Positano Travel Guide — La Chic Society

If you were to ask me to name my personal top three travel destinations, Positano would definitely make it into this list (and Capri ..but, you already know this!). There is truly no other place like it in the world, and I refuse to let anyone tell me otherwise. Everything from the people, the food, the views, takes your breath away! From the moment you catch those views you’ll have to pinch yourself to make sure it’s real. Pictures and videos simply can’t do it justice. This medieval town was almost built vertically and makes for a spectacular view, especially at sea. It’s heaven on earth and I’m so excited to break everything down for you from where we stayed, where we ate, to what we did, because you all need to go visit this magical town. P.S Be sure to check out the helpful tips section before planning your tip.

How to Get to Positano:

There are two ways to get to Positano by land or by water. Because, we were coming from the island of Capri we went by water. The one thing I love about the Amalfi Coast is that you can easily travel to each of the towns by boat/ferry and they run so frequently, just about every hour. We took a boat from Capri to Positano which was only about a 30-minute ride. (approx. 19.50 euros/person).

Arriving to Positano. How is this even real?! #OBSESSED

Where to Stay:

I did quite a bit of research when choosing a hotel in Positano. Many hotels are located in the Positano hills, which means, there is a lot of walking involved to get to the bottom where you will find the main beach “Marina Grande” and “Spiaggia Grande” and many of the restaurants. I really wanted to stay at a hotel that was located on one of the Positano beaches. We ended up choosing Hotel Puppetto . I absolutely LOVED this hotel and would stay here again. It is located directly on the charming beach of “Fornillo” (about a 10 mins walk from the main beach). Fornillo is a much quieter beach (don’t worry they still have the iconic Italian orange umbrellas for the gram’, I made sure of that;). Like most beaches in Italy, you pay for your lounger, the first row obviously being more expensive. We always reserved the middle row (approx. 8 euros each lounger). The middle row was better for pics anyways (I know, I know, I’m too much haha).

My favourite part of the day, tanning sessions at Fornillo Beach.

The owners and staff of this hotel were so friendly and helpful with any questions we had. Breakfast was complimentary every morning, and there was a great selection fruits, cheeses etc. (even though I was content with just a cappuccino and a pastry) it was lovely. Our room was a great size and had a good view of the sea. We called our hotel in advance when we were departing Capri and told them when we would be arriving and they arranged to have a porter wait for us. When our boat docked the porter helped us bring our luggage to the hotel as it was quite an uphill walk. When it was finally time to check out, Veronica (one of the owners of Hotel Puppetto) also arranged a driver to pick us up from Positano and drive us to the Napoli Train Station, so convenient! Hotel Puppetto also has a FANTASTIC beach restaurant attached to it with amazing views of the sea. The waiters were so awesome, they totally contributed to the Italian beach vibe. And, I’m not kidding when I say this, I craved lunch at this beach restaurant everyday, and then went back to my tanning sessions of course... eat, tan, beach, repeat…as the Italians do;) p.s My favourite was the tuna salad!

How to Get Around:

You don’t really need a car when you are in Positano. You can get everywhere you want to go by walking or by boat. My husband has lots of experience driving around in Italy, and he really wanted to rent a car but, after doing some research, I convinced him we didn’t need one. Driving around the Amalfi Coast can be quite the ride if you don’t have experience driving there. Just be prepared for narrow streets and lanes and steep cliffs. If you really need to go somewhere that is not walkable, I would recommend hiring a private driver. Most of the private drivers are from Amalfi, so they know the area very well. I would suggest your hotel to arrange that service for you.

Where to Eat:

You have to eat on the beach at least once when you’re in Positano. All 3 restaurants we ate dinner at were located on Spiaggia Grande and located next to one another. We could see the sea from our table, it was beautiful!

Chez Black: They have the infamous heart shaped pizza, great views of the beach/people watching. We liked Chez Black so much we ate there twice!. I would have to say it’s one of the most popular and iconic restaurants in Positano. Every night there were long lineups to get a table. You gotta eat here. Period! Reservations are recommended.

Le Tre Sorrelle: Located right next to Chez Black. The service and food was excellent. My husband and I both ate pizza. Their pastas and salads looked delicious! Definitely, don’t skip dessert, their lemon cake was my favourite!

Ristorante Buca di Bacco: Authentic and tasty Italian food. My husband and I both had pasta dishes, they were divine. They also have a gelateria attached to the restaurant, if you crave gelato after dinner the way I do make this one of your stops before calling it a night;)

Ristorante Max: We never got a chance to eat here. But, from the reviews I read it’s suppose to be fantastic. It’s a romantic restaurant tucked away in the Positano Hills… next time!

Casa E Bottega: This is a great spot if you want a change from eating pizza and pasta. They offer the best smoothies, salads, and vegetarian options. High quality healthy meals. Good spot for lunch!

Collina Bakery: My favourite spot for a cappuccino and Nutella cornetto! Fabulous selection of pastries! If you’re hotel doesn’t have a complimentary breakfast, I would hit up this spot every morning!

The infamous heart shaped pizza at Chez Black.

Drinks & Positano Nightlife

Sip Cocktails at Franco’s Bar: Every night before dinner we would make our way up to the STUNNING (and most EXCLUSIVE) hotel in all of Positano ….LE SIRENUSE! Not only for the incredible views, but to enjoy an aperitivo at Franco’s Bar. It’s pretty much a place to be “seen” in Positano. I do recommend getting their early so you can get a table ( I believe it opens at 5pm). Walking in to this place is equivalent to walking in to the CHICEST roof-top bar in NYC, but with lemon trees planted in every corner. Everything inside is so photo-worthy. Every night there is a DJ spinning unreal beats. We w would enjoy our cocktails and the vibe SO MUCH, we actually didn’t mind if we were going to be a few minutes late to our dinner resos. After some cocktails, we walked next door to Le Sirenuse Hotel for some (A LOT) of pictures. It was just the most perfect start to every evening in Positano.

Fly Lounge Bar & Music on the Rocks: Fly Lounge Bar and Music on the Rocks is owned by the same Hospitality Group as Chez Black which means, it was pretty much guaranteed to be a good time. Fly and Music on the Rocks are located at the end of the beach strip, about a 10 minute walk from Chez Black. Music on the Rocks is literally a night club built in the rocks, we walked through it one night after having cocktails at Fly. Party gets started at 1am. If you can stay up and aren’t too jet lagged it’s good party!!!!

Photo-ops at Le Sirenuse Hotel with the BEST views of Positano.

What To Do in Positano:

RELAX and enjoy the sea and scenery! The Italians have mastered this! You see them all at the beach, they are like professional sun bathers (I’m not kidding, hard workers, but when it’s time to chillin’ out, they know exactly how to do it!). It’s okay if you don’t have everyday fully planned out. Go to a beach, get some Italian sun, stumble across that cute cafe or boutique and really take in all the beauty and soak it all up while you are there.

Ferry from Positano to Capri/Ravello/ Amalfi/ Sorrento: Like I said earlier, the best thing about Amalfi is you can island hop. If you want to see it all I definitely recommend this. There are so many booths set up on Spiaggia Grande to organize your tickets. It’s pretty easy to navigate.

Visit a Beach Club: I was quite surprised as to how many beach clubs there were in Capri and Positano. We spent one day at Arienzo Beach Club. They have a free boat shuttle from Positano that’s fun and quick and runs about every 20 mins. They have the iconic orange umbrellas and the beach itself is quite big. But here’s the honest truth. I read that Arienzo Beach Club is compared to La Fontelina in Capri ( so, I was really excited!). But, in my opinion, it was nothing special, it was great for some picture taking, and it was a nice change in scenery from Fornillo beach at our hotel, but that’s about it! They also have a restaurant there on site but, my husband and I never got a chance to dine there (I was craving that tuna salad at our hotel haha). If you go to Arienzo, definitely make reservations as it does get quite busy by 1pm.

Visit Amalfi and Ravello: By staying 4 days in Positano, we had plenty of time to visit some other towns. We took a boat from Positano to Amalfi ( Amalfi was beautiful by the way. Very touristy and busy but, beautiful!). When we docked in Amalfi we drove up to Ravello, which is high up in the mountains! It’s called “God’s Country” for a reason! You are high in the clouds! Ravello offers some of the most beautiful views you will ever see. While you’re in Ravello, visit the gardens of Villa Ruffulo and have lunch at the Belmond Hotel Caruso (PURE ITALIAN GLAM!). It’s like stepping in to a beautiful castle! OH MY GOSH.. it’s BEYONDDD! I get goosebumps just thinking about it!

Sunset Boat ride: You can rent a boat to take you around to see the Positano Coast.

Path of Gods Hike: We didn’t do this but, would love to next time. I’ve seen the photos from my research and it totally looks worth it!

My favourite days in Positano were hanging out by the beach, and then grabbing lunch and spritzs at our hotel beach restaurant.

Views of the main beach “Spiaggia Grande”.

The breathtaking views from our boat when we arrived to the town of Amalfi.

Exploring the town of Amalfi before taking a car ride up to Ravello.

Head high up in the clouds in beautiful Ravello.

Where to Shop:

Antica Sortia : A very popular boutique all around Amalfi and other areas in Italy that sells beachwear. Coverups, dresses, rompers etc. Reasonably priced pieces. I picked up a few pieces, love their stuff!

CB by Kore: The cutest dresses. Colourful, floral print, very Love Shack Fancy vibes.

La Bottega di Brunella: Fantastic high quality Italian linen store. All their pieces are made in the Amalfi Coast.

Delicatessen: Great little shop in Positano that sells just about everything from candles, to lemons cookies, lemoncello, house and cooking items such as aprons and ceramics. If you are looking to bring home some Amalfi memories, this is the spot!

Shopping for Amalfi beachwear at Antica Sortia

The cute Positano gift shop where I left with way too many items …including that lemon apron;)

Helpful Tips:

Plan your trip to Positano months in advance because hotels do sell out. There is pretty much only 3 months of summer in Europe and everyone wants to go at the same time. To avoid disappointment, I would strongly suggest booking 6 months in advance, especially if there is a hotel you really want to stay at in Positano.

Pack comfortable shoes! The streets were way more hilly here then in Capri. Pack wedges, espadrilles or even a block heel. Wearing a dressier pair a flats is totally acceptable for dinner. I saw so many women wearing them with long maxi dresses. It totally suited the chic beach vibe of Positano.

Just like other countries in Europe, the plugs are different. This includes Italy. Important items to pack include a converter and adapter, so you can use your blow drier, flat iron and curling iron. #nobadhairdaysinpositano . Or, you can just get blowouts the way I did. Luisa & Flavia is the most popular hair salon in Positano. They do manis and pedis as well.
You need to make reservations at almost every restaurant in Positano. As I mentioned in the Capri Travel Guide, it is almost frowned upon to walk into a restaurant and expect to get seated without a reservation. Let your hotel concierge book your resos but, most restaurants allow you to make them online too.
No Tipping! I don’t think I can ever get used to this. Guido and I still tipped at restaurants because it feels weird not to. A lot of restaurants add a charge to your bill called “coperto” which basically means cover charge (an amount added if you are being seated). If you see that charge on your bill , it is not expected to tip in Italy.

If you have any other tips or insights you would like to share, leave a comment below!

xo Jessica

#chictravels