Positano on The Amalfi Coast - A Travellers Guide
Positano is probably the
most picturesque of the towns on the Italian
Amalfi Coast.
Located in the region of Campania the coastal resort of Positano has boutique hotels and luxury accommodation to cater for the rich and famous as well as comfortable and stylish hotels to suit the demands of all kinds of traveller.
Positano's old Moorish architecture creates a stylish and sophisticated resort.
With its stunning scenery Positano has featured as a location in several movies, including "Under the Tuscan Sun" starring Diane Lane and "Only You".
The romantic novel, "Finding Positano, A Love Story" was written by William James
Despite being a powerful town in the late middle ages during the first half of the 20th century Positano was a relatively poor fishing village.
This changed in the 1950s when the Positano began to attract large numbers of foreign tourists following the publication of an essay about Positano by John Steinbeck in Harper's Bazaar.
Positano is an hour and a quarter drive south of Naples.
On the way to Positano from Naples Airport you will pass the archeaological site of Pompeii and the volcano Mount Vesuvius.
BEACHES AT POSITANO
Positano's main beach is the
Marina Grande which is lined with cafes and excellent restaurants.
This beach is the focus of Positano's social life with two pay beaches and a pier where you can catch a ferry or hydrofoil.
Beyond the Marina Grande are smaller and quieter beaches - the Spaggia del Fornillo to the west and Spaggia Grande to the east. Also a short 20 minutes walk from Marina Grande is Fornillo beach which is very popular with the local inhabitants of Positano. As it is slightly out form Positano it is cheaper than the main beach to rent sun beds on this beach
THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN POSITANO
When
you get tired of lazing on the beach Positano has a wealth of shops and
art galleries to browse around. It also has many excellent cafes and gourmet
restaurants.
The church in Positano is the Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta. You will find this situated behind Spiaggia Grande.
This church with beautiful gold guilding natural light houses a Byzantine 13th century black Madonna. There is a crypt beneath the church and Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta has a side altar which is dedicated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
If
you enjoy walking then explore the Footpath of the Gods which runs from
Positano to Praiano via Nocelle.
There are some steep ascents and descents if you start from Positano but the breathtaking views from the top of the cliffs of the bay and surrounding scenery make the effort very worthwhile.
Make sure that you take plenty of water with you if you go on this walk!
There are several excellent tour operators who arrange guided walking holidays with accommodation in this area of Italy.
RESTAURANTS IN POSITANO
There are several excellent restaurants in Positano including the renowned "Caffè Positano" which is located in the centre of Positano.
It's a good idea to reserve a table during the weekend for the more popular restaurants in Positano as they can be fully booked.
HOTELS AND ACCOMMODATION IN POSITANO, ITALY
The Hotel Buca di Bacco in Via Rampa Teglia is one of Positano's most
highly recommended hotels. Other good hotels in the town are Hotel Palazzo
Murat at 23 Via dei Mulini with its oasis of beautiful lush gardens, The
Albergo Punta Regina, The
Hotel Miramare, Villa Gabrisa and Hotel Marincanto.