Sorrento Review
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Positano

Positano


Positano is the most popular of all the towns along the Amalfi Coast with visitors drawn by its picturesque buildings clinging to the rock overlooking its beaches.

​The town has the feel of a natural amphitheatre with the thousands of windows of the houses resembling crowds looking down into the arena. Some of the best views of Positano can be had from the main road above it; there are various places along the road where you can stop and appreciate the full dramatic effect of the picturesque layout of the coastline.
Positano is the westernmost town on the Amalfi Coast and therefore the first that most visitors to the region arrive at first if coming from Sorrento. Legend has it that the town's name comes from an incident at the end of the first millennium when some Saracen pirates stole the "Black Madonna", a valuable Byzantine icon which is these days housed in Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta, Positano's main church with its beautiful dome. The story goes that the pirates were fleeing with their bounty when a terrible storm whipped up from nowhere and a mysterious voice called out to them "posa posa" which more or less translates as "put it down". The fearful pirates returned the icon to the nearest port and as soon as they had the storm abated and they wisely left empty-handed. 

​Apart from the church, the main features of the town are its two beaches. Just behind the long sandy beaches there's the amazing sight of the multi-coloured little buildings that rise up above the town. During the summer the area is thriving with visitors who spend their time sunbathing, eating and drinking at the many restaurants clustered around the beach or shopping in Positano's narrow alleyways. 


Shoppers will find a good selection of boutiques and no shortage of shoe shops with hand-made shoes a local tradition along with clothes items made from cotton. Of the two beaches, the first one that most visitors see is called Spiaggia Grande but if you walk around the path that hugs the cliff you arrive at a larger beach known as Spiaggia del Fornillo. 

There are a number of ways to reach Positano. Perhaps the most romantic is to drive along the Amalfi Coast Road and stop at one of the car parks at the top of the village before walking down. Alternatively there are buses that will take you to the edge of the main town and these buses will take you to all of the other main destinations along the Amalfi Coast. The majority of bus visitors come from nearby locations such as Praiano or Amalfi or from Sorrento which is further afield and just outside the Amalfi Coast. Positano also receives a large amount of its visitors by sea with the town connected by hydrofoil to Amalfi, Capri and Salerno.

Category: Seaside Towns on the Amalfi Coast

Region: Campania

Regional district: Salerno Province

Population: 3,898

Highlights: Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta, Beaches, Shops

Recommended accommodation: Hotel ​Savoia
Close by: Amalfi, Ravello, Sorrento, Cetara, Naples, Salerno

By car: Sorrento - 36 mins, Amalfi - 44 mins, Ravello - 1 hr 3 mins 
By air: ​Naples International Airport - 1 hour 16 mins by car (61 km)

​​
Nearest train station: ​Sorrento (15 km)


If you're considering a visit to Sorrento but are still unsure of some details, then why not ask us for advice? Our resident Sorrento expert Eddie Best is here to help with areas including the best places to stay, things to see and do while you're here, places to eat or of course any travel questions you may have. You can drop us a line by email via info@italyreview.com or contact us through our Facebook page; the link for which is below. This is a free service aimed at improving visitors' experience.

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Sorrento Review is part of the Italy Review network of websites. Each site is written exclusively in English and provides travel tips and inspiration to visitors.
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  • Home
    • Contact
    • The Italy Review Network >
      • Italy Review
      • Ischia Review
  • Sorrento
    • Things to see in Sorrento >
      • Marinas of Sorrento >
        • Marina Grande
        • Marina Piccola
      • Churches of Sorrento >
        • Sorrento Cathedral
        • Church and Cloisters of San Francesco
        • Basilica di Sant'Antonino
        • Santuario della Madonna del Carmine
        • Chiesa dell'Addolorata
        • Chiesa di Sant'Anna
        • Chiesa Santa Maria delle Grazie
      • Squares of Sorrento >
        • Piazza Tasso
        • Piazza della Vittoria
        • Piazza Sant'Antonino
      • Streets of Sorrento >
        • Via San Cesareo
        • Corso Italia
        • Via Luigi de Maio
      • Museums of Sorrento >
        • Correale di Terranova Museum
        • Museo Bottega della Tarsia Lignea
      • Villa Comunale Park
      • Sedile Dominova
      • Parsano Bastion & Ancient Walls of Sorrento
      • Valley of the Mills
    • Sorrento Travel >
      • How to get to Sorrento
      • Sorrento by Train >
        • Circumvesuviana Train Timetables
        • Campania Express Train Timetables
        • Sorrento Train Station
      • Sorrento Ferry Tickets & Timetables >
        • Ferry Tickets & Timetables Between Sorrento & Capri
        • Ferry Tickets & Timetables Between Sorrento & Positano
        • Ferry Tickets & Timetables Between Sorrento & Amalfi
        • Ferry Tickets & Timetables Between Sorrento & Naples
        • Ferry Tickets & Timetables Between Sorrento & Ischia
        • Ferry Tickets & Timetables Between Sorrento & Castellammare di Stabia
      • Sorrento Taxi Prices & Guide
      • Sorrento Bus Timetables & Guide
      • Sorrento Ferry & Hydrofoil Port
      • Sorrento Lift
      • Naples Airport
    • Sorrento Hotels
    • History of Sorrento
    • Sorrento Peninsula >
      • Meta
      • Vico Equense
      • Sant'Agnello
      • Piano di Sorrento
      • Massa Lubrense
      • Marina di Puolo
      • Marina della Lobra
      • Nerano
      • Marina di Equa
      • Sant'Agata sui Due Golfi
      • Li Galli
    • Sorrento Beach Clubs >
      • Bagni Salvatore
      • Leonelli's Beach
      • Marameo Beach
      • Peter's Beach
      • Bagni di Regina Giovanna
      • Lido La Solara
  • Amalfi Coast
    • Things to see on the Amalfi Coast >
      • Seaside Towns on the Amalfi Coast
      • Hill Towns of the Amalfi Coast
    • Amalfi Coast Travel
  • Capri
  • Naples
  • Campania
  • Sorrento Review Services
    • Sorrento Holiday Planner
    • Sorrento Airport Transfers
    • Sorrento Boat Tours
    • Sorrento Boat Transfers
    • Amalfi Coast Taxi Tours