On the road from Naples to the Amalfi Coast

Earlier this week I arrived back home in Italy at Naples’ Capodichino airport, the closest airport to the Amalfi Coast. Anyone who has driven on the autostrada through Naples knows that the stress of  international travel is nothing compared to simply surviving the short drive from the airport to the exit for the Costiera Amalfitana. Jet lag does help to keep one calm though. I always breath a sigh of relief when we reach the exit at Angri, because I know that shortly the road will start winding its way slowly up the the mountains toward the Chiunzi pass leading to the Amalfi Coast. My fiancé said I was in for a surprise, because the autumn colors were still beautiful up in the mountains. Boy was he right!

Autumn colors on the drive home

Around every curve in the road there was another beautiful view of the autumn colors up close or covering the mountainsides.

Autumn colors on the mountains near Naples

As we reached the top of the pass and started over toward Tramonti, the colors reached their peak. I didn’t get any good shots, but you can enjoy the colors from an autumn drive to Tramonti from a couple of years back.

Autumn in the mountains of the Amalfi Coast

I never expected to find such gorgeous colors still around Ravello and Scala at the end of November. It was really a joy not to have missed this splendid show!

Autumn colors around Ravello

Ravello surrounded by autumn's colors

Autumn colors in Scala on the Amalfi Coast

While hauling (and occasionally dropping) my suitcases down the approximately 60 steps to the house, the gorgeous colors were much appreciated. After much experience with it, I can safely say that 50 pound plus suitcases and ancient stone staircases don’t go well toegther. I stopped often under this terrace of bright red grape vines. What a sight!

A gorgeous sight while resting

While the autumn colors are more striking up in the mountains on the Amalfi Coast, I did find this stunning bit of color in Amalfi’s Piazza Duomo.

Autumn reds near the Duomo of Amalfi

Ciao Amalfi!