I'm curious and awaiting the completion of renovations on the historic hotel Capuccini. It's said to have one of the most astonishing views along the Amalfi coast and was where all the rich and famous stayed in the last century. It was closed several years ago when the license to operate could not be renewed due to a dramatic increase in the cost to obtain the license. I know for certain that it's been closed for at least the last twelve years, even though you can still find reviews of the hotel online. It is now being renovated... a very slow process in Italy. The past two summers I have watched the mules and heard the work from the port below where the Punks sometimes play.
You can see the hotel in this photo as well, covered in scaffolding in the middle on the right hand side.I came across this interesting article about Hotel Capuccini published in the New York Times in 1899...
THE DISASTER AT AMALFI
Apparently, and not surprisingly, this is not the first time the hotel has needed renovations as it was built in 1212 just before the crusades. The CRUSADES! It talks about the town being connected to Salerno by railroad, which it never was. The only way to get there now and then was by road (be prepared to travel green, if you know what I mean) or in the summer, by boat. It mentions the need of a harbor, yet to be built and talks about the paper mill, still in operation.
And things that haven't changed in over one-hundred years... that people from all walks of life flock to Amalfi for it's beauty and people.
what a backward step - to not have a railway...what a beautiful place it looks to be...one day, when the children are older I'll get in the car and just drive south!
ReplyDeleteLouise... my husband insists that there never was a railroad to Amalfi. There are no signs of it now for sure, and he has studied the history of the area extensively. It's not the first time the papers made a mistake in their facts ;)
ReplyDeleteIt is wonderful with kids though, but the drive is not. I much prefer arriving there by boat. The road is unbelievably windy. We got lucky going there over Christmas as the kids got front row seats and didn't have much in their bellies... but heading home... ugh. Even I was green at the end.
What a fantastic place! Talk about rooms with a view!! How I would love to see this place!
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