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Positano Italy

INTRODUCTION

Situated on the Amalfi Coast in Campania, Italy, Positano is a beautiful town rich in culture. In recent years, due to references in literature and advertisements, Positano has seen a rise in tourists during the summer. Most of Positano sits on an incline right at the edge of the beach.

HISTORY

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

Positano has a love of lemons. In fact, on most street corners in the summer, there are lemon slush stands, and in stores, hand-painted ceramic plates and bowls all have lemons adorning the edges.

Also in the Almafi coast, is a love of tomatoes. Most foods served in this area have plenty of tomatoes in their dishes.

As the town is located primarily on the shores of the Mediterranian, much of the town is centered around the sea. Be careful as there are jellyfish that come up relatively close to shore- they do not hesitate to sting!!

Cars are a rarity in the small town, as most people (tourists and locals alike) travel on foot, or on small bicycles and motorbikes. It is difficult to travel by car as there is not only one road that runs through the entire town, but it is extremely narrow as well. There is also a lack of places to park. So think twice before renting a car!! It may be better just to shuttle by bus from the airport. (There is a bus that runs from the airport in Rome straight to Positano).

Also in regards to transportation, instead of following the one road to get around the city, there are many staircases that run from the beach up to the highest point of the city. While on a hot summer day, these staircases can be quite painful to climb, it should be thought of as exercise to work off the delicious food.

During midday after lunch, almost all shops in the town close due to the siesta, or resting period. The siesta usually lasts till about 3 in the afternoon, when normal activities resume.

ATTRACTIONS

On weekends during the summer, a small boat service takes tourists to and from the nearby Island of Capri?. About thirty minutes each way, its a pleasant, calming chance to see Positano in its entirety. (Be sure to bring sea sickness medication though, as those that are prone to sea sickness may be affected by the small boat rocking in the waves.)

There is also an International Music Festival that bases itself out of Positano. Run by pianist Eileen Huang, ICMC boasts a prestigious staff of internationally known musicians that gather each summer to teach and perform almost nightly in the city. Most participants of the camp come from the US, however, there have also been participants from other parts of the world in the past.

All of Positano runs down towards the Grande Beach. During the summer, most residents of the town will spend the day basking in the sun. The waters of the Mediterranian are warm and extremely clear.

RESTAURANTS

Saracino d'

Chez Black - located along the beach.

NIGHTLIFE

Though Postiano is a small town, there are a few bars on the main street.

Most restaurants also, are open rather late into the evening- in some cases, till 4pm.

LODGING

There are several small villas that are rented out for visitors that plan to stay for longer than one or two weeks- most of these houses come equipped with pianos and a beautiful view of the beach below.

Connected to, and staffed by the same family, the Villa Della Palme is a beautiful, small hotel that sits right above Saracino d'Oro.

PERSONAL STORIES