TRAVEL
TOP CV VILLAS EXPERIENCES AT VILLA DELFINA
Lo Scoglio hotelloscoglio. com / it / ristorante
Some restaurants are famous for a reason and Lo Scoglio- cantilevered above the beach in Nerano with waves literally lapping at its foundations and mere steps from the villa- has earned every bit of its considerable reputation. This is where Amalfi Coast’ s glitterati come to eat, yet somehow it maintains the soul of a family-run trattoria, which is precisely what it is. The De Simone family has been serving seafood here since 1958 and their zucchini spaghetti has achieved near-mythical status.
We arrived for dinner, securing a table on the terrace where the Mediterranean stretched out like liquid sapphire. The menu was refreshingly short- a sign, always, of confidence and quality, but we didn’ t need it, instead being treated to our own‘ Casa Mia’-style spread of house specials to share. There were fried courgette flowers, ripe tomatoes, crisp calamari and of course heaving bowls of spaghetti alla Nerano, the deceptively simply dish of pasta, courgettes, provolone and basil for which the region is renowned and that tasted like summer distilled in a bowl. Around us, fish- caught by the restaurant’ s own day boat of course- arrived whole and magnificent, but it was the atmosphere that truly captivated: the casual elegance of Italian families and Amalfi yacht owners in their summer finest, the gentle splash of the sea and that effervescent Southern Italian charm.
A Yacht Charter with Luxury Boats Positano luxuryboatspositano. com
There are myriad ways to experience the Amalfi Coast, but none quite compares to approaching it from the sea, watching those impossible villages cling to cliffs that seem far too steep for human habitation and boats that feel like you have stepped into a movie set. CV Villas had arranged for us to spend the day with Luxury Boats Positano helmed by Lucia- the incredibly poised owner of the family-run company who has been navigating these shores since childhood and proved to be equal parts tour guide, raconteur and witty philosopher, alongside our captain for the day, the wonderful Gabriele.
We departed from Nerano feeling like jetsetters, the boat cutting through glassy seas past hidden coves and grottos that can only be reached by water. Our first stop was Positano, that vertical tumble of pastel buildings that’ s graced a thousand Instagram feeds but somehow never loses its power to astonish.
We continued onto Amalfi itself, the coastline unfurling like a dramatic painting, each bob of a wave revealing another impossibly scenic vista, another medieval watchtower, another secret beach, another incredible super yacht.
Lunch was at La Tonnarella, a family-run restaurant in Amalfi where the fish was so fresh it came almost straight from the sea and the tomatoes were so fresh that owner Franco presented them still clinging to vine before gracing each of our plates with jewels of ripe fruit. We sat on the terrace, salt-crusted and sun-drunk as dish after perfect dish arrived, fish so fresh it tasted of the sea, heaving bowls of fresh carbonara, grilled prawns still crackling from the flames. We were full and passed on dessert, only for Lucia to tut and‘ suggest’ with a tone that meant none of us protested further, that they bring a small sweet taste- only to be presented with dish upon dish of incredible treats, fresh fruit, creamy cheesecake, rich tarts … It was- in no small part thanks to Franco- simply extraordinary.
We completed our tour with a stop in Amalfi, offering just enough time for a jaunt through the streets to nab a viral Amalfi lemon the size of our heads and heaving with fresh lemon sorbet before sailing back to Nerano to the backdrop of 80’ s tunes and sunsetting memories.
Walking Tour of Sorrento toursbylocals. com
Sorrento doesn’ t have the vertical drama of Positano or the historical gravitas of Amalfi, but what it possesses in abundance is a lived-in authenticity; a sense that life continues here beyond the tourist season- and the best way to explore here is on foot. Our walking-guide, arranged by CV Villas’ impeccable local contacts, revealed a city of hidden courtyards and artisan workshops, the stunning cloisters( at which my brother had been married some five years before) and winding streets full of market-wares for you to haggle your way to securing packets of Pasta Di Gragnano( renowned as the
POSITANO www. insidekent. co. uk • 131