Villa la Madonnina: THE SURROUNDINGS and HOW  TO GET ABOUT

There are many different ways to spend your vacation when you stay in Villa la Madonnina. It depends on what you prefer to do: enjoy the time in the villa with its beautiful views, places to relax and go swimming in the sea or in the pool.  Villa la Madonnina is also perfectly positioned to explore the nearby famous tourist attractions on the coast like Amalfi, Positano and Ravello or the archaeological highlights of Pompeii, Ercolaneo and Paestum or other beauties like Capri, the volcano Vesuvio, Sorrento or Napels.

There are also many choices for different activities: rent a boat and visit  the coast and Capri, do sports like hiking, biking, scuba diving or make excursions. See more information in the info/activities section of this web site. 
In the following you find some general descriptions and hints. More information about hiking, excursions, restaurants, culture and art you find under  my experiences. There I describe my own experiences and share with you my favorites. 
In the photo above you can see the beautiful surroundings of the Villa la Madonnina. When you click on the photo and enlarge it, you see the medieval tower on a small peninsula. Behind and slightly more on the left Villa la Madonnia lies below the street. (difficult to see but you get an idea where its situated).

What to visit:

It's very worthwhile to explore the treasures which are close to Villa la Madonnina and in walking distance: the beautiful valley and port of Marina di Praia with the tower Torre a Mare which is visible from the villa and was built in the 13th century (10 minutes walk) and the wild and romantic fjord of Marina di Furore (15 minutes).  In Marina di Praia you find several restaurants in very beautiful settings. More information in the restaurant section of my experiences. The walks in the surroundings are described in the hikes/walks section.

Only a few kilometers away is the nearest village of Praiano (2 km / 1,2 miles). Centuries ago the Dogi of the republic of Amalfi spent their holidays in Praiano for its clean air and magnificent views. You will understand why they had chosen Praiano over other places along the coast.  You find there also beautiful churches with majolica tiles. Other than its beauty Praiano offers grocery and other shops. Click "info" for more information.  The "Grotta dello Smeraldo" in Conca di Marini (4 km/3 miles to the east) is a cave which is said to be as beautiful as the more famous Grotta Azzurra -the blue grotto- in Capri. The sunlight shines through an underwater tunnel and illuminates the grotto with an emerald light. Go there when the sun is high (around lunch time) and the sea is calm.
Then of course it is very worth while to visit the famous ancient town of Amalfi (6 km/4 miles) with its Duomo and Piazza, and close to Amalfi Ravello (10 km / 6 miles) up on the hill with its fabulous gardens and villas. The view down to the sea is spectacular! Also nearby is the  famously beautiful Positano (9 km / 7 miles) which lives up to its reputation  And last but not least you may want to visit Furore the "paese dipinto" the "painted land" were most of the houses have paintings on their walls. From the viewpoint at the end of the village you have a great outlook over the Amalfi coast.  The distance from the villa to Furore is only one kilometer, it is actually located 500 meter (1500 feet) above the villa. But to go there it takes 10 km/6 miles, because the road has to follow the contour of the rugged landscape.
 
Further away, but easily reached within one to two hours are the wonderful island of Capri, the excavations of Pompei (41 km/24 miles) and Ercolaneo (35 km / 20 miles) and others. They present  a unique impression of how the Romans lived 2000 years ago (you will be amazed what level of civilization they had already reached). Also within this distance can be found  the best preserved Dorian Greek Temple at Paestum (70 km / 40 miles) built 500 years b.c. Then there is Napoli, Naples (60 km/ 37 miles) vibrant with life and with its unique, fascinating own micro cosmos, old narrow streets,  historical monuments and the world famous National Archaeological Museum, where the most beautiful finds of the archaeological sites in Campania are displayed and last not least the oldest working theater in Europe San Carlo.
For more details see the chapters links, and under my experience in  excursions and culture of this website or check a guide.

See more photos in my web galleries: http://www.villa-la-madonnina.com/  and  http://www.flickr.com/photos/lerchen

Getting about:

By bus: A very good and frequent bus service makes it easy to visit all the main attractions, towns and villages along the coast. The only challenge is to read the timetable and to get a ticket. The tickets are not sold in the bus. You have to buy them before you enter the bus, normally in a bar or shop close to the bus stop. If you have difficulties with reading the timetable ask the tourist office in Praiano tel: (089/874557). They are very helpful. The next bus stop is close to the villa. To get there turn left when you exit the villa and walk till you pass the first tunnel. The bus stop is immediately after the tunnel (300 m/ 1000 feet).
By car: If you plan to use a car on  the Amalfitana I would recommend to rent a rather small one. This will enable you to master the many curves just like an Italian. If you want to go to Marina di Praia you can either walk or take the car. There is a parking area close to the sea. You can also go to Marina di Furore by car. But you must park on the left side of the street as close as possible to the rock. Only a  few slots are available.
By Ship:  The island of Capri is obviously only accessible by ship. Ships leave from Sorrento to Capri the entire year. Departures are almost every hour. Starting from May till October, you also can use the ship to explore the Amalfi coast - which is convenient and you see the impressive coast line from the sea.  Other options include renting a motor or sailing boat. Pretty strong and fast boats are available without a license! See more information in the Info/activities section of this website. For getting an impression how wonderful the Amalfi coast and Capri is seen from a ship/boat see my web gallery: http://www.villa-la-madonnina.com/
By Scooter: Not everybody will feel comfortable to rent a scooter and explore the coast, but in our view the best way to explore the coast. You can rent a scooter in nearby Praiano.  See the info/activity section.

!!  If you  don't have a navigation bar on the top and left click here !!

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