The first things you notice arriving in Positano are the stairs, the verticality!
Not surprisingly, the town has been called “the vertical city” (cit. Romolo Ercolino).
Many tourists who suffer leg pain have difficulty in going up and down thousands of steps that frame the colorful houses perched on the hillside, for this reason they decide to visit only the center of the town, starting from Piazza dei Mulini and arriving at the beach. This area is full of local shops selling “Positano Fashion” clothes and jeweled sandals to wear on any occasion. There are also bars and bakeries with cakes and delicious food, including fruit and vegetables, selling wine and liquors: among these it is worth mention finocchietto (fennel), an excellent alternative to the limoncello!
As a local guide and resident in Positano, I often begin the walking tours in the upper area of the town. The districts of Chiesa Nuova and Li Parlati, for example, are rich in history and folklore, they have beautiful churches and you can go into bars, drinking a spritz and making new friends.
You can reach Positano by land or by sea.
Arriving by bus from Sorrento or Amalfi, the view appearing at every turn astonishes us… a new panorama around every corner, but you don’t even have time to take a picture that the driver, with skill and professionalism, has already arrived in town.
From the Chiesa Nuova, the first central bus stop uptown, Positano seems incredibly leaning toward the Mother Church (Santa Maria Assunta), the road seems to hide between houses and cars to disappear among the countless stairs. The Chiesa Nuova, I mean the Church where the district has taken its name, dominates: it is still confused with a mosque and it is immortalized in the paintings of every artist. In this neighborhood, a good pit stop could be Bar Internationale: here you will meet Mimì (Domenico) and his family who will welcome you with kindness and professionalism. Sitting down at one of the colorful ceramics tables, surrounded by old photos of Positano and exhibitions of local artists, you can tease a snack and drink good coffee.
Arriving by sea, the town is striking for its conformation: two pyramids of houses that seem to form an M surrounded by steep mountains protecting this old fishing village. The beach is the “summer center” of Positano and from 18:00, returning from a swim, you can stop at La Brezza, having a happy hour with lots of drinks, music and a finger food buffet.
The ideal time to visit Positano is late afternoon when the country is not crowded and the heat is diminished.
The “women must to do” in Positano: buy a white linen suit and a pair of sandals made-to-measure at the moment… and you will feel like Jackie Kennedy, strolling along the narrow streets surrounded by beautiful bougainvilleas.
The “men must to do” in Positano: buy a linen shirt, striped tone-on-tone or colored, and enjoy a game with friends at the tiny shooting range nearby the beach.
