Positano

Regardless of how you want to spend your Italian holiday, a trip to the picturesque Amalfi Coast is never going to disappoint you. Once a poor fisherman’s village, turned into a luxurious vacation destination, Positano is the most happening town in the coast. Sharp cliffs, embellished with colorful cottages and houses, diving into the sea while a cacophony of tourists and vendors jostling on the narrow, winding alleys are a treat for the senses. While being extremely touristy, consider this a break from the walks around profound historic sites in Rome. Imagine sitting at a table overlooking the sea, while the sunset glow adorns the gelato on your hands; where else would you rather be?

Looking down from via Cristoforo Colombo

Street View

Quaint Town

View from the beach

Unlike other Italian cities, we will not indulge into much history here. Key to enjoying the town is choosing your accommodation carefully (read more here). Although Airbnbs and cheaper hotels outside the main street may seem viable, choosing a hotel on the via Cristoforo Colombo is highly recommended. Here are some top things to do’s –

Things to Do:

Hike the Path of the Gods: Should be the top item in your Positano bucket list. Although for unforeseen reasons we could not do it, find a detailed path here.
Go down to the beach: For serious beach-goers, the beach in Positano may not even qualify as a beach, but the juxtaposition of the cliff and the water right next to the ferry docks is an interesting view. While at the beach, if the weather is nice, enjoy a tropical smoothie spiked with Limoncello or any other beverage of your choice.
- You will find hundreds of quaint and artsy shops on your way down to the beach. We do not recommend buying much as the prices are exorbitant since they cater to lavish tourists mostly. Read more about shopping here.

Church of Santa Maria Assunta: Away from the hustling street, the church and its golden dome will give the well deserved respite to the tired tourist.
Walk up and down on the via Cristoforo Colombo: Check out the shops selling exquisite Murano ceramic work, pure linen clothes and restaurants while you cherish the panoramic views. Read more about what to expect in the food scene here.

Getting There:

Amalfi coast is an extremely popular tourist destination in southern Italy. Among the quaint towns in the coast, Positano is probably the most attractive. There are a multitude of options to get there from Rome, Naples, Sorrento and Salerno.

By Car: Rental cars from Naples and Rome are abundant and could be a cost effective option if there are more than 2 in the travel party. Even with gas and insurance, it is a convenient option. The windy roads are fairly drivable in American standards, although entering and navigating within city limits can sometimes be treacherous due to extremely narrow and winding roads. Parking is a pain due to an imbalance of supply and demand. Recommend pre-arranging a parking spot with the hotel.
Amalfi Coast Towns
By Public Transport: From Rome or Naples, take the Circumvisuviana to Sorrento, followed by SITA buses to Positano. Same SITA buses run across the coast to Amalfi and Salerno. Check the bus schedules and stops here. For a little bit of a different view, you can take a ferry from Salerno or Sorrento to Positano. Check ferry schedules here.
By Private Transfer: Although a bit more expensive, but if you have a stroller, heavy luggage or elderly in the group, may want to consider private car transfers from Rome or Naples. After a bit of research, we found a travel agency (MyDayTrip) that was the cheapest yet had a great service. We used them for our round trip transfer from Naples for only $114 for 4 people with a ton of luggage