea is away.
And that was due to the amountof stuff that came out of the
volcano, which is just crazy.
Speaker 2 (14:56):
And Mount Vesuvius is such an imposing site as well
and you know, you get views ofMount Vesuvius from Sorrento as
well.
Like often everywhere inSorrento is pretty easy to spot
Mount Vesuvius.
Yeah, so Sorrento would be thebiggest town, I suppose, on the
Amalfi Coast and the gateway, asI said, is pretty touristy.
(15:19):
Actually the whole of theAmalfi Coast is quite touristy.
So if you can go in May or June, so if you can go in May or
June or even April, like afterEaster, is better than like July
and August, like when it's sohot as well and packed and
(15:40):
everything, of course, will bemore expensive.
Yeah, so with Sorrento I wouldsay treat yourself and go to the
Excelsior Hotel for a drink,because they've got a beautiful
terrace there and it's expensiveand very posh, but very like.
I don't know, it's a little bitof glam, a little bit of
(16:02):
Hollywood for me.
I just, you know, I loved itthere.
I just felt really it was justa special moment to treat myself
there.
Speaker 1 (16:11):
I wish I'd spoken to you before November, Diane.
I wasn't Sorrento.
I could have done with that tip.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
That would have gone well.
Next time you just have to goback.
Yes, exactly, and in Positano.
I would say, if you can staythere, visiting Positano during
the day, you're going to be oneof a gazillion day trippers that
go to Positano.
It's at night, and also earlyin the morning, when Positano
just it's calmer, it's quieter,the laneways they're all quite
(16:44):
narrow, they're just notthrumming with a gazillion
tourists.
It's just watching the sunsetand the sky change colour and
the light start to come on inPositano.
It's so beautiful.
I think Positano is mostmagical at night.
So that would be another tip ofmine.
A lot of people, I think, whogo to the Amalfi Coast for the
(17:07):
first time and I did as well, asa backpacker.
I just stayed in Sorrento andday tripped, but I think, even
though Positano is only about anhour away from Sorrento, I
think it's worth staying there acouple of nights at least.
Speaker 1 (17:22):
So yeah, it's just beautiful.
Okay, so you've set the scene.
You've set the scene, diane.
I can imagine myself.
So I'm sitting in Positano, thelights are up.
You know, it's a warm, balmyevening.
What am I holding in my hand todrink?
What am I drinking?
Speaker 2 (17:38):
You're drinking a spritz, of course, or if you
don't like alcohol, or if it's abit earlier in the day perhaps
you're watching the sunrise or,just earlier in the day, a lemon
granita.
The lemon granitas arebeautiful, like the lemon on the
Amalfi Coast.
It's famous Limoncello, that'swhere it comes from, and lemons
(17:58):
are renowned in that part ofItaly and they're less bitter.
They're almost like they havethe tang, the lemon tang, but
they're not sour, bitter.
You can actually eat them, eatwedges of lemon.
Um, it's quite something.
So, yeah, anything with lemon.
Highly recommend lemon gelato,lemon granita yeah all of it.
Speaker 1 (18:23):
well, my daughter was 11 when we took her to the
marficos and she still talksabout the?
Um, the drink that the lovelylady at the cafe we used to go
to every day would make, and itwas lemon and orange, and she
just loved it and she stilltalks about it.
Every day she'd have one ofthose and, of course, limoncello
.
I mean, I would be sitting withmy Limoncello, definitely.
So what about food?
(18:44):
What would I be eating?
Speaker 2 (18:46):
Food.
Spaghetti alla vongole, whichis clams, is clams spaghetti
with clams.
That's renowned on the amalficoast, so that's what you would
eat, as well as seafood,anything.
Seafood, um anything with lemonin it.
As I said, um, yeah, I think Ihad vongole pretty much every
day, like it's one of myfavorite dishes.
(19:07):
So it's yeah, seafood pasta,yeah.
Now, so it's yeah, seafoodpasta, yeah.
Speaker 1 (19:12):
Now being awkward because I don't like tiramisu,
which we talked about in thelast episode.
I also don't like seafood Diane.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
I'm not good, am I?
Speaker 1 (19:20):
Oh my goodness.
So what could I eat instead?
Speaker 2 (19:27):
You could have.
I'm just trying to think of, oh, buffalo mozzarella, like the
mozzarella di buffalo, which isbuffalo mozzarella made from
buffalo milk, comes fromCampania, the region where the
Amalfi Coast is, and it isdivine and you know you can get
it around the world.
Now it's frozen and exported,but having it in Italy, next
(19:52):
level See a caprese salad namedafter the Isle of Capri is a
tomato, fresh buffalo mozzarellaand basil salad in the colours
of the Italian flag, in thewhite, you know, green white red
with olive oil, salt pepper.
So simple, so delicious withgreat bread.
Oh yeah, so simple, sodelicious with great bread.
Speaker 1 (20:11):
Oh yeah.
You know what?
I'm closing my eyes right nowI'm actually there.
I'm about to eat that and drinkthat.
Even though I'm sitting in aroom in Edinburgh, right now I'm
actually in my head I'm on theAmalfi Coast, diane, so you've
obviously been there quite a fewtimes.
So what's your favourite storyor memory of being on the Murphy
Coast?
When I said a Murphy Coast toyou, what's the first thing that
(20:32):
you kind of think of?
Or remember.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
Oh look the first thing is the villa we stayed in
in Positano it was.
There was 10 of us travelling,two families like my side of the
family, or my mum and dad, myhusband and I and his family,
including his sister and theirtriplet boys, who at the time
were 11 years old.
So there was 10 of us.
So we hired a villa that couldfit all of us and the dome in
(20:58):
Positano that is famous in allof the photos.
Literally, if my arm was twicethe length, I could have just
about touched it.
Like we were from the terraceof this villa and just waking up
there and oh, the terrace wasjust the villa, sorry was
beautifully furnished.
And just waking up everymorning and just going out on
(21:19):
the terrace and just looking atthat view, oh my God, my
shoulders just drop and I justfeel more relaxed, just even
just thinking about that, youknow.
And that villa was like I'm notgoing to lie, it was hugely
expensive, but because we weresplitting it between all of us,
we could manage it.
(21:39):
But there's a few other placesin Positano that I've stayed at
before that are much morereasonable, and one of them that
I'll give a shout out to is alittle family run pensione, and
it's called Pensione Maria Luisa, and most of their rooms also
have a little terrace, not a biggrand terrace like a villa, but
a little terrace with views,with those views of Positano.
(22:02):
It's just as beautiful, youknow like.
And the price, oh my God.
The prices are so accessiblethere and it's just run by a
little family.
You have to carry your luggagethere.
There's?
No, I don't know whether theporters serve.
It's at the Southern end ofPositano, so I'm not sure that
the porters serve that area.
(22:25):
Um, yeah, but yeah oh, itsounds amazing yeah, it sounds
amazing now I'm.
Speaker 1 (22:33):
So when I went to amalfi coast and it's a while
ago now, um as it to stay there.
I was there in november, butunfortunately for a day trip, um
, we, we got around by bus, sowe went to selena and then got a
bus to um.
I can't remember this, ma oriominori.
We stayed in um, which, whichwas an interesting coach trip.
Um, I have a very good story.
(22:55):
My daughter.
We decided to go to pompeii Ihave to say I have to share this
in this, she's gonna kill mebut we decided we'd go to
pompeii.
So obviously we jumped on thelocal bus, um to selena to get
the um the train up to pompeii,and she decided that morning
she'd have a milkshake forbreakfast, as you do when you're
11 years of age and about to goon the most windy coach trip
ever.
(23:15):
We literally got about akilometre, maybe a kilometre
from the train station.
She turned green and she saidMum, I think I'm going to be.
So what I did is I put my handwith the tissue over her mouth,
just as she was sick, which then, which then the sick proceeded
to kind of bounce off my handand the tissue and spray the
(23:36):
people sitting on the bus behindus with a lovely um sour banana
milkshake In the heat of August.
Aha, so luckily, luckily nowthe.
Italians thank God, the Italianslove children because nobody
went mad, nobody said anything,I just cleaned her up.
(23:56):
I had to go and clean her up inthe train station, but
everybody was lovely and just.
You know, considering she'sjust great and went sick.
So that was our experience.
My sister, who is 23 yearsyounger than me so she's a bit
more adventurous when it comesto her transportation methods
she went around the southernpart of the Murphy coast and
probably on a motorbike with aboyfriend.
(24:17):
Now I probably would not dothat either.
Now, how do you get around whenyou go there?
Speaker 2 (24:22):
um, I have done hired a Vespa and cruised at.
You know I used to own a Vespain Perth, so you know I feel
quite confident riding and infact I felt safer riding a Vespa
along the Amalfi Coast than Idid sitting in a car when I've
been there with somebody elsedriving in the past.
(24:43):
Because, as you know, thoseroads are really really narrow.
I wouldn't recommend a Vespafor anybody.
Like everybody, you need to beconfident on two wheels.
If you're not confident on twowheels, the local bus is cheap,
you know, frequent and you getincredible views of the
(25:03):
coastline and you'll havestories to tell everybody when
you get back home because you'regoing to think, you'll think
you're going to die about 15times.
I still remember it, going overthe side of the cliff.
We're going?
Oh no, but they don't.
They're very, very skillfuldrivers, those bus drivers.
I don't know how they do it,but your story, tracy, just
reminded me of another story.
(25:25):
On this trip with two families,there was 10 of us staying in
this beautiful villa To get toPositano.
We had arranged a privatetransfer because there was 10 of
us, so we had a privatetransfer that took us from Rome
to Positano and one of mynephews, one of the 11-year-old
(25:46):
triplets, on that road afterSorrento, on the way to Positano
, he turns to his mum.
He's like, mum, I need thetoilet.
And she's like there's justnowhere to stop, like both sides
of that very narrow road arefull of parked cars, there's
blind corners everywhere.
You just you can't stop so.
(26:10):
And he was just like in agony,dying of pain, needing to go to
the toilet.
And at one point mybrother-in-law said, oh, here's
an empty bottle.
And my sister-in-law was likehe's absolutely not going to go
in an empty bottle in the backof this Mercedes transfer van.
Like, oh, the poor kid.
He was just looking at me likeauntie Di help me.
(26:32):
I was just like John, you'regoing to have to hang on.
And he kept whinging andwhinging about needing the
toilet that my sister-in-lawended up saying to him John,
you're ruining my serenity.
I'm trying to enjoy the AmalfiCoast Like you're just going to
have to wait, there's nothingelse you can do.
And as soon as we pulled into agarage where they dropped us
(26:53):
off on the Impositano, he wasbuckled over in pain and, you
know, made it to where's thebathroom and went straight there
.
It was fine, there was noaccidents, it was totally fine.
But that's just his big eyeslooking at me like help me, like
help me.
Speaker 1 (27:08):
There's nothing I can do.
There's two great lessons fromthat Diane One don't let your
kid have a banana milkshakebefore a windy road trip on the
Amalfi Coast, and make sure theygo to the toilet before they go
on.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
Exactly exactly Now.
The other good way to getaround Tracey in the Amalfi
Coast is by boat, like I said.
So the ferries and that's how Iwould recommend people get
there to the Amalfi Coast is byferry, because there's a couple
of ways you can get thereprivate transfer, like I
mentioned, which costs the most.
The train from Naples.
(27:39):
It's a regional train and itgoes through all the outer sub.
It's awful, like I would notrecommend it to anybody.
It's awful, I would notrecommend it to anybody.
It's often full of people wholook like they've had a really
hard, rough life, maybe drugaddicts, maybe homeless people.
I've done that train tripseveral times and I always feel
(28:01):
on edge and uneasy doing it.
But from Naples you can getlike from the train station.
If you get a train to naples orfly into naples, you can get a
taxi to the port and then get aferry from the port to sorrento
or positano or wherever you'restaying, and that is by far the
(28:21):
most pleasant way to get to yourdestination on the amalfi coast
in my opinion ah, that's areally good tip, because the
last time we went to Salernorather than down to Sorrento and
I must admit I wasn't Naplestrain station itself wasn't
something that I particularlyenjoyed.
Speaker 1 (28:44):
And yes, the trains down there, the local trains,
you have to be really careful.
Not the best experience of thelocal trains, so you have to be
really careful.
Speaker 2 (28:51):
Um, not not the best experience of of the italian
train system.
No, it's.
I mean, they're just.
You know, naples is a citywhere there's a lot of poverty,
a lot of people doing it hardand tough, and that train line
services the areas where theylive, and you know, if you're a
tourist, you could potentiallybe an easy target.
Look, touch wood.
(29:11):
I've never seen anything happenand I've never experienced
anything like pickpocketing oranything like that, but it's
just an unpleasant way to travel.
When you've got the ferry,which is just the most beautiful
way to travel, and Naples trainstation is, in my opinion, it's
horrendous.
My mum's from just near thereand I never want to go back.
(29:32):
There's way better places inItaly I would rather visit, but
from the chaos of Naples, anhour away, you're in paradise,
in places that you feel likearen't even real.
They're so beautiful.
So it's, I mean and that justsums up Italy so beautifully.
Speaker 1 (29:53):
Oh, it does, Absolutely.
So what about the one tip thatyou'd share for anybody visiting
the Amalfi Coast for the firsttime?
Speaker 2 (30:01):
Pack light, as I said in the last episode.
Speaker 1 (30:03):
It's always so important?
Speaker 2 (30:04):
yeah, it's so important because there's just
stairs, there's just walking andlook.
The other thing is, like I saidbefore, just reiterating I'm
not saying two things, I'm justreiterating what I said before
is train is do some exercise andwalk up and down as many stairs
as possible.
Your knees will thank me for itlater, like when you're there.
(30:25):
There's lots of stairs, but youknow, every step is worth it.
Speaker 1 (30:30):
Brilliant Diane.
Thanks again for coming on tothe podcast this week.
It's been great to chat withyou a little bit in depth about
the Amalfi Coast, obviously oneof the most beautiful areas of
Italy, and you can't say thatlightly, because there are so
many wonderful, beautiful placesto explore in Italy.
So I'm sure we'll be chattingabout a few more areas in Italy,
hopefully soon.
But thanks so much for comingon again.
Speaker 2 (30:52):
Oh, my absolute pleasure.
Thank you for having me onTracey, and whenever you want to
talk Italy, you just let meknow and I can talk your ear off
Will do, thank you.
Speaker 1 (31:03):
Thank you for joining us on this episode of the
Global Travel Planet podcast.
For more details and links toeverything we discussed today,
check out the show notes atglobaltravelplanningcom.
Remember, if you enjoyed theshow, please consider leaving us
a review on your favoritepodcast app, because your
feedback helps us reach moretravel enthusiasts, just like
you.
Anyway, that leaves me to say,as always, always happy global
(31:26):
travel planning.
In episode 49 of the Global Travel Planning Podcast,
returning guest Diane Bortolettoshares her insider tips for
making the most of a trip toItaly's breathtaking and mouthy
coast.
Diane reveals what you reallyneed to know before you go.
Now if you love to expertadvice in episode 42, you won't
want to miss this essentialguide to one of Italy's most
(00:20):
iconic destinations.
Hi and welcome to the GlobalTravel Planning Podcast.
I'm your host, tracey Collins,who, with my expert guests, will
take you on a weekly journey todestinations around the globe,
providing travel inspiration,itinerary ideas, practical tips
and more to help traveladventure Everybody.
(00:49):
Welcome to episode 49 of theGlobal Travel Planner Podcast.
This week I am excited to haveDiane Bortoletto, if I've
pronounced that correctly, whowas in our previous episode 42,
talking all about her tips forfirst-time visitors to Italy.
Now this week we're talkingabout the Malfi Coast.
But first of all, diane, wouldyou like to introduce yourself,
tell us where you're fromobviously the Italian heritage
(01:11):
of yours and about your podcastas well, please.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Oh, thank you, Tracey , and thank you for having me on
your show.
My name, yes, diane Bortoletto.
I'm born in Melbourne, but Ihave both parents who are
Italian.
I have an Italian passport,I've lived in Italy and I've
traveled to Italy lots and lotsof times.
It's my second home, if youlike.
I have a huge passion foreverything Italian and that
(01:38):
passion includes Ferrari andbeing a Formula One fan.
I recently started a podcastcalled and Away we Go F1 Podcast
, which goes beyond the tracklimits to talk about travel,
food and lifestyle surroundingthe sport, and I co-host that
with another travel writerfriend of mine, monique Chakado,
and their weekly episodes.
(01:59):
So yeah, if you like FormulaOne, you can tune into that as
well.
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
Oh, brilliant as well .
I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I used to be a Formula One fana long time ago, kind of brought
up with a brother who wasobsessed, so I've enjoyed the
episodes.
And obviously, monique has alsobeen on the podcast to talk
about her life in Norway, so itwas great to have you on the
podcast last time to talk aboutItaly, so this time it's all
about the Amalfi Coast.
(02:24):
I'm going to ask you actuallythe same question I probably
started with last time is likecould you sum up the Amalfi
Coast in three words for anybodywho hasn't been there before?
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Three words would be hilly, hilly, beautiful and oh,
hilly, beautiful and unexpectedlovely, lovely and a beautiful
(02:53):
part of the world.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
I totally agree.
Definitely, you have that.
That.
That second adjective, totally.
Um, yeah, let's.
Let's talk about what makes themarfico so special.
So Shall we actually justexplain to our listeners where
the Amalfi Coast is located inItaly?
That's probably a good startactually.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Yeah, so it's in what they call south of Italy.
So pretty much south of Rome issouthern Italy, but the Amalfi
Coast is south of Naples.
About an hour from Naples bytrain is Sorrento, and that's
the gateway for the Amalfi Coast, and then it stretches along
the coast there in the region ofCampania.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
And what makes it so special.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Well, it's just beautiful.
It's where the mountains meetthe sea and you just feel like
you're standing in a postcardthe whole time.
I mean, there's a reason whythat iconic seaside shot of
Italy that you see everywhere isPositano, because it is just so
beautiful.
You have colourful houses thatseem to somehow just stick out
of the side of the mountain,defying gravity, and there's
(04:00):
beautiful rocky outcrops and thesea is just crystal clear and
so beautiful, the most beautifulhues of blue, and obviously
it's Italy.
So the food's amazing and andthe people are vibrant and full
of energy and, um, it's just astunning part of the country it
(04:21):
is.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
It was one.
It was one of the areasactually that I couldn't wait to
go to, and I've actually again.
I managed to go there inNovember, so I was very, very
lucky to be able to do that.
Now, if somebody's planning tospend time on the Murphy Coast,
how long would you recommendthey stay there for to actually
be able to experience it?
Speaker 2 (04:37):
I don't know about 15 years, perhaps no.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
I wish I could afford a house there, Diane.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Yeah, exactly, exactly.
No, I would say, you know itwould.
Look, giving yourself a weekwould be really lovely because
then you could see the AmalfiCoast with, you know, doing
something every day, withoutfeeling too rushed.
If you can do two weeks andyou're just going to have more
opportunities for swimming andtaking boat trips and, just, you
(05:11):
know, lazing around enjoyingthe sun, and I mean the people
watching on the Italian beachesis next level.
Like you know, people watchingin the city is one thing, but on
Italian beaches is next level.
It's incredible.
You will be entertained.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
So in terms of things to experience on the Amalfi
Coast, because I could talkabout places to visit, because
we obviously know, you know,places like Amalfi obviously but
what should you experience tofully kind of get the Amalfi
Coast kind of spirit?
I guess that's the way to sayit.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
I think you definitely need to experience
the Malfi Coast on water.
So I think, taking a boat trip,a boat tour on the island of
Capri, which is a 30-minuteferry ride from Sorrento or
Positano, that ferry ride itselfis stunning, you know.
But when you get to Capri, youcan take a boat tour to the Blue
(06:10):
Grotto, which is just like,absolutely incredible, the
bluest, most aqua iridescentwater you'll ever see in your
life, and that's due to thesunlight hitting the water in a
certain way, and it's in a cave,a grotto.
Yeah, so it's, yeah, that'sjust experiencing the Amalfi
(06:34):
Coast on water is something thatevery visitor should do.
Speaker 1 (06:36):
So what other things should people do?
Should they go for a walk?
I'm just thinking about Monique, because I know, Monique, she
did a hike recently, didn't she?
On Amalfi Coast.
Oh, she did a hike recently,didn't she?
On the?
Speaker 2 (06:44):
Amalfi Coast.
Oh, she did.
Yeah, she did the Walk of theGods, I think, monique, which is
a pretty like.
It's a fairly strenuous hike.
I wouldn't necessarilyrecommend it for everybody.
No, like, before you go to theAmalfi Coast, if you've got your
heart set on the Amalfi Coastas a holiday, my advice would be
(07:05):
take the stairs, ditch the lift, ditch the elevator, take the
stairs and train.
Honestly, you will thank me forit later.
The stairs in Positano,sorrento and even the hills in
Amalfi and Capri are just thenext level.
Like you will get thigh burnevery day going up and down
those stairs.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
Yeah, um, it's true so I used to send my husband
down to the, down to the shop,because we we rented a villa in
I think we're in minori ormayori, one of one of the
smaller um towns, and and I usedto send him the shop to go and
get the supplies because thesteps down were crazy.
I was like no, you can do thatyeah.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
So a tip if you are visiting the amalfi Coast,
especially if you're staying inplaces like Sorrento or
particularly Positano, becausethere's one road in Positano,
like one road, and then all therest of the roads are laneways
and you can't take a vehicledown there.
But there's porters, so you canpay a guy and he'll put your
(08:04):
luggage either in a big like awheelbarrow, a trolley, and take
it to your accommodation, orthey'll just carry it for a fee.
And last time I went toPositano I thought, nope, I had
a backpack.
I was traveling with a backpackbecause we were going to lots
of different places in Italy andI didn't want to drag my
suitcase over cobbled stones.
I thought I'm taking my trustyold backpack and I thought, no,
(08:28):
I can walk up these stairs toour villa.
We rented a villa in Positanoand, oh my goodness, let me tell
you, carrying 17 kilos on myback and going up 97 steps, oh
no, wow, I made it.
I did it, but I only did itonce, and I paid somebody to
take my luggage back.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
Yeah, don't blame me.
I guess one thing is that youcan justify eating all that
lovely food when you do all thesteps.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
That's right and that's exactly what you should
do in the Amalfi Coast, becausethe food there is absolutely
glorious.
But getting back to otherthings you should do, like
visiting the other towns isamazing and like it's just, it's
a must, like Sorrento, positano, capri that we've mentioned,
amalfi that we've mentioned, andgoing away from the sea up the
(09:14):
hill to Ravello is beautiful.
Ravello is so gorgeous.
You just have theseuninterrupted vistas of the sea
and the coastline and the rockyoutcrops.
But there's also beautifulvillas and gardens there that
you can visit.
And the ceramics in the AmalfiCoast as well.
(09:34):
They're really well known fortheir ceramics and their
particular design on theirceramics.
So another tip I'd love to giveyour listeners is to, if you
love it, buy it.
We bought a salad bowl from whenwe were in Positano we actually
bought it from Ravello when wewere visiting there and this
(09:57):
other platter that had all thesesort of mini dishes that fitted
inside the platter.
The platter we never use, butthe salad bowl, we use that four
or five times a week and youknow you can customise it as
well.
So I think I changed the colourof something, or I wanted it,
and they you know the paintersigned it underneath with our
(10:19):
name, you know, and the yearthat we bought it and they
shipped that straight toAustralia Like, yes, it costs,
it's probably the most expensivesalad bowl I'll ever own.
But, you know, every time Ipick that up I'm reminded of our
time in positano and on theamalfi coast and it's I think
they've, and it's lasted like Ibought that in.
(10:40):
It was 2010, so yeah, 15 yearsago, wow oh, what a great
souvenir that's it.
Speaker 1 (10:46):
You're actually still using it and, as you say, you
can ship it back.
I did.
I did buy a whole lot of things.
I remember actually, um, when Iwas in in sorrento, which are
now at my friend's house, whichI'm going to get back to
australia somehow, um, because Ididn't ship it back, I bought
little things actually, um, butyeah, I mean, there's some,
there's some amazing things toto see and do and buy, that's
(11:07):
for sure, and being able to shipit back makes things a lot
easier.
So if you're thinking I'm goingto be going and I really want
to buy this stuff, don't worry,you can ship it and they will do
that for you.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
Yeah, definitely.
So that's something I wouldrecommend that people do,
especially everyday items.
Like you know, the fancy traythat I bought, you know that was
so expensive and I never get itout.
It's just too big and there'sonly my husband and I.
We don't you know have peoplearound every, every weekend or
whatever.
So anyway, another thing thatpeople might consider doing when
(11:41):
they're on the Amalfi Coast, ifthey have time, is a day trip
to Pompeii, which is really easyto do from the Amalfi Coast.
It's only about an hour awayand Pompeii is just one of the
marvels of the world.
And for any history buff, oreven if you're not a history
buff, and my number one tip forvisiting Pompeii is to do a tour
I've done it several times,once on my own, and I'll never
(12:07):
do that again, because you justdon't get enough out of it.
You don't really know whatyou're looking at.
There's only so much reading ofthe you know interpretive signs
that you can do.
You know and avoid going ifit's going to be like 38 degrees
, because it's really hot,there's no shade, no shade, none
at all.
(12:27):
But so fascinating and sointeresting.
Those romans, gosh, they were aclever bunch, weren't they?
Speaker 1 (12:34):
oh, it's a.
It's a, it's an amazingdestination.
I was there in november and hada historian guide which was
like you, I think, the firsttime I went, we we just wandered
around ourselves, um, in theheat, and, uh, and didn't you
can't?
You know you take it in, butyou don't really understand or
know anything about anythingreally about it.
(12:55):
You just go.
Okay, it's Pompeii, I know, Iknow there was a, I know the
volcano went off and covered itover and these are the, you know
the bodies that they'verecovered, because you can see
the casts and stuff like that.
So you know that, but you don'treally get it, whereas the this
last trip I did particularlywas with the historian who'd
been involved, I think, in digsas well.
It was just amazing, it wasfabulous, um, so absolutely 100%
(13:15):
.
I was actually just talking toa friend of mine who's traveling
to Amalfi and I said you haveto do a tour.
You have to do a tour ofPompeii.
Don't just go, uh, because itis just, and they keep
discovering new things up andand also, I think this time as
well, I'm far more interestedkeep an eye on what's happening
there.
Uh, because you know they'rediscovering, you know, on earth
and new parts of it, so it wasfascinating amazing and it's an
easy day trip as well.
Speaker 2 (13:37):
Oh yeah, and just how they.
You know, from the librarywhere the husbands would trot
off to the by my wife, I'm goingto the library and there was an
underground tunnel to thebrothel, do you know, so they
could do other things like that.
You're like what that's, youknow, I know, and the aqueducts,
and you know how.
They had the world's firstsewerage system and all of that.
(13:59):
It's just, it sounds disgusting, sewerage system, but it was,
you know, innovative.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
But it's amazing yeah yeah, but I love you know, just
seeing that you can see thetracks on the road where the
carts went and the way that theyhave that where you can walk
over the actual roads becausethey've got, because it was so
disgusting in them with theactual things you can stand on
and go across, but you can seethe grooves where the carts were
going, you know, and this is acouple thousand years ago, and
(14:28):
you're like, wow, this isamazing, I know.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
And that the sea used to lap, yeah, and now the sea
is two kilometres away.
Like to me, that's just.
Speaker 1 (14:39):
Oh, it just shows you how big that volcanic eruption
was, because that's what theysay.
We were standing there and saidactually the sea was here, this
was a port, but you can seefrom the eruption now how far
the sea is away.
And that was due to the amountof stuff that came out of the
volcano, which is just crazy.
Speaker 2 (14:56):
And Mount Vesuvius is such an imposing site as well
and you know, you get views ofMount Vesuvius from Sorrento as
well.
Like often everywhere inSorrento is pretty easy to spot
Mount Vesuvius.
Yeah, so Sorrento would be thebiggest town, I suppose, on the
Amalfi Coast and the gateway, asI said, is pretty touristy.
(15:19):
Actually the whole of theAmalfi Coast is quite touristy.
So if you can go in May or June, so if you can go in May or
June or even April, like afterEaster, is better than like July
and August, like when it's sohot as well and packed and
(15:40):
everything, of course, will bemore expensive.
Yeah, so with Sorrento I wouldsay treat yourself and go to the
Excelsior Hotel for a drink,because they've got a beautiful
terrace there and it's expensiveand very posh, but very like.
I don't know, it's a little bitof glam, a little bit of
(16:02):
Hollywood for me.
I just, you know, I loved itthere.
I just felt really it was justa special moment to treat myself
there.
Speaker 1 (16:11):
I wish I'd spoken to you before November, Diane.
I wasn't Sorrento.
I could have done with that tip.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
That would have gone well.
Next time you just have to goback.
Yes, exactly, and in Positano.
I would say, if you can staythere, visiting Positano during
the day, you're going to be oneof a gazillion day trippers that
go to Positano.
It's at night, and also earlyin the morning, when Positano
just it's calmer, it's quieter,the laneways they're all quite
(16:44):
narrow, they're just notthrumming with a gazillion
tourists.
It's just watching the sunsetand the sky change colour and
the light start to come on inPositano.
It's so beautiful.
I think Positano is mostmagical at night.
So that would be another tip ofmine.
A lot of people, I think, whogo to the Amalfi Coast for the
(17:07):
first time and I did as well, asa backpacker.
I just stayed in Sorrento andday tripped, but I think, even
though Positano is only about anhour away from Sorrento, I
think it's worth staying there acouple of nights at least.
Speaker 1 (17:22):
So yeah, it's just beautiful.
Okay, so you've set the scene.
You've set the scene, diane.
I can imagine myself.
So I'm sitting in Positano, thelights are up.
You know, it's a warm, balmyevening.
What am I holding in my hand todrink?
What am I drinking?
Speaker 2 (17:38):
You're drinking a spritz, of course, or if you
don't like alcohol, or if it's abit earlier in the day perhaps
you're watching the sunrise or,just earlier in the day, a lemon
granita.
The lemon granitas arebeautiful, like the lemon on the
Amalfi Coast.
It's famous Limoncello, that'swhere it comes from, and lemons
(17:58):
are renowned in that part ofItaly and they're less bitter.
They're almost like they havethe tang, the lemon tang, but
they're not sour, bitter.
You can actually eat them, eatwedges of lemon.
Um, it's quite something.
So, yeah, anything with lemon.
Highly recommend lemon gelato,lemon granita yeah all of it.
Speaker 1 (18:23):
well, my daughter was 11 when we took her to the
marficos and she still talksabout the?
Um, the drink that the lovelylady at the cafe we used to go
to every day would make, and itwas lemon and orange, and she
just loved it and she stilltalks about it.
Every day she'd have one ofthose and, of course, limoncello
.
I mean, I would be sitting withmy Limoncello, definitely.
So what about food?
(18:44):
What would I be eating?
Speaker 2 (18:46):
Food.
Spaghetti alla vongole, whichis clams, is clams spaghetti
with clams.
That's renowned on the amalficoast, so that's what you would
eat, as well as seafood,anything.
Seafood, um anything with lemonin it.
As I said, um, yeah, I think Ihad vongole pretty much every
day, like it's one of myfavorite dishes.
(19:07):
So it's yeah, seafood pasta,yeah.
Now, so it's yeah, seafoodpasta, yeah.
Speaker 1 (19:12):
Now being awkward because I don't like tiramisu,
which we talked about in thelast episode.
I also don't like seafood Diane.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
I'm not good, am I?
Speaker 1 (19:20):
Oh my goodness.
So what could I eat instead?
Speaker 2 (19:27):
You could have.
I'm just trying to think of, oh, buffalo mozzarella, like the
mozzarella di buffalo, which isbuffalo mozzarella made from
buffalo milk, comes fromCampania, the region where the
Amalfi Coast is, and it isdivine and you know you can get
it around the world.
Now it's frozen and exported,but having it in Italy, next
(19:52):
level See a caprese salad namedafter the Isle of Capri is a
tomato, fresh buffalo mozzarellaand basil salad in the colours
of the Italian flag, in thewhite, you know, green white red
with olive oil, salt pepper.
So simple, so delicious withgreat bread.
Oh yeah, so simple, sodelicious with great bread.
Speaker 1 (20:11):
Oh yeah.
You know what?
I'm closing my eyes right nowI'm actually there.
I'm about to eat that and drinkthat.
Even though I'm sitting in aroom in Edinburgh, right now I'm
actually in my head I'm on theAmalfi Coast, diane, so you've
obviously been there quite a fewtimes.
So what's your favourite storyor memory of being on the Murphy
Coast?
When I said a Murphy Coast toyou, what's the first thing that
(20:32):
you kind of think of?
Or remember.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
Oh look the first thing is the villa we stayed in
in Positano it was.
There was 10 of us travelling,two families like my side of the
family, or my mum and dad, myhusband and I and his family,
including his sister and theirtriplet boys, who at the time
were 11 years old.
So there was 10 of us.
So we hired a villa that couldfit all of us and the dome in
(20:58):
Positano that is famous in allof the photos.
Literally, if my arm was twicethe length, I could have just
about touched it.
Like we were from the terraceof this villa and just waking up
there and oh, the terrace wasjust the villa, sorry was
beautifully furnished.
And just waking up everymorning and just going out on
(21:19):
the terrace and just looking atthat view, oh my God, my
shoulders just drop and I justfeel more relaxed, just even
just thinking about that, youknow.
And that villa was like I'm notgoing to lie, it was hugely
expensive, but because we weresplitting it between all of us,
we could manage it.
(21:39):
But there's a few other placesin Positano that I've stayed at
before that are much morereasonable, and one of them that
I'll give a shout out to is alittle family run pensione, and
it's called Pensione Maria Luisa, and most of their rooms also
have a little terrace, not a biggrand terrace like a villa, but
a little terrace with views,with those views of Positano.
(22:02):
It's just as beautiful, youknow like.
And the price, oh my God.
The prices are so accessiblethere and it's just run by a
little family.
You have to carry your luggagethere.
There's?
No, I don't know whether theporters serve.
It's at the Southern end ofPositano, so I'm not sure that
the porters serve that area.
(22:25):
Um, yeah, but yeah oh, itsounds amazing yeah, it sounds
amazing now I'm.
Speaker 1 (22:33):
So when I went to amalfi coast and it's a while
ago now, um as it to stay there.
I was there in november, butunfortunately for a day trip, um
, we, we got around by bus, sowe went to selena and then got a
bus to um.
I can't remember this, ma oriominori.
We stayed in um, which, whichwas an interesting coach trip.
Um, I have a very good story.
(22:55):
My daughter.
We decided to go to pompeii Ihave to say I have to share this
in this, she's gonna kill mebut we decided we'd go to
pompeii.
So obviously we jumped on thelocal bus, um to selena to get
the um the train up to pompeii,and she decided that morning
she'd have a milkshake forbreakfast, as you do when you're
11 years of age and about to goon the most windy coach trip
ever.
(23:15):
We literally got about akilometre, maybe a kilometre
from the train station.
She turned green and she saidMum, I think I'm going to be.
So what I did is I put my handwith the tissue over her mouth,
just as she was sick, which then, which then the sick proceeded
to kind of bounce off my handand the tissue and spray the
(23:36):
people sitting on the bus behindus with a lovely um sour banana
milkshake In the heat of August.
Aha, so luckily, luckily nowthe.
Italians thank God, the Italianslove children because nobody
went mad, nobody said anything,I just cleaned her up.
(23:56):
I had to go and clean her up inthe train station, but
everybody was lovely and just.
You know, considering she'sjust great and went sick.
So that was our experience.
My sister, who is 23 yearsyounger than me so she's a bit
more adventurous when it comesto her transportation methods
she went around the southernpart of the Murphy coast and
probably on a motorbike with aboyfriend.
(24:17):
Now I probably would not dothat either.
Now, how do you get around whenyou go there?
Speaker 2 (24:22):
um, I have done hired a Vespa and cruised at.
You know I used to own a Vespain Perth, so you know I feel
quite confident riding and infact I felt safer riding a Vespa
along the Amalfi Coast than Idid sitting in a car when I've
been there with somebody elsedriving in the past.
(24:43):
Because, as you know, thoseroads are really really narrow.
I wouldn't recommend a Vespafor anybody.
Like everybody, you need to beconfident on two wheels.
If you're not confident on twowheels, the local bus is cheap,
you know, frequent and you getincredible views of the
(25:03):
coastline and you'll havestories to tell everybody when
you get back home because you'regoing to think, you'll think
you're going to die about 15times.
I still remember it, going overthe side of the cliff.
We're going?
Oh no, but they don't.
They're very, very skillfuldrivers, those bus drivers.
I don't know how they do it,but your story, tracy, just
reminded me of another story.
(25:25):
On this trip with two families,there was 10 of us staying in
this beautiful villa To get toPositano.
We had arranged a privatetransfer because there was 10 of
us, so we had a privatetransfer that took us from Rome
to Positano and one of mynephews, one of the 11-year-old
(25:46):
triplets, on that road afterSorrento, on the way to Positano
, he turns to his mum.
He's like, mum, I need thetoilet.
And she's like there's justnowhere to stop, like both sides
of that very narrow road arefull of parked cars, there's
blind corners everywhere.
You just you can't stop so.
(26:10):
And he was just like in agony,dying of pain, needing to go to
the toilet.
And at one point mybrother-in-law said, oh, here's
an empty bottle.
And my sister-in-law was likehe's absolutely not going to go
in an empty bottle in the backof this Mercedes transfer van.
Like, oh, the poor kid.
He was just looking at me likeauntie Di help me.
(26:32):
I was just like John, you'regoing to have to hang on.
And he kept whinging andwhinging about needing the
toilet that my sister-in-lawended up saying to him John,
you're ruining my serenity.
I'm trying to enjoy the AmalfiCoast Like you're just going to
have to wait, there's nothingelse you can do.
And as soon as we pulled into agarage where they dropped us
(26:53):
off on the Impositano, he wasbuckled over in pain and, you
know, made it to where's thebathroom and went straight there
.
It was fine, there was noaccidents, it was totally fine.
But that's just his big eyeslooking at me like help me, like
help me.
Speaker 1 (27:08):
There's nothing I can do.
There's two great lessons fromthat Diane One don't let your
kid have a banana milkshakebefore a windy road trip on the
Amalfi Coast, and make sure theygo to the toilet before they go
on.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
Exactly exactly Now.
The other good way to getaround Tracey in the Amalfi
Coast is by boat, like I said.
So the ferries and that's how Iwould recommend people get
there to the Amalfi Coast is byferry, because there's a couple
of ways you can get thereprivate transfer, like I
mentioned, which costs the most.
The train from Naples.
(27:39):
It's a regional train and itgoes through all the outer sub.
It's awful, like I would notrecommend it to anybody.
It's awful, I would notrecommend it to anybody.
It's often full of people wholook like they've had a really
hard, rough life, maybe drugaddicts, maybe homeless people.
I've done that train tripseveral times and I always feel
(28:01):
on edge and uneasy doing it.
But from Naples you can getlike from the train station.
If you get a train to naples orfly into naples, you can get a
taxi to the port and then get aferry from the port to sorrento
or positano or wherever you'restaying, and that is by far the
(28:21):
most pleasant way to get to yourdestination on the amalfi coast
in my opinion ah, that's areally good tip, because the
last time we went to Salernorather than down to Sorrento and
I must admit I wasn't Naplestrain station itself wasn't
something that I particularlyenjoyed.
Speaker 1 (28:44):
And yes, the trains down there, the local trains,
you have to be really careful.
Not the best experience of thelocal trains, so you have to be
really careful.
Speaker 2 (28:51):
Um, not not the best experience of of the italian
train system.
No, it's.
I mean, they're just.
You know, naples is a citywhere there's a lot of poverty,
a lot of people doing it hardand tough, and that train line
services the areas where theylive, and you know, if you're a
tourist, you could potentiallybe an easy target.
Look, touch wood.
(29:11):
I've never seen anything happenand I've never experienced
anything like pickpocketing oranything like that, but it's
just an unpleasant way to travel.
When you've got the ferry,which is just the most beautiful
way to travel, and Naples trainstation is, in my opinion, it's
horrendous.
My mum's from just near thereand I never want to go back.
(29:32):
There's way better places inItaly I would rather visit, but
from the chaos of Naples, anhour away, you're in paradise,
in places that you feel likearen't even real.
They're so beautiful.
So it's, I mean and that justsums up Italy so beautifully.
Speaker 1 (29:53):
Oh, it does, Absolutely.
So what about the one tip thatyou'd share for anybody visiting
the Amalfi Coast for the firsttime?
Speaker 2 (30:01):
Pack light, as I said in the last episode.
Speaker 1 (30:03):
It's always so important?
Speaker 2 (30:04):
yeah, it's so important because there's just
stairs, there's just walking andlook.
The other thing is, like I saidbefore, just reiterating I'm
not saying two things, I'm justreiterating what I said before
is train is do some exercise andwalk up and down as many stairs
as possible.
Your knees will thank me for itlater, like when you're there.
(30:25):
There's lots of stairs, but youknow, every step is worth it.
Speaker 1 (30:30):
Brilliant Diane.
Thanks again for coming on tothe podcast this week.
It's been great to chat withyou a little bit in depth about
the Amalfi Coast, obviously oneof the most beautiful areas of
Italy, and you can't say thatlightly, because there are so
many wonderful, beautiful placesto explore in Italy.
So I'm sure we'll be chattingabout a few more areas in Italy,
hopefully soon.
But thanks so much for comingon again.
Speaker 2 (30:52):
Oh, my absolute pleasure.
Thank you for having me onTracey, and whenever you want to
talk Italy, you just let meknow and I can talk your ear off
Will do, thank you.
Speaker 1 (31:03):
Thank you for joining us on this episode of the
Global Travel Planet podcast.
For more details and links toeverything we discussed today,
check out the show notes atglobaltravelplanningcom.
Remember, if you enjoyed theshow, please consider leaving us
a review on your favoritepodcast app, because your
feedback helps us reach moretravel enthusiasts, just like
you.
Anyway, that leaves me to say,as always, always happy global
(31:26):
travel planning.
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