Blog Post 1
My First Week in Sorrento
Day 1: Arrival
I started my journey to Sorrento in Rome. I took the Frecciarossa, a high-speed train, from Rome to Naples. After arriving in Naples I transferred over to the Circumvesuviana, a local train that runs from Naples to Sorrento. It was 95 degrees outside, the train had no air-conditioning, and I made the naive decision of wearing all black. After an almost two-hour train ride in the scorching heat, I finally arrived to Sorrento and was immediately enchanted by the breathtaking views. My taxi dropped me off right in front of the hotel where I will be working for the next month. The Bellevue Syrene looks out into the Bay of Naples and Mt. Vesuvius. After taking in the view, I dragged my heavy suitcase down a cobblestone hill and made it to my dorm at the Sant'Anna Institute. After settling in, I decided to explore Sorrento. I walked down steep cobble stone steps and encountered a giant arch made out of rocks. The Arch was made by the Greeks and served as an entrance gate to the sea. The Greeks were able to close the gate to protect Sorrento from the ocean and invaders. I then walked down to Marina Grande. The small port, despite having a name that implies it is big, is nestled between the colossal cliffs of Sorrento and the crystal clear sea. I ended my day in Marina Grande admiring the sunset over Vesuvius while eating a bowl of Spaghetti alle Vongole.
Days 2-4: Adjusting
The next few days in Sorrento felt like a fever dream. I was very busy with orientation, classes, and starting my new internship. The class I am taking is about The Bay of Naples Area. We discuss topics related to History, culture, geography and more! On our first day of class we took a short tour of the Sorrento area. I learned a lot about Ancient Greek Mythology while walking through the town. Besides my class, I also started my internship at the Bellevue Syrene. When I walked into the five-star hotel I was intimidated due to the size and beauty of the resort. Although I speak Italian, I am not a native speaker and was a little scared to speak Italian in a professional setting. The staff was super friendly and welcoming, they taught me how to check guests in and gave me a tour of the hotel. By the end of my shift, I overcame my nerves and ended up having a great time!
Days 5-7: Adventure!
My first full weekend in Sorrento was action packed with adventure. We visited Naples, hiked to the "Bagni of Regina Giovanna" and took a day-trip to the Amalfi Coast. I was very excited for our trip to Naples because I took a class on the History and Culture of Naples for my Major in Italian Studies. It was amazing to finally see everything I learned about. Naples balances life and death in an interesting way. The city is full of art, history, culture, and tradition. From the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in Pompeii to the Cholera epidemic, Naples has a long history with death and bad luck. My favorite part about Naples was its' superstitious personality. Every street was full of "cornicelli", red horns that are meant to protect people from bad things. I also enjoyed trying all of the traditional Neaopolitan delicacies like sfogliatelle, baba al rum, pizza fritta, and Margherita pizza. I also had a fan-girl moment! I read "My Brilliant Friend" before coming on this trip and in Naples I saw several locations where they shot the show. After our trip to Naples we hiked to the Bagni of Regina Giovanni. The hike to the beach was absolutely breath taking. I saw how people farm throughout the cliffs of Sorrento. There were multiple lemon groves and olive trees built into the sides of the cliffs. It was interesting to see how every inch of space is utilized along the cliffs. Once we reached the baths, we stood on top of the ruins of an ancient Roman Villa. After exploring the villa, we went swimming and hiked home. The next day we woke up early to head to Positano. On the ride there were learned about the myths of the sirens and other legends about the area. Positano and Amalfi were so beautiful. Positano was definitely more up-scale and posh than Amalfi and Ravello. I loved walking through the small streets looking at boutiques with different lemon and linen products . Unlike the first two towns, Ravello was less tourist filled and was located in the cliffs farther away from the ocean. Ravello was a small and quaint town with magnificent views of the ocean. My first week in Sorrento was very action-packed. I learned so much about Sorrento and Italy in the span of one week, I am excited to see what the upcoming weeks hold!
