Villa la Madonnina: RELAXATION/ACTIVITIES 

There are many ways to enjoy the stay in the villa and at the coast. Some will prefer to stay in the villa as their hideaway, enjoy the fabulous views and relax. Some will also want to explore the coast and the nearby world famous attractions like Amalfi, Ravello, Positano, Capri, Pompeii, Paestum, the Vesuvio..... For doing that you find more information in the excursions, area and culture sections of our website. You can also start very beautiful hikes from the villa. See more my favourite hikes in this web site.  Below find some suggestions what you could do and related information. Note: We don’t get any kickback from the companies/people mentioned or recommended below. Telling them that you are guests of Villa la Madonnina should guarantee that you will get good quality and service. If you experience the contrary please tell me.  

Stay in the villa:              
- You can enjoy the view, swim in the sea or the pool, take a sun bath, read, relax in the hanging chairs, have a drink. From the platform at the sea you can snorkel along the rocky coast. You can cook your meals in the fully equipped kitchen. All items can be delivered including daily fresh rolls. You can hire a cook. And you can order lunch to be brought to the platform down at the sea from the excellent restaurant Il Pirata in nearby Marina di Praia. The delivery is depending on early notification and that the waves are not too high for a safe delivery. Tel: 089 87 4377. 

- Games: In the villa you find chess and other games and decks of cards. 
- Fitness: Some of you may want to do something for their fitness. Either continue your regular exercise or have a new start. You find two Sissel Pilate circles and Thera bands with instructions how to do useful exercises with them. Books about Pilates and the Egoscue method are also there. I found the simple Egoscue exercises very helpful to overcome back pain. 
- Jogging: Jogging enthusiasts can do very panoramic jogging along the Amalfitana. If you want to run off the road, you must be ready to jog uphill. Either first going to the east till the Furore gorge and take the path uphill after the bridge. Very beautiful but also quite steep! Or you go to the left and leave the road before the bridge in Marina di Praia and take the path uphill - again quite steep. In Marina di Praia you also jog down the valley, then along the sea towards the restaurant Il Pirata and then before reaching it up the hill till you reach the road and then back to the villa.  
- Pedal boat: combine exploring the panoramic vicinity of the coast with some physical activity by renting a pedal boat in nearby Marina di Praia. 

Enjoy views: 
- Morning bar: Our favourite is Bar del Sole in Vettica Maiore (part of Praiano). Here Italians take their short breakfast. You have a splendid view from the terrace to Positano and as far as Capri. The „cornetti" - croissants and other morning pastry are world class. To go there drive or take a bus to Praiano, pass the first part of Praiano and then after you pass the third tunnel (counted from the villa) you are in Vettica Maiore - the other part of Praiano. When you see the impressive church (very worthwhile to visit) of Vettica on the left, you see the Bar del Sole just opposite, above the street. Closed on Mondays.

- Watch sunset: Enjoy the often spectacular sunsets with a glass of Prosecco or another drink from the terrace of the Bar del Sole.

Drink in the evening:
Try the bar in the hotel Le Fioriere in Vettica Maiore (part of Praiano). Luigi has good music, drinks.
After we had dinner in Amalfi we sometimes have a drink on the terrace of the hotel Santa Catarina, which is built in a panoramic position about 1 km before Amalfi. They have free valet parking. Just tell the guard that you want to take a drink.  

- Rent a boat/yacht with and without a crew: Explore yourself or with a captain the beauties of the Amalfi coast and Capri.
We always rent a boat ourselves and drive along the coast, stop where we want, go swimming, have lunch in one of the excellent sea food restaurants along the coast or on Capri. I will add soon a list of our favourite restaurants in the restaurant section of this website. All of them have a valet "parking" service. You just go closer, wave and make yourself understood that you want to eat, and then a boat comes and brings you to the restaurant.  Often boats with the name of the restaurants are already waiting. Some restaurants display the phone number so you can just call them (provided you have a mobile phone). With a 40 hp boat (the most powerful you can rent without license) it takes about 1, 5 - 2, 0 hours to go to Capri. For boat rental call La Sibilla Tel +39 089 874365, mobile phone: +39 334-3078344, web site: http://www.lasibilla.org/  in Marina di Praia or in Amalfi Amalifsails Tel +39 3356451 400, web site: http://www.amalfisails.it/. It’s worthwhile to compare the prices. Both will come with the boat to the platform of Villa la Madonnina and pick you up there. If you drive yourself you go back to Marina di Praia/Amalfi and you drop the driver there.
- A great experience is to go out for a boat trip with Barbara or Gennaro/Salvatore from Positano either on a special trip only for you and your party or on a scheduled excursion. They will help you to discover the beauty and delights of the Amalfi and Sorrento coast. For many of our guests this was one of the highlights when discovering the coast. They can come to the platform below the villa and pick you up there. See more information in the villa or visit their web sites:
     Barbara : http://www.barbarapositano.it/  or tel. : 39 333683 9004
     Gennaro/Salvatore: http://www.gennaroesalvotore.it  or tel. : 089 811613
- Join a scheduled excursion: Check at Marina di Praia, what they offer or with more choices in Amalfi. Best is you call Nino Gorga, he can give you a recommendation what excursion to join. He can also book it for you. Tel: 089 87 1046.
- Take a scheduled trip with a ship along the coast, to Capri, Sorrento or Naples. Same view but no explanation. From Sorrento you can also go directly to Capri and Ischia.  To start from Sorrento to go to Capri will also be your choice if you want to have more flexibility for your schedule. Also in winter ships take off regularly to Capri. For more information call the tourist office in Praiano. Tel: 089/874557.
- Diving: In nearby Marina di Praia is the Boa Diving centre where you can rent equipment and join dives. Tel: 089/813034, Mobile: 0335/345739, Internet: Boa Diving
- Other water sport: Windsurfing, Jet Ski, sailing boat: In Amalfi you can rent the equipment.  For more information call the tourist office of Amalfi. Tel: 089 871 107.

Other activities: 
- Rent a bike, a scooter:  For those who fell comfortable with driving a scooter, it is real fun and the fastest means of transportation along the coast. You have a better view and parking is far easier. For the slower scooters you dont need a special driving license. Biking is a big sport in Italy and the Amalfitana is a great place to exercise. You can rent bikes/scooters in Praiano, Praia Costa in Praiano, Tel: 089 813071.
- Guided walking tours: beside the official tours, there are very nice guided walking tours inside and around Amalfi/Atrani to explore the secrets of the coast. Call Financial Tours Amalfi: 089 87 1046. 
- Classical music at Ravello and other sites: It is a great experience to listen to classical music in a wonderful site in Ravello or other beautiful places. For the program for the whole year see the information in the villa or visit: Ravello chamber music.  The ticket costs 20 €. Reservation through Financial Tours, Amalfi: 089 87 1046, or Praiano Tourist office: 089/874557 or you book on line by going on the web site.
- Eco Museo Marina di Furore:  To walk in about 15 minutes to the impressing valley of Marina di Furore (Fiordo) is both worthwhile for the breathtaking scenery of the coast and the valley itself. You just go to the right when leaving the main gate and follow the road till the bridge which spans the valley. The museum is at the bottom of the valley. It covers three main topics: the unique plants which survived here from the times before the ice age, the films which were produced in this romantic place and the industrial history with paper production and mills.  The original buildings/machines were nicely restored.  Guided tours are available in Italian and English: for reservation call 328 88 15 393. 
Golf: There is no golf course in reasonable distance. But - as you know - a break and working on the mental side of golf can be more beneficial than practicing too hard. The closest driving range is after Salerno in direction of Paestum, but there are only 3 holes to play and it is very, very basic and is starting from summer more brown than green. 
Discotheque: Close to nearby Marina di Praia built into the rocks behind the ancient tower is the discotheque Africana. Once one of the in places of the Mediterranean Sea, with famous singers/visitors including Frank Sinatra and John F. Kennedy it is now a normal discotheque  which does not start before 11 pm to getting crowded.
Shopping/souvenirs:  
- Ceramics: A nice souvenirs are ceramics with traditional or modern design. The famous centre for ceramics is in Vietri about 25 km (15 miles) in the direction of Salerno. There is also a nice museum there which shows the history of ceramics.. But the opening ours are very limited: 8.00 - 13.15 and 14:00 - 15:00. Closed on Monday. Modern ceramics with old and contemporary design you find in many places along the coast. One shop which is both close and good is Ceramica LizArt in Praiano.  You can also order plates with your initials or similar. They ship worldwide. You get a nice souvenir which reminds you every time you use it of your vacation at the Amalfi coast. You find it a bid hidden but on the main road not far after the second tunnel.  It is on the right side of the road. You see often an Italian lady sitting on the opposite side of the road who watches the traffic.
- Lemon products:The lemons of the Amalfi coast are world famous for their perfume and taste. Beside the climate some say the unique quality is due to the fact that they grow on soil from the Nile in Egypt which was brought to the coast as ballast in the merchants sailing ships thousand years ago. ExcursionsNice souvenirs are soaps, candles or candies with lemon flavour or the famous liquor Limoncello. There are some lemon trees on the property. For the daily use in the villa you can directly harvest them - if it’s the season.
- Amalfi paper/antique paintings: Paper production has a long tradition in Amalfi and goes back to the 13th century. You can buy handmade paper made of 100% cotton rag, deckled-edge. In my view a very nice present. You find a good selection in a shop in Amalfi. On the crossing between the main road and the road which goes into the city go to the right (with face to the sea). First you see the Arsenale, then there are two shops. In the first one you see sculptures from Mao (see the cultural section), in the next one you find the linen paper and high quality old paintings, ceramics and antiquities. 

- Clothes/shoes:  Positano has a quite big local fashion production, which you can buy in many shops there. Very nice and fashionable sandals designed locally can be bought in a shop in Positano - in the middle of the town at the crossing.
- Shopping art: In the ancient tower you can see from the villa is the studio of Paolo Sandulli who has been featured in several television broadcasts. He produces nice pieces of ceramics and paintings. Visiting his studio is very worthwhile as it is a nice walk. More information you find in the "my experience" section of this web site. See there in the artist’s page.