Positano

Positano is about 17 km south-east of Sorrento on the Amalfi Coast, in the Campania region of Italy. The trip takes about 40 minutes by ferry or 35-60 minutes by SITA Sud bus. The ferry leaves from Marina Piccola in Sorrento, with operators including NLG, Alilauro, Alicost and Lucibello, at about EUR 18-23 one way from April to October and sailings listed from about 09:00 to 19:40. The bus leaves from Piazza De Curtis for about EUR 2.40 and runs along the coast road, where the right-hand side gives the best sea views, though summer buses are often standing room only. A good plan is to take the ferry out and the bus back, or the reverse, to see the coast from both sides. The ferry lands at Spiaggia Grande, while the bus stops on the coast road above the village, so the walk down passes through the stepped lanes. Positano is a village of pastel houses stacked down a cliff to a pebble beach. The morning can be spent on the stairs from the church of Santa Maria Assunta, with its majolica dome, down to the beach, browsing the boutiques and ceramics shops along the lanes, and walking toward Piazza dei Mulini. Lunch is typically seafood or pasta at a restaurant near the beach, with prices higher on the waterfront than higher up. The afternoon suits a sunbed at a lido, priced by each lido, or a short walk along the coast. Hikers can consider the Path of the Gods route, which ends at Nocelle above Positano, as a separate, longer day. The best months are May-June and early September to October, and ferries stop in winter. The total cost is roughly EUR 36-46 for a ferry return or about EUR 5 for the bus return, plus meals and the beach. Checking the last ferry and bus times before the afternoon prevents being stranded, since evening services are limited.