Campania, Italy – Revered for Centuries
Many writers have sought to do justice to the natural splendor of the craggy coast. Cicero called the Bay of Naples the “Bay of Luxury” and the Isle of Capri its “Divine Pearl.” The heart of Campania is the hustling, bustling city of Naples, where taxi drivers think nothing of passing other cars by driving on the sidewalk, horns at full blast. Naples is Italy, intensified.
In Roman times, Campania was an upscale resort with emperor’s holiday villas dotted along the coast, all constructed unwisely close to the active volcano of Vesuvius. This famous volcano last erupted in 1944 and is visible from Naples and everywhere else along the bay.
Sorrento
When the noise and haste of Naples gets to be too much, head to Sorrento. By Italian standards, Sorrento is a clean town. Sidewalks are swept and flower pots abound. There is about Sorrento a harmonious equation of land, water and people. Until the mid-20th century, the village was a small, genteel resort favored by central European princes, English aristocrats and American literati. But today, at least in the summer, it seems the entire world has discovered Sorrento. Tourists numbers drop off in the spring and fall, so the best time to visit is April to early June or mid-September through October.
Sorrento stands on a line of 150-foot cliffs, looking north across the Bay of Naples, and it was originally a Greek village. Its name is derived from the mythical song of the mermaids.
The very position of the town, built on a high plateau protected by the sea, is typically Greek. According to early Greek legend, it was at Sorrento that Ulysses heard the tempting song of the Sirens, those nymphs who labored long hours to seduce and shipwreck passing sailors.
The two marinas of Sorrento, the Marina Grande and the Marina Piccola, are a constant hub of activity. They lie at the base of the cliffs sloping down from the East and West side of the old town center. From above, it’s hard to keep your eyes away this busy port.
Although few visitors come to this city to look at churches or museums, there are some worth exploring. The Museo Correale di Terranova was a gift to the city from two brothers, Alfredo and Pompeo, the Counts of Terranova. Opened in 1924, it houses ancient statues, porcelain, antiques and Italian art on three floors, within 24 rooms. The gardens offer views of the bay and steps leading down to the water.
The Cathedral of Sorrento was built in the 11th century and reconstructed in the 15th. The interior of the church is in the shape of the Latin cross. It houses works of Neapolitan art and has an adjoining bell tower.
Around the Piazza Tasso, considered the town square, are a number of shops selling embroidered goods and intarsia (wood inlay) work, both popular items from this region. The tradition of inlay woodwork in Sorrento goes back many centuries and is characterized by its lacy design sometimes used in furniture. Along narrow Via San Cesareo, where the air is filled with the perfumes of fruit and vegetable stands there are more shops selling local and Italian handicrafts.
As a base for seeing other sites in the region, Sorrento is perfect. Trains and several types of watercraft get you where you want to go. After a day’s sights, you return not just to a hotel, but to a revitalizing, nourishing place. In Sorrento, everyone operates at an unhurried pace, even more so than other destinations in Italy. This permanently realized state of being seems to transfer itself to visitors. There is always time for one more cappuccino or splash of vino.
Capri
The isle of Capri is a hydrofoil ride away from Sorrento. Once you take the funicular, to the bus, to the chair lift to the top of this island … you know you’re most definitely NOT in Kansas anymore. The mainland of Italy looms before you, as do the jutting islands called Faraglioni. The water below, very far below is a blue carpet with frayed edges. Upon closer inspection those frayed edges become waves pressing the shore. From this vantage point, you believe there really is something mythical about the area.
Capri’s natural and manmade attractions are undeniable. The island abounds in olive groves, cliffs, hills, and garden terraces overlooking the blue water of the Mediterranean. Naples and Mt. Vesuvius repose in the distance, with white ferries and hydrofoils constantly zipping across the water. Countless little paths and steps offer opportunities to explore the island on foot, while churches, historic villas and a ruin or two offer sightseeing possibilities.
Capri has two main villages, Capri Town lies on the eastern half of the island. A funicular ascends to the town center from the port of marina grande, where the ferries and hydrofoils arrive. The other village, Anacapri, is a steep climb uphill from Capri by bus or taxi.
Anacapri is at an elevation of 980 feet and is less upscale than its livelier sister city.
Both Julius and Tiberious Caesar built summer villas in Capri and tourists have followed in their footsteps ever since. Evidence suggests Tiberious built as many as twelve villas on the island.
Like a seagull preparing for flight, the Villa San Michele perches over the isle of Capri.
The views to the east, across the Marina Grande are nothing less than stunning. Today, the villa is a museum and a must-see item on any itinerary.
San Michele was built, beginning in 1896 by Swedish-born physician and author Axel Munthe.
The architectural style is a mixture of elements from various cultures and eras, closely following Munthe’s own instructions. When the excavations for San Michele were begun, remains of a Roman villa were unearthed and can still be seen. Many of the classical sculptures in the villa were retrieved from Capri’s sea bottom, where they were hurled after Tiberious death. Munthe wrote a controversial memoir of this unusual residence. The book, which was highly praised by his contemporaries, is partly a product of Munthe’s fertile imagination.
Many people make the trek to the Villa Jovis, (Jupiter’s Villa) the largest and best preserved of the Roman villas on the island. In its heyday, the villa was a vast complex, including imperial quarters, grand halls, baths and gardens.
Another option is the 90-minute boat trip to the Blue Grotto, so named for the brilliance of the light reflection through the waters. This is just one of many such grottos which ring the island. The grotto can be closed to the public, if the sea gets too choppy.
