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Ciao Amalfi

BOOKS · February 14, 2021

Book Review | The Chocolatier by Jan Moran

The Amalfi Coast and chocolate ... what a winning combination! I was in the mood for something fun and sweet to read this month leading up to Valentine's Day, so I pulled The Chocolatier by Jan Moran off my bookshelf and enjoyed a long distance mini book club reading it together with my Mom. ...

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BOOKS · January 17, 2021

Book Review | Sex and Vanity by Kevin Kwan

I love a good romance story as much as the next hopeless romantic. Add in a setting on Capri and I'll be first in line to buy the book. That is exactly what happened with Sex and Vanity, the latest novel by the worldwide bestselling author Kevin Kwan. Of course, Kwan hardly needs an introduction. ...

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BOOKS, WRITING · December 19, 2020

Interview with Author Lucy Knott

One of the best parts of Ciao Amalfi has been the way it's brought so many incredible people into my life. Some of them have even become my closest friends over the years. A decade ago that happened via blog post comments and connections with other bloggers. These days it seems most likely to happen ...

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BOOKS · August 30, 2020

Book Review | Always Italy by Frances Mayes & Ondine Cohane

There's never been a moment quite like the present when we all need a way to hold the beauty of Italy in our hands. COVID-19 has changed the landscape of travel and left so many people canceling long-awaited vacations, destination weddings, and family holidays. Or maybe just left that dream of ...

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WRITING · December 11, 2016

Book Review | The Amalfi Coast Up Close & Personal by Chantal Kelly

The Amalfi Coast seduces everyone who sets eyes on it. It is a rare destination guaranteed to give you a rush - the giddy kind you get when you can't believe you are standing there. From the sea to the hills, from Positano to Vietri, it is a spectacular subject to photograph.   - Chantal ...

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WRITING · September 10, 2016

Book Review | Only in Naples by Katherine Wilson

Given my passion for reading and great love of the Amalfi Coast, as soon as I saw the title of Katherine Wilson's book Only in Naples: Lessons in Food and Famiglia from my Italian Mother-in-Law I knew it would be a book I would enjoy. And I certainly did! With Katherine's engaging writing style and ...

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WRITING · April 30, 2015

Book Review | Italy Explained: Italian Trains by Jessica Spiegel

If you're planning a trip to Italy and thinking of getting around by train, then I've got a book you'll want to read. But first, I'm going to let you in on an embarrassing little travel secret. The first time I took a train in Italy it was very nearly a disaster. Back in 2001, on my first trip to ...

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The Italians John Hooper

WRITING · April 20, 2015

Book Review | The Italians by John Hooper

As the time period for my Italian citizenship application to be processed comes to an end, I've found myself drawn more often to thoughts about what it means to be Italian. As a foreigner, sometimes it just seems like a jumbled up pile of puzzle pieces - where you're pretty sure at least a handful ...

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Dream of Venice

WRITING · February 21, 2015

Book Review | Dream of Venice

Very few readers of Ciao Amalfi will know that the first spot I visited in Italy was Venice. After dreaming of traveling to Italy for years, my first big trip to Europe and to Italy took me to Venice - and only Venice. With just a side visit to the Ferrari Museum in Maranello. (What did you expect ...

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WRITING · October 5, 2013

Book Review | Dreaming of Laughing Hawk by Linda Katmarian

While my reading time has been quite limited since the summer, I've had the pleasure of dipping into a wonderful story every moment I could with Linda Katmarian's debut novel Dreaming of Laughing Hawk. With deep and fascinating characters and a storyline that drew me into the novel more and more ...

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Last Voyage of the Valentina by Santa Montefiore

WRITING · June 22, 2013

Summer Reads for Amalfi Coast Lovers

The summer has arrived and with it comes some much needed beach time with a great book. I hope your summer brings you travels to a warm and sunny destination ... perhaps even the Amalfi Coast! If you can't make it to the Amalfi Coast this summer, I've put together a list of books set on or about the ...

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WRITING · October 20, 2012

Book Review | At Least You’re in Tuscany by Jennifer Criswell

As an expat in Italy, I'm drawn to memoirs by writers who have followed a similar journey of uprooting life and going in search of a new pathway in a new country. Naturally, if the book is about expat life in Italy, then it's probably top of my "must read" list. I was thrilled to receive an advance ...

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Ciao!

My name is Laura and the Amalfi Coast is my passion and my home. I’m a writer and photographer who is endlessly inspired by the incredible beauty of the Amalfi Coast. Welcome to Ciao Amalfi!

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Hello June! I couldn’t think of a better start t Hello June! I couldn’t think of a better start than watching the sun come up over the mountains in Amalfi. I also noticed that one of the first places the sun hits is the @anantaraconventodiamalfi. ☀️
The blue hour in Amalfi this evening. 💙 The blue hour in Amalfi this evening. 💙
Today is an unspeakably sad day for the Amalfi Coa Today is an unspeakably sad day for the Amalfi Coast after the tragic bus accident this morning in Ravello where Nicola Fusco, a young bus driver only 29 years old, lost his life. Investigations are currently underway to determine the cause and I won’t share the upsetting details. The road to Ravello is currently closed and it’s not clear when it will reopen. Nicola was a kind, talented, and experienced driver—the third generation of drivers in his family—a family very close to ours. My husband has been a guide with all three generations and watched Nicola grow up. This is something that shouldn’t happen, shouldn’t ever happen, but it’s something we all fear here. Our hearts are with the Fusco family and to everyone who Nicola’s life touched. 🖤
It sounds like New Year’s Eve outside with firew It sounds like New Year’s Eve outside with fireworks and celebrations for the Naples soccer team wining the championship for the first time in 33 years. To say this is a big deal for the fans doesn’t even begin to describe it. I’ve been watching videos from Amalfi, Sorrento, Ischia and all around Campania. Here was a quiet moment in Atrani before the celebrations began. ⚽️
Requisite Vespa shot with a twist. Let the 6-month Requisite Vespa shot with a twist. Let the 6-month check-ups begin! 🏥

#breastcancersurvivor #breastcancer #tumorealseno
Finally a break in the rain today in Amalfi! Time Finally a break in the rain today in Amalfi! Time to stop and admire the rain puddles.
From my tiny home in the middle of Amalfi, you can From my tiny home in the middle of Amalfi, you can’t see the sea. Growing up in the Midwest and Florida and then spending 12 years with a sweeping view of the sea here from Scala, I’ve long been accustomed to watching the weather. A storm coming feels like danger while a storm passing by out at sea is exhilarating - close enough to capture the energy but not to cause harm. 

Since we moved down the mountain to Amalfi, the main thing I’ve missed is being able to watch the weather. When the weather turns stormy it’s a gamble on whether a break in the rain will last a few moments or long enough to take my favorite walk along the port, out and back each of the piers. While I don’t mind a walk in the rain, if the wind is blowing too strong for an umbrella, timing the break in the rain becomes more essential. 

This morning I woke early to rain pouring down, but before long there was a break. Would it be long enough? I checked the weather app on my phone to see the temperature and forecast. But, like water to a cormorant, I’ve always been a little bit impervious to numbers. Given the chance, my favorite forecast is by stepping outside. I opened the door and stuck my head out. Far above the seagulls were swirling around, their calls a reminder of just how close the sea is even when I can’t see it. As they taunted and laughed at the weather high above, it seemed like a break I could trust.

I slipped on my shoes and jacket and headed out for a pre-breakfast walk. I didn’t make it all the way to the end of the port before sprinkles arrived, but ducking through the arched passageways and side streets I made it home just before the gulls were hushed and the rain came down again.
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