Foligno to Positano

We are getting a bit slack about our posts to the blog so we are breaking them down into smaller lots to catch up.

We caught the Foligno to Rome train through interesting country side. A quick change of trains and we were on our way to Salerno. In our carriage were two couples on their way to Positano like us. One couple Gaurav & Nikki were from New York, boy did they have a lot of luggage for a two week trip, three huge heavy bags. Nikki was looking sheepishly at our bags packed for 65 days. The other couple Wes and Beth were from Charlotte in the states. We decided to travel together as there is safety in groups.

If was a fairly short walk down to the ferry terminal to catch the Salerno to Amalfi then Positano ferry. As you will see from the photos the view of country side from the ferry was stunning, more postcard pictures. When we stopped in Amalfi we three fellows went down to the back of the boat to make sure our luggage stayed on board. Maybe this seems a bit excessive but you should hear some of the horror stories we have heard from other travellers. As a matter of fact we will post a blog containing a selection later in the trip. Italy is colourful in many ways but some not so delightful.

Salerno from the ferry

Our new friends from the train.

On arrival in Positano we all began to regret the size of our luggage. Yes our luggage is too heavy and Julie and Mal were spot on about packing too much. Both of us now know exactly what we should have left behind.

From the ferry terminal to the bus terminal in the central square was a horror stretch of steps and slopes and more steps and slopes that went on and on and on. The New York couple had no hope and went looking for a porter.

The road system in Positano can be summed up in one word – insane. Oh my god. These are my first impressions. There is one very very tight one way road that snakes its way up and down the hillside with only two exit roads to other locations. One of these at the left top goes to Sorrento and the other halfway up on the right hand side that goes to Amalfi and Salerno.

So if you’re in a car and you want to move 100 metres clock wise then you have a 20 minute drive counter clockwise to get there. The system would work a little better except for the dumbest positions the people park their cars and scooters in. It’s also a nightmare for the pedestrians who have to use the road as there is no alternative.

Anyway exhausted we boarded with our luggage in tow a smallish internal bus which was packed to the rafters. We asked the driver to let us know when our stop arrived, but so did several other visiting couples. We got off at the wrong stop. The trip downhill with luggage in tow on a narrow road dodging traffic was memorable.

Anyway we arrived after a longish walk downhill to the Hotel Villa Delle Palme and met Manuela. From this point things started to get better. See our Positano post.