Casa Cuccaro in Nocelle

The wonderful bed & breakfast, Casa Cuccaro, is nestled high up the mountains over Positano and feels like the heart of the remote village of Nocelle. The sweet Italian couple, Pepe and Geraldina, have opened up their warm and happy home to the community, guests, as well as a friendly family of cats.

The mornings were something to be looked forward to and an experience I remember fondly. I loved waking up to the soft sunrises before being pampered and treated to a fantastic breakfast spread on the communal terrace, which is included in the €80 a night fee. The B&B owners grow most of the fruit that they serve themselves when the seasons allow and the pastries are divine. I’m still salivating at the memory of the massive croissants. What makes the breakfast so special though is the stirring magnitude of colour of the awakening Amalfi Coast while you eat.

We were joined for our breakfast by several affectionate and playful felines. I’m actually allergic to cats, however, I found them an amusing addition to Casa Cuccaro. The cats were never intrusive on my personal space or ever permitted into any of the bedrooms, so I was able to enjoy watching the heart-warming bond that Pepe has with his cats unaffected. The morning guests that I didn’t appreciate were the wasps which were attracted to our breakfast, however, a simple side plate of prosciutto fat placed on the ground solves that problem.

Pepe informed me that he built Casa Cuccaro himself many years ago, which is extremely admirable and hard to fathom considering its remote location on the mountainside. The B&B is a quaint and apt addition to the peaceful village, yet the owners have kept it quite modern. The seven bedrooms are large with a contemporary en-suite, and there’s a stocked mini-fridge provided, which caters to your water (€1) and wine (€6) needs. The bedroom’s private balcony makes for the perfect setting to open that bottle of vino and savour a glass while watching the sun set over Capri and the Italian Riviera. While Nocelle is the perfect place to shut off and relax, WiFi is available throughout the B&B when you need that touch of civilization.

The level of care shown by Pepe and Geraldina is evident throughout your stay. Advice was always offered with a smile, our room was cleaned every day and when our arranged private taxi from Nocelle to the airport cancelled on us the day before, Pepe simply waved away the problem with a simple call to a friend. When we tried to thank him, he brushed our gratitude off by casually saying, ‘Signora, it is my duty’. And you knew by his sincerity that he meant it.

Casa Cuccaro’s website offers advice on where to catch the bus from, however, this is given on the assumption you’ve travelled into Positano from Sorrento, and if, like us, you arrive into Positano from the side of Amalfi, you will be climbing a lot of stairs if you aim for there. There are designated bus stops for the Mobility Amalfi Coast route that are situated around the coastal town, so save yourself a possible heart attack and don’t make our mistake or else you’ll quickly learn why Positano holds the nickname of ‘the vertical town’.

This charming mountaintop B&B is somewhere I really enjoyed and I feel like I uncovered one of Amalfi Coast’s delightful hidden treasures by staying here in Nocelle rather than in the bustling Positano. I might be going back annually if the hubby has his way. He’s a writer by heart and he’s earmarked Nocelle’s Casa Cuccaro as the ideal writer’s retreat to finish projects, and I would be overjoyed if that was the case because it’s such a lovely place to stay. The warm embrace that Geraldina gave me as we left has stayed with me and I can’t wait to experience the pleasure of Casa Cuccaro again.