SPIDER LIFESTYLE

Spider Lifestyle offers a service that we believe is priceless. Sergio, the owner, makes available a wide selection of vintage convertible cars up for grabs in Sorrento starting from one day!
We partnered up with Spider Lifestyle to offer you a discount on any car rental.

Where: The Amalfi Coast is definitely one of the most renowned pearls of the Mediterranean. With its unwinding roads, colourful homes and opulent villas decorated with the most beautiful and renowned handmade tiles, accompanied by the blue sea, great Italian food, scorching sun and the unique southern Italian charisma, it’s a location that must be seen to be believed. It has also been included in UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites. Most of the towns along the coast sit vertically like jewels on the green cliffs towards the sea. Reachable only by car -or by boat- this is definitely the perfect location for road-trip lovers too. 

“CHE GIOIELLINO!” Someone shouted while entering in style our Alfa Romeo Giulia Spider 1963. We weren’t even in yet and we felt already extremely grateful.

In the following days, more “Bella macchina”, “you win!”, frantic attempts to get the phone out of the pocket for a quick click and crowds gaping at us were a constant.

Sergio from Spider Lifestyle quickly gave us the necessary information on the main controls and features while proudly describing this car as one of the top jewels of his garage. And when we talk about the garage, we talk about a collection that would leave anyone, car lover or not, in absolute awe! We briefly spotted more Giulias and Giuliettas in iconic flaming red color, brilliant fiat cabrios and spiders and a couple of evergreen fiat 500. Other foreign options were there too, from a 2 seater Mercedes SL350 1972 to a MGA Spider and even a more cheerful Volkswagen Beetle 1975, but in all honesty, a location like the Amalfi Coast deserves a national pride ride, so we opted for the dark grey and red leather interiors Giulia.

And just like a father would farewell the impatient boy taking his daughter to the prom in the most classic American movies, one look and a “Have fun!” from Sergio said it all and off we went!

2 days. 2 full days winding down the Amalfi Coast with its meandering roads linking a cascade of colourful traditional homes, and charming villas and gifting us with spectacular views, one more than the other, at every turn.
Abandoning the womb-like experience of the modern cars with air-con, sound systems, safety warnings and safety belts felt somehow liberating. 
The sky was blue with not a cloud in sight, 31 degrees, it’s Ferragosto and we could feel the heat of the sun right on our heads. 

We hit the Costiera headed somewhere -relatively- fresher, Ravello. 
You could almost hear it, between one gear shift and the other, that soundtrack of the ‘Estate Italiana’. You couldn’t put a name on it, was it Dean Martin? Was it Renato Carosone? Or  maybe Frank Sinatra? You don’t know it, you’re in the midst of emotions, all you know is that you’re living the dream! A quick refreshment stop at the iconic Hotel Santa Caterina was an absolute must! Not only to enjoy one of the best views of Amalfi from the late 19th century liberty style villa, but to avoid a sun poisoning and towel down the sweat off our faces.

Again, it’s 15th August, just before lunch time, without wind and without a roof.
The hotel’s private parking is overflowing onto the road, 2 valets doing the impossible to free up some space to get the cars from the back rows out, yet when we timidly ask to stop for a drink, one hesitating says “Of course!”. I guess that’s one of the perks of arriving in style with a Giulia Spider.
A classic Cedrata Tassoni and an iced tea in their beautiful veranda with panoramic sea view regenerated us, but all we could think of was what the valets had come up with. Drier than we entered and fresher than ever, we get out to discover the valets, another staff member and a few passersby circling around the car and chatting about its performance and features like they all owned one. 

Italians really do love their cars!

The exhaust blowing loudly and crisp against the tunnel walls, speeding uphill between one bend and another, passing by the most sumptuous cliffside villas and with the sound of the Mediterranean sea crashing onto the rocky cliffs below, the Alfa seemed to be born for this. Villa Cimbrone was the perfect break to refuel our energy, while also stretching our legs after the drive. Stunning views of the Amalfi Coast and the Mediterranean also give the name to the villa’s belvedere, Terrazza dell’infinito (Terrace of Infinity).

Once back on the road, we set off to finally check in at the legendary Le Sirenuse Hotel to experience the finest of Italian hospitality. Driving downhill, along the one-way road, we couldn’t escape the hundreds of amazed looks by residents and tourists. Approaching the town center, all of a sudden behind us, was a roaring Red Ferrari California Type F149. More people reaching their phones for that epic Instagram shot, kids screaming to their dads “Papà Guarda!” 

This could have just ruined our sweet moment and stolen all the attention from our Giulia. While stuck in the traffic, meters away from the central bus stop, surrounded by envious eyes and camera shutters, one shop owner shouts in Italian to another local on the opposite side of the road “…if you had the money, which one would you get?” he answers “La Giulia, tutta la vita” (the Giulia, all my life) and he goes “Pure io!” (Me too!). A car like the Giulia in an impeccable restored condition like the one from Spider Lifestyle, could easily cost up to £70.000, while the California price starts at £93.000 and can go up to £240.000. Yet, here 2 people, presented with both cars at the same time live, given money and free choice, they opt for the less expensive.

There and then I got it! It’s not about the money. It’s about the taste, the class, the elegance! No offence Ferrari owners, but the charm of a vintage car remains priceless.

Once again the valet does not hesitate a moment to grab the keys off my hands, and we know that they’ll bring it to the dedicated private parking. The ambience here is sophisticated and luxurious, but still allowing yourself to feel like at home, a pretty exclusive one, though! A dip in the pool surrounded by young lemon trees followed by an extensive free-roam of the property to capture every view, every tile and every corner of the beautifully decored venue and it’s time for dinner. We leave our fairy- like room and head to the reception to get our car back and there ‘she’ is, beautifully gleaming by the main glass doors. It turns out that they had decided to keep it right there where we left it. How could they not? ‘She’ blended magnifically with the deep ox-blood red painted walls and the sophisticated feel of the hotel. 

After a more relaxed dinner in Praiano at Trattoria San Gennaro with a beautiful view of the Piazzetta just over the Mediterranean, driving the Giulia at night felt more romantic than ever!
Less people clogging the streets and the darkness coming in offered us a more intimate moment to enjoy the ride in absolute silence, while we rewinded in our heads the rare lifetime experience that 4 wheels and an engine gave us.

This was our Day 1 experience with our Alfa offered by Spider Lifestyle.
They offer a wide range of vintage cars to pick up in Sorrento or delivered anywhere.
If you’re dreaming of driving in style on the Amalfi Coast, or anywhere else in Italy, we partnered up with Spider Lifestyle to offer you a
10% discount by mentioning the promo code “LADOLCEVITA” when requesting the car on the website.

Did you enjoy reading our day 1 experience? Do you have any questions about Spider Lifestyle rental service?
We’re here to help!
Send us an email at theworldfromawindow@gmail.com or click below.

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