I've always wanted to see the Amalfi Coast. As I did my research on the Amalfi Coast, I came across the "Amalfi Lemon Experience" website. As soon as I reviewed it, I knew it was one of the things I just had to do with my family, particularly the "Lemon Picnic Experience". I contacted my travel advisor, Fabio Ilardi of "Italy Bespoke Tours" to help me arrange the picnic experience. My dreams got bigger and I thought of the possibility of having a family photo session at the lemon farm. I asked Fabio to contact the lemon farm to check to see if was even permissible to bring a professional photographer on site for a formal portrait session. Fabio called the farm and the manager, Mr. Salvatore Aceto granted us permission. Honestly, I felt like I won the lottery. I was so excited and grateful. I researched local Amalfi Coast photographers and fell in love with Emiliano Russo's website. I loved his eye and his ability to capture light in his photography. I then found out Emiliano actually personally knew the Aceto family and took photos of the family in the past. You can actually still see posters of Emiliano's photography at the check out counter at the lemon farm today as Emiliano pointed them out to me when we were on site. Honestly, I think all of this was fate! On arrival to the farm, Andrea our guide greeted us. She was so welcoming, fun, and enthusiastic. She exuded passion and love for her family's lemon farm. She explained that her family has been taking care of this lemon farm for the past 200 years. She toured us through the museum and then showed us a large Sfusato Amalfitano lemon. If you could bottle up all the sunshine and happiness into an object, let it be the Sfusato Amalfitano lemon! It was honestly as large as a cantaloupe. There were climbs to different terraces of the farm and each level got prettier and prettier, like we were reaching heaven. The views and the lemon trees just got more gorgeous the higher we climbed. Along the way our photographer Emiliano and his assistant photographer Felice Tozzi captured pictures of my family during the journey. I am glad of this, because honestly I needed something tangible after this experience to remind me this was all real and not just a beautiful dream! We then returned to the cafe area. Andrea poured us the freshest and tastiest lemonade ever! We were then brought to the private picnic area to have lunch. The meal was amazing! After lunch, we came back to the cafe area to have dessert. The lemon sponge cake was divine. My boys had the traditional lemon cake. My youngest son told me it was the best lemon cake he has ever had. We also had limoncello and a lemon flavored espresso! While sitting in the cafe, Mr. Salvatore Aceto greeted us. I immediately jumped up to shake his hand and to thank him for giving us permission to do the photo session in his farm. He then pointed further down the cafe that his father was just across the way and wanted to introduce us to him. Honestly, I was star struck! I felt I was meeting a celebrity. Mr. Luigi Aceto stood up from his chair to greet me and he kissed my hand twice. I was so in awe of him taking care of this beautiful farm his entire life. I also found out that the following day was going to be his 91st birthday! I then thanked Mr. Salvatore Aceto again and honestly I started to cry happy tears. The day was truly a dream come true and I will be forever grateful. The Aceto family did not only make us feel like VIPs for the afternoon, they made us feel like family. My only regret is that I forgot to ask to eat the lemon whole with the rind! How I interpret this is that I WILL return someday to this beautiful lemon farm to do just that and book another picnic experience. May God continue to bless your beautiful family and lemon farm for the next 200 years and beyond! I hope my post inspires others to enjoy your lemon picnic experience! It was just simply amazing and hands down the #1 top experience of my entire Italy vacation! Grazie mille! read more