have carry-on will travel: December 2022

Sunday, December 18, 2022

Ischia Porto

The towns of Ischia Porto and Ischia Ponte are great little towns that are within easy reach of ferries from Sorrento or Naples, aka Napoli. Our group went there in June and it was very nice, even though it was a bit hotter than normal for that time of year. Just FYI, Ischia is not for everyone. It's helpful to come here knowing some Italian and be open to their culture. This island is not as touristic like towns of Positano, Sorrento, or the island of Capri. Knowing "Italian for travelers" really helps as not as many folks speak English here. Seeing a more typical Italian location can be a why to visit if you want to venture away from places where more tourists go.

Shortly after getting off of the ferry in Ischia Porto you might notice the Parrocchia di Santa Maria di Portosalvo church. It's a great place to quietly enjoy the shade, pray, contemplate the meaning of life, and wait for your check in time at your lodging place.

Very close to there is where you can find one of the best club sandwiches on the planet. Bar Calise makes excellent sandwiches and okay maybe we were hungry after the ferry ride. They were super good though! Also, you might spot one of the fun local three wheeled taxis.

Walking to the apartment that we found on booking.com felt like a bit of a trek with our luggage, the heat, and the noise from the traffic. The apartment was spacious and decent overall but not in the greatest area for noise and it was up a hill from the town. It also had a leaky toilet and a funky shower but hey it worked.

There's a great beach nearby called Spiaggia di San Pietro with a pretty big public / free section and also private sections with loungers and such. If you're up for chatting with locals, if the opportunity arises, then the free sections are nice and you get to see how some of the local families spend their free time. There are some spectacular flowers in the area too if you're there in the summer.

If you're looking for a refreshing and sweet treat to beat the heat then check out Bar Gelateria De Maio. We visited there a few times!

The Castello Aragonese d'Ischia is on this side of the island as well. It's a bit of a walk if you're staying close to the port. There are great views from up by the castle from different points along the paths. Good shoes and a cooler time of day would be advisable for when to visit.

Lunch near the castle was a fun highlight after hiking around in the heat. We stopped in at

‘aParanza Sea Restaurant and were not disappointed with the food or service. It was all great as was the location and view!

I hope you've enjoyed this short introduction to the Ischia Porto side of the island of Ischia. Coming up in a future post I'll cover Forio and Sant'Angelo as well. Thanks for stopping by. Feel free to leave a comment or question below.

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John 3:16 ✝

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Monday, December 5, 2022

Prominent Positano, Italy

What to say about Positano in 2022? Here's what a famous author said many years ago.

"Positano bites deep. It is a dream place that isn’t quite real when you are there and becomes beckoningly real after you have gone." John Steinbeck

I would say these days that Positano can still be great. The views are amazing, the hoards of tourists maybe not so much. Okay, I haven't met each one individually but you get what I mean.

When my lovely travel companions and I visited there we made the mistake of using a crowded Sita bus both ways to travel from Sorrento. We didn't learn on the way there for some reason. ;) Ferry or hiring a driver might be a better option for you just FYI.

Our goal was to relax and enjoy the beach. We did just that! Where might you ask? It was at Arienzo Beach Club. So, it's a bit of a "we're going to treat ourselves" today type of deal but fun and relaxing. We bought the Arienzo basic package "€65 per person we offer you: • Beach access: one sunlounger, one towel and one umbrella (per every two sunloungers), wifi, music, beach service, use of changing room, shower and toilet; • A bottle of mineral water; • Beach Lunch: an appetizer, a main course from the a la carte menu, as well a glass of wine and a coffee; • Complimentary shuttle boat service; • This package has a value of €82 discounted by 20%"

It made Positano feel a bit like Steinbeck's quote. Okay, sure there's ways to get away from the crowds and do that for less but it was fun for something different. Arienzo Beach Club had a good lunch, was relaxing and fun, and felt like a great way to enjoy a day in Positano. We eat, swam, drank straight espresso, listened to the DJ, and just relaxed on the loungers...