Nightlife

During the sweet summer nights, Positano's bars are packed with locals and visitors having aperitivo and indulging in people-watching. If you are in the mood for luxury, have drinks on the delightful terrace at the hotel Le Sirenuse; for less-formal entertainment, a perfect spot is L'lncanto, Via Marina 4 (tel. 089-811177), not far from the sea at Spiaggia Grande, and so is popular Chez Black, Via del Brigantino 19 (tel. 089-875036) nearby. On the beach of Spiaggia Grande is the historic La Buca di Bacco, Via del Brigantino 35 (tel. 089-811461; www.bucapositano.it), which started as a tavern and a nightclub that was the meeting place for the local dolce vita back when Positano was an exclusive resort for VIPs; it is poised for a new era of glory. The bar in front is a perfect place for a coffee or a granita, while the tavern below has evolved into a pleasant late-night wine bar-cum-art gallery and Internet cafe. At Conwinum, Via Rampa Teglia 12 (tel. 089-811461), a trendy local crowd comes to listen to live jazz on summer weekends and to sip at the good vintages.

Another hot spot is Caffe Positano, Viale Pasitea 182 (tel. 089-875082), a bar with live music on the terrace over the marina (they also make excellent coffee). Popular among locals, Internazionale, Via Marconi 306, by Chiesa Nuova (tel. 089-875434), has a good wine selection and yummy pastries. If you have a sweet tooth, you will definitely like La Zagara, Via dei Mulini 8 (tel. 089-875964; www.lazagara.com), where locals come after dinner to enjoy excellent homemade ice cream and granite in various flavors -- try the melon -- in a marvelous garden of citrus trees. Its famous pastry shop serves torta positanese (a local cake made with almonds), delizie al limone (lemon cream puffs), and Bavarese (a pastry filled with wild strawberries and whipped cream).

Music on the Rocks, Via Grotto dell'Incanto 51 (tel. 089-875874; www.musicontherocks.it), is a two-level dance club including Le Terrazze, with food and a piano bar; the disco below, inside a grotto by the beach, has the same owners as Chez Black. The club is open Friday and Saturday nights in May and September, and daily June through August (closed Oct-Apr).