Turkish A359 Business Class to Italy: Rome, Amalfi Coast and a Glimpse of Istanbul

[yflyer]

The weather in Rome was perfect when we were there, normally in the low 20's or high teens. This was perfect running weather. I carved out time for an afternoon run through Rome on the 21st of May. On a previous trip, I had done a run which covered many of the tourist spots in Rome, so on that day I decided to do something a little different.



Starting from our hotel, the Salotto Monti, I headed down Via Nazionale, and then Via del Plebiscito.

At the 1.3km mark, I passed the Largo Di Torre Argentina archaeological site. This was an archeological site right smack in the middle of the city. The site was discovered in 1926 while demolishing an old neighbourhood to make way for new construction. It consisted of several temples dating back to the 4th Century BC.



I didn't know it at the time I was jogging past, but I later learned that also within this site was the location of the Curia of Pompey, where Julius Ceasar was assassinated in 44 BC.

I continued along Via del Plebiscito, then crossed the River Tiber at the Castello d'Angelo...



I coninued towards St Peter's Basilica and Vatican City.



There was a cycling/walking path along the bank of the River Tiber...



I headed down the steps and continued along the Tiber...



What a wonderful route for a run!



I ran along the River until I reached Ponte Sisto, a lively pedestrian bridge popular with buskers...



I crossed the bridge...



...and headed towards the hotel, along the narrow streets of Rome...



...marvelling at the architecture along the way...



It was a warm afternoon and the sun was up. Romans and visitors alike were outside, sitting at sidewalk cafes, glasses in hand, soaking up the sun.



Towards the end of the run, a glimpse of Trajan's Column, a Roman Triumphal Column completed in 113 AD...



A glance back along Via Nazionale, with the Vittorio Emanuele II Monument just visible in the distance.



Total distance that day: 6.5km. A very pleasant route in fine weather!

[yflyer]

Lunch on our final day in Rome was at La Ciambella, located a short walk from the Pantheon.



This was a fairly new restaurant that was making waves in the Roman dining scene.

While the restaurants we had dined at so far were bastions of tradition, with long histories, this was a fairly new restaurant, first opened in 2016 by Chef Francesca Ciucci, with the aim of showcasing traditional Roman cuisine and ingredients, but with a modern twist.



The setting, in the heart of the city, was tranquil and elegant...



There were Chef's tasting menus...



...including a tasting menu curated by the Sommelier, Mirka Guberti...



...as well as an a la carte menu, comprising antipasti...



...a first course of either fresh or dry pasta (It's a misconception that fresh pasta is always superior to dry, they have different tastes and textures. Both have their role in the cuisine...)...


...second courses...

[yflyer]

The wine list was a massive tome...



...with a nice selection of wines by the glass, at very reasonable prices by Singapore standards (Indeed, everywhere in Rome, wine prices were exceedingly reasonable compared to the nosebleed prices for wine and liquor at restaurants in Singapore).

[yflyer]

The tasting menus looked so tempting, but we were not sure we could handle so much food, so we decided to share some of a la carte selections...

So far we had been starting our meals with Prosecco, but here, the sparkling wine on offer was an Alta Langa DOCG, from Piedmont, using a traditional method with secondary fermentation in the bottle, similar to Champagne, and different from Prosecco, made using tank fermentation.



A delicious amuse bouche...



Traditional Roman tripe with pecorino and mint...



Delicious!



"Animelle" sweetbreads...

[yflyer]

For our second courses, we asked for recommendations for 2 different reds...



We were both slightly clueless about Italian wines, so it was great to be guided by a wonderful sommelier...



The wines were served in different shaped glasses to better showcase the flavour profile of the wines...

[yflyer]

For the pasta course, we shared the Maccheroni coated in amatriciana sauce, with tomato, guanciale and pecorino...



This came with a small round bread roll to mop up the delicious sauce...



And then, the secnd course of stuffed quail...simply mouthwatering...



Finally a side salad to help us meet our daily veggie quota, although the crisp bacon (Guanciale?) topping probably negated any of the benefits of the greens...

[yflyer]

A glance at the dessert menu...



The donut with lemon curd was all we could manage, but it was a wonderful way to end the meal.



A shot of intense coffee, which they were happy to serve with a side of milk...



This was a wonderful meal in an exceptional restaurant. While we ate very well throughout our stay in Rome, in many ways we had saved the best meal for last!

[yflyer]

The next day, we left Rome for Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast.

We had originally planned to take the train from Rome to Naples, then head from Naples to Sorrento by private car transfer, however there was a train strike planned for that day, with only limited train services available, so instead we went to Roma Termini to get our train tickets refunded, and booked a coach instead.

This turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as the 4 hour coach ride was a comfortable one, and probably less of a hassle than the train + car combination, not to mention cheaper.

Our bus departed from Rome Tiburtina Bus Station. The key thing to note was that this was across from Tiburtina Train Station, and not Roma Termini.



The station itself was a simple affair, not unlike our Singapore bus interchanges. You just looked at the sign and headed to the bay where your bus was scheduled to depart.



Our friends had warned us to watch our belongings very carefully at the bus station (and at train stations too, for that matter), but we had no issues with safety while there.

Our tickets were booked online with Flixbus.



The coach itself was large and reasonably comfortable.



Standard 2-2 seating...



Small onboard toilet (Essential for such a long bus ride!).



The bus departed on schedule.

It was a very scenic bus route, which I tracked on Google Maps...



On the way, we passed the Abbey of Montecassino, first built in 529 AD, but more well known in recent history for having been bombed by Allied forces in WW2, and then rebuilt after the war.



Enroute to Sorrento, the bus made a stop in the city of Naples, the capital of Campagnia and the 3rd largest city in Italy.



When planning our holiday, we had contemplated a stop in Naples, but there was just insufficient time, so we just drove through it, taking in what we could as we drove through on the coach.



While there was a modern city center, other parts of the city looked decidely run down.



After a brief stop in the bus station at Naples, the bus continued on its way to Sorrento.

[yflyer]

Dominating the landscape was Mount Vesuvius...



This was still an active volcano, and was, and is, considered one of the most dangerous in Europe because of the large population still living around it.



The last major eruption was in 1944, although the eruption everyone knew about was the one in 79 AD which destroyed many nearby settlements, including Pompeii...



The coach made a stop in Pompeii as well, where the famous archeological ruins of ancient Pompeii were a major attraction, but alas our itinerary didn't allow us time for a stop there to visit the archeological site.

Mrs yflyer also thought the whole idea of visiting a site where so many people died in the eruption and lava flow to be quite depressing, so we gave Pompeii a miss this time round.

Our coach passed through a long tunnel before emerging high up on the winding and narrow coastal road to Sorrento, overlooking the Bay of Naples. Passengers on the coach were treated to stunning views of the Bay of Naples and Mount Vesuvius...

[yflyer]

We finally arrived at Sorrento Bus station, where we caught one of the local taxis to our hotel, the Belair.



What a fantastic location for a hotel.



There were stunning views from just about everywhere. Mount Vesuvious dominated the horizon...



We were high up along the cliff. The beautiful blue water was down below. The town of Sorrento was just a short walk way....



And far away, across the Bay of Naples, you could just make out the city of Naples itself...



The hotel lobby and reception areas were elegant and stunning as well...



What a lovely place to stay...



Special mention to the staff, from the reception to the restaurant and housekeeping...everyone was super warm and helpful, they really knew how to make guests feel comfortable and well looked after.

There was an outdoor terrace to relax, where meals were also served when the weather was good...



The building was constructed in front of the cliff face, so most, if not all, rooms had balconies and wonderful sea views.



We were offered glasses of ice cold Prosecco at check in, and we spent some time relaxing on the terrace, sipping our Prosecco, and enjoying the view, before heading to our room.

[yflyer]

Eventually we tore ourselves from our seats and left the view to head to our room a couple of levels below the lobby. The lobby was the top floor -- all rooms were on levels below the lobby, built in front of the cliff face.



The Belair had been closed for a complete renovation and had only reopened just over a year ago, in May 2024.

Everything in the hotel, from the public areas to the rooms, were brand new, spotless, and very beautiful.



Our room was stunning.



The room was large and spacious...



...and beautifully styled...



There were wonderful design touches, such as the subtlely lit alcove with a driftwood art piece.



Flat screen TV and writing desk.



Nespresso machine and coffee/tea making facilities.



Minibar with non-alcoholic beverages all complimentary.

[yflyer]

The bathroom...



...large shower stall...



Toiletries by Ortigia...



Plush bathrobes...



...and soft, high quality bedroom slippers...



Daily turn-down service.



This place was Luxury with a capital L...

[yflyer]

There was a bottle of Prosecco in our room, a gift from the Belair, to celebrate our anniversary...



We opened it that evening and drank it while sitting outside on the balcony, enjoying the view...



What a magical way to end the day!

[yflyer]

Earlier in the day, we had done some exploring of the hotel...



There was a beautiful pool...



...set along the hillside...



...with great views of the Bay and the town of Sorrento.



The pool was a great spot to chill in the evenings during our stay.



The poolside bar made good cocktails...



Sunbathing wasn't our thing, but many other guests spent literally hours sunning themselves on the pool deck.



There was also a small gym, where you could take in the sea view while working out.

[yflyer]

From the hotel high up on the cliff face, it was possible to walk down a long flight of stairs to beach level, and then onward to Sorrento town centre...



We headed down the stairs...



...down to beach level. Looking up the cliff face, you could see the hotel high up above...



Below the hotel was the Marina Grande. The beaches along this part of the coast were precious real estate, with every patch of dark sand a potential spot to lay a towel for sunbathing...



There were many bars and eateries along the Marina Grande waterfront...



...where you could dine, or just have an Aperol Spritz.



Past the Marina Grande, we climbed up several flights of stone stairs back up the cliff, and continued towards the town centre.



Looking down at the beach, one could see row upon row of beach chairs and beach umbrellas...



This was a great time of year to soak in the sun. It was still early in the tourist season. It would get hotter and more crowded in coming months. Boy were we glad we weren't here during peak season!