Atrani

I don't think that I have ever taken so many different transportation types in such a short span of time. Bus to Termini, Train to Salerno, Bus to Paestum, Train to Salerno, Bus to Atrani, walking all over the place, Bus to Ravello, more walking and a lot of steps, Boat to Salerno, Train back to Termini, and a final and victorious bus ride back to Trastevere. It was such an amazing weekend spent on the coast of the Sea. Not only was the beach amazing, the towns of Atrani and Amalfi seemed like they were right out of a movie set. Atrani was especially beautiful and extremely dense, with buildings that are literally built on top of each other and the surrounding rocky hillside. Instead of roads, there are staircases that get you from house to house or piazza to piazza. It was completely reversed to what we are used to and so interesting when you are weaving through it. On first encounter this system seemed confusing. How do you give directions through twisting and uneven staircases? But after one walk around town its way finding concept could not have been more simple, if you need to go down then pick a staircase and walk down it. Specific directions aren't really needed when two minuted of exploration can take you where you need to go. Its a totally different way to think about a small scale city and how people can interact within it. All the locals that I met were so friendly and so relaxed. It was the perfect place to spend the weekend on the beach, sketching, and eating gelato.