Positano

Are you planning for a beach vacation but cannot decide which location to choose? How about visiting one of the most photographed coastal towns in Europe and capturing the best pictures for your travel album! No prizes for guessing that I am talking about the romantic town of Positano in southern Italy. In this post, I will share the highlights of our summer getaway to Positano in southern Italy with some important information to help you plan your trip.

Positano

Positano is known for its picture-perfect view of multi-colored houses perched on steep cliffs along deep blue waters. The Amalfi coast (specially Positano) is a rare combination of scenic coastlines, posh beaches and delicious food which make it a highly popular tourist destination in Europe.

Scratch the map

Positano is located on the Amalfi Coast overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea in the Campania region of Italy. The mountain range in this area is called Lattari mountains. Positano is around 57 km from Naples and 270 km from Rome.

Nearest airport: Naples International airport

How to reach Positano: The easiest way to reach Positano from Naples airport is by hiring a private taxi. The distance from Naples airport can be covered in 1-1.5 hours via car (approximate price: €70-€80). A cheaper option is to take public transport (bus, train or ferry) from Naples to Positano. Keep in mind that if you take the ferry you will need to climb up maybe a hundred stairs with your luggage to reach the main road.

Our Tour Highlights

If you are looking for a relaxing beach vacation, consider spending atleast 4 nights in Positano. We spent 4 nights in Positano which still did not seem enough! The best way to enjoy Positano is by walking down the romantic alleyways and admiring beautiful views all around the town. In general, you will have to walk a lot including climbing steps to reach any of the main points in the town. Also, walking will save you time rather than taking a car or bus on the narrow winding roads where you are bound to be stuck in traffic.

1. Spiaggia Grande beach

This is the main beach of Positano with a stunning hilly backdrop and spectacular sea view in front. It is worth spending a lazy day in this beach if you care for a good tan! The beach is lined with many restaurants and bars and is the most lively part of the town. On the right side of the beach, there is a pier from which boats and ferries depart to nearby islands or beaches.

2. Fornillo beach

This is the second largest beach of Positano and can be reached on foot via a scenic path from the Spiaggia Grande beach in about 15 minutes with breathtaking views of the Tyrrhenian Sea. This beach is comparatively less crowded and a more peaceful one than Spiaggia Grande.

3. Church of Santa Maria Assunta

This beautiful church with gorgeous interiors is located in the town centre very close to the Spiaggia Grande beach.

4. Emerald Grotto

Emerald Grotto (a small cave in water) is one of the natural highlights along the Amalfi Coast which gets its name from the emerald colour of the water. This colour is generated by sunlight entering the grotto through underwater openings that sends sparkling reflection up the cave walls. There is also an underwater nativity scene made of ceramic statues in the Emerald Grotto.  It is accessible both by land and sea from Positano. It takes around 30 minutes to reach this site from Positano by car. Inside the grotto, you can go for a guided tour on a rowboat for 10-15 minutes. The entrance tickets cost €5 per person. The Emerald Grotto can also be reached from Positano via the sea route. We hired a car from Positano to the Emerald Grotto and on our way back took the ferry to Amalfi (approx.15-20 mins), spent some time in Amalfi and then hopped onto a second boat from Amalfi to Positano (approx. 40 mins).  Also, do keep in mind that a direct ferry is not available on the way back from Emerald Grotto to Positano.

Additional tour options

Day trip to Capri island: If you have additional time, consider hiring a day long boat trip to the beautiful island of Capri for 7-8 hours. Group tours to Capri are provided by many boat tour operators who take you to the island with sightseeing on the way and give you 3-4 hours of free time to explore Capri.

Path of Gods: If you like hiking, then definitely try the Path of Gods hike to be able to appreciate the true beauty of the Amalfi coast and the sea. The best route is to start from Bomerano and end in Nocelle which is about 7 kms long. This route offers a slightly downhill hike and it requires around 2-2.5 hours to complete the hike. However, you will first need to take a bus from Positano to get to Bomerano which takes about 90 minutes.

Personal Recommendations!

Restaurant hopping: Positano is the ideal location to chill and enjoy some good seafood and wine. By the way, remember to make reservations at least 2-3 days ahead during the peak season otherwise you might miss out on the fabulous dining experience.

La Tagliata: Dinner at La Tagliata is a must experience where you can try authentic home-cooked Italian cuisine (including handmade pasta). They serve a pre-fixed menu that includes 4-5 courses and unlimited local wine. Be prepared to visit the restaurant with an empty stomach since the different dishes literally keep pouring at the table before you can even finish the previous one! This awesome dinner costs €45 per person. Further given its spectacular hillside location above Positano, one can enjoy stunning views of the sea and picturesque town of Positano below. But if you want a table right on the edge of the mountain, be sure to book 3 months in advance! By the way, La Tagliata also provides a free shuttle pick-up in Positano to and from the restaurant!

Hotel Villa Gabrisa: This hotel has a very nice restaurant with outside seating arrangement and is a perfect venue for a romantic dinner. Admire the surrounding panorama while enjoying their tasty food and desserts.

Restaurant Il Capitano: This sophisticated restaurant offers delicious seafood dishes and features a terrace with sea views. Their menu includes southern Italian dishes such as fresh fish, starters, and fresh pasta.

Shopping

Here comes the favourite part for ladies! Positano is a shopper’s paradise with lots of boutique shops lined along the town centre and the main beach area. You can buy locally made clothing (although bit overpriced), hand painted ceramics, custom-made sandals and lemon flavoured items such as soaps, candles etc.

Useful Tips

• Start planning early: To be honest, Positano is quite expensive (especially during summer); so book your accommodation well in advance of your planned travel dates. As an alternative option, you can also consider staying in Praiano (comparatively less expensive) which is approximately 10 km away from Positano.     

• Best time to visit: Although summer is the best time to visit Positano, try to avoid the peak summer months (July and August) since its generally very crowded and expensive during these months. If you indeed plan to travel during July and August, then book your hotels and flights well in advance to avoid high prices. Also note that during off-season, you might miss the opportunity to visit some of the best restaurants and pubs since many of them remain closed. 

• Walking is inevitable: Since Positano is located on a steep cliff, many areas cannot be directly accessed by cars or buses and you would need to take the steps in such cases. Please check before you book your accommodation otherwise you might end up carrying heavy luggage up and down the steep steps! Eevn in order to get to the main beach you will have to walk for atleast 5 minutes from Piazza dei Mulini. Hence plan accordingly if elderly people or infants are traveling with you.

• Travel gear: If you are travelling in summer, remember to pack your hat and sunscreen since it’s going to be warm and definitely carry comfortable shoes to walk up and down the steps while exploring the town.

• Beach tips: Since we visited Positano in the peak season, we pre-booked sun-beds from L’Incanto (operator at Spiaggia Grande) in the 1st row a day in advance. It turned out to be wise decision otherwise we would have probably got the 4th or 5th row by booking on that same day. One sun-bed in the 1st row cost us €25 . You can also get towels (additional charge) in the beach itself. There is a small free area in the beach as well in case you don’t intend to spend a lot of time. Also, bear in mind that this beach is a pebbled one which can be painful to bare feet. 

• Accommodation: It goes without saying that you should look for an accommodation with sea views from your room but also do check whether it is directly accessible by car. We stayed at Positano Art Hotel Pasitea which has a nice sea view from the balcony but is quite far from the beach (we had to take 600 steps downhill to the main beach!). Otherwise, the Interno Bus (travels within Positano) which has a stop at Pasitea will take you to Piazza dei Mulini from where you can walk down to the beach. Hotel Poseidon is also a very good option with beautiful views of the sea and not too far from the beach.

Goodbye notes

Although Positano is touristy and expensive, it is totally worth spending some extra money!! Hence if this postcard destination is not already on your bucket list, I would highly recommend adding it and start making plans for next summer! As John Steinbeck once said, “Positano bite deep. It is a dream place that isn’t quite real when you are there and becomes beckoningly real after you have gone.”