Important update – Nero has a slide!
Suddenly that 525,000 Euro is looking much better value.
Superyacht spotting 2
Category Archives: Positano
Superyacht spotting
No visit to Positano would be complete without some mention of superyachts.
When we arrived the bay was peppered wth these toys of the rich and famous but in the last few days the numbers have dwindled. Apparently they aren’t fans of rainy weather.
However, one turned up today which looked pretty special. It had wonderful retro lines reminiscent of the 50s and 60s.
Its name is Nero, it is 90m long and it can accommodate 12 guests in 6 cabins looked after by 20 crew. It is available for charter for 525,000 Euro a week – which is quite a lot of money.
But if you can find 12 people to split the cost it’s only 43,750 Euro per person or 6,250 Euro per day – which is still quite a lot.
Casa e Bottega
Today the rain stopped and the sun came out. The bonus was the temperature was lower than last week. So we set off at midday for the village to do some final shopping and have lunch at Casa e Bottega.
Casa e Bottega is a small cafe that also sells homewares made by local artists. Jugs, pots, bowls, table cloths, prints. We had lunch there last week and were keen to visit again before we leave this coming weekend.
The food was great and the staff were friendly, recognising us from our previous visit. This time we had the chance to talk to the owner – who also owns Palazzo Murat hotel and another restaurant in Positano. It was interesting that all the issues we have with tourism and hospitality in New Zealand they are grappling with here as well.
Our visit also gave Jean the chance to buy some things for the house as well as both of us having a great pranzo (lunch) – helped by the bottle of wine we managed to consume.
Rainy days in Positano
After two weeks of sun and heat the weather in Positano has changed. It’s rained since Monday. Yesterday on and off and today pretty much continually so far.
The temperature has also dropped from mid to late 30s to mid 20s. And the humidity has gone.
Life is more comfortable but also, there’s less to do. We made a trip to the village yesterday for provisions, dodging the showers. On the way home we called into Galli Bar for a drink (sitting inside). There was a discussion with the staff about the weather and the fact that their business effectively stops when it rains – but also that in Positano there is little to do on wet days except stay inside, drink and watch Netflix.
Which they were doing yesterday and we will be doing today.
Dinner at Eden Roc Hotel
Saturday night we dined at the hotel. They have made major improvements to the restaurant in the last few years and it’s paying dividends as the patronage has increased considerably.
One new addition to the facilities is Terrazza Paradiso, a terrace sitting above the rest of the restaurant, open to the air and with a spectacular view of the village and sea below. The lovely Carlo, who runs the Adamo ed Eva restaurant at the hotel, managed to get us a table on the Terrazza for a magical dinner which ended with two drunk kiwis being driven home afterwards.
This meal was also the debut of one the dresses Jean bought in Sorrento when we visited on Friday.
Walking to Positano
On our regular walk from Casetta Arienzo to Positano we see some spectacular views. This one is a bit different – it’s the Positano cemetery which you can see at the top of the picture – located on a hill high above the village.
A day at the beach
Yesterday we visited Fornillo Beach and the Pupetto Beach Club. Fornillo Beach is one bay around from the main Positano beach and, as a result, a lot quieter. It’s quite a hike to get there as you walk around the coast on a path that rises and falls with the terrain and in today’s 39 degrees it tested our stamina but we made it and settled in for the day.
Beach clubs are common in Italy – a relaxed restaurant at the back of the beach and rows of umbrellas and loungers in front going right to the waters edge. There are staff constantly patrolling the loungers taking orders for drink and food – or lunch can be had in the restaurant if desired.
The Pupetto Beach Club is part of the Pupetto Hotel which is partly set in the cliff and partly hanging off the cliff above Fornillo Beach. The hotel looks great – we got an unofficial tour as we walked through it to get to the beach club looking at bit out of place in our beach attire.
Lunch was the least Italian meal we have had – cheeseburger and fries and a chicken salad. It tasted great and we needed that.
Walking home
Casetta Arienzo is about 800m from Eden Roc hotel and the intersection where the road through Positano village meets the main road to Amalfi. From here we can walk down to the village or stop at the hotel for breakfast, a day by the pool or dinner – or all three.
We do this walk pretty much every day so we forget how spectacular it is – with cliffs on both sides, the ones above us reaching skyward and the ones on the other side falling down to the sea. This afternoon I grabbed a shot of the cliff above the road as we walked back to Casetta Arienzo. Behind Jean the view to the ocean is equally spectacular.
Two views from the casa
It’s Sunday evening. We have spent the day around the hotel pool relaxing. Back at our place we are sitting enjoying the view – and having some Prickly Pears that Tony from the hotel gave us this afternoon, and a drink or two.
In one direction it’s the beautiful view we all know, in the other it’s laundry day.
Misting to keep cool
The temperature here is around 32-34 degrees at present – which is quite warm. To counter this, some restaurants and cafes have fan systems which spray mist into the atmosphere to make customers more comfortable.
La Zagara, about half way between the beach and our place, is one such cafe. We stopped there yesterday afternoon to break the long and hot uphill walk, and to partake of a cold beverage or two.
Not sure if it was the misting or the drinks, but we felt much better after our stop.
Famous friends
At this time of year, you never know who is staying in and around Positano. Ben and Jennifer are saying at Villa TreVille on the point below our casetta – it’s his birthday this month so they are celebrating locally. Rooms and suites at the villa start at E3,000 a night, up to E15,000 a night.
And when we were having lunch earlier this week guests at the next table included Jemima Goldsmith (Khan) and her current partner. You never know who will pop up in Positano.
And now Positano
Until the end of August we are in Positano. We have, once again, rented Casetta Arienzo for our stay. It is owned by the Casola family who also own Eden Roc hotel – so we have a small villa to ourselves while also having all the benefits of the hotel which we can use. This includes the restaurant, pool and, of course, the bar.
All these have been enjoyed in the few days we have been here as the temperature has been in the the low/mid thirties – when hydration and keeping cool is important.
The casetta has been renovated since our last visit which has made the stay even more enjoyable.
Life is slowing down and we are starting to merge into the background.
Our itinerary
I’ve had a few requests for the itinerary for our Italian odyssey. So here goes:
- 24 July – Depart Wellington
- 25 July – Arrive in Rome, stay 3 nights
- 28 July – Train to Venice, stay 4 nights
- 1 August – Train to Florence, collect rental car, drive to Camogli, stay 7 nights
- 7 August – Drive to Radda in Chianti, Tuscany, stay 5 nights
- 12 August – Train to Naples and then driver to Positano, stay 3 weeks
- 2 September – Train to Rome stay 4 nights
- 6 September – Depart Rome for home
- 8 September – Arrive in Wellington – recover from jetlag
So there you have it – 7 weeks in 9 lines. Simple.
It never rains in Positano?
As we move from August to September the weather in Positano shifts slightly. The temperature is still late 20s, the days can be humid and “close” but there is a bit of rain about.
Since our arrival the locals have been bemoaning the lack of rain. Too dry for too long is the general feeling. Well that has changed in the last few days.
We have seen some stunning displays of lightening and thunder in the evenings – but with no rain – until Tuesday afternoon when it rained. Not just a few spots here and there, it was a full blown tropical downpour.
It lasted about an hour and then normal transmission resumed – the sun came out, the water dried up and we went to dinner, sitting outside under the stars.
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- Rain
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- Rain
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- Go away
Back to Arienzo Beach
Yesterday we went to our local beach – Spiaggia Arienzo. I blogged about it before in 2011 when we last visited it. In particular, the blog mentioned the number of steps from the road down to the beach – 239. Easy on the way down, not so much climbing back up.
Although the price for a lounger, umbrella and place on the beach at the Arienzo Beach Club has gone up from 9 to 20 Euros in the last 8 years, it’s still worth it with table service to your lounger being a winning idea. Lunch at the beach club was great and it is still amazing they can produce such good food, in such quantity, so quickly for lunch from a kitchen the size of a closet.
At the end of the day the 239 steps up to the road felt a lot steeper than 8 years ago and this old man needed a couple of stops along the way. Ideal breaks to grab a glance at the luxury villas that cling to this part of the coast.
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- Lunch at Arienzo Beach Club
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- Arienzo Beach Club 2011
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- Arienzo Beach Club 2019 – yikes!
Toscanakiwi 