As our tour bus headed toward the Amalfi Coast from Rome, I had no idea what beauty I was about to discover. I had heard that this popular coastline was one not to miss, but personally it had never been on my radar. I just happened to find a tour online that conveniently picked us up in Rome, made a stop for us to see Pompeii, then headed off to the Amalfi Coast, so I thought it definitely couldn’t hurt to add one more Italian city to our trip. So as our bus found its way through the windy roads leading to the small coastal town of Positano, I had zero expectations. My husband was sleeping next to me, trying to catch up from our busy itinerary. I didn’t blame him. But as we turned around one of the mountains and the beauty of the Amalfi Coast showed itself all at once to us, I couldn’t help but shake him awake. “LOOK AT THAT” I whispered, in awe of the serenity of it all. The stunning landscape provides miles of villas protruding from the sloped hillsides, running down to the beautiful blue water spotted with boats. Every corner gave us a glimpse of something new. It’s no wonder people come here on vacation!
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Positano is a small village on the Amalfi Coast that used to be a stop along the way West for Greeks and Phonenicians. It later became just a fishing village, but then gained popularity around the 1950s when John Steinbeck wrote about it. Ever since then it has grown in popularity as a vacation destination and rightfully so!
Our tour bus slowly made it around these impossibly small roads, sometimes just inches away from the barrier to the side. Cars took turns making their way down the narrow streets in town. We finally made it to the small town of Positano and began exploring. We were dropped off at the top and followed a path lined with boutiques that led down to the beach. Positano fashion reflects the Mediterranean resort vibe that oozes from the town, and light breezy outfits hang from every corner waiting to be purchased. The local style includes light fabrics such as linen and lace, embroideries, and of course vivid colors, especially blues. Make sure to stop into a studio where a craftsman can make you tailor-made sandals to match your outfit!
As we made our way down, we stopped at the Church of Santa Maria Assunta. The church is an important part of Positano’s history, as it was founded in the 10th century and was rededicated to the Virgin Mary in the 12th century. Legend has it that when a ship was stuck in a storm just off the coast, a painting of the Virgin Mary cried out “Posa, posa” (lay me down) and guided the ship to safety in Positano. This seemingly miraculous event thus led to the adoption of Positano as the town’s name. The church today is beautiful, with gold and white interior, and a colorful blue, yellow, and green tiled dome that can be seen from all over the town. It stands out on its own as an icon of Positano’s unique history, and can be seen in many art pieces of Positano.
Church of Santa Maria Assunta’s Dome On The Left Can Be Seen All Over Positano
Finally, we made it down to the sand and walked right up to the water. It was an overcast day, but nobody seemed to mind. There were plenty of people strolling by, couples’ hand in hand, kids running playfully around the lounge chairs on the beach, and photographers aiming to get just the right angle to capture the entire slope of buildings. I looked out onto the water, admittedly with some jealousy, of the boats nearby. I turned around to see their perspective. How stunning it must’ve looked from out there… I made a mental note in that moment to plan another trip here by sailboat.
As we noticed our hunger growing, my husband and I scoped out a restaurant close by that overlooked the water – Ristorante La Pergola. The restaurant had a really great ambiance which was sort of a beachy, casual vibe. It made you feel like you were in a resort town, on vacation just like the rest of the people eating there. We were able to get a table in the corner of the restaurant, with a view of the beach. They have a vast selection of seafood dishes there which looked really fresh and delicious, but if you know my husband and I we always stick to what we know best (guilty of being picky eaters!), so we ordered pizzas! We also ordered a pair of drinks and toasted to our amazing trip that we’d had so far.
As we tried to remember the way back up to the bus, we got a first-hand taste of how the maze of pathways were used as a defense system to pirate raids. Luckily for us, our tour guide had given up a heads up with a few landmarks to remember for our trek back. If you visit on your own, I suggest you make a mental note of your own as you walk down to the beach.
In many shops you will also probably find a corner dedicated to Limoncello tasting. This delightful adult beverage is a popular after-dinner drink for Italians. We decided to stop into one and see what the hype was all about. Although it has a high alcohol content, the drink is sweet, getting its unique flavor from only the highest quality lemons grown locally – Sorrento Lemons. It smacked our taste buds but gave a sweet, refreshed sensation with it. It was unlike any liquor I’d had before, and if we hadn’t backpacked, I would’ve purchased a few bottles to bring home with us.
Finally, we made it back up to the bus at the top of the walkway. We sat on a nearby ledge and looked over it at the quaint little town we had just wandered through. What a nice stop this had been, and to think that I almost didn’t make it part of our Italian itinerary. As we hopped back on the bus and it maneuvered its way once more around the windy roads, I looked back one last time at the breathtaking scenery. The little fisherman’s town of Positano will always have a special place in my heart.
