Movie and Travel review: “IT STARTED IN NAPLES”

Prior to your trip to the Campania region in Italy, you must watch the movie: “IT STARTED IN NAPLES” 1960 was Sophia Loren’s full color feature film starting in her home town of Naples. Clark Gable returns to Naples after WWII to wrap up his deceased brother’s estate and discovers his brother’s “war-child”, a rebellious, cigarette smoking boy of ten years named Nando. Gable meets Sophia in a Naples street parade (shot on location) where she is crowned the queen of the festival. On his trip to the Isle of Capri, he learns that his young nephew Nando is being raised by Loren’s character. The boy refuses to go to school and is found in the piazza during the wee hours handing out flyers to promote Loren’s singing and dancing act for one the local night clubs. It’s a romantic comedy but actually one of the rare movies filmed on the famous isle that gives you a sweeping view of the incredible landscape, the vineyards and the sea, including Loren and Gable swimming in the Blue Grotto. Little Nando may be rebellious but you will instantly love this boy. Another high-light to this movie is the actor Vittorio De Sica playing a major role. Gable wants to take Nando back to Philadelphia, Pa. and goes to court to gain custody. Sparks fly between Loren and Gable and he comes to realize that there is no better place on earth than this phenomenal island but he still wants Nando to be an American all the way. You have to watch the movie to find out if he leaves the Isle of Capri.

As a foot note, I have been to the Isle of Capri several times in the last 12 years and it looks exactly like it did in the movie. Modern man has not touched the face of this little paradise. On the public ferry, your first close up view as the boat turns toward the marina will bring tears to your eyes. Take the slow boat because it’s less expensive and besides, what’s the hurry? Enjoy the sea and the views of the coast as you leave Naples or Sorrento. Every Italian folk song you ever heard starts playing in your mind. This island once was home to Hadrian many centuries ago and it’s full of history. Elizabeth Taylor buys the perfume made on the island from its fruit and flowers, as do I, and has it shipped to the U.S. Generations of families have lived here and still do and it’s a rarity that any foreigners can find a home for sale. Many vineyards and olive groves flourish, and the funicular is famous for its spectacular views. It’s fabulous for eating and shopping for exclusive Italian products like jewelry and clothing and especially for their famous leather sandals. Everywhere you turn on this island, you see the sea and flowers and fruit. You can see gardens behind little houses from the small streets and the owners growing fresh herbs, vegetables and the amazing tomatoes that are a rich red and almost sweet because of the rich soil and sea air. Even the cappuccino is phenomenal because it’s all about using the best products, the people living here and the love they extend to everything. This island is their treasure and they make sure everything they serve is the best.

The shopping through the village streets will yield some very nice treasures and best of all, you can bargain. The perfume factory allows guests to walk through the process if it isn’t too crowded. Try a gelato while walking through the museum gardens or the little streets. Relax in the piazza and listen to the music at night while watching the stars. I can also say the Blue Moon restaurant that sits in the side of a cliff with breathtaking sea views, served the best seafood with marinara over fine linguine that I have ever tasted. The chefs go right down to the marina and buy the fish from the fisherman’s catch of the day. When you walk around the Isle of Capri, the air is filled with the aroma of flowers, citrus, grapes and the sea. Take deep breaths and relax. It doesn’t get any better than this little island of amore. While in Naples, you can visit the Isle of Capri by catching the ferry or speed boats at the marina. You can also reach the Isle of Capri from Sorrento. Sorrento can be reached by car, train and bus from Naples or public ferry. The Sorrento train station is at the Piazza Tasso and the nearby marina provides jet boats or the slower/public ferry boats to the Isle of Capri. You can get a schedule and buy your tickets at a local travel agency in either city. (Photo of Capri)

Sorrento, a village along the Amalfi Coast in Campania that you must see and have some Lemoncello on ice. It’s an alcohol drink made from lemons, a little sugar and alcohol and of course it’s the lemons that grow near the sea that make it special. There are no lemons like those grown in Sorrento because they are almost sweet as well as tart. Recently, Actor Danny DeVito invested in a lemon farm in Sorrento and has gone into business making Lemoncello to export to the U.S. Personally, you first have to try it in the Campania region, more specifically, Sorrento where it was first made. They may have to add preservatives if they export it to the U.S. You’ll love Sorrento and after seeing it, realize why so many songs were written about returning. It will tug at your heart and you will always want to return. I have tried so many restaurants in Sorrento that I can’t say which one is better because they’re all fabulous. I will say that if you want a quick snack (which is a full meal in the US), go down to the Marina Piccolo under the little arbor where a family cooks up the freshest dishes of seafood, calamari and other delights from their fisherman son’s catch of the day. Get off the trolley bus and turn right along the water – it’s the only one there. We had an entire platter of various Italian cheeses, grape tomatoes with fresh basil and extra virgin olive oil; and the best crusty bread baked right on the premises. The platter of seafood and cheeses could have fed four people. All this for the price of $8.00 in U.S. money! We sat on little wooden benches and small wooden tables with red and white checkered tablecloths about ten feet from the sea, maybe seven tables in total. Since we exclaimed with delight over the food, the owner gave us complimentary glasses of wine. We took the local bus to and from the marina so we drank without worry. We took the rest back to the hotel and kept it in the little refrigerator for mid-day snacks.

In the Piazza Tasso, there is a little open train that will take you for tours around points in Sorrento while playing Pavarotti’s “Torna A Surriento” (Return To Sorrento) as it whisks you buy the water and through the little stone streets. Get ready to wipe away a tear or two for the beauty of this ride and of course Pavarotti’s voice. We took the ride three times in a row.

(This is a view of Piazza Tasso in Sorrento – the train station is to the left behind the white umbrellas and down the stairs.)

If you decide to see this area, let me know. I have a very good family friend that has his own touring/car service – beautiful passenger van - and he’ll take you anywhere, especially the Amalfi drive which is a must see and he speaks English. His uncle owns a small hotel right off the main Piazza Tasso which has a nice big veranda allowing you to watch all the activity in the piazza and you are steps to everything, including the train and bus stations. The hotel starts on the 2^nd floor and has a 3^rd floor and roof lounge. This hotel “pensione” is very reasonably priced including a breakfast that was unbelievable with fresh fruit, homemade breakfast cakes, local yogurt, rolls, pastry etc., juices, cheeses and Italian ham, tea and several coffees and healthy grain cereals. The rooms are spotless with fresh bedding daily. You can request cappuccino any time of day, served in beautiful china on a tray if you want to sit on the veranda and watch the street activity below. I stayed here three times already and love it. You can see the church at the foothills of the mountain about a mile away and listen to the bells toll while you watch the sunset turn the sky purple, pink, orange and deep blue.

There’s a travel store across the street where you can buy train or ferry tickets, book an excursion or just get maps and information. The piazza is about thirty steps from the hotel and aside from all the cafes and restaurants, a beautiful old church that is the center of all the feasts and celebrations in Sorrento. The surrounding streets have a theater for opera and music performances, stores galore, horse and buggy rides and of course places to eat. E-mail me at KPuzo@insightbb.com if you need more information. You can now fly non-stop to Naples from New York.

Written by: Katherine “Kate” Pulzone