Ciao Amalfi Newsletter - August 2022
Surviving August, a new museum for Amalfi & a much-needed vacation.
A steamy ciao from Amalfi! Despite its venerable name honoring Roman emperor Caesar Augustus, the month of August is often a tricky one here on the Amalfi Coast. You may have heard of the nationwide celebrations for Ferragosto and how many Italians go on holiday in August. While the cities tend to be quieter in certain ways, seaside locations like the Amalfi Coast are prime vacation spots for holidaying Italians plus visitors from around the world.
While it has certainly been busier than usual, I’ve hardly had time to notice the jump from July to August, especially since this heat wave has made it feel like August for weeks on end now. Just when I thought it couldn’t get crazier, summer went: “Hold my Aperol Spritz.” A heady mix of serious neck issues on my part with unwanted visits from Covid and wanted visits from family has made it impossible to tell my month named after Julius from my month named after Augustus – and I’m pretty sure Brutus stabbed me in the back.
So pardon any oddities below as I push ahead into August. Wishing you all health, easy travels, and a relaxing August. And someone, please, get me another Spritz!
A NEW MUSEUM IN AMALFI
Exciting news from Amalfi! Just inaugurated at the end of July, the redesigned Museo della Bussola e del Ducato Marinaro is the place to delve into Amalfi’s rich past. Located in the 11th-century Arsenale di Amalfi, be among the first to step back in time to the glorious days of the medieval Republic of Amalfi.
AMALFI COAST TRAVEL NEWS
While Amalfi’s museum is the real news in the area, Sorrento has recently made news around the world by banning walking around in swimwear. You may have spotted some stories, but it’s really not much of a surprise for locals. Many towns, including Amalfi, already have rules in place about walking around bare chested or in swimwear. However, it is a good reminder that while many of the Amalfi Coast's towns are on the beach, it's not common to walk around in your swimsuit. Even if it's a short distance from the beach to the hotel, it's customary to wear a beach cover up. (Although some of the beach cover ups I’ve seen lately really do stretch the idea of “cover up” to its limit …)
Amalfi Coast style is quite relaxed in the summer months, but not to the point of wearing your swimwear out and about in town, in shops, and in restaurants - often even restaurants at beach clubs. Simple tip: pack a cover up or pick one up on the Amalfi Coast. I’ve shared full shopping recs in Moon Amalfi Coast, but you can also check out my shopping guide on Instagram:
ON MY BOOKSHELF
As an expat for 15 years and someone who lived in 8 states in America before that, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about home. Finding home, how to make a home, what connects us to a place. Even recently, reading a lot of Willa Cather has connected me back to my Nebraska roots. It’s made a somewhat “placeless” person like me realize you can be of a place without really even knowing it.
So when I spotted last year that Frances Mayes was working on a book about home, I seriously couldn’t wait. I am fortunate to have an advanced reader copy of A Place in the World: Finding the Meaning of Home that I just can’t put down. I’ll share a full review when I’m done reading - and likely re-reading it again straight away. It’s that good! You don’t have to wait long to get your hands on it since it will be released on August 23, 2022 in the USA and UK. Pre-order your copy now for the perfect summer read!
(Note: *Affiliate links.* Ciao Amalfi gets a small commission from books purchased through these links. Grazie!)
KEEP READING … AND LISTENING
Did you enjoy July’s On the Road to Florence newsletter? Here are some additional Florence and Italy themed links that you may enjoy:
Last month’s On the Road was full of quotes and little references from E.M. Forster’s A Room with A View, a book I have long loved. Here’s my review of Kevin Kwan’s Sex and Vanity, a modern day retelling of Forster’s classic but set in part on beautiful Capri.
I love this walk with beautiful views in Florence.
Want to dig deeper into Florence’s literary past? Check out the Literary Italy podcast hosted by Anne Schuchman and James Berrettini (fellow St. John’s College alumni!). They have an episode on A Room with a View or go way back to episode one and dig in with Dante and Florence.
Back on the Amalfi Coast, did catch The Secrets of Stanley Tucci’s Zucchini Spaghetti from Nerano?
Chefs Jamie Oliver and Gennaro Cataldo, who was born in Minori on the Amalfi Coast, shared a fun video making an Amalfi Lemon Cake together.
I always recommend visiting the Aceto family lemon farm in Amalfi. Here’s a recent look via CNN: On Italy's steep Amalfi Coast, 'flying' lemon farmers jump among the treetops.
A SUMMER HOLIDAY!
While so many of you are traveling to the Amalfi Coast this summer, I’m currently packing up to leave for a little bit. I’m off on a dual mother-daughter trip to Scotland with family friends. It’s our first time to Scotland! I rarely travel during the busy season, but I’m looking forward to escaping the heat and traveling somewhere completely new. Have you been? I’d love to hear your Scotland travel tips.
Thanks so much for subscribing to Ciao Amalfi! If you’re new here, I invite you to subscribe for my monthly newsletter with news and daily life stories from the Amalfi Coast as well as interviews with locals, and travels around Italy and soon … “Throt Europe”!
Ciao from Amalfi,
Laura
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I haven't no...only retired ..due for another trip to the Costa amalfitana....
Willa catha. Death comes for the archbishop
One of the best written