Best Places to Visit in Positano

I have always wanted to go to Italy and specifically, Positano (and Rome too but that’s another blog. haha!).  What’s not to like about an ocean view, the beach and the hills with colorful houses?  As I created my itinerary for my 2018 Europe trip, I just HAD to include Positano. 

GETTING TO POSITANO

I heard stories about how getting to Positano can get a little tricky due to overcrowded buses, scary drive through the mountains, etc.  Coming from Rome, I booked a train online via Trenitalia from Roma Termini to Salerno station a month in advance. I even booked my seat in advance as well. The cost of the ticket was about $20 and the train ride was about 1 hour and 25 mins. 

Once I arrived in the Salerno, I walked across the street to the ferry station and hopped on the Travelmar ferry to Positano.  Again, I booked my ticket a month in advance from Positano.com. The ticket was about $17.50 and the ferry ride was about 1 hour and 15 mins.   The train and ferry rides were comfortable and I really enjoyed watching the Italian countryside and the coast.  I recommend reserving a private car transfer for the ride back so you can sightsee the various towns in Italy which costs around $120 to Naples.

Once I arrived in Positano, I didn’t realize that I have to walk quite a bit to get to my hotel (uphill). Travel tip:  I don’t recommend walking to your hotel with your suitcases if you’re situated uphill–it was so tiring and not worth it).  In other words, cab please! There’s also only one way up and down the area so the cab is quite expensive ($25) although there is a bus that will drop you off in certain locations for a cheaper price. This was the only time I used the cab because I pretty much walked the entire time I was there.  Great exercise! Now, here are the best places to visit in Positano:

FOOD

My fave restaurant in Positano is Da Vincenzo Positano, a cute restaurant with delicious food.  I tried a variety of dishes and everything was absolutely amazing!  You can’t go wrong with any food selection in my opinion.  My fave order: an eggplant appetizer, pasta with braised beef, and you must get the tiramisu!   My recommendation is to make a reservation online in advance since this place can get fully booked in the summer. 

Another place I would recommend is Da Gabrisa, this is my hotel’s restaurant and one of the best restaurants in Positano.   I had dinner around sunset and sat closest to the ocean so no one else was blocking my view. haha!  The food was so great as well (my fave order: eggplant appetizer (yes, again!) and pasta with beef meatballs).

For lunch, I tried Cafe Positano where I had the crab pasta with a stunning view of the Amalfi Coast and Spiaggia Grande beach. The pasta was messy but ohhh sooo good! Overall,  I would go back to these three places any time!

BEACH

 I walked the hundred steps from my hotel to the Spiaggia Grande beach. While there,  I had champagne, took pictures and people watch.  It was actually quite entertaining to watch a lot of couples take pictures in the rain.  The cafe/beach rental place did not charge for the chairs/cabana but they wanted me to at least buy a drink to sit in the area. Fine with me!  When the rain stopped, I decided to lay out in the area next to the beach chair rental for FREE.  It was just as relaxing but be sure to bring your towels!

 SHOPPING

One of my fave things to do when I go on vacation is to check out the unique boutiques in the area. I love getting great finds! Positano has so many of them and full of pretty items.  From my hotel to the Spiaggia Grande beach, there are plenty of places to shop for homemade wooden sandals, mini bags, linen clothing and Italian leather shoes.  I highly recommend checking out these places for souvenirs or gifts for your loved ones.

HOTEL

For this trip, I stayed in Hotel Villa Gabrisa,a family owned/operated hotel. I booked the junior suite which included a breakfast buffet,  relatively big space and amazing view.  It’s so surreal to experience Positano and its beauty.  In short, I was just in awe! It rained a couple of times when I was there and I still loved it.  The rain just made it more relaxing. Overall, if you are looking for a more modern/newer hotel, this isn’t the place for you but if you want a great view, I absolutely recommend this place. However, be ready to walk!   

Travel tip:  The hotel prices are expensive so I highly recommend booking your reservation in advance.   Also,  Le Sirenuse is known to be one of the best hotels in the area.  It has great views of the coast, location and I believe worth over $1K a night in the summer time.  I tried to get a drink in the hotel’s swimming pool bar area but the service was non-existent. As a result, I’m not sure if it’s worth the price. However, I was only there once so it might just be an off-day for them. 

If you like Europe, check out my Best Places to Visit in Split (click here). 

Overall, I absolutely adore Positano. I would come back here in a heartbeat!  Share your best places to visit in Positano with me below…

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