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UNESCO World Heritage Site
Photo: via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Positano is a small picturesque town with splendid coastal views, on the famous Amalfi Coast in Campania, Italy. The town itself is perched on an enclave on the face of a hill and winds down towards the waters of the Amalfi Coast. Naturally beautiful, Positano attracts thousands of visitors every year. For most of the year, the town is full of people, but if you are planning to visit Positano, it would be best to schedule your trip during late-spring or early-autumn, when the weather is beautifully warm and the crowds more manageable than in the summer months. However, all the months from March to November are still great times to visit, and thanks to its mild mediterranean climate, the winter months aren’t bad either.
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This is one of the most famous attractions in Positano. The old church, boasting a majestic dome, was built in the 1920s and is the location of the famous 13th-century Byzantine icon, the Madonna di Positano.
Nestled beneath the Church of Santa Maria Assunta in the heart of Positano is a luxurious Roman villa, dating back to the 1st century AD, which was buried under volcanic debris from the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. Discovered in 2003 during restoration work following a flood, the villa was meticulously excavated and opened to the public in 2018. Visitors can explore a richly frescoed triclinium (dining room), adorned with vibrant wall paintings and intricate mosaic floors, preserved remarkably well under layers of ash and pumice.
Catch the splendour of one of Italy's World Heritage from a privileged point of observation and avoid your holiday being spoilt by local traffic.
A little nice local restaurant offering a good selection of high quality local dishes, located close to the first bus stop, Chiesa Nuova, coming from Sorrento.
At the very top of Positano, offers a spectacular view of the entire town and the sea. The pizza is tasty and other specialties include cheese crepes, gnocchi and bolognese.
With bells hanging throughout the restaurant, maintains a high quality of service and unique style. Chefs offer cuisine ranging from grilled vegetable antipasti to fresh fish. Go hungry, as you will not want to pass up on appetizers, a main course and a dessert. Marcella makes homemade desserts that are legendary in her family. Expect to pay a little more for a full dinner, but it is well worth it. Spaghetti alla vongole is a speciality.
Locals flock here on weekends so that midnight on a Saturday feels like a large table-hopping family reunion at which outsiders are welcome. Highlights include supremely tender "Italian sushi," the fish and vegetable tempura, and traditional favorites like carpaccio di orata with pink pepper and mint and smoked tuna with zucchini and mozzarella. Rare local bottles fill out the wine list, and the graciously unobtrusive, unusually prompt service is in itself a find. Admire the slick all-white dining room and bar from a distance; the vine-covered courtyard, lit by bucket candles on every table and alive with happy chatter, is the place to be.
Outdoor restaurant in a torchlit courtyard featuring beautiful views of the surrounding cliffs. The atmosphere is quiet and relaxed, tables are seated a respectable distance from each other, the staff is highly professional, and the food is delicious -- well worth the expense compared to other restaurants in the area that are more heavily frequented by tourists. The wine list can get very expensive very fast, but offers some very enjoyable primitivi in the 25 euro range.
Buca di Bacco
The menu includes seafood specialities and Mediterranean recipes with innovative ingredients. Its chef, Luigi Tramontano, was recognized with a Michelin Star 2018.
Is one of Positano's newer additions is a relaxed wine and cocktail bar near the Grotto of Fornillo. During summer months they host DJs several times a week and this spot is a favorite of those looking to have a drink and relax without bumping and grinding with sweaty party-goers.
A three star hotel in an 18th-century building that belonged to a Neapolitan noble family, with 15 guestrooms divided into 14 doubles and one quadruple with 2 bedrooms and 2 baths.
Family-run bed and breakfast. Nonna Celeste makes breakfast every morning. Casa Celeste also owns a beach bar, Da Ferdinando, on Fornillo Beach.
Opened in 1949 from an idea of Giovanni Cappiello. An ancient villa in the middle of a beautiful garden full of orange and lemon trees surround the hotel. The Villa Giacinta is operated by this hotel, and is a beautiful (if expensive) option for traveling groups. The villa contains 4 bedrooms (3 doubles and one twin-sized), ~4 bathrooms, a large foyer and living room, and a comfortably-sized kitchen (great for cutting down on expenses in this expensive tourist town). Additionally, there are tiled porches at the front entrance and off the master bedroom and small balconies with great views in some of the other bedrooms. The Villa is cleaned daily, and the cleaning staff are friendly, nice, and deliver fresh figs to the kitchen in summer! Be warned, though, that both the villa and the Hotel Conca D'Oro are a 15-minute very steep walk to and from the beach/port, and parties with elderly visitors or children may be better off near the beach.
Three-star hotel with 20 bedrooms including also a family room that can host 2 children and 2 adults. Besides the facilities expected from a three star hotel of the Amalfi Coast, such as TV, private bath, mini bar, terrace and telephone, some rooms also have a hydro massage bathtub. The rates start from €170 for a double standard.
The Hotel Poseidon is perched on a mountainside overlooking the sea and decorated with antique furniture.
Three star hotel, offering Standard and Deluxe bedrooms, and Junior and Royal Suites. The Deluxe are placed on the second floor and are a little bit larger than the Standards, but both boast a balcony with a sea view. In comparison to the Junior Suites, the Royals present a bigger terrace and also a Jacuzzi in the bathroom.
Three-star with standard and deluxe bedrooms with terrace, private bathroom, satellite TV and air conditioning.
It is apparently the only low-budget hostel in town. You would want to book well in advance since it gets booked out by American youngsters. It is clean, has a lovely breakfast, and terraces where you can admire the view in the evening and drink some red wine. The girls at the check-in speak an almost too native American English, so don't be afraid to call. You will be kicked out from 11:00-14:30 for cleaning, but you want to be somewhere else admiring the area during this period, anyway.
This is a particularly famous place to stay and was featured in the 1994 movie Only You starring Marisa Tomei and Robert Downey Jr. The location seems perfect for walking and exercise. There are only stairs up to Villa Rosa, but a porter will be happy to run back and forth to bring your luggage to your room. They can find a parking spot for your car. The staff is very friendly and helpful (and very strong). It takes 15-20 minutes to walk to the beach, and along the way are the shops and restaurants. It's all steps and stairs to the beach so bring appropriate shoes. (The best way to enjoy Le Sirenuse might be on the way back from the beach. Stop in and have a glass of spumante in the pool lounge area.)
Rooms with TV, air-conditioning/heater and private bathroom with shower; and each room leads to a terrace or balcony overlooking a nice view of Positano. Free breakfast room service. Free Wi-Fi access in the lobby. Shared fridge on the first floor. No elevator.
An ancient holiday home dedicated to the Rispoli family, it is now a four-star hotel with great sea views. It has its own restaurant Da Gabrisa, which serves Campanian food and wine.
Perched on a steep hillside, all of the 150-year-old villa's rooms overlook the beach. Rooms have private terraces (filled with flowers) overlooking the sea. For best views, make sure to get a room on the second or third floor.
Small B&B in the village of Nocelle, perched on the mountainside a pleasant 20-minute drive or bus journey above the coastal resort of Positano. Apart from Italian, the host speaks English and German.
Wonderful 18th-century historical home with an area of 750 m² on three floors, all of which overlook the sea and Positano bay. This property has a swimming pool, telephone, fax, wi-fi, independent heating, air conditioning, high-quality linen, DVD player, stereo, satellite TV, ice-maker, washing machine, dryer, hair-dryer, dish-washer, freezer and fully-equipped professional kitchen.
Guest house with five bedrooms divided into singles, doubles and twins, all with private bath and sea view, some also with fireplace. Terrace, bar, dining room and kitchen are the common areas. The rooms can be booked for a week and also for a month.
Perched on a chalky cliff overlooking the sea, built in the typical "style of Positano"; consists of six apartments, surrounded by Mediterranean maquis. Extending to four level floors and surrounded by large terrace-solariums, the apartments can host 25 guests.
Great infinity pool.
Luxury hotel in the city center of Positano
Luxury resort is in a historical residence. Features a private botanical garden with a panoramic pool, gourmet restaurant Al Palazzo and a selection of rooms and suites with sea and city view.
A view of the entire bay, swimming pool with solarium, three bars, a gourmet restaurant and private beach.
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