IT REALLY WAS AMAZING – Guest Blog from Helen Desai. Helen is an accomplished photographer and, as you can see, a delightfully engaging writer. We loved how her photos captured the essence of our experiences during those few days together….

Having returned from Italy just a few weeks ago, I can happily report that our trip to Amalfi with Adagio Travel really was – as promised – amazing.

Perhaps most telling is that it’s hard to come up with a highlight of the trip – there were just too many. The seafood dinner that blew us away our first night in Naples? Beautiful Capri: hiking with Claudia, boating into the Blue Grotto, walking around Capri late at night with Susan, circling the island on Captain Peppe’s boat and jumping into the blue Mediterranean for a swim? Pompeii – fascinating and surprisingly well-preserved? And the Amalfi Coast itself where we ended up at the Villa Cimbrone in Ravello with the bluest view imaginable? Our hotel in Sorrento – – unusual, elegant, luxurious — where we seemed to end up on the rooftop terrace each evening for a cocktail? And — of course – the food: seafood, pizza, spaghetti vongole, our delicious lunch in a small fishing town, omelets for breakfast, espresso and gelato any old time. Wine that was so local, it had no label at all but was absolutely divine. And the shopping – we bought jewelry, ceramics, linens, handmade sandals – all at places Susan and Claudia guided us to. Even the men shopped. And wherever we were – Vesuvius dominating the landscape? It was all highlights all the time.

What made the trip particularly luxurious were all the background arrangements. We left our luggage outside the doors of our hotel room and it magically appeared in our next hotel room. Everywhere we went, if a meal was “on your own” we got lots of great suggestions. The arranged meals, the trip around Capri on our private boat, the shopping venues, the sightseeing and tour guides – there was no guesswork involved which made our trip efficient and restful, a happy combination. The pace of our trip was also well thought out: our days and nights were full but there was plenty of time set aside to get away on our own or to relax a bit.

Finally, Claudia and Susan are delightful guides. Knowledgeable, organized and fun! By the end, they became our (very) helpful friends rather than tour operators. We’ve been home for almost 3 weeks now and we’re already plotting our next trip with Adagio.