When people hear ‘The Amalfi Coast’, they automatically think to visit Amalfi. Although Amalfi is the central location and gives the coast its name due to an ancient marine republic which participated in the crusade, today it is just a small morsel of it. Amalfi is a little picturesque town located on this famous coast and makes a darling day-trip or even just an afternoon visit. The Byzantine Cupola is quite a sight. On cooler days, we have explored one of its beautiful walking trails. The peak hot spots on the Amalfi Coast and vicinity are Sorrento, Positano, the Island of Ischia and Capri, the gem of them all.
Positano is like no other city I have ever seen. You arrive from above, which is when it dawns on you that it is literally all downhill from there. If you forgo the E25 parking lot and find a free street-parking spot right away, like we did, you must consider the fact that you will have to walk down over a dozen flights of steps in order to get to the centre of it all; of course, you will have to also walk them back up to return to your car. Taxis will charge you the same E25 so it is a catch 22; unless you take the bus, but in Italy, no one ever knows when those will come. I now pack a pair of flip-flops in my bag whenever we visit Positano since no matter where you park, steps are guaranteed. No one warned me about the never-ending steps on my first trip there. I had been in five inch heels, but the outstanding view kept my mind occupied.
Although the walk down the steps may be hard on your knees, it is beyond charming. When I reached the centre, I turned around, looked up and beheld this marvellous city. Positano has one of the few sandy beaches on the entire Amalfi Coast, as most are made up of pebbles and stones. While sandy beaches are great for long walks, they have little to offer for underwater sight-seeing.The best snorkeling is found off of rocky cliffs and beaches so we have always opted for other shores.
Positano feels like the Italy you have seen in the movies. The one you envisioned in your dreams after watching a romantic comedy set in Italy where the pretty American girl chases her exotic Italian lover to his hometown and finds out he has a girlfriend. The town of ceramic lemons and sheer loose dresses that only old English ladies in floppy hats would ever wear. Little boutiques dot its roads and wonderful restaurants are peppered amongst its hills offering superb views as a side dish. My boyfriend has a strange sixth sense when it comes to finding a good restaurant but we somehow always end up next to screaming kids. I can still remember that one Valentine’s Day at a chic Japanese restaurant in Rome. There were three cranky kids under the age of five right next to us. The scenario was repeated in a lovely hotel restaurant overlooking Positano’s shore, three tables of crying children surrounded us. But, that is just our luck. We have no idea how to escape it.
Positano at night fills with party-goers and fun-seekers. The main piazza is where they all meet to get an aperitivo or a gelato before heading to the most beautiful club on the coast. ‘Music on the Rocks’ is set inside of a grotto. It has several levels for different tastes and ages. The main floor features the bottle-service prive area, main dance floor and bar. Stroll up the stairs and join a more mature crowd at the piano bar/restaurant as they sing along to Italy’s biggest hits of all time. The terrace lies in its midst and is the ideal spot for star gazing; the celestial kind, that is.
Whether it be for a day-trip, a weekend or an extended vacation, Positano has much to offer. We tend to visit Positano when we go dancing or on cloudy days, when we are more in the mood to stroll through a lovely town than swim in the sea. It is very romantic and perhaps it was the catalyst that sparked our love.
There are just so many ways to enjoy yourself here, which is why we always return for more.
Glenys' Rome & Beyond 
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