From Rome, I headed to the Amalfi Coast: first stop Sorrento. The long drive gave me a chance to catch up with the driver and guide that I always use for my clients when they visit the Amalfi Coast. I will not reveal his name here, but if you book a trip to the region, you will be sure to meet him. He is fantastic, a knowledgeable guide for anywhere you may want to go, and he knows all of the best lunch stops along the way!

Once in Sorrento, I checked in at the Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria. The Excelsior is a real gem in the region, nestled along the rocky coast with breathtaking views or the sea.  Because I know the owners, I always feel especially good about sending clients here.  The Excelsior Vittoria has been lovingly and elegantly maintained by the same family for five generations – the Firorentinos.  Guido Fiorentino and family provide a wonderfully warm welcome – often you can find la mama enjoying lunch with friends on the terrace.  The GM Nicolino Grigio also embraces the warm hospitality of the Excelsior Vittoria, and makes everyone feel immediately at home.  While I was there, they showed me the newly renovated villa apartment – which would be great for families. 

On this visit, I could not get over the magnificent lemons that were growing everywhere.  Here I am, pictured with a lemon the size of a grapefruit.  While staying at the Excelsior Vittoria, a visit to nearby Pompeii is a must, and so is a cool glass of limoncello while sitting on the terrace looking out over the Mediterranean.
 

It is no secret that I love to shop, and the Amalfi Coast provides lots of unique items that you cannot necessarily find elsewhere – ceramics, hand-made sandals, hand-embroidered linens, and jewelry are some of the region’s specialties. I went in one particular jewelry store, Bimonte, famed for its cameos, which are hand-carved out of seashell, mother of pearl, or coral. It is a family run store, and the owners are happy to give you a demonstration of how cameos are made, carving away at the outer layer of the shell so that the color underneath is revealed. Cameo jewelry has enjoyed some media attention recently in the US, thanks in part to Rihanna who is fond of wearing exotic cameo rings, and to a Vogue magazine article in 2012 that highlighted the cameo’s comeback. I bought a cameo depicting the three wise monkeys, and a few months later, I saw a very similar brooch featured in a style magazine. For a beautiful and timeless piece of handcrafted jewelry, I recommend a stop by Bimonte.