Our honeymoon 3 in 1: why make Italy's Naples, Amalfi Coast & Procida your honeymoon destination

Helsinki, 5 degrees



Our heritage and ideals, our code and standards - the things we live by and teach our children - are preserved or diminished by how freely we exchange ideas and feelings.

As of 2018, Italy has a total of 54 inscribed Unesco properties, making it the state party with the most World Heritage sites in the world! This is, however, not why we chose this part of the world as our honeymoon destination. I had visited Naples before, more than 10 years ago, and I liked it immediately. After visited Italy several times with my husband (Sicily, Rome, Milan), and even once already with our toddler girl, we decided on the destination as it easily offered us the 3 in 1 possibility, had the best food in the world, and was child-friendly.

Tällä hetkellä Italialla on kasassa peräti 54 Unescon maailmanperintökohdetta, eli eniten maailmassa! Se ei kuitenkaan ollut suurin syy siihen, että valitsimme maan häämatkakohteeksemme. Olin itse käynyt Napolissa aikaisemmin, n. 10 vuotta sitten, ja pidin kovasti jo silloin kaupungista. Koska olemme mieheni kanssa matkustaneet useamman kerran Italiaan (Sisiliaan, Roomaan ja Milanoon), ja jopa kerran taaperomme kanssa, niin päätimme valita päämäärän, jossa näkisimme yhdistelmän kaupunkia, rannikkoa sekä saarta. Tämän lisäksi valitsimme Italian koska maalla on maailman paras ruokakulttuuri ja se on lapsiystävällinen kohde.

City + coast + island combination / Kaupunki + rannikko + saari -yhdistelmä

The 3 in 1 possibility I'm referring to, is the fact that this area made it possible for us to enjoy Italy's third largest city, Naples, but also its coastal area - the Amalfi Coast and an island in front of it - Procida.

Kyseinen yhdistelmä käsittää Italian kolmanneksi suurimman kaupungin Napolin, Amalfin rannikon (1,5h Napolista) ja Procidan saaren Napolin edustalla.


The city / Kaupunki

Naples itself is a sight! As Unesco describes it: "From the Neapolis founded by Greek settlers in 470 B.C. to the city of today, Naples has retained the imprint of the successive cultures that emerged in Europe and the Mediterranean basin. This makes it a unique site, with a wealth of outstanding monuments such as the Church of Santa Chiara and the Castel Nuovo." 

Napoli on jo itsessään nähtävyys! Unesco kuvailee kaupunkia näin (englanniksi): "From the Neapolis founded by Greek settlers in 470 B.C. to the city of today, Naples has retained the imprint of the successive cultures that emerged in Europe and the Mediterranean basin. This makes it a unique site, with a wealth of outstanding monuments such as the Church of Santa Chiara and the Castel Nuovo."

I've always said that it's a combination of sounds, sights, scents, tastes, people, and the sea, city & vulcanos. I've never seen a place more alive - a city for all senses!

Mielestäni Napoli on aistien juhlaa, kaupungista löytyy niin ääniä, tuoksuja, makuja, nähtävyyksiä, ihmisiä, ja sitten vielä meri, kaupunki ja tulivuoria. En ole koskaan nähnyt elävämpää paikkaa!


The coast / Rannikko

The coast is something completely different from Naples. We rented a car from Naples' train station and drove there through Amalfi (our final destination was Praiano). On the way back, we drove through Sorrento, which is the most popular route as it passes by Positano - the coastline's most popular village. The coast we experienced in Praiano was lovely, calm & relaxing. In Praiano, we even witnessed a saint festival - something I've always dreamed of seeing myself. However, as we did do day trips to Amalfi & Positano, we noticed that also the coast can be packed - so choose wisely the accommodation according to what you are looking for.  

Rannikko on täysin erilainen kuin Napoli. Vuokrasimme auton Napolin rautatieasemalta ja ajoimme Amalfin kautta Praianoon. Paluumatkalla ajoimme Sorrenton kautta (tämä on suositumpi reitti koska se kulkee kuuluisan Positanon läpi). Praiano elämänmeno oli ihanan rauhallinen ja rentouttava. Kyseisessä kylässä näimme jopa pyhimysjuhlan - kokemus, josta olen aina haaveillut. Koska kävimme päiväretkillä Amalfissa ja Positanossa, niin voin sanoa, että rannikkoseutu voi myös olla täpötäysi - eli valitse järjellä mihin varaat majoituksen, riippuen siitä mitä rannikolta haet.

As Unesco says: "The Amalfi coast is an area of great physical beauty and natural diversity. It has been intensively settled by human communities since the early Middle Ages. There are a number of towns such as Amalfi and Ravello with architectural and artistic works of great significance. The rural areas show the versatility of the inhabitants in adapting their use of the land to the diverse nature of the terrain, which ranges from terraced vineyards and orchards on the lower slopes to wide upland pastures."

Kuten Unesco kertoo (englanniksi): "The Amalfi coast is an area of great physical beauty and natural diversity. It has been intensively settled by human communities since the early Middle Ages. There are a number of towns such as Amalfi and Ravello with architectural and artistic works of great significance. The rural areas show the versatility of the inhabitants in adapting their use of the land to the diverse nature of the terrain, which ranges from terraced vineyards and orchards on the lower slopes to wide upland pastures."


The Island / Saari

The ones that know me well, know that my all-time favorite movie is "The Talented Mr Ripley" from 1999. It's not the happy ending kind of movie, but it has always fascinated me. In the extent that I actually decided on moving to Italy for a couple of years in 2005-2009. So naturally, it has been my long-time dream to visit the movie's filming location. In the movie, one gets to visit both Venice & Rome as well, but the dreamiest part of the movie is set in an imaginary village called Mongibello. The scenes of Mongibello were mainly filmed on the island of Procida, so that was our final destination during our honeymoon! The island is reachable from Naples by ferry. Procida is even calmer than the Amalfi Coast, a place undiscovered by tourists (at least when we visited in September). A place that felt authentic & very special. Its fishing harbor was just simply magical!

Ne, jotka tuntevat minut hyvin, tietävät, että suosikkielokuvani kautta aikojen on "Lahjakas Herra Ripley" vuodelta 1999. Se ei ole tyypillinen elokuva, jossa kaikki loppuu hyvin, mutta se on aina kiehtonut minua. Niin paljon, että muutin Italiaan ja asuin siellä yhteensä pari vuotta vuosina 2005-2009. Luonnollisesti, sen kuvauspaikat ovat olleet toivelistallani. Elokuvassa käydään niin Venetsiassa kuin Roomassakin, mutta mielestäni parhaat palat ovat kuvattu kuvitteellisessa kylässä nimeltään Mongibello. Mongibellon kohtaukset ovat kuvattu suurimmaksi osaksi Procidan saarella, joten se oli häämatkamme viimeinen käyntikohde! Procidaan pääsee lautalla, joka kulkee Napolista. Procida oli jopa rauhallisempi kuin Amalfin rannikko. Emme nähneet kuin pari muuta matkailijaa ollessamme siellä syyskuussa. Koko saari tuntui todella auntenttiselta ja erityiseltä. Kalastajasatama oli maaginen!


Do you look for the perfect combinations on your trips? Are you more a city person or coastal person?

Etsitkö itse käyntikohdeyhdistelmiä matkoilla? Oletko enemmän kaupunki-ihminen vai viihdytkö rannikolla? 


What's your opinion?

  1. We went to two major cities (Atlanta and DC) our last two vacation trips. I think I would like to go to the beach next time around.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sounds interesting, would love to hear more about these holidays!

      xxx
      E

      Delete

@elisabeth.rundlof