Vacation in Positano, Italy: Hotels, Restaurants and Tours in Positano, Italy

Located on the Amalfi coastline of the Lattari Mountains, Positano is largely pedestrian area in Campania, Italy, and home to adventure excursions, hotels, vacation villas and savory Mediterranean restaurants. Positano offers breathtaking Mediterranean views, bright floral gardens and artisan shops full of clothing and hand-made leather sandals. According to positano.com, visitors can reach Positano from Naples, Sorrento or Salerno by plane, bus, rental car, helicopter or boat, depending on the season.

History

According to positano.com, Positano derives its name from two alleged origins. The first draws the name from Paestum, whose residents fled pirate invasions and sought refuge on Positano's coast. The second loosely extracts Positano's origin from a voice sailors purportedly heard during a storm at sea, chanting, "Posa, Posa" while transporting a portrait of Jesus' mother, Mary. Upon landing in Positano, the voice and the storm subsided. Positano has seen raids and sea invasions since 915 A.D. and lapsed into obscurity until Americans and Europeans rediscovered it in the early twentieth century.

Lodging

Positano contains hotels, villas and other private rental properties ideal for a European excursion. Many hotels, such as the Hotel Posa Posa, are perched atop mountain cliffs along the coastline and provide expansive panoramic views of the Mediterranean Sea. Others, such as the Hotel Miramare Positano, offer both rooms and apartments with views of terrace gardens and the bustling town of Positano. Summer in Italy hosts self-catering accommodations for over 70 villas and apartments that range in price, size and locale. Some accommodations come with private swimming pools.

Dining

Italian cuisine enthusiasts will find Positano brimming with authentic Mediterranean restaurants. Guests can enjoy views of Positano while dining on delectable seafood and pasta gourmet dishes as well as peasant specialties and appetizers. Many restaurants feature signature red and white wines as well as two-course meals, known as "firsts" and "seconds." Desserts often include signature cakes, ice cream, sorbet, gelato and seasonal fruit.

Attractions

Water sports are a hit in Positano. Visitors suntan on the Amalfi coast, take boating trips, dive or snorkel in the Mediterranean and windsurf. Positano is also known for its rich art culture and provides guests with musical entertainment and handmade souvenirs. According to frommers.com, Positano artisans developed a colorful style known as "Positano Fashion" and sell swimsuits and summer clothing crafted with this inspiration. Handmade leather sandals are also ever-popular in Positano. According to frommers.com, some shops will make custom sandals for guests while they wait.

Tours

Sight-seeing in Positano wouldn't be complete without taking a day excursion to neighboring villages in Italy. According to positano.com, visitors can board boats to historic Naples, archaeological remains and tourist shops in Sorrento and the tropical environment of Capri and Ischia. More adventurous tourists can opt for a journey through the Lattari mountain range situated behind the Amalfi coastline, which features several walking routes along scenic. mountain pathways.

Sources:

positano.com
frommers.com