Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ted out in his 1953 essay,
My Positano
, the road is also “carefully designed to be a little narrower than
two cars side by side…”.
In short, it is a severe test of driving skill and courage, a white-knuckle, 50km ride that will pit you
against the extraordinary ability of the local bus drivers. The price for those sublime views is numer-
ous switchbacks and plunging drops to the sea, frequently with only waist-high barriers between you
and oblivion.
Originally designed for horse-drawn carriages, the road tends to become even narrower on hairpin
bends. To avoid blocking oncoming buses, check the circular mirrors on the roadside and listen for the
sound of klaxons - if you hear one, slow right down as it will invariably be followed by a coach.
Avoid peak season (July and August) and morning, lunchtime and evening rush hours. The trick to
driving the coast is to stay calm, even when your toddler throws up all over the back seat or your part-
ner tells you to look at the view while you're inching around a blind corner.
And never fear, if you are not brave enough to get behind the wheel yourself, you can easily hop on
one of the SITA buses that follow this route daily.
MARINA DEL CANTONE
From Massa Lubrense, follow the coastal road round to
Termini
. Stop a moment to ad-
mire the views before continuing on to
Nerano
, from where a beautiful hiking trail leads
down to the stunning
Baia de Leranto
and
Marina del Cantone
. This unassuming vil-
lage with its small pebble beach is not only a lovely, tranquil place to stay but also one of
the area's prime dining spots, a magnet for VIPs who regularly boat over from Capri to eat
here, like Bill Gates, Michael Caine and Elton John.
Sights & Activities
A popular diving destination, the protected waters here are part of an 11 sq km reserve
called the
Punta Campanella
; it supports a healthy marine ecosystem, with flora and
fauna flourishing in underwater grottoes.
Nettuno Diving
( 081 808 10 51;
www.sorrentodiving.com
;
Via A Vespucci 39; )
Dive the watery
depths of this important marine reserve with this PADI-certified outfit which runs various
underwater activities for all ages and abilities. These include snorkelling excursions, be-
ginner's courses, cave dives and immersions off Capri and Li Galli islands. Costs start at
DIVING
