AMALFI DAYTRIPPIN'

Tired of me yet? In my previous posts, we've talked all about Sorrento here and our Airbnb in Piano Di Sorrento here. So now lets talk day trips. We did a lot. 

CAPRI

Where do I start with Capri? I couldn't wait to see it, we've all seen the pictures and watched the 'slebs flock there and of course I've heard all about the glamour and shtyle of the place, so my expectations were HIGH! You have to get a boat there and back (d'oh it's an island) and when you get there you have to get the funicular up to Capri Town.

So lets talk about the crowds. The crowds were crazy, we queued for the ferry, we queued for the funicular, we queued for ice cream, for water, for EVERYTHING. It was just too busy and SO expensive. I'm not joking when I tell you my Dad nearly passed out at the price of drinks!! I think I might have enjoyed it more without kids but all the queuing was just so stressful and draining trying to keep a toddler entertained. I can imagine if it was just the two of us it would be terribly romantic with all the countless, beautiful restaurants in the most amazing settings with incredible views to take advantage of - but alas we just went into some casual pizzeria and shovelled food into a screaming toddler for 30 minutes before making a quick exit after an American tourist was on the the receiving end of Toms flying pizza. It was lovely to see it and there is no denying that it is absolutely stunning but I don't think I'd bother going again with children because there isn't really anything in it for them - and of course it is all about them don't ya know *eyeroll.  

AMALFI

We only went to Amalfi town once, near the end of the holiday and we both loved it and wish we could have done another day there. From what I found on that day, it seemed really accessible with the buggy. One thing we noticed was that the bus dropped you right by the sea and it's only a couple of minutes into the main square. Most of the other places we visited had a bit of trek to the beach with either lots of steps or a lift down to the beach. Whereas Amalfi seemed to have everything within really close proximity and virtually no steps so I can imagine it would be an easy one for kids. We found the restaurants in Amalfi a little pricier than Sorrento though. With coffees coming in at around €4/€5 (in Piano we were paying €1/€1.50) Shane really loved Amalfi and I definitely think it could be a runner to stay there if we return. Also, like Sorrento, Amalfi is a transport hub, making it really easy to travel to everywhere else. 

FURORE

Ah Furore, this gem is one of the most beautiful and surreal places I've ever been to. To get here we got the sightseeing bus from Sorrento to Amalfi and then a public bus out to Furore. The sightseeing bus actually drives through it and you can see it but it doesn't stop there which was annoying! Anyway the public bus takes less than 20 minutes to bring you there from Amalfi. You are literally dropped on the bridge above the beach. A busy bridge, with no footpath, only 500 vertical steps to the beach. Yikes. We nearly turned back but I'm glad we didn't. It was one of the most gorgeous relaxing days we had at the beach (once we got there that is). There are no shops or restaurants around so make sure to bring a packed lunch with you. We actually managed the steps ok with Tom but I can imagine it would be "tricky" with more than one child - but just loooook how crystal clear the water was though...

POMPEII

Our Airbnb host Sabina gave us great advice that I might not have thought of and that was to do Pompeii in the evening when it's cooler and all the crowds have gone. It was invaluable and made the experience much more enjoyable. We started off with the buggy and quickly realised that it was just too bumpy and Tom kept crying to get out. So we walked back to the start and handed the buggy in (they have a baggage hold). He was so delighted to get out, he had a ball running around, in and out the buildings and filling his pockets with stones. It was so quiet, that intense heat was gone and we got to see the sunset over Pompeii, it was beautiful. If you are doing it with a small baby I would recommend using a sling. There are private tours available and I'm sure if you have a buggy they will bring you on a relatively easy route. 

Be warned though, you will leave Pompeii filthy dirty, I mean manky. We were mortified getting back on the train incase people just thought we didn't bother washing ourselves! Even my toenails were gross. Sorry, it needed to be said.

POSITANO

Positano was one of those places that I have dreamed of visiting for years. I've heard nothing but incredible things. I knew it was going to be tough with the buggy and that's one of the reasons that we didn't stay there but I couldn't wait to go on a day trip and it didn't disappoint! We ended up going back 4 times during our stay. The bus drops you at the top of the town and it's amazing walking down and taking in all of the surreal views. It was busy too - but we were there in August we had expected it. 

It's just such a lovely little place full of the cutest little boutiques and even the souvenir shops are just so classy. Again, it's a little pricier but apart from soft drinks it's just the same price as Dublin so we didn't find it too bad. There was definitely a young vibe there, with lots of cool little bars and restaurants and we cried outside some of them. Not really, maybe a little bit. 

We would love to go back and stay in Positano again but I feel like the steps are just a little hard with a buggy. We were fine lifting it up and down but we wouldn't be able to do it with more than one child I would imagine. I did see families there so maybe other people manage but just so you know, you probably couldn't leave your hotel by yourself with a buggy because the steps are everywhere. Most of the time it's just five or six steps here and there, but it's impossible to do that alone. I follow a lady called Courtney Adamo on Instagram and she goes there every year with 5 CHILDREN. So what do I know? 

Italy was a dream, again. My brain was completely switched off, I was getting minimum 8 hours sleep which hasn't happened in a long time but with all the moving around and walking and day trips I was tired (I was rested, but tired) coming home so maybe we need to do a complete "chill out by the pool kind of holiday" next. Who knows. 

We're home now for another year anyway and we might not be going anywhere for a while as we've just bought a house that we plan on completely renovating in two years. I've expensive taste much to Shanes dismay, so I need to get my saving cap on. 

I hope these 3 posts were helpful and not too long. Coming soon I will have a Naples guide. A what to do for a day in Naples kind of post. If you have any other questions about any part of our holiday then please just comment below.

J x