Amalfi Coast

The first episode of Journeys with “The Lantern” takes us to explore the beautiful Amalfi Coast and some of the most beloved places by tourists from all over the world. The starting point of our itinerary could only be Positano, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1997. The so-called vertical city It pushed us to our limits with its steep narrow streets and paths overlooking the sea, but arriving at the beautiful beach amply repaid us for the effort. We found ourselves before a true spectacle of nature, made even more enchanting by the contrast with the numerous boutiques and small shops full of local products that we encountered along the way.

After all this activity, we got hungry, so we moved to Maiori to take advantage of one of the most scenic restaurants on the coast, located inside the ancient Norman Tower. Previously a watchtower against pirate raids, this monumental tower was the setting for the first episode of Rossellini's masterpiece *Paisa* and was later transformed into a renowned restaurant with a sea view, where we sampled the famous scialatielli.

However, the Amalfi Coast is not just about excellent food and breathtaking views, but also a perfect place for good music. We have therefore been to Ravello, a Moorish-style village world-famous for Ravello Festival. This event is held every year in the magical atmosphere of Villa Rufolo, which has always been associated with Wagner, who found inspiration for his Parsifal here. Such an important past has driven the Festival to always seek out the best orchestras and the most internationally acclaimed opera or jazz singers, offering all enthusiasts a series of truly memorable concerts.

After a dive into music, we returned to the “basics” by moving to Minor, known as the City of taste. Who we met here Sal De Riso, who accompanied us on a discovery of the delights of his patisserie, the most beloved on the entire Amalfi Coast. After admiring and tasting his creations, such as the classic lemon delight or the delicious fried San Giuseppe zeppole, Federico created a truly unique Easter egg with him. Sal then accompanied us to discover the lemon groves that populate the surrounding hills and the Path of the Lemons, an ancient route for communication between Maiori and Minori. This magical, traffic-free and easily walkable path has retained its ancient characteristics and allows you to best enjoy the scents and views of the area. And we can assure you that the scent of lemons is truly intoxicating! Perhaps that's why it works so well in our starters...

We've made a good stock of it, and then we set off with wonder in our eyes and a great desire to discover new places and new flavours, which we'll tell you about in the next episodes of Travels with “The Lantern”. Get ready, we're in for a treat!!!