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Oh Positano! Positano truly has a special place in my heart. This magical Amalfi coast town is where I fell in love with film photography. I had just bought my film camera, barely knew how to work the thing and took hundreds of photos without knowing if they would turn out or not. When I returned home and received my film scans back, I was forever changed. Film officially won me over and I have never looked back!

Yes Positano is “touristy” but for good reasons people! The views, the food, the dessert, the architecture, the colors – the overall vibe is straight out of a fairy tale. That’s the best way I can explain it. Every time I arrive it’s magic all over again. That’s how “special” it is.

Okay lets get down to business shall we!

Where to eat:

YAY my favorite topic! FOOD. Let me tell you, you will not have ANY problems finding incredible food in Positano. There are SO many delicious places to eat. This is a list of my personal favorites (which I will continue to add too as I find new spots with each new visit).

Casa e Bottega – an absolute must in Positano! Perfect for a light breakfast or lunch, Casa e Bottega is one of my favorites for a few reasons. The first being it’s one of the only places where you can get a “healthy” meal. The second being the vibe and character. The shop is filled with beautiful esthetics and even has a small store (I purchased a beautiful ceramic mug that’s still one of my favorites!) My favorite dishes: pizza frittata, pancakes, acai bowl and any of their fresh smoothies.

Le Tre Sorelle – located down at the beach, its one of my favorite spots to grab lunch! Everything is delicious and fresh – and the people watching is great! Every time I have eaten here the waiters are so fun too! My favorite dishes: lasagna (it’s insane), roasted artichoke, rigatoni and the charcuterie plate (perfect for sharing).

La Cambusa – perfect if you’re craving fresh seafood! Plus it’s located on the main beach! I loved the whole fish and

Da Vicenzo – you can’t go wrong here! Everything is fresh and delicious. My favorite dishes: ricotta stuffed zucchini blossoms, gnocchi and the tagliatelle with fresh shrimp.

Da Adalfo – if you’re feeling adventurous this restaurant is highly rated for a fresh seafood lunch – you have to schedule a reservation a head of time and take a boat to the restaurant. We tried to go last time but unfortunately it was still closed for the season BUT next time I am for sure going!

Restaurant Max – I haven’t personally eaten here but it’s been recommended to me by friends and family!

Next2 – I have to be honest, when we first booked this restaurant I didn’t have super high expectations (even with it having a Michelin Star) but wow was I happily surprised! Also, the overall vibe and interiors are modern, white and refreshing! 

La Sponda – located at the incredible Le Sirenuse – another Michelin star restaurant. Wow this restaurant is special. All it takes is a quick google search to see what I mean. & if you can, book your reservation for the evening because they light what seems like a million candles and the ambiance is magical. I was with my family but I can only imagine how special it would be with your significant other 😉 Since we did the tasting menu I can’t recommend exact  favorite dishes but all I can say is EVERYTHING I put into my mouth was incredible. Trust me on this! 

Pizza:

Now let’s talk pizza. Obviously there are a tonnnn of places to get pizza in Positano. I’m partial to wood fired pizza so when searching for pizza this is what I let lead my decisions! My favorites:

Saraceno d’Oro – my personal favorite pizza in Positano! I love the classic margherita accompanied by the prosciutto and melon. A meal I dream of often. It’s so simple yet sooooo mouthwatering amazing.

Chez Black – their pizza is delicious and even comes in a heart shape (everything tastes better in a heart shape)! Also, their spaghetti alle vongole is incredible!

Covo dei Saraceni – ugh, another spot I dream of. Their pizza is absolute perfection and their lemon sorbet is out of this world.

Gelato/desserts – often people ask me where my favorite gelato & dessert shops are, truly I don’t have a “favorite” I think they’re all equally amazing and unique in their own ways. I love to try new spots each time I am there – My sweet tooth cannot be stopped! A few spots I love are:

Collina Bakery – all the goodies your heart desires. Pastries, savory and sweet and of course gelato. They even have take away coffee which is perfect for those early mornings!

La gelateria della buca di bacco – pistachio gelato will always be my fav flavor 😉

& you MUST try a Ddelizia limone (lemon cake) at some point – life changing!

TIP: I LOVE going to a “grocery” store and picking up a fresh sandwich (motz + prosciutto is my fav), or all the fixings for a homemade charcuterie board with local meats, cheeses, fruits and veggies (& of course a bottle of wine). This is not only a great budget tip but it’s also super fun and a great way to try new things! Latteria is one of my favorite convenience stores in town.

Where to drink:

I can not recommend posting up at one of these locations, ordering a drink and taking in the magical Positano sunset. Plus one of my favorite parts, each location provides you with olives, marcona almonds and crackers with your drink order. SO YUM. The olives….don’t even get me started on the olives. I could eat my weight in olives. They seriously taste 100000% better in Italy – maybe it’s in my head but who cares they’re insane!

Franco’s –

This ultra posh bar is a must! It’s definitely an upscale spot which is fun if you like to dress up and take photos. I am still dreaming of their dirty martini and olives.

Tips: Get here before they open to secure a seat at … so you have an un-obstructive sunset view – and so you can take all the photos you want 😉 & if you are looking for an Instagrammable location, walk up the street a bit and you will see a staircase that goes down, this is a perfect spot for a photo op!

Hotel Poseidon –

They have a rooftop bar with another amazing view! We love getting an aperol spritz here and watching the sunset. It’s a more relaxed vibe, which I love. PLUS if it’s chilly (which the evenings can get when it’s early/late in the season) they have blankets to keep you warm!

Where to stay:

I have stayed at a few different incredible hotels – which I will note below – and I have also recommended a couple options that have been recommended to me by family and friends! Fair warning friends, when it comes to Positano, lodging is not cheap. You pay for those views 😉

La Bougainville – great location and a reasonable price for the area!

Hotel Poseidon – another great location with views for days!

Hotel Punta Regina – this is where we stayed most recently and booked the double room with sea view in a separate building with THE most incredible views. We had a huge patio setup which was perfect for creating our own little charcuterie boards and watching sunset.

Villa Franca – I stayed here a couple years ago (they definitely upped their room rates since) and it was a wonderful, beautiful hotel. It is located quite high up so be prepared for a lot of walking/walking uphill but the views are SO worth it! Oh and the breakfast buffet is out of this world. I still dream about their fruit tart – yes, fruit tart for breakfast, when in Positano right?!

Le Sirenuse – the famous luxury hotel of Positano. Chances are you have seen a photo of this hotel before, and for good reasons, it is STUNNING. & the views are drool worthy. If staying here is out of your budget – they have a terrace you can take photos on (just go through the main lobby.) Plus they have amazing bars and restaurants.

Must do’s:

Rent a boat – it may seem like a cliche but if you want that magical, quintessential photo of Positano you’ll want to rent a boat. It’s super easy and not too expensive (especially if you split the fee with a family member or friend!) Just walk down to the beach and you will spot the booth where you can reserve and pay for however long you’d like (an hour should be plenty!). They’ll take you out and you can grab as many photos as your heart desires! 

Sunrise on the beach – I know it can be hard to wake up early (especially when on vacation) but trust me it is 10000% worth it in Positano. You will likely have the entire beach to yourself and it’s pure magic.

Cooking class – I personally haven’t done one in Positano yet but it’s at the top of my list for my next visit! There’s so many options for cooking classes – when traveling I like to book ours through Trip Advisor for security.

Shop – there are so many fun shops throughout the town. From lemoncello (a must!), ceramics, linen (my weakness), and all the souvenir shops. There is something for everyone!

Beach it up – a must in Positano! You can rent a chair on the beach and enjoy the ocean views and of course all the people watching. If it’s busy season, make sure to arrive early so you make sure you get a spot!

Best time to visit:

Believe it or not, I have only visited Positano in May! This is the very beginning of their season and the weather is my favorite. Not too hot, not too cold. You do risk the weather being a little iffy but out of all the times I have been the weather has been amazing and if there is rain, it’s light and burns off at some point. With all the steps and stairs you will be climbing, the temperature in May is ideal in my opinion! Summer months are the most popular, so you will of course have more crowds and a higher temperature – but don’t let this deter you – just be prepared! Also, I have heard the end of the season, September/October is incredible as well. Overall I don’t think there is a “bad” time to go – just pro’s and con’s as all amazing destinations! 🙂

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