Perched cliff side above a tiny cove beach and 70 yards below the Amalfi coast drive is a bright and spacious two bedroom apartment offering a winning combination of sea views and modern comforts at a truly economical price. Tarantella is half a mile from the seaside resort town of Maiori and within a 15 minute drive of either Ravello or Amalfi. From here, day trips to Positano, Sorrento and Capri are all within reach.

In addition to Tarantella, Parker rents Tango, a one bedroom apartment next door. They occupy the entire top floor of a three story apartment building. We selected these apartments for their balconies with superior sea views. A laundry room with a washer and dryer is shared only by our two units. A spacious roof deck above features a roomy hot tub and a dozen sun chairs overlooking the sea. This sun deck is shared by the residents of this building and another one next door; in total, 9 apartments share this space.

The entrance key to Tarantella opens to a hallway with access to three studios that when rented together make up a two bedroom apartment with three spacious, travertine tiled bathrooms. The living/dining room has a sea view balcony, a hideaway kitchenette, a bathroom with shower and a sofa that folds down into a queen size bed. The two bedrooms each have their own en suite bathroom and a kitchen corner. One of the bedrooms is slightly larger with a sea view balcony.

Included in the price are heat, air conditioning, WiFi and guest passes from May through September to use a hotel swimming pool in Maiori, less than a mile away. For added comfort, all of the windows and balcony doors are screened.

Tango and Tarantella are the names of traditional dances - a gentle reminder of the continuous footwork required. From the entrance gate along the Amalfi coast drive, there are 95 unavoidable external steps down to reach the apartments.

A car is essential. While the distance to Maiori is deceptively short, we strongly discourage walking to town. The winding and narrow Amalfi coast drive lacks sidewalks and streetlights for much of the way. A shoulder in the road allows only for luggage to be dropped off. Since the nearest parking is in Maiori and a car is needed, we recommend booking the economical, English speaking valet service that's been arranged to garage your car. For €90 per week, they provide two round trip drop offs to and from the entrance gate per day and carry luggage. This valuable service avoids the trek into town in search of overnight parking.

A path with 100 steps leads from the property down through lemon groves to a beach club in a sheltered cove of pebbly beach with grottoes on either side. Guests may patronize the snack bar and opt to use either the free or paid portion of this beach known only to the locals.

Along the Amalfi coast road, there are two restaurants within walking distance. One is 50 yards from the entrance gate serving pizza and seafood. The other is inside a 13th century Norman tower, 300 yards away with a seaside lounge perfect for sunset cocktails. For a selection of dining, cafes, shops and beaches, Maiori is half a mile away with an outdoor market held every Friday morning. A couple of miles east of Tarantella is the Capo d'Orso promontory, a protected nature reserve with over 1200 acres of hiking trails passing by a lighthouse and an 11th century monastery built into the cliff.

For day trips, a five minute drive leads to Minori, a small, idyllic seaside village with a pebbly beach, romantic cafes and the preserved frescoes and mosaics of a 1st century Roman villa. The ancient maritime republic of Amalfi with it's ornate 11th century cathedral and even older paper craftsmanship is 15 minutes away as is Ravello found high above Amalfi and offering incredible views, botanical gardens and outdoor summer concerts. A scenic drive leads to Positano in 45 minutes; Sorrento, Avellino or the ruins of Pompeii: 60; Naples; 90; Rome: 3 hours.

Technical Description
Second floor: Living/dining room with closet, pull down sofabed, TV, hideaway kitchen with 4 burners and small fridge and glass doors opening to a furnished sea view balcony. One bathroom with shower and built-in hairdryer. Two bedrooms each with a queen size bed, TV, kitchen corner and en suite bathroom with shower, built-in hairdryer and heated towel rack. One bedroom is larger with glass doors opening to a sea view balcony. All rooms are air conditioned.