photo by Vivienne Tyler
Travel
The Only Positano, Italy Travel Guide You Will Ever Need
Italy’s Amalfi Coast is known for many things: its charming cliffside towns, beautiful beaches, delicious flavours, sweet limoncello, the Aperol spritz, scenic walking paths and much more. Set in the heart of it all, Positano...
photo by Vivienne Tyler
Italy’s Amalfi Coast is known for many things: its charming cliffside towns, beautiful beaches, delicious flavours, sweet limoncello, the Aperol spritz, scenic walking paths and much more. Set in the heart of it all, Positano is the coast’s most exclusive seaside getaway. It’s a town filled with five-star luxury hotels, beautifully overgrown gardens and orchards, famous restaurants and a busy yacht-studded harbor.
The tourist season is open from April to September – we highly recommend springtime (especially May for perfect temps) as the best time of year to visit the bucket list coastal town. Once that mid- to late-summer peak busyness rolls around, prices and crowds skyrocket. As far as what to do, where to stay and what to eat while you’re there, this guide covers all the bases. Happy spritzing!
Reporter: Alyssa Brown
The tourist season is open from April to September – we highly recommend springtime (especially May for perfect temps) as the best time of year to visit the bucket list coastal town. Once that mid- to late-summer peak busyness rolls around, prices and crowds skyrocket. As far as what to do, where to stay and what to eat while you’re there, this guide covers all the bases. Happy spritzing!
Reporter: Alyssa Brown
This luxury boutique hotel is a collection of five villas surrounded by gardens, tropical plants and plunge pools. The suites are individually curated with antiques, and the hotel’s classic Mediterranean restaurant sits on a covered open-air deck with dangling greenery overhead and coastal views beyond.
Perched on the cliffside overlooking the turquoise waters of the Amalfi Coast, Le Sirenuse is a luxury resort with beautifully furnished guest suites, many of which include a balcony or terrace with coastal views. There’s also a relaxing spa, a pool overlooking the coastline and plenty of outdoor dining, drinking and lounging spaces to soak up the sunshine.
Bright and spacious suites, access to Positano’s only private beach and extensive terraced coastal gardens lend Il San Pietro its exclusive, five-star luxury ambience. There’s even a private yacht available for guests to charter for a half or full day of enjoying the Amalfi Coast or the gulf of Naples.
This four-story luxury hotel offers incredible views of Positano and its gorgeous coastline. There are various terraces, infinity pools and jacuzzis as well as a full-service spa with a focus on water treatments.
This 48-room villa is tucked between orange and lemon trees, right along the hills of Positano overlooking the sea. The pool deck and bar area are where guests spend most of their time, and the hotel offers massages and beauty treatments along with a Turkish bath that’s dug into the rocks.
Fresh, local Neapolitan cuisine is once again the staple at this hotel restaurant with panoramic views of the coast. Poseidon is also one of the area’s best places to go if you’re looking for a vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free meal.
Palazzo Murat’s restaurant is hidden in its lush tropical gardens. Here, guests have the option to dine on the chef’s 8-course tasting menu with wine pairings or a la carte their way through dishes like tagliatelle with duck ragu, braised local squids with endive and anchovies, or baked lamb chops with hazelnuts and mint artichoke.
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Set inside luxury hotel Le Sirenuse, La Sponda is a coastal terrace restaurant that feels like you’re dining within a secret garden: the walls are covered in growing ivy, bougainvillea and glowing candlelight. The menu here is Michelin-starred and embraces the best of Amalfi Coast and Neapolitan fare.
Also part of Le Sirenuse Hotel, Franco’s Bar is a more casual option and a great go-to for cocktails or wine with a view. The open terrace has a couple of light snacks like salted almonds and chips to nosh with your drinks, but this spot is mostly about the booze and breeze.
The focus of this family-run restaurant and wine bar is traditional Neapolitan food, using recipes that have been passed from one generation to the next. Da Gabrisa’s clean and bright space overlooking the sea is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
No trip to Positano is complete without a visit to this beloved restaurant. Spaghetti with sea urchins, pescaterian bolognese and local fish soup are just a few of Chez Black’s locally inspired specialty dishes. The setting here is just awesome, overlooking the promenade and with mermaids and nautical elements sewn throughout the decor.
You can dine inside or out at Saraceno D’Oro with plentiful options of antipasti, shellfish, pastas and pizzas. You’ll want to be sure to order dessert at this spot, as the housemade mandarin liqueur that accompanies is bellissima.
Tucked into a secluded garden terrace overlooking the sea, Terrazza Cele is one of Positano’s most beautiful settings for a sunset dinner. Here, you might opt for a multi-course tasting menu and ask for a recommendation from the list of nearly 200 wine labels.
Set overlooking Spiaggia Grande, this hotel restaurant has been around for over a hundred years. Buca di Bacco’s restaurant is always a bustling spot, serving up regional fare that they also educate guests about in their cooking school.
Dotted with umbrellas, lounges and beach towels of all colors, Spiaggia Grande (the large beach) is Positano’s main beach and easily its best spot for swimming, sunbathing and people watching. Inside tip: If you're looking to claim a couple chaises for the day, arrive early and be ready to pay a fee per lounger.
Treville Beach Club offers private beach access via an hourly shuttle that departs from the Positano pier. Plan in advance to reserve a cabana, lounge, umbrella or floating bean bag. There’s also a restaurant on the grounds, so you can easily spend a big part of the day hanging out here, spritz's included.
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All of Positano’s beaches are busy, but Fornillo requires a walk along the cliffs to get to and tends to be (slightly) less crowded than other public beaches. It’s a beautiful nook-like beach that feels safely tucked into the landscape.
Worth a trip of its own but perfectly suited for day tripping, there’s plenty to see, do and eat on the island of Capri, which is best accessed on a private yacht or ferry. There are lots of boutique shops to check out, and sipping an afternoon aperitivo on the piazza with its famous clock tower is a must.
The Path of the Gods stretches from Bomerano to Nocelle, traversing small residential areas, lots of old stone staircases, vineyards and countryside that looks right out to the coastline. The whole path is about a 4-5 hour hike, but you can easily just do parts of it or continue beyond Nocelle. Inside tip: This hike is stairs, stairs and more stairs with the payoff of that once-in-a-lifetime view of the Italian coast.
A club set on the edge of a cliff in Positano, Music on the Rocks almost always has something on the calendar. If you’re looking for live music, a solid DJ set or just a massive party on the coast, this is the spot to check out.
Also worth a trip of its own but still an excellent day trip, find medieval architecture, elaborate gardens, cobblestone streets and charming shops at this small hilltop town. Unlike Positano, Ravello sits at the very top of the hills, offering an incredible vantage point.
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