Happy Sunday, everyone! I hope you’re having a wonderful weekend.
As promised, today I’m continuing with my series of Amalfi Coast travel guides. Previously, I took you on a virtual trip to Sorrento and Capri, and today I’m back to talk about one of my favourite places we visited on our trip: Positano! Positano is one of the world’s top luxury travel destinations, but it wasn’t always so. Once the main trading port of the Amalfi Republic (during the 16th and 17th centuries) and then an impoverished fishing village (during the 19th and early 20th centuries), it was only in the 1950s that Positano started to develop into the posh resort town it is today. This glamorous destination is a hotspot for jetsetters, influencers, celebrities… and yes, even average folks like myself! Positano is truly incredible, and a trip to the Amalfi Coast isn’t complete without a stop here. Our day trip to Positano was certainly an adventure, filled with both some wonderful and some not-so-wonderful moments. I’m here to share all sides of the experience with you, so that if you ever head to Positano, you can avoid some of the mistakes we made and have the best experience possible!
Getting To Positano
Our adventure getting to Positano was a wild ride (literally) but we learned a few lessons along the way, which I’m happy to share with you… so you don’t have to learn them the hard way like we did! There are three ways to get to Positano from Sorrento: you can take a taxi, a ferry or a bus. We initially planned on taking a ferry, and headed down to Sorrento’s Marina Piccola around noon to see when the next one left. (We are normally early birds, but this was our first day on the Amalfi Coast, and we’d spent the morning just getting to Sorrento from Naples.) Imagine our surprise to find out that the next ferry didn’t leave for another two hours! We wanted to have as much time in Positano as possible – but didn’t want to spend a small fortune on a taxi – so we walked to the Sorrento train station to buy tickets for the Sita Bus.
The Sita Bus is a public bus that connects all major towns of the Amalfi Coast, and it’s the most affordable way to get around the area. We purchased our Sorrento-Positano round-trip tickets at the booth (I can’t remember the exact cost, but they were somewhere around 6-7 Euros per person) and after a 15-minute wait, we boarded the bus and got going. Now, I’d heard some bad things about the Sita Bus when researching this trip – people talked about it being unreliable, uncomfortable and overcrowded – but as we settled in for the ride, I was honestly wondering what those people were talking about. We didn’t have to wait long, the bus was nice and air-conditioned with comfortable seats, and the price was right! Well, it took about 20 minutes for me to change my mind. If you plan on visiting the Amalfi Coast, you should know that its roads are extremely narrow and winding, with lots of twists and turns. Pair that with Italy’s relaxed road rules and their drivers’ general propensity for speed, and you’ve got a sure-fire recipe for motion sickness. And neither Tania and I are prone to that, but trust me: even the strongest stomachs will feel worse for wear on these roads. As the bus stopped and picked up more passengers, there were no seats left, so the aisle was now packed full of people, including a child right beside us who was also ill. Now, I’ve got this unfortunate thing called emetophobia: a fear of throwing up. Unusually – unlike most other sufferers – I don’t fear myself getting sick, but the mere suggestion of someone else being sick in front of me is enough to send me into a full-blown panic attack. So as Tania struggled to keep her breakfast down on one side of me, and the poor kid in the aisle failed (at least he was holding a bag!) I sat there hyperventilating, with eyes closed and ears plugged, for the remaining 30 minutes of the ride. There’s no way of sugar-coating it: it was truly the bus ride from hell!
When we finally got off the bus in Positano (I could have kissed the ground!) we rested for a few minutes while Tania’s stomach (and my nerves) calmed down… before going on to have an absolutely lovely day in Positano, which is truly one of the most beautiful places on earth! I’ll write more below about all the fun things we did, but first, I’ll talk about how we got back to Sorrento. Tania and I both knew one thing: there was no way either of us were getting on that bus again. We figured we’d take a ferry back, but by the time we went to Positano’s port to get our tickets just after 5pm, we learned the last day’s ferry had already left! So we had no choice: we would have take the Sita Bus back, and we headed up to the stop to wait. Well, we waited at that stop for nearly two hours, while every single bus passed us by. Now I was starting to understand what those travel bloggers meant about the buses being crowded and unreliable: if the buses are full (and they usually are during peak season, especially later in the day) they simply won’t stop for new passengers.
At this point, the possibility that we’d be stuck overnight in a foreign town – with no accommodations – was becoming a reality. We’d seen some taxis pass by the bus stop, offering rides back to Sorrento at sky-high prices, but we realized this was our last option. We asked another couple waiting for the bus if they’d be willing to split the cost with us, and they agreed. So, when the next taxi came – a minivan-sized one that charged us a whopping 100 Euros between the four of us – we had no choice but to suck it up. (My fellow Canadians: that’s nearly $150 CAD for a half-hour ride!) The kicker is that the driver stopped at another bus stop a few minutes away and picked up another couple, but only charged them 15 Euros. This was another culture shock coming from Canada: there really are no laws or regulations to protect taxi passengers in Italy, and pricing transparency simply isn’t a concept there. It all comes down to supply and demand, and drivers can charge pretty much whatever they want! So after another fast, winding drive (this time I was the one who felt sick!) we were finally back in Sorrento: 50 Euros poorer, but just happy to be ‘home’.
I know this was a long read, but I really hope it helps those of you who may be planning your own Positano trip. I honestly wish I’d read something like this before going, because I would have done everything differently! So to recap, here are your options for getting from Sorrento to Positano:
- The Sita Bus: Affordable – but crowded, uncomfortable (especially for motion sickness sufferers) and unreliable. You may be fine getting to Positano, but don’t count on getting a ride back! Would definitely not recommend this option.
- A taxi: The fastest option at around 30 minutes, and more comfortable than the bus (although motion sickness sufferers will still struggle) but very expensive – and you may get taken advantage of by opportunistic drivers.
- A ferry: The mid-range of these three options pricing-wise. Time-wise, expect the journey to take between 40 minutes-1 hour. Definitely the most comfortable and the most scenic. The downside is the sparse schedule: the last ferries depart Positano in the late afternoon, so if you’re only going for the day, you may not have as much time as you’d hoped for.
Unfortunately, none of the transportation options to and from Positano are all that great. But if I had to pick one, I’d go with the ferry. Just be sure to book your tickets in advance and plan your schedule accordingly! And now that the logistics have been covered, I’ll finally get onto the fun part…
Things To Do In Positano
Lose yourself in Positano’s charming streets. Like most towns of the Amalfi Coast, Positano is full of several small streets lined with colourful houses, and many of them have incredible views of the sea. I could have honestly spent the entire day just wandering around, snapping photos and admiring the stunning architecture. Positano is less of an ‘itinerary’ destination (like, say, Rome) and more of a ‘wander and explore’ kind of place. So even if you’re a die-hard planner like myself, don’t forget to leave some time to simply stroll around – without a plan – and let yourself stumble upon some beautiful sights.
Have a beach day. Positano’s main beach – the Spiaggia Grande – is famous for its brightly coloured umbrellas (a favourite of travel photographers) and amazing views of the town. Note that there is a small area of the beach that’s free and open to the public, but the majority of it is occupied by paid beach clubs. So if you’re hoping to sit under one of said umbrellas, you’ll need to pay to rent a daybed.
Another beach that’s quieter and a bit less tourist-y is Spiaggia Fornillo, located just a 15-minute walk away from Spiaggia Grande. You’ll have to rent a daybed to access this beach as well, but if you’re looking for a less crowded and more relaxed experience, Fornillo may be the beach for you.
Try a unique pizza topping at Lo Guarracino. This restaurant has the most incredible terrace overlooking the sea and the Fornillo Spiaggia. We came here after waiting for a table (and eventually giving up) at the nearby Caffe Positano, which was positively bustling. I have to say, even though this was my ‘backup’ restaurant, I’m so glad we ended up here instead of at Caffe Positano! The vibe is so intimate, peaceful and relaxing. Even though there were other tables around us, somehow it felt like we were the only ones there. I ordered a limoncello spritz (which came served with an edible flower) and Tania and I split a pizza with an unconventional topping: lemon zest! (When on the Amalfi Coast, after all.) I have to admit I was skeptical, but it was honestly so good. The tart, citrusy lemon was the perfect complement to the creamy mozzarella and fresh arugula. In fact, lemon zest may just be my new favourite pizza topping!
Shop for coastal-chic apparel and exquisite handmade ceramics. If you’re a shopaholic, head to one of Positano’s main shopping streets to get your fix: Via Cristofo Colombo, Via Pasitea and Via dei Mulini are all great places to start. As one of the world’s most fashionable destinations, it’s no surprise that Positano is known for its clothes. You’ll find several boutiques selling breezy linen dresses in bold patterns, along with vibrant statement jewelry and handmade leather sandals. But when it comes to shopping, Positano is probably best known for its gorgeous handcrafted pottery. From hand-painted ceramic sculptures, tiles and furniture to plates too pretty to eat off, you’ll have no trouble finding a unique piece for your home here. There are lots of ceramic shops around Positano, but don’t miss Ceramica Assunta: it’s been around since 1948 and is considered one of the best.
Indulge in dessert at Positano Paradise Lounge Bar. While we enjoyed warm sunny weather for most of our day in Positano, we were treated to a torrential (and I do mean torrential!) downpour for about an hour during the afternoon. We ducked into this little café to escape the rain, and of course, we felt we should buy something. So we grabbed a table and ordered a limoncello baba to share. If you’ve ever had a rum baba, the concept is similar, except these cakes are soaked in limoncello! Topped with whipped cream and a square of dark chocolate, it was a rich, decadent – and yes, boozy – dessert. Positano Paradise also sells lots of other desserts, from cake to cannoli to gelato.
The Best Viewpoints In Positano
Positano is one of the prettiest places in the world, so I couldn’t write a guide to this town without sharing some of its best views and where to find them. Now, truth be told, there’s pretty much no bad view in Positano – but I thought the spots below were especially stunning.
Viale Pasitea at Via Monte – This is located right by the first Sita Bus stop in Positano (when coming east from Sorrento) and it has one of the most incredible views of the town, with the brightly coloured houses set among a dramatic backdrop of greenery-covered cliffs. Our bus ride in may have been terrible, but this view made up for it!
Via Trara Genoino/Via del Saracino – Right where Via Trara Genoino turns into Via del Saracino, you’ll get this amazing view of the town of Positano, including the majestic Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta.
Via Guglielmo Marconi at Via Liparlati – This is where we waited for the bus that never came! Luckily, we had some stunning views to entertain us while we passed the time: both of the sea in front of us and the mountains behind us. It’s a bit of an uphill trek to get here from Piazza dei Mulini (Positano’s main square), but I promise, the views are worth it. On your way up, you’ll find a particularly Instagram-famous terrace on Via dei Mulini.
Via Fornillo – This road has gorgeous views of Positano’s colourful homes, along with the towering cliffs and sparkling blue sea behind them. To get there, go to the intersection of Viale Pasitea and Via Fornillo, then walk down Via Fornillo. Walk further south and you’ll arrive at a bougainvillea-covered staircase with gorgeous views of the sea.
So, there you have it: my guide to Positano! Although our day there was certainly an adventure, with its share of ups and downs, I wouldn’t have traded the experience for anything in the world. I might have done a few things differently (see my notes above on transportation for what I learned) but Positano itself was so beautiful that I don’t regret going for a second. So if I have one final word of advice, it’s this: if you ever get the chance to go to Positano, GO! You won’t regret it. (Just do yourself a favour and don’t take the Sita Bus!!)
Do you have any crazy or funny travel stories? I’d love to hear them!
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