Positano between Coast, Culture and Hiking Trails
Accommodation in Positano
Positano is one of the secondary coastal areas within the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Amalfi Coast. Here, your trip combines the sea, historic buildings, local crafts, festival traditions and a moderately difficult hiking trail. Depending on your interests, you can shape your stay around coastal experiences, culture or active exploration.
Beaches, Panoramas and Seaside Trails
Spiaggia Grande offers a 360-degree panoramic view of Positano. The pier there is served by ferries from Salerno, Naples, Sorrento, Capri, Ischia and Amalfi. Spiaggia di Fornillo has free-access beach sections and can be reached from Positano on foot from the Lungomare in about ten minutes.
Spiaggia di Arienzo lies between two high cliffs covered with Mediterranean maquis, palms and flowers. It is known as the “Beach of the 300 Steps” and is connected to the main road by an impressive staircase. From Positano, you can reach it by SITA buses or by sea. For hiking enthusiasts, the Sentiero degli Dei is another option: the moderately difficult trail is marked with international white-and-red trail markers and leads to the district of Nocelle.
Architecture and Traces of History
The Roman villa beneath Positano was built between the 1st century BC and the 1st century AD. Its complex consisted of terraces that descended towards the sea. The monumental Santa Maria Assunta complex is located at the end of the pedestrian street Via dei Mulini in Positano’s historic centre. The Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta has a majolica dome.
A Byzantine Madonna icon is associated with the church and is still venerated in Positano today. The claim that the Benedictine monastery was built on the occasion of the icon’s arrival is part of an undocumented tradition. The visitor route of MAR Positano gives the public access to the medieval hypogeum and a view of a section of the ancient Roman house beneath it. Tickets for guided tours of the Villa Marittima Romana di Positano can be purchased online or at the MAR ticket office.
Crafts, Festivals and Local Character
Positano has a long tradition of ceramic production; its pastel colours are regarded as an identity-defining element of the area. Positano’s leather sandals are also made to measure in characteristic local workshops. The Sagra della Zeppola is a tradition held annually during the Christmas holidays in Positano and has existed since 1980.
Every year on 2 July, Montepertuso hosts a festival in honour of Madonna delle Grazie, the patron saint of the district, featuring a religious service as well as a fireworks and light spectacle in the hole in the rock. “Positano Premia la Danza – Leonide Massine” is a recurring event with a history spanning fifty years.
Choose Accommodation to Suit Your Interests
When choosing your accommodation, you can orient yourself towards Positano’s different aspects: beaches and sea views, historic buildings and the MAR visitor route, local crafts or a hike along the Sentiero degli Dei. These destinations and trails therefore provide concrete themes for your personal travel planning, without limiting your stay to just one activity.
Discover More Destinations
Salerno, Laviano, Ostigliano, Oliveto Citra, San Marco Di Castellabate, Arienzo, Arenabianca, Rodio
To the higher-level travel overview: Salerno.
