atmosfera

Walking along Via Giuliani with no particular destination in mind, I saw a gorgeous blue-​green Murano glass bowl sitting in a storefront window. I immediately made a beeline into Atmosfera. The light was hitting the glass just right, and it was positively luminous. Murano glass has been made for centuries on the Venetian island of Murano. In the past, I have always purchased some kind of jewelry made of Murano glass when I’ve been in Italy, as it is a symbol of the beautiful country. However, when I saw this large piece of art in Atmosfera’s window, I knew I had to have it. It was a statement piece that I could always have out as a daily reminder of my treasured memories, exploring the Amalfi Coast with my husband.
The price was nearly € 400 when you add in the € 150 to ship. I feared it was a little sketchy when I was told I had to pay the shipping cost separately (and in cash) and worried that the shipping cost was excessive due to me being a tourist. I left my email address and was told I would be emailed the tracking info after it was shipped. After 12 days, I still had not received word from the store and there was no package to be seen. I called and spoke to whom I believe was the owner or manager and he asked me to email him, since his English reading and writing skills were more proficient.
I sent off an email the next day and the package happened to arrive the very day I emailed the store. Seeing the size of the box and how well it was packaged, I no longer doubt the cost. –I’ve shipped sizable boxes from Europe before and for that size, € 150 seems accurate.
The store had many beautiful pieces and the sales associate was very sweet and certainly helpful. My only reason for giving them a 4-​star instead of a 5, is because they didn’t email me with tracking as they promised. Even an email saying they’d shipped it would have been nice. To drop that kind of money and then go 12 days without any word, any shipping info, or any product was a little distressing for me.
With my gorgeous bowl sitting on the buffet table in my kitchen, all of the stress is forgotten though. Now when I look at my bowl, all I remember are my beautiful memories of strolling along those narrow, cobblestone streets with my husband on the most romantic vacation I have ever been on.

In October 2014 I spent a week in Sorrento (my home is in Houston, Texas). I made numerous day trips using Sorrento as «home base» (e.g., Amalfi, Positano, Capri, Pompeii, Herculaneum). Sorrento was a perfect central location to explore the Amalfi Coast, and I also spent a lot of time exploring Sorrento. There is a great gelato store (Davide’s) on Via Giuliani that offers MANY flavors of delicious gelato, so at some point each day I made my way to Davide’s to try a new flavor. Just up the street from Davide’s is a shop called Atmosfera. My attention was immediately drawn to their window displays, as they have many nice things for the home. I went into the store to discover a beautiful and varied selection of home goods, including many stunning murano glass pieces. I don’t know how other people shop, but when I see a piece that jumps out at me and that I instantly fall in love with, I just need to buy it. But the murano glass bowl I fell in love with was quite a large piece and there was no way I could carry it home on the plane. That meant that if I purchased it, I would need to ship it home. The prices in Atmosfera are very reasonable and I was happy with what I paid for the bowl. Shipping, on the other hand, is not inexpensive; however, I did compare with other travelers and other shops and it was no more expensive at Atmosfera than elsewhere. The store clerks were extremely helpful and thorough, and spoke English very well. I had never shipped anything from overseas before, so they explained how it works and also told me – to my great surprise — that shipping takes only two days. So I made my purchase and came back to the U.S. As promised, two days after my return to the U.S. my purchase arrived. It was packed amazingly well and arrived in perfect condition. It is a beautiful addition to my home and a wonderful reminder of my fabulous trip to Italy. If you are in Sorrento, I recommend both gelato at Davide’s and a visit to Atmosfera. Buon viaggio!