La Ceiba Speciosa

We stayed in the attic room with its own bathroom. The air conditioning is in the room with the single beds, but it cooled the whole space well. There are two flights of stairs, including one to the rooms downstairs, so it’s something to keep in mind if stairs are difficult. The beaches are a 5-minute drive from the house, or perhaps walkable, though I’m not sure. Antonella was a kind, hospitable owner who gave us lots of ideas for things to see and places to eat. We spent a weekend at this charming B&B, named for the unusual South American thorn tree outside. Visit in fall and you’ll find it flowering. Breakfast was excellent, with buffalo ricotta products from a nearby producer: yogurt, puddings, ricotta, mozzarella sticks, and even “mother-in-law’s cake.” Ask for the dairy’s number if you want to order products, and be prepared for a huge line there on Sunday mornings. Laura is a well-organized town, with a beautiful seafront promenade and beaches for all budgets, including a public beach. Dunes with sea lilies and a fabulous pine forest stretch for kilometers along the shore. There’s also a long bike and walking path beside the forest, separated from the road by a low wall. Plenty of restaurants, from gourmet places to affordable pizzerias, and the Paestum archaeological park is just a few kilometers away. It’s a good base for exploring the area more deeply, and somewhere I’d like to return to for longer, at a slower pace.