Category: Travel

Olympic National Park & Seattle 4-Day Itinerary

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I’ve been wanting to go to Olympic National Park for awhile and we finally booked a five-day trip into Seattle to go on our road trip. Olympic National Park is a ways from Seattle, especially if you want to check out the Hoh Rainforest, which is about 4.5 hours away.

We spent two nights at Three Rivers Resort and two nights at my good friend’s place in Redmond. A little over two days turned out to be plenty of time in the park.

One thing to note is that it’s a lot different than other national parks we’ve been to in that you can’t really drive around much INSIDE the park. All of the hot spots are located on the outer edges and there are no roads connecting them within the park, so you basically drive a loop around the entire park and enter into different locations.

Day 1

Lavendar Farms

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En route to our first stop, Hurricane Ridge, we noticed a ton of lavendar fields in Port Angeles that we could stop at. When I saw the first sign for a farm, I yelled “go right!!” and my awesome husband immediately bee-lined down a side road towards the farm

Hurricane Ridge

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I was worried we wouldn’t have enough time to visit this part of the park but I am SO glad we made it happen. The drive up was a bit concerning since it was so foggy we could barely see four feet in front of the car, but as we got higher up, the clouds cleared and the sun was shining!

Hurricane Ridge is absolutely stunning from all angles. Not to mention, the visitor center overlooks snow capped mountains in the distance. I think this has to be the prettiest place I’ve ever eaten a PB&J.

There are multiple trails – a couple long ones and a few right around the visitor center, to get a feel for the area. We took all of the short ones and thought it was a perfect mix!

Elwha River

I’m all about random stops when I see something beautiful and this river definitely deserved it.

elwha river

Lake Crescent & Marymere Falls

Lake Crescent

I absolutely loved Lake Crescent! The water is a stunning mix of blues and greens and there are plenty of trails to tour around the area. We hiked to Marymere Falls and got a peak at the rainforest portion of Olympic National Park, before taking the trail down to the lake and back to our car.

Forks

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Accommodations are limited near the park, especially if you are wanting to go to the Hoh Rainforest. We ended up staying in Forks at the Three Rivers Resort, which I highly recommend. We were able to get two last-minute cabins – one being a “tiny house” complete with a bed located above the kitchen a bathroom, a mini hot tub and a large deck with a fire pit just outside. The second night we spent in a regular cabin which was also great.

The Twilight series took place in Forks, although our Indian friend said that it had to be filmed in Oregon. Forks is ALL ABOUT Twilight. Our resort in particular had an entire Twilight menu, a “beware of vampires sign” at the property. While I haven’t thought about Twilight in years, it was pretty cool to see how much of an impact a movie can make on tourism.

Rialto Beach

In July, it was super chilly and breezy here so make sure to dress accordingly. There were a ton of rocks on this beach and huge pieces of “driftwood”. By huge, I mean you stand on them and look small.

La Push

Fun Fact: In watching twenty minutes of Twilight in our cabin, La Push was referenced a couple times in regard to where Jacob lives. Other than that, I would recommend bringing some beer or wine and taking a seat on some driftwood. The one and only restaurant/bar for 20 minutes is located right next to the water, but good luck getting in! There was a two-hour wait on a Tuesday.

Day 2

Hoh River

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We booked a trip with a local Indian to fish the Hoh River. He gave us the choice of fishing at the hatchery or taking a “float” down the river. We decided to go with scenery over high odds of catching fish and the scenery did not disappoint! Even if you don’t want to fish for 6 hours, definitely make sure to walk along the river – it’s incredible

Hoh Rainforest

Hoh Rainforest

After our fishing trip, we drove back up the road to the entrance of Hoh Rainforest and into the park, which took about an hour. The main reason I wanted to go to Olympic National Park was to see the Hall of Mosses. And boy, they were amazing.

It was pretty crowded but luckily not too bad! There are a couple longer trails that have way less people on them as well. If you can’t make it all the way to Hoh Rainforest, you can check out Marymere Falls for a slightly less amazing rainforest.

Kalaloch Lodge

Okay, this was hands down our favorite place outside of the park. After a long day of fishing, visiting the Hoh Rainforest, and then exploring a couple more beaches nearby, we were pretty pooped and ready for a drink.

We got seated on the outdoor deck overlooking the beach and got lucky with t-shirt and shorts weather. We ended up hanging out on the deck for over three hours – quite possibly the longest we’re ever stayed at a restaurant.

Day 3

Quinault Lake Lodge

On our way back to Seattle, we stopped by Quinault for breakfast, which was excellent. The restaurant overlooks part of the lodge, a peaceful large lawn and the lake. Pretty much all you can ask for.

Aberdeen

Kurt Cobain Landing

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I’m a big Nirvana fan, so we obviously had to stop by Kurt’s bridge in Aberdeen.

Tinderbox Coffee

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While in Aberdeen, I also found out I’m a big hemp milk fan. Not to mention lavender lattes…omgggg.

Seattle

Old Stove Brewing Company

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Surprise! Drinks with a view yet again. We met up with our friends and spent a couple hours enjoying the sea breeze and beers.

Kirkland

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When I think of Kirkland I think of Costco, of course. However, the town of Kirkland is anything but cheap and economical. It’s quite possibly the cutest town I’ve ever been to. Situated on the water, there are a few streets “downtown” with plenty of bars and restaurants to choose from. We had dinner at Cactus, a super hip Mexican place that makes dishes like Butternut Squash Enchiladas, which was to die for.

Day 4

Seattle

Portage Bay Cafe

Started the day off strong with a big brunch at Portage, which was bomb.com. With options like Burrito Nayarit featuring uli’s chorizo and a sunny-side up egg, or smoked salmon benedict, there are plenty of yummy options to choose from.

Fremont

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After breakfast, we continued on to Fremont, where Seattle’s famous Troll and Fremont Brewery lives.

Lake Washington

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For a small fee, you can rent paddleboards, kayaks, canoes, and boats on Lake Washington. We settled on two canoes and spent an hour paddling around the lily pads, seeing turtles and tons of birds. Great way to end our trip!

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Eating Our Way Through Paris in 2 Days

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Honeymoon Part 4

Our final stop after the Amalfi Coast, Tuscany, and Western Switzerland was Paris, the city of love…and foodgasms. Leaving miles and miles of walking for last day may have been a little crazy since we were totally pooped after 14 days gallivanting all over Europe, but it was worth every last second bite.

Overall, Paris was surprisingly cheap. At least compared to where we had already been. They even have free water (woahhhhh crazyyyy). After two weeks of purchasing it everywhere, this was pretty exciting.

Okay, back to the trip…after a lot of research, I was torn between which area to stay in. I finally chose St. Germain, which turned out to be an up-and-coming neighborhood in walking distance to pretty much everything. Our 2-CV local tour guide even said we picked quite a cool place.

While in Paris, we basically just bar and appetizer-hopped our way around the city for two days and had a spectacular time doing so.

Foodie Favs

  • Breizh Cafe. The crepes here are so so so good. Salmon and goat cheese is to die for.
  • Eggs & Co. Matt found this place on Yelp and I would venture to say it’s pretty hipster, with the hole-in-the-wall type of look. Yet, it’s decorated tres cute and the food is great. I had the benedict and au plait eggs with bacon, chives, and parmesan plus they give you salad and yummy mini potatoes.
  • Odette. Definitely stopped here because 1. it looked cute and 2. because it rhymes with my name. Turns out they have yummy cream puffs and I don’t even like cream puffs!
  • Les Philosophes. Two words. Foie gras. I didn’t know what exactly I was eating until I had finished, but holy s*** it was good. Who knew duck liver + jam on toast could be so tasty? We also had the french onion soup, because well, France.
  • Paul. I think this must be a chain since I saw two of them, but they’ve got some great pastries.
  • Escargot. Turns out, not a fan. We ordered half a dozen, tried to thoroughly chew 2 and were unsuccessful. Also had to awkwardly ask the waiter how to get those suckers out of the shell with the clamp. Everyone in the restaurant had a good laugh.

Favorite Hoods & Must Dos

  • Le Marais. A cute historical neighborhood in the 3rd Arrondissement with plenty of shops and food, notably Les Philosophes.
  • Rue de Boci. Another super cute neighborhood with outdoor cafes, live music in the street, and great people watching.
  • 2 CV Tour. Matt’s dad said we HAD to check out this 2-hour night-time tour and he was totally right. Riding around Paris in a lavender-colored, French version of the VW bug with no roof was seriously the coolest thing ever. Our tour guide was a local French woman who was a bit crazy behind the wheel but very entertaining and knowledgeable. Not only did we get to see all of the big features in Paris lit up, but we got a great lay of the land on night one.

We will definitely be back and I can’t wait to continue exploring and EATING!

Cheers Claudette 2

Guide to Western Switzerland: Thun & Montreux

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Honeymoon Part 3

After about a week of being in Italy, we hopped on a train from Florence to Milan to Thun, Switzerland. The temperature was a crisp 45-50 degrees, a huge difference between my bikini and sundress days in the Amalfi Coast & Tuscany. Needless to say, packing for this trip was extremely tough, especially getting it all in one carry on bag, but I managed!

Both halves of the trip were totally amazing and so different. We got a taste of everything and I am so happy with the places I picked for us to go!

Thun

*Sigh* The magical little town of Thun, where everyone is happy, friendly and accommodating. We went in October and had a 2.5 chilly days, a bit of rain, and plenty of amazingly gorgeous views.

Thun, said “Toon”, is a German-speaking town to the north of Interlaken. If you want to go to a very locals-only small town, this is the place. And I highly recommend it.

Thun Activities, Restaurants & Tips:

  • Schloss: Gorgeous castle overlooking Lake Thun.
  • Outdoor bars: Even in the cold, the Swiss chill outside.
  • Glug: Return of glug and it was even better than I remembered.
  • El Camino. Had the best nachos ever here. Yes, we’re from Southern California and think that this Swiss bar’s nachos are better.
  • Kaffeebar Muhleplatz: A quaint outdoor bar overlooking the river. Our waiter was incredibly nice and even put on a hockey game for us on the big screen.
  • Cafe Brotie. I had 3 Schinkengipfeli in two days. It’s basically like a pig in a blanket but OMG.

Jungfrau Region

On our second day in Thun, we ventured down to the Jungfrau Region to take advantage of our rail pass and find some cows with bells. Because…Switzerland.

Erlenbach. We wanted to take one of the tramways to the top of the mountain, but it was raining and windy when we got to Erlenbach, so we chose not to take our chances on missing one of the only trains for the day. A girl at the local market took pity on us freezing our butts off and made us some tea from their break room.

Wengen. Again, not a soul in sight here and definitely nothing open for lunch like we had expected. Turns out October in this little ski village is desolate so do your research beforehand!

Jungfrau. You can get to the highest point in Europe, Jungfrau, from Wengen for 112 euros. If you don’t feel like coughing up that kind of dough or want to make sure there’s visibility, walk into a bar and there’s a 90% chance they’ll have a live web cam of the peak on tv. The view we’d have had would’ve been 100% white and not being able to see 2 feet in front of us.

Lauterbrunnen. The cutest little town known for it’s gigantic waterfall pouring down the side of the mountain. The waterfall hike is super cool (and slippery) and definitely a must-do if you’re in the area! The view from the top is so classic Swiss, I could cry. Best news of all? Found some cows with bells here!

Interlaken. We heard and read a ton about having to go to Interlaken. We went, walked around, and realized that the downtown is very city-esque with expensive shopping and restaurants, but that’s pretty much it. According to our favorite bartender in Thun, it’s just the stop off for most activities since there is a large train station and multiple tramways to take.

Montreux

 

If you envision what Fairy Tale Land would look like, this is it. I used to think I liked long walks on the beach best, but long walks along Lake Geneva? Truly magical. Plus, the sunrises and sunsets are unreal, lighting up a snow-capped mountain in the background. The catch, it’s helllllza expensive. Try a standard burger for $26+.

  • Chillon Castle. Holy cow. Best museum tour ever! Definitely give yourself 1-2 hours here…it’s seriously so cool.
  • Les 3 Sifletts in Vivey. Our super friendly Thun bartender recommended this place for trying the quintessential gruyere fondue. Our Swiss table neighbor, who also happened to be the most interesting man in the world, recommended that we have it with white wine and order the meat platter for dipping. Obviously, we obliged. The waitress was shocked we we ordered a small fondue to share, but when we finished it clean, she said she’d rarely seen fondue newbies finish the bowl. Still confused by these reactions.
  • Angels Bar. Had pizza and crepes here that were bomb dot com.
  • Christmas Market. While we weren’t in Montreux for the Christmas Market, they were already building and setting up the structures. Based on how awesome the Christmas Marketing in Copenhagen was, I can only imagine how a Christmas Market on Lake Geneva would be!
  • Grand Suisse Hotel. This is where we stayed and this is where I would not recommend. While the views are spectacular, the service is crap, the dessert sucks and it’s more expensive than it needs to be. Plus, it happened to be particularly warm (shorts & tank weather hot) while we were there but they couldn’t turn on the AC in our room because it wasn’t summer. We slept with the door to the balcony open and no sheets. On the plus side, their plan chailly white wine is delicious.

Swiss Rail Pass

Let’s talk about the public transportation sitch here for a sec. First of all, I’m not sure how anyone commutes here because the trains are so dang expensive! For example, we went from Thun to Montreux, which is about an hour train ride, and it was over 115 euros each.

We did the math ahead of time and figured that we’d get a better deal buying the Swiss Rail Pass, especially knowing that we were bound to take the wrong train or decide we wanted to go somewhere else at some point. No tickets needed and you can hop on, hop off without a care in the world! Except, make sure to look up return trains and ensure that you’re on the Swiss food schedule. A lot of restaurants are closed on Sundays and Mondays.

With the Swiss Rail pass, any mistakes or wrong trains wouldn’t cost any extra, which turned out to be a very good decision (i.e. Erlenbach and Wengen fails)!

Both parts of Switzerland were absolutely stunning and I can’t wait to see more of the country!

Cheers Claudette 2

4 Days in Tuscany: Wine Country Itinerary

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Honeymoon Part 2

Let me first just say that we still can’t decide where we liked best in Italy. Amalfi vs. Tuscany? Can you really even compare them?

After making our way from Positano to the Napoli train station, we cruised up to Florence where we rented a car and had a hellofa time navigating the roundabouts and making it out to the highway. While in the southern region, we stayed in Chuisi for three nights and took day trips to Montalcino, Pienza, and Montepulciano, all of which I would highly recommend visiting. On our last night, we stayed in Florence, so we stopped in Siena on the way back up north. I wish had more time there, but we overslept and had to rush back to return our car on time. Guess we just have to go back!

Before I get to the highlights of our trip around Tuscan wine country, here are a few things to note:

  • A little PSA about the Autostrade. This is a toll road where you take a ticket on your way on to the highway and insert that ticket into the machine when you get off on an exit and then pay a fee based on the distance you went. Make sure not to go through the express lane and also follow signs for change versus card since they are two different lines.
  • If you like history, many historical places don’t have much information about them. Thank goodness for Matt’s international plan or he wouldn’t have known what year the church of Pienza was built in!
  • While driving on the straight roads in Chiusi, we oddly felt like we were in Lodi, CA.
  • Brunello comes from Montalcino. Sangiovese from Montepulcino. More on that later.

Chiusi

We spent three nights at Poggio Piglia in Chiusi, which was such a treat. First of all, the property is absolutely amazing. Grape vines and olive trees galore, a large vegetable garden, tons of lavender, sage and rosemary, and plenty of space for morning and evening walks. The service is incredible, the breakfast display was almost too pretty to dig in (but we did of course), and while it’s pretty far south, it forces you to drive all around the region which I would say is a great thing. Poggio Piglia was also the only hotel we stayed at that didn’t nickel and dime us for small extras like a poached egg in the morning, tea at night.

Montepulciano

Montepulciano is essentially the wine capital of Tuscany. Italian wineries must follow strict rules based on their region. Here, they produce wines with at least 75% Sangiovese. Wines labelled DOC have an even higher Sangiovese content and DOCG is the highest at 100%. Most importantly, we learned that because of this high quality stuff, it was literally impossibly to get a wine hangover. In the US, winemakers don’t have to follow rules like this, so it’s no wonder that after 3 glasses, you might end up with a pounding headache.

Another thing to note about wine tasting in Tuscany…you might think this would be incredibly easy and you can just show up and be welcomed with wine and charcuterie platters. However, it’s quite the opposite. A lot of wineries have certain tasting hours and only take reservations. We were turned down by multiple during their open hours because they already had a few people there. Being used to America where restaurants and bars are all about packing the house, Italy was all about quality of service and never overcrowding their spaces.

This is nice and all, but where can a girl get a glass of vino?! Luckily, after about an hour and a half of driving around, we ended up finding three wineries right in a row that were not only open, but also open to having us there.

Needless to say, Google isn’t always right. It isn’t always open a the time it says it is, there isn’t always food. Just play it safe and call ahead. Also, most wine tasting rooms don’t have snacks and they also have you tour the cellar before you taste…without a glass of wine.

  • Cantina Tombesi. 5 euros for a glass of nobile and 9 euros a cheese and meat platter while you sit and chat in a cute little cellar/market.
  • Veduta Panoramica. While wondering the streets of downtown Montepulicano, we saw a sign that said Panoramica. I don’t speak Italian very well, but I definitely know what that means. Picture time!
  • Talosa Tasting Room. Great wine and a huge cellar that seems to never end, complete with an old tomb.
  • Avignonesi. I would say we have pretty high standards for cheese and charcuterie platters. Avignonesi’s light lunch chef’s platter blew every pleasant thought about any other board out of the water. I’m talking about mmmm’s and oh my god’s in between each bite. We topped that off with their delicious Avanti Sangiovese/Merlot plus a wasp sting on the side. Sorry Matt!
  • Poliziano. Wine so good, we just had to ship ourselves some. Still hoping we weren’t just drunk and thought it was better than it really was.
  • La Grotta. My coworker recommended this restaurant as the best meal he had in Italy. We were running a bit low on energy by the time we had dinner here so we took most of our meal to go but it was quite good.
  • Vino Mobile. Next door to La Grotta, this cute little shop is run by the sweetest woman ever. Turns out her husband is from Brea, CA so we sure had a lot to talk about! Takeaways include cured meats, pasta seasoning mixes, spicy chocolate, and a bunch of other delicious items.

Other Tuscan Favorites

Bagno de Vignini. Okay, this was so cool. Bagno de Vignini is one of the many Tuscan hot springs and happened to be located on our way to Montalicino. Matt was very skeptical about the coolness of said hot spring, but I was determined to find it. It didn’t help that Google Maps had us take a very sketchy back road to get there (second dirt road after you turn off the main highway) and we weren’t sure if our tiny smart car would make it back up the way we came. Turns out there’s a paid parking lot above, where you can overlook the hot spring, but we thought it was pretty awesome to be able to cruise around below, even though portions of the walkway were flooded.

Pienza. Pienza is a small town with an incredible long walkway overlooking the hills of Tuscany below. It’s definitely worth a stop for some gelato or a quick snack!

La Fortezza in Montalcino. This old fortress charges 2 euros to take in some breathtaking views. It’s quite the maze inside, with various rooms connected by tunnels…so cool!! There’s also a wine tasting room inside.

Cafe Corsini in Montalcino. Located somewhere in a small park with some weird dolls in Montalcino, this cafe was cheap, had GREAT food and there were a lot of locals eating there. Yes, the dolls sound weird and they were, but the outdoor cafe is really quite lovely. I got the tartufina (panini with prosciutto, truffle cream, and argula) and braesaola salad (thinly sliced raw beef, salad, pine nuts, tomatoes, and balsamic cream sauce) and was in heaven. Are you drooling yet? Oh and the brunello. Don’t forget the brunello.

Florence

We arrived in Florence at about 2:30 pm on a Friday and had to take the 9:00 am train to Milan so we didn’t get much time there. In our short time there, we walked all over the north side of the river. It’s truly an amazing city full of breathtaking architecture. I already can’t wait to go back and see more of it.

Sesto Rooftop Bar at Westin Excelsior. I know, I know…the Westin is not a legit Florence bar, but hey, we’re all about rooftop drinks. With views of the river, duomo and city, we couldn’t ask for more. Ask for the cookies with your drinks. Yum!

Uffizi. A couple we met in Positano said we had to go here and luckily, we were able to buy tickets at the door and cruise around. Although we didn’t realize the entire museum showcases heads and statues made of marble, it was amazing! But let’s be honest…there’s really only so much time you can spend looking at various people from the shoulders up before you start going dizzy.

Palazzo Gamba. I didn’t realize this when I booked, but this apartment looks directly at the Duomo. There’s nothing in between you and the Duomo except the street below. Needless to say, we thought this place was pretty rad. Since it’s located right in the middle of Florence, it’s a bit loud, but totally worth it for being central. Did I mention you can stare at all the intricate details of the Duomo from your bedroom and living room windows?!

Until next time, Italia!

P.S. You can read my Amalfi Coast recs for Positano, Sorrento, and Capri here.

ClaudettesCorner

Three Days on the Amalfi Coast

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Honeymoon Part 1

One of the best parts of getting married? The honeymoon! After much thought, we decided to embark on a European tour over two weeks covering London, Italy, Switzerland and Paris.

As the designated travel planner, I researched tons of cities and regions, but after many trips with Matt, we luckily know what we like and don’t like, so it was fairly easy to figure out where we’d want to go. In Italy, we chose the Amalfi Coast and Tuscany, which were both much more amazing than we could’ve imagined.

Before I get to our favorites, here are some interesting things to note about Italy, mostly related to food:

  • Bread, napkins, and olive oil are an automatic cover charge at pretty much any given restaurant. That means if you eat every meal out since you’re traveling, you will be welcomed with three baskets of bread throughout the day.
  • Most restaurants don’t open for dinner until 7:30 pm. For those of us who are hungry every two hours, this takes some careful planning and preparation to make sure you can survive the hours leading up until dinner.
  • Just like bread, cheese and meat are staples in every meal. Luckily it’s not processed because if I ate like that in the US I would have easily gained 20 pounds while on our trip.
  • Most bars give out potato chips or peanuts with your drinks, but don’t serve food.
  • All bathrooms are for guys and girls. And many don’t have toilet seats. Luckily I am a pro-squatter.
  • Just like Mexico has homeless dogs walking around, Italy has cats. Tons of cats.
  • Italians know how to maximize their planting. Every public street has loads of fruit trees growing things like blood oranges, pomegranates, and lemons. Our hotel in Sorrento had kiwis growing on the pathway leading to the front door!

Amalfi Coast

If I had one word to explain the Amalfi Coast, I would have to use magical. Between the views, the cascading bougainvillea, and the crystal clear water, it’s quite the vacation spot.

While in the Amalfi region, we stayed in Sorrento for one night and Positano for two nights. While they look close, traffic adds on significant amount of time, and therefore getting around the Amalfi Coast is pretty expensive. The bus is a cheaper option but of course takes even longer.

We found that every website acts like everything is so close but in reality, it takes about 45 minutes to get to and from anywhere you want to go. I thought we would be bopping from town to town, but unless you want to spend your trip savings on transportation, I would definitely recommend choosing one or two places as a home base and make sure they are close to any other city you want to go.

Transportation Costs

  • Car from Naples airport to Sorrento – 110 euros / one hour
  • Car from Sorrento to Positano – 80 euros / 45 minutes
  • Car from Positano to Naples train station – 120 euros / one hour
  • Ferry from Sorrento to Capri – 76 euros / 25 minutes each way

Sorrento

  • Ristorante Fuoro. The lemon shrimp pasta was the best pasta dish I’ve ever had in my life. Top that off with the caprese salad and a bottle of Fuore Marisa Chrome Costa D’Amalfi and we were in absolute heaven.
  • Hotel Favorita bar. We were in awe of the architecture and design. On level two there is a secret garden which is perfect for a night cap and there is also a rooftop bar but we didn’t make it over when it was open.
  • Villa Angiolina. We loved staying at this adorable boutique hotel. It’s affordable and easily walk able to the downtown area.

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Capri

There are two options for getting to the main part of Capri from the ferry landing: hike up the hills or take the shuttle. We opted for hiking up the hills which would’ve been pretty miserable had it been summer, but luckily we were in need of a little post-night out sweat, so it worked out great.

What we didn’t know about about Capri was how much upscale shopping there is in the main part of town. To avoid the crowds, we cruised around the smaller backstreets and hiked up to the Arco viewpoint and saw about three people on our way there.

  • Le Camerelle. While the food wasn’t great, we liked being able to see views of both the water, mountains and the town from here. Plus, it’s super cute, great for people watching, and the white wine is delicious.
  • Giardini di Augusto. For a very small fee (I think it was two euros each), you can get check out this beautiful garden perched on a hilltop and get some pretty spectacular views of Capri.

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Positano

  • Chez Black. The pizza here is incredible. I went for the buffalo mozzarella pizza since mozzarella di bufala is apparently extremely popular in Italy.
  • Le Terrazze. Drinks on a cute outdoor patio with awesome sunset views.
  • Lucibello boat charters. For 120 euros, we chartered our own wooden boat for 5 hours. This turned out to be an amazing way to check out the Amalfi Coast – from the water! It took us about an hour to get to Amalfi, where we got out and grabbed lunch. On our way back, we grabbed some cheese, meat and wine from a couple local shops and had ourselves a little boat picnic in the cove near the Emerald Grotto.
  • Fly Bar. This extremely cool lounge is above Music on the Rocks, the late night hot spot in Positano. It’s pricey, so you may as well splurge on your 19 euro cocktail instead of paying 14 euros for their (light) beer. Worth it for the views and atmosphere!
  • Max. A friend recommended this place for dinner and we were blown away. As a huge fan of Cucina Enoteca, I had to get the ricotta stuffed squash blossoms of course and they did not disappoint. Max doubles as a cooking school, in case you want to make an activity out of it.
  • Villa Rosa. With some incredible views of the ocean and the classic adorable-Positano-houses-on-the-hillside, this boutique hotel serves breakfast on your own private patio. The perfect honeymoon spot. Not to mention it’s in a great location, across from 1 Michelin-star restaurant La Sponda and up the street from the main downtown area.

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Stay tuned for my next post on Tuscany!

 

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