Getting to see Positano in person was easily one of the most surreal experiences of my life. I’ve been determined to stop saying “some day” and start buying plane tickets and making plans. In this case we had to get a plane ticket, a train ticket, a subway ticket, and a bus ticket. The trip from Naples is not for the faint of heart but finding my feet in Positano made it all worth it. Chris and I decided it was our favorite day so that’s why I’m starting the guides here. Enjoy!
How to Get There
The short version of how to get to Positano from Naples is to take the Circumvesuviana (Italian subway) all the way to Sorrento then take a bus from there to Positano.
This was our first big taste of Positano as soon as we got off that death trap of a bus. Positano roads are extremely narrow and curvy. Chris got motion sick and I got massive anxiety so prepare for that ahead of time if you’re sensitive!
We were thrilled to have our feet on the ground.
Hotels
From there we walked to Le Sirenuse, a hotel in Positano that is famous for the breathtaking view. One of the staff members let a few of us out on the main balcony to take pictures but quickly shoo’d us away because “the guests deserve their privacy and peace”. If you ask me that sounds like George Clooney was staying there. A girl can dream, right? Other hotel options include Positano Art Hotel Pasitea, Casa Albertina, and Hotel Eden Roc. I’m sure there are also a lot of excellent Airbnb’s in the area that would save you money.
Lemon Treats
I did a little research (ok, a lot of research) before we got there so I knew Positano was famous for its lemons. They are much larger than American lemons and really sweet instead of sour. I tried lemon granita (lemon ice slushie) and lemon sorbetto served in a frozen hollowed out lemon. I walked around in lemon land with my main squeeze free from any dairy demons that may have lurked in that sweet vixen called gelato.
Church of Santa Maria Assunta
Here is the Church of Santa Maria Assunta, one of Positano’s more famous landmarks. You’ll see the iconic mosaic golden dome of the church in almost every picture. You can walk around Positano for different vantage points.
Restaurants
Our next mission was to find food. I cannot tell you how many times on this trip we were walking around with our bellies growling in search of a place fit for Goldilocks. Not too crowded, preferably in the shade or air conditioning, something on the menu for both of us, and not too expensive. There are unbelievable restaurants in Positano but since we were only there for a day we didn’t want to waste time or money on sitting down to plates of tiny octopus or waiters in pressed white shirts. No Michelin Stars for us, baby. We were there to relax on the beach. Here are a few top picks in case you’re there longer than a few hours like us- Casa e Bottega, Il Tridente, Ristorante Le Sponda, Chez Black.
Stairs in Positano
After lunch we walked down all 10,000 steps toward the glittering water. I don’t mean to discourage anyone but if you can’t climb multiple flights of stairs then you may want to come to Positano by boat. Christopher and I will most certainly be back to visit this treasure trove again but if we’re older and arthritis has kicked in we’ll pretend to be celebrities and “have our people drop us off at the beach”.
Spiaggia Grande Beach & Chair Rental
As soon as we arrived, drenched in sweat and out of breath, we rented beach chairs with umbrellas and got horizontal. The rental place isn’t hard to find. If you walk toward the bright blue striped umbrellas you’ll see a little white hut. Renting chairs was a little pricey but Spiaggia Grande is a rocky pebble beach and simply putting a towel down wouldn’t be comfortable. On that same note, wear water shoes! As in those embarrassing lame water shoes your mom made you wear in elementary school. Even in my Chaco’s little rocks got stuck under my feet and I was struggling. I did see one lady walking barefoot on the beach so I went to ask if her feet were killing her and instantly realized that she was a few drinks ahead of me and the world made sense again. Takeaway- this isn’t the beach for cute shoes or perfect pedicures. This is the beach for nerdy footwear.
Now all I need is a handsome cabana boy. Oh, hello…
Passion fruit daiquiri- where have you been all my life?
We spent the rest of the day walking along the beach, napping, drinking, and talking about how we couldn’t believe our lives led us here.
As the sun started to set, we had to pack up to catch the last bus to catch the subway and the last train back to Naples. Next time we’ll stay in Sorrento or another small town closer to Positano. All the extra travel aside, this was one of the more perfect days of my life and I can’t wait to see that coastline again.
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