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!
Around every curve in the road there was another beautiful view of the autumn colors up close or covering the mountainsides.
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.
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!
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!
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.
Ciao Amalfi!
It has been a truly wonderful November in Italy this year. 🙂
Ciao Linda! It was also quite nice in Nebraska and Minnesota while I was traveling there in November, too. I’m glad that the beautiful November hung on long enough that I could enjoy a bit of here here as well. I heard that people were on the beach through most of November in Amalfi. Wow! 🙂
Hello Laura , you tell such fabulous stories and give us super photos. I can imagine you with your luggage, stopping to view the sights :-)thank you for sharing.
Thanks for your sweet message, Anne! 🙂
Laura, having spent the better part of summer in Praiano, I remember what the hellish traffic was like. Your pictures suggest the road isn’t busy. What is the traffic like now, in December?
Ciao Mat! You’re right that the traffic can be pretty crazy on the Amalfi Coast during the summer, but I’ve gotten used to that over the years. It’s the autostrada that still scares me a bit! 🙂 During the winter months the traffic is much lighter on the Amalfi Coast.
Breathtaking photos. Welcome home, Laura.
Thanks so much, Pat. It’s great to be home!
Thanks so much, Laura, for the awesome photos and post. I haven’t been to Amalfi for 6 years now, but I savor my time there. Must return!
Ciao Lenora! I do hope you’ll be back to Amalfi one day soon. It does pull one back! 🙂
I did that drive not too long ago–from the airport in Naples to Amalfi over the mountains. I loved the views–although the road was challenging! Your pictures are great and they make me want to go back again soon!!
Ciao Andrea! You’re right about how gorgeous the views are coming to Amalfi via the Chiunzi pass, Tramonti and Ravello. Hope you’ll be back soon!
Thanks for the beautiful photos Laura, we need cheering up here in Ireland with our very unpopular austerity budget being announced these past 2 days. Hope we can make Italy in 2012!!!
Always so nice to hear from you, Una! We got some big changes going on here in Italy these days, too. I hope you’ll be back in Atrani in 2012!! Sending you warm and sunny wishes from the Amalfi Coast! 🙂
Ciao Frances & Bruno! So happy you’ve found my blog. Great to hear from you! See you soon around Amalfi or Atrani! 🙂
Thank you Laura 🙂