Romantic nights and Candlelight- The Amalfi coast and Isle of Capri
Our four day journey takes us to two of Europe’s most romantic seaside havens, the celebrated Amalfi coast and the Isle of Capri. These are places where myth and legend blur with history. The evocative landscape of the steep cliffs and terraced gardens of the Lattari Mountains descend into the blue depths of the Tyrrhenian Sea around Amalfi. We can hear Circe’s warning to Odysseus upon his return from Troy as he is to approach the Bay of Naples:
"You will come first of all to the Sirens, who are enchanters of all mankind and whoever comes their way; and that man who unsuspecting approaches them, and listens to the Sirens singing, has no prospect of coming home and delighting his wife and little children as they stand about him in greeting, but the Sirens by the melody of their singing enchant him.”
Emperors Augustus and Tiberius knew well of the beauty of the Isle of Capri, leaving for posterity the ruins of their Roman villas, while the stunning Duomo at Amalfi offers contemporary visitors a hint of its former glory and importance as one of the foremost naval powers of the 11th century. Ravello too, in its most commanding of positions high above the Amalfi coast, has been and remains an important cultural centre. It was here at Villa Rufolo that Wager completed the third act of Parsifal and the musical and artistic tradition here continues with the world class Ravello Festival held each summer.
Breathtaking (and hair raising) coastal roads conduct visitors along the 50 km stretch of coastline on either side of Amalfi where stunning views across to the Isle of Capri are around every corner. One of the most cosmopolitan and chic Italy’s seaside resorts, Capri also offers an opportunity to get off the beaten track and enjoy walking to some the continent’s most spectacular bays and seaside caves and grottoes which appear from around bends, out of nowhere, contrasting with the brilliant sapphire and turquoise Mediterranean waters.
