The trip to Atrani had to be the best weekend of my life; I would literally consider the coast of Amalfi to be uniquely one of the most beautiful places the world has to experience.  Its beauty is incomparable, the people are friendly, and the seafood is amazing! So far I would consider this weekend’s trip, for many reasons, to be the best weekend I’ve had in Italy so far.

We took a bus from Salerno and cruised the winding road along the coast to get to our destination Atrani.  Although many thought the tight squeeze inside the bus made the 45 minute trip nearly unbearable, I stood in the isle grasping the bar for dear life, in complete heaven looking out over the picturesque view of the Mediterranean Sea.   When we arrived it was dark, and we had no idea what the light of day would reveal to us the next morning.  We awoke in awe, struck by the view out our apartment window.  The cliffs of Atrani, flanking the city on either side, were both in clear view meeting in the distance through the green vegetation and lemon orchards growing in the valley.  It was a wonderful start to a very eventful and unforgettable weekend.

Never in my life have I felt the desire to capture the beauty of a place as I have with Atrani.  We took a hike up the side of the city through the maze of stairs and passways trying to reach a church that turned out to be closed, but instead found ourselves overlooking the entire city.  We sketched enough hours in attempt to capture and remember what we saw, to get a nice tan that even defined the lace in the shirt I was wearing on my shoulder!

It was no challenge completing over 4 to 6 sketches and watercolors if anything we couldn’t stop!J One of the highlights that I will never forget this weekend was swimming in the Mediterranean Sea.  We got up at 5:30 the last morning of the trip to hopefully witness a beautiful sunrise, but the smokey blue mountains of the coast’s dramatic edge lay in the horizon before it.   Instead I tried to capture one watercolor of the reflection of an orange light reflecting on the turquoise water but there is nothing that will capture the beauty of the sea, or the way it felt to finally swim in it.  

Atrani definitely stole a piece of my heart, but more than anything the trip could not have been more enjoyable if it weren’t spent with the amazing people in our program.  It’s wonderful how close we we’ve all come in these past years and past couple weeks together, and nothing tops an incredible experience as this other than experiencing it all with your close friends. J Thanks for an amazing weekend everybody, it is a trip I will never forget!!!