Positano: the vertical pearl of the coast
Painted houses stepping down to the sea, the beach and alleys full of fashion and craft: the most famous stretch of the Amalfi coast.
The village that descends to the sea
Positano grows vertically, its pink and white houses stepping down from the mountain to the Marina Grande beach. Alleys climb between stairs, bougainvillea and terraces, with the church of Santa Maria Assunta and its green majolica dome at the centre.
What to see
Spiaggia Grande and the quieter Fornillo, the viewpoints of the scenic road, boutiques of fashion and handmade sandals, and the Path of the Gods for walkers. Every corner of the village is a photograph: at night the lights set the cliff aglow.
When to go
In high season Positano is lively and crowded; in May, June and September the light is better and the stroll calmer. One full day is enough to taste it, two to do it slowly.
Getting there
From Pompei travel by train to Sorrento and then coast bus or by sea; altogether 1.5 to 2 hours. The journey is part of the charm: the road is a sequence of sea views.