A Week in Positano
Picturesque, charming, and a photographer’s dream, Positano is one of the most well-known places along the Amalfi Coast.
The scenery is a feast for the eyes – unique buildings in a dazzling array of colours, there is no shortage of exploring to be done here, whether you’re searching for linens or ceramics in the shops or taking in the surroundings on the beach.
Alleyways lined with artists and wisteria lead up to some of the most stunning views in the world, friendly restaurateurs, and enchanting hotels.
Our 7 nights in Positano was an absolute dream and I’m counting down the days until we can return!
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The towns along the Amalfi Coast are some of the most amazing places in all of Italy, and it’s not hard to see why!
The week we spent here was without a doubt our favourite trip (yet!). We ended up renting a villa, which I would highly recommend since you get way more value for money (hotels are expensive here!!!).
Renting your own space, especially if you are traveling with others, will allow you to also shop the markets and experience the local flavours.
We spent our 7 days meandering the streets, enjoying amazing meals and drinks, relaxing, and doing some day trips.
Positano is really good base location to get to other smaller towns – and not a place you can get bored easily. There is plenty to do even if you don’t do any day trips, including fishing, hiking the Path of the Gods, visiting the Church of Santa Maria Assunta, hanging out at a beach club, or partaking in a cooking class!
Places to Eat
Some of the best meals of our life were here, and all four of us who went agree. The service was so genial and every restaurant made you feel like you were part of the family. It doesn’t hurt to learn a few Italian phrases, but you’ll find mostly everyone speaks English.
Brunos – our first meal in Positano! We were SO excited to be here and relax for the week. We all chose pastas dishes (naturally) and enjoy the scenic views. Service was great and it was entertaining to watch the servers run back and forth across the road with our dishes!
Caffe Positano – GET THE SEAFOOD! This is some of the freshest in the world!!! We had sardines which were the best I’ve ever had. The view was also out of this world, but I think you’d be hard-pressed to find a place without a bad view.
Il Ritrovo (suggested by our landlord) – we loved this place so much we came here twice.
They provide a free shuttle (request when you call to make reservations) and because it’s off the beaten tourist path, you’ll find mostly locals up there.
Perched at the top of Positano in Montepertuso, Il Ritrovo was easily one of the best meals we had. Even though the ingredients are simple, there is something about the food here that makes it better than anywhere else.
The cookies were hands down the best we have ever had, anywhere! Sweet Nonna was baking them in the kitchen while we were there!
Trattoria La Tagliata (suggested by our landlord) – 40 euros a person (!!!!) for 7 courses and endless house wine of your choosing. All of the food is raised or grown on their property, from fresh salads to rabbit, beef, pork, and chicken dishes.
A literal farm to table experience with the kindest family who came out to serenade us with pots and pans! This restaurant really deserves its own post.
This restaurant also provided a free shuttle which made this one a no-brainer! You could taste the love that went into these dishes. If there is one place you have to eat in Positano, it is this one.
Palazzo Murat – our last meal in Positano – so sad! We splurged a bit here but enjoyed every moment of luxuriousness we felt. Our service and food was superb. If you’re looking for a special meal in Positano, you should come here.
Takeout – one at least one occasion we got takeout to enjoy at home, which was filled with laughs, good cheap food and prosecco and wine from the corner store a few paces down from our villa.
This is another reason why I’m such a huge proponent of renting your own place. If gives you a lot more flexibility and allows you to experience some of the local flavours. And if you’re afraid of missing out on a great meal by ordering takeout, fear not, because there is no such thing as a bad meal in Italy.
Coffee & Snacks
Li Galli – situated right on the road, Li Galli has an amazing view of the coastline with some delicious food. Dana and I came here for lunch one day and had incredible caprese pizza and caprese panini. How can they make such simple food so delicious???
By this time we knew what Aperol was, so that was pretty much a staple drink with every meal!
Gelato – don’t question it, just get it. My favourite was the chocolate orange with fat strips of rich chocolate and the freshest orange flavour! We also grabbed some for takeout and kept it on our freezer to have at our villa.
Drinks at Francos – if there is one memory we always talk about, it’s of Francos. A stylish, upbeat and insanely gorgeous bar overlooking the multi-coloured buildings offers a unique menu of drinks with snacks. I would consider this a splurge but worth every penny (plus I think the drinks are at LEAST doubles!).
Café Zagara – one of the best cafes we went to! We had such a hard time choosing which pastry to try. We settled for a pistachio or hazelnut croissant most times!
The lattes and cappuccinos were delicious. The back room in the café is covered, but allows natural light in and offers a relaxing place to enjoy your treat.
Day Trips
Beach day at Il Fornillo: a 10 minute walk from Positano is a secluded beach where you can rental loungers (and towels) and enjoy a day at the beach.
For €8/lounger and €2/towel (as of 2017), you can enjoy a quieter beach with no shortage of sun loungers. The water was cool and refreshing, and much appreciated after a day in the hot Italian sun!
Day trips to Capri
I highly recommend both – Capri is stunning to see and offers incredible views and high-end luxury shopping. We also enjoyed the small town of Amalfi which can easily be seen in a day, and we had one of our best meals here (Carbonara – surprise!). There are also many day trips to Pompeii and Vesuvius from Positano.
Capri – an easy 30 minute ferry ride from Positano and you’re transported to a stunning island with unforgettable views. Upon landing at the dock we bought tickets for the funicular which took us up to the main shopping and restaurant center.
There are TONS of high end shops here (I’m talking Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Hermes, etc.). None of which of course we could afford, so instead of walking around the shops for a few hours we decided to take a walk around the island to take in the views.
Initially I was glad we did. The Faranglioni rocks are stunning from high above, and there are some incredible villas to see. Photos really don’t do it justice!
Soon after we came across harrowing sets of stairs that seemed to never end and continued to climb to dizzying heights.
Only until we reached near the end did we find out we walked it backwards!!! Never the less, we all had a good leg workout that day and fortunately the trees provided us with ample shade.
We came across the Grotta di Matermania on our hike – a cave once used by the Romans as a nymphaeum which collected water that filtered through the rocks and served as a place of rest.
We also stopped at the highest part of the path at a charming café with sweeping views. Me being me, I ordered a piece of cake and a hot latte in 40 degree heat. Worth it!!!
Of course there are many other things to do while visiting Capri, including the Blue Grotto (sea cave) boat tour, walking through the ancient Villas of Tiberius (Villa Jovis), where he went after fearing his assassination, and sailing around the island, just to name a few.
Amalfi
A quick 15 minutes from Positano and you’re transported to a charming town jam-packed with shops and restaurants. Our highlights here were lemon everything (!!!) including fresh-pressed lemonade, delicious lemon candies, limoncello, lemons the size of your head, and lemon spritz.
I finally found the best Carbonara in Italy, at a small restaurant with plastic chairs and blue and white checkered plastic tablecloths – for just 6 euros and no cover charge (expect to pay 2 euros per person, on average, to sit at a restaurant).
This little eatery was tucked away past the main hubbub of the town, called “La Dolce Vita”, where we had two drinks and a plate of Carbonara each and walked out paying 30 euros.
Final Thoughts
Many tours and cruises will stop here for the day – but it doesn’t allow you to fully experience this charming little town. 7 days in Positano was the perfect amount of time to see it all and unwind.
If you looking for a base to stay at during your trip to the Amalfi Coast, there are tons of tiny towns dotting the coast, but Positano will offer you more to do than the others. The ferry is inexpensive and efficient to travel between the ports, and while Positano is a hot tourist spot during the day, it is less crowded during the evenings, allowing you to fully enjoy what this village has to offer.
Be prepared for stairs – and bring extra changes of clothes, especially in the warmer months! It’s quite humid there, so bring some extra outfits to change during the day. This is another reason why we loved having our own villa to do laundry!
If you are coming to stay here by ferry, be cautious that everything from the port is UP – we saw numerous people lugging their large suitcases up the stairs, and in the heat this can be a monumental chore (which is why I love traveling with a carry-on so much – see my blog post on how to do this here!).
Until next time!
This guide is so detailed, thank you so much for all of your insight!
Thank you so much! I appreciate that! This is definitely one spot everyone needs to check out!
Great account, Sarah! Reading this I can keep re-living the fantastic stay in Positano! Lots of info here for anyone wanting to visit! This beautiful cliff-side town remains firmly on the “favourite locations” list!❤️
Thank you! It really was the best trip we’ve had so far! Like living in a fairytale ❤️
We adored Italy on our trip. The FOOD! OMG so fresh and amazing. Yours looks phenomenal, especially that pasta . The size of that lemon was cool. We hope to get back to Italy at some point.
Thank you! We couldn’t believe the size of the lemons either!! Pasta in Italy is out of this world, as I’m sure you know! We’re aching to go back as well ❤️
This is a great intro to Positano, thank you! It has been firmly on my bucket list for awhile now, and this is great positive reinforcement.
Question: is there any sort of beach scene? Can you stay down by the water?
Your photos are gorgeous; my favorite is the ceramic shop – so colorful!
I signed up to follow your blog.
Thanks Suzanne! I appreciate your comments! Positano does have a main beach which we found packed, which is why we walked 10 minutes over to Il Fornillo – but the beaches aren’t sandy like they are in the Caribbean. They’re very rocky so you’d require a lounger to lay out and maybe even some water shoes for swimming! As far as where to stay, there are sooo many adorable places dotted all over town. Airbnb, Booking.com, VRBO or HomeAway have tons of great properties (actual hotels can be quite expensive)! The ceramics are gorgeous – I wish I could’ve taken more back!
Loved this post! You provided so much information regarding restaurants, places to visit, etc. The pictures are beautiful as well!
Thank you so much! It’s a wonderful place to visit – I hope you can go some day if you haven’t already been!
Very detailed and informative post! Thanks for sharing. Looks like a beautiful place and your pictures are just perfect! Will def keep in mind if visiting Italy.
Thank you so much Nishtha! Everyone should visit Positano! 🙂
Oh, this brought back memories! I love the Amalfi Coast. And I love the Yes Way Vacay shirt in your pic. 🙂
Thank you Stacey!!! It’s an incredible place isn’t it? I can’t wait to go back. Haha this is my favourite travel shirt. Can’t wait to wear it again soon!!
Oh wow this place looks AMAZING!! For us, food is a huge part of the experience when travelling so I love all your recommendations. Not to mention the scenery! I want to go there now please 🙂 lol
Thank you Lowri!! Food is a HUGE deal for us while travelling – it’s part of the reason why we love it so much! Thanks for your feedback – I hope you get there some day!
One of my favorite places in the world! Thanks for bringing me back for a moment!
Thank you! It’s definitely one of mine too – a true fairytale!!
Thanks for all your suggestions. We normally stay in Amalfi when we visit and are thinking of staying in Positano next time. We’ll certainly be incorporating some of your suggestions.
You’re welcome! We loved Amalfi but found it smaller and less to do which is why we loved Positano as our base! You really can’t go wrong with any little town along the coast – it’s all fabulous! We are planning on returning as well, hopefully not too long from now! 🙂
Looks like an amazing place. I only know Positano from the movie Under the Tuscan Sun. I love all your pictures and experiences. Would love to visit there one day.
Thank you Julie! It’s a remarkable place – I hope you get there one day! I absolutely LOVE Under the Tuscan Sun – I think I have to watch that one again!
Holy cow! That view! And um, yea, I’d for sure wear my fitbit because I’m sure the amount of steps you’d get going up all those stairs is crazy!
Definitely! It’s a great place to get some exercise too, haha!
What a gorgeous place to visit! The food looks so fresh and scrumptious!
It’s a magical place!!!
Positano looks incredible. Your suggestion to go rental villa versus hotel sounds like a good one.
It’s well worth it – hotels can be atrociously expensive!
I am so glad I came across this post because Positano is definitely on my bucket list. I cannot wait to visit and reading about your trip and seeing all the pictures just made me want to go even more. I have not spoken to one person that has visited and had anything negative to say about it. Thanks for sharing and including lots of beautiful pictures. Looks like you all had a great relaxing time!
Thank you Kelly!! I highly recommend coming here – and I think you’re right, everyone we’ve talked to has only said amazing things about it!!!
What a wonderful adventure!
It’s definitely one of our top trips!
So beautiful! Thanks for sharing your insights and amazing pictures.
Thank you Kate!
This place looks like a postcard! I love how they’ve build the town into the side of the hills! All the food looks amazing!
It’s a magical place!!
Oh I am so wanting to get back to Italy. I want to visit Positano so bad and was close when I visited Cinque Terra which was absolutely amazing. The Italian coast is so beautiful and the food is to die for!
I’d love to get to Cinque Terra too!!! You’re right – the coastline is unbelievably beautiful!
If it wrong to plan a trip around all the food you want to eat? Those pics made my mouth water. Thanks for sharing! All great tips and insights!
We do the same thing hahah!!!!! Thank you!
This looks truly amazing!!! This lemons are massive!
We couldn’t believe it either!
Oh, how I cannot wait to travel to Italy! It looks amazing – and the food!
It’s incredible – I can’t wait to go back!
Positano looks SO SO SOOOOO Good! Did you make it to that crazy expensive beach club (the one that costs like 200euro to get in or something) ?
Positano is unbelievable! We did not haha!!! We did see it – but yeah, we could have quite a few aperols for that price 🙂
This is definitely on my DREAM list! It looks so beautiful!
It should be on everyone’s list 🙂
What a spectacular trip! I absolutely love your writing style.
Thank you so much!! 🙂
What an amazing trip! Loved all your pictures. Wish i was eating all that food right now. I’ve never been here but it’s on my list. The views of the houses on the hills remind me of Taxco in Mexico. It’s a silver city. So I am sure I will be used to all the walking. Lol. That lemon looks delicious. I would have tried to take some back home!
I’ll have to check out Taxco! That sounds awesome. Thanks for your comments – everyone needs to come to Positano!
This looks awesome! When I sold guided vacations Italy was a popular destination, but I’ve never been. I could live off of pasta and wine so I’m sure I would love it!
Oh my, you would absolutely love it!!! Hope you get there one day 🙂
Than you SO MUCH for all your restaurant suggestions! Especially I’ll Ritrovo. By far the best food we tasted in all two weeks in Italy!
Oh my goodness, thank you so much Galina! I love that you went to Il Ritrovo! That was by far one of top restaurants as well – so good in fact we had to eat there twice during our week stay! So glad you had a lovely time!