Things To Do in Positano
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Positano Attractions
Hugging a semi-vertical rock formation, Positano is the very essence of picturesque. In mid summer, appreciative admirers can seem like an invading horde that might have attacked the little seaside kingdom back when it was part of the powerful Republic of the Amalfis (9th–11th c.) and rival to Venice as a sea power. You might take solace in the still-true words of American novelist John Steinbeck, who was much taken with Positano during a visit in 1953, “It is a dream place that isn't quite real when you are there and becomes beckoningly real after you have gone. . . . The small curving bay of unbelievably blue and green water laps gently on a beach of small pebbles. There is only one narrow street and it does not come down to the water. Everything else is stairs, some of them as steep as ladders.”
The tourist office (www.aziendaturismopositano.it; (tel) 089-875067) is at Via del Saracino 4. It is open Monday to Saturday 8:30am to 2pm, with additional hours (3:30–8pm) in July and August.
Positano Shopping
Positano was once known for its cutting edge fashion. Those days are long gone and most of what you see in the boutiques these days is decidedly passé, but you can still find attractive summer clothes (linen is a specialty), good beachwear, and gorgeous handmade sandals. The main shopping drag is Via dei Mulini, but you'll find all kinds of small shops and boutiques along the town's steep streets, many of them offering what was once known around the world as "Positano Fashion." You will also find elegant boutiques along Via Pasitea. In the 1960s, the town was home to a number of small tailoring boutiques where garments were made to order. A leftover from those heady days is Sartoria Maria Lampo, Viale Pasitea 12 (tel. 089-875021; www.marialampo.it), one of the remaining original boutiques that's maintained its reputation. Other favorites are Pepito's, Viale Pasitea 15 (tel. 089-875446; www.pepitos-fashion.com); Nadir, Viale Pasitea 44 (tel. 089-875975); La Bottega di Brunella, Viale Pasitea 76 (tel. 089-875228); and La Tartana, Via della Tartana (tel. 089-875645).
The town is also famous for its handmade sandals. Some of the artisan shops will make them for you while you wait. Try D'Antonio, Via Trara Genoino 13 (tel. 089-811824); Dattilo, Via Rampa Teglia 19 (tel. 089-811440); or Safari, Via della Taratana 2 (tel. 089-811440; www.safaripositano.com).
Positano has a number of high-quality antiques shops, such as Cose Antiche, Via Cristoforo Colombo 21 (tel. 089-811811; www.coseantichepositano.it), and Le Myricae, Via Cristoforo Colombo 27, with its splendid collection of Art Deco jewelry.
Positano Nightlife
During the sweet summer nights, Positano's bars are packed with locals and visitors drinking aperitivi 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. Historic La Buca di Bacco, Via del Brigantino 35 (tel. 089-811461; www.bucapositano.it), is right on the beach. It started life as a tavern and nightclub that was the meeting place for the local dolce vita back when Positano was an exclusive resort for VIPs; it is still one of the buzziest nightspots in town today. 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. 089-811687), a trendy local crowd comes to listen to live jazz on summer weekends and to sip some excellent wines.
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, L'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).
