Positano
The glamorous Positano, the "Pearl of the Coast"
Positano is considered the "Pearl of the Amalfi Coast" and you cannot visit this fantastic coast without dedicating a day to discover this fascinating and characteristic small town, certainly one of the most popular destinations for tourists from all over the world.
The first evidence of a settlement in Positano goes back to prehistoric times while the first archaeological evidence dates back to the first century B.C., when the Romans made it a place of holiday and a summer otium, both for its mild temperatures and the beauty of the landscape. There are numerous traces of this era in the Roman Archaeological Museum of Positano, an archaeological museum site inaugurated in 2018.
However, the real touristic boom of the town occurred after the Second World War, when the town, recognizable by its vertical structure of coloured houses, leaning against each other and excavated in the rocky ridge, became a holiday destination for the international jet-set. Here the royal princes, industrialists, actors, writers and politicians began to spend the summer, making Positano world-famous. In the 60s and 70s, Jacqueline Kennedy often frequented it with her children, the industrialist Gianni Agnelli, John Steinbeck, Franco Zeffirelli, Liz Taylor and Rudolph Nureyev together with many other famous people, whose photos on the Amalfi Coast went around the world, making this magical and evocative place, a popular destination for international tourism. At that time, artisan activities began to flourish which still represent the flagship of Positano: manufactures of ceramics, made-to-measure leather sandals and clothes in linen and light cotton of the "Positano beachwear", summer fashion that quickly became a true lifestyle for celebrities on vacation.
Come and discover the glam Positano in the most simple way, avoiding long queues in the car and problems with parking and timing.
What to see and what to do in Positano?
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Church of Santa Maria dell'Assunta
The Church of Santa Maria dell’Assunta, dating back to the 10th century with its yellow and green majolica dome, is located in the lower part of the town, close to the sea and is immortalized every year in the photos of millions of tourists. Inside there is an icon of Byzantine origin of the Black Madonna with child, to whom an ancient legend mentioned the name of Positano. The legend tells that in the 12th century AD, the painting of the Virgin Mary was traveling on a ship together with Benedictine monks who incited by a voice from the painting itself that said "Posa ... Posa", that is, stop, they decided to stop on the banks of Positano.
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MAR, Roman Archaeological Museum
It is an archaeological site museum which is divided into two crypts and a Roman maritime villa, buried by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD., cataclysm that affected also the so well-known Pompeii and Herculaneum. Discovered in the 1920s by a butcher, intent on digging a corridor to build a refrigerator cell for his meats, the Roman Villa was only opened to the public in 2018, when the restoration work, which lasted a few years, was completed. Its magnificent frescoed walls, perfectly preserved, are the only example of wall painting of the Roman villas on the Amalfi Coast while countless furnishings, found during excavations, testify the wealth of its owner, presumably Posides Claudi Caesaris, a follower of the emperor Claudius, from whose name would derive Positano.
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The Saracen Towers
The Sponda, Trasita and Fornillo Saracen towers are watchtowers built in the 16th century as defence from the pirates. With their position they had the task of alerting the population in the event of attack from the sea to give time to take refuge in the hills.
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The beaches of Positano
Spiaggia Grande, Fornillo, Arienzo, La Porta and Laurito, with their cobalt blue sea every year the recognition of the Blue Flag of Italy, the label that rewards the most marine pristine waters.
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Path of Gods
It is a medium difficulty trekking route of about 8 km that connects Nocelle, a hamlet of Positano on the slopes of Mount Pertuso, to Agerola, a village on the hills of the Amalfi Coast.
Its name derives from the legend that it was the road that the Greek gods traveled to save Ulysses from the sirens that were on the island of Li Galli.
The path that winds through the Mediterranean scrub, vines and prickly pear plants is famous for the spectacular panoramas on the Amalfi Coast and Capri.
It is advisable to face it with an expert guide because of the exposed sections and no handrails.
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Shopping e Food
Shopping in the numerous art galleries which display works by contemporary artists and in the various local craft shops where you can buy brightly coloured pottery in the shades of sun and sea, leather sandals made to measure and often decorated with crystals, shells and coloured stones and finally clothes in linen and light cotton, created by the local seamstresses, exclusive garments of the famous "Moda Mare Positano".
Eat fresh fish in one of the restaurants directly on the sea and taste the excellent desserts and cakes coastal citrus ice cream.
