***** Five Stars!
I highly recommend Patrizio Mandara (Mandara Car Services)!! He is not only a reliable driver and knowledgeable guide, but a warm and friendly individual. Where do I begin? Our family trip to Positano and the Amalfi Coast was amazing! We arrived to Napoli Centrale Statione from Rome and were promptly greeted by a smiling and friendly Patrizio Mandara. We had a great chat before even reaching his van. It was at that moment, I realized that our week was going to be memorable with Patrizio showing us around Southern Italy. The ride from Napoli to Positano was beautiful and went rather quickly as our conversation from the train station continued all the way to the steps of our villa!
Two days later, Patrizio picked us up promptly at 7:30am for our ride to the ancient city of Paestum and the L'Azienda Agricola Tempio. I highly recommend visiting the 2,600+ year old Greek temples, archeological site, and Museo Archeologico Nationale di Paestum. What a fascinating place! Nearby, we toured the Tempio buffalo farm and had a delicious lunch, including fresh mozzarella di bufala, assorted cheeses, bufala salami, Tempio wine, pasta, pizza and much more. Remember to save room for dessert...everyone went for the delicious gelato, but the cannoli's with the fresh ricotta were OMG delicious!
We had the opportunity to meet Patrizio's sweet mamma, Lena, and his beautiful wife, Lucy. I was instantly transported back to the Sunday dinners of my youth growing up in an Italian family, centered around traditional food and conversation.
On the day planned for Pompeii and the Cantina Del Vesuvio, Patrizio picked us up promptly at 7am and went out of his way for us to experience a taste of the finest mozzarella/cheese producer in Corbara. Enzo is an artist and his small shop produces cheeses solely for the local community. Our mouths watered as we watched him make fresh mozzarella and then surprised us with a nice antipasto breakfast of the freshly made cheese, grilled eggplant, and fresh baked bread, all drizzled with his home made olive oil. We left with full stomachs and some cheese to enjoy for later. At Pompeii, Patrizio arranged for a private guide/archeologist and it really was the best decision. Pompeii is a large area and with the help of a guide, we were able to fully experience and appreciate the history of Pompeii. Next stop, a nice tour and delicious lunch and wine tasting, all with a breathtaking view of Vesuvius. We were able to ship a few bottles home (ok, admittedly, I ordered more than a few bottles). Heading back to our villa, we realized that the next time we would see Patrizio would be on our ride back to Napoli to catch the train to Rome.
Just when we thought our time with Patrizio was coming to an end, he surprised us with a stop for a breakfast of espresso and (the best) sfogliatelle before walking us into the train station. We truly felt as though we were leaving our family. We had time for one last picture together, a hug, and a kiss on both cheeks! Bravo Patrizio!
(Other great ideas for a trip to Positano...rent a boat for the day and tour the Amalfi Coast and Capri and take a cooking class. Patrizio can also arrange both for you.) read more