One Week in Positano
The Amalfi Coast had been on my travel bucket list before this trip for the gorgeous coastline, the food, the beaches, and the culture. The area is listed as a world heritage site and I was so excited to be able to finally visit this part of Italy. The unique landscape of colorful homes nestled in the hillsides about the Tyrrhenian Sea always looked so magical.
Peak season for The Amalfi Coast is definitely the summer, when the sun is hot and the water is warm, however we decided to go in late Spring which had some surprising perks. It rarely got too hot (I was thankful of this while walking up hundreds of stairs back to our villa), and the crowds hadn’t quite arrived yet so we were always able to get a reservation at the restaurants of our choosing.
We booked a small villa in Positano for the duration of the trip, and came to favor the town over some others that we visited along the coast. The villa sat at the top of Positano, nearly on the edge of town, but this offered spectacular views looking down on Positano and the ocean below. Beware that nearly the entire town is cliffside, meaning the majority of time you’re waking downhill into town, and uphill on the way out. That first day I really felt the stairs testing my fitness - they are killer!
If you fly into Rome, as we did, a great midway stopping point on the drive to the coast is Montecassino - a gorgeous old abbey perched on top of a mountain in the countryside. Montecassino was intended to be more of a pit stop and a reason to stretch our legs, but it blew me away. It’s actually one of Europe's oldest monasteries We didn’t even come close to seeing everything this abbey has to offer.
We spent our days in Positano eating copious amounts of pasta, pizza, and seafood, walking along the pebble beachfronts, and souvenir shopping in the local boutiques. The area is known for ceramic making and there are tons of stores and vendors selling ceramic pottery. I picked up a few classic blue and white pieces that I absolutely love. One of the top things to do in Positano is hiking the Path of the Gods. I recommend getting a cab to the top of the hike in Agerola so the entire hike back to Positano is downhill, rather than up. You’ll get the same stunning views, but without the leg burn (thank me later). Unfortunately, we hiked on a day with extremely heavy fog and clouds in the mountains, which hindered our views most of the way.
One afternoon we visited Furore di Forde. Beneath a stone bridge the water has found its way between a bend in the cliffs, creating a hidden beach in the gorge. We parked on the side of the road near the bridge and took the steps down to the water. It’s worth the steps down to the beach to see the view of the bridge from the beach below. There is so much beauty in this area, but some of my favorite moments on this trip were just picking up a variety of fresh cheeses, fruits, and veggies from the local vendor and snacking al fresco at our villa with a glass of homemade sangria.
Looking for a recommendations on where to eat in Positano? Check out my Positano Dining Guide.