Positano

Positano is a village on the Amalfi Coast, built in a steep amphitheatre of pastel houses that tumble down the cliffs to a small beach. Once a modest fishing village, it became famous in the twentieth century when artists and writers discovered it, and it remains one of the most photographed places in Italy.

The Church of Santa Maria Assunta, with its dome of green, yellow and blue majolica tiles, stands near the beach and holds a Byzantine icon of the Black Madonna. Narrow lanes and stairways lined with boutiques, ceramics shops and terraces wind up the hillside. Positano is known for its own fashion style, with linen clothing and handmade sandals, and its main beach, the Spiaggia Grande, is lined with colourful boats and umbrellas. Show more

A short walk leads to the quieter Fornillo beach, and boats go to Laurito and Arienzo beaches and to the Li Galli islands offshore. Above the village, the hamlets of Montepertuso and Nocelle are the end points of the Path of the Gods, the celebrated hike along the cliffs from Agerola. Ferries link Positano with Amalfi, Capri and Sorrento, and lemons, seafood and fresh pasta fill the menus of its restaurants.

Positano is reached by bus or road from Sorrento and Amalfi, and by ferry in season, while parking is scarce. Several days suit a stay. Spring and early autumn are ideal, summer is very busy, and the village is quiet with many closures in winter.