A month in Positano - where to stay??
Jan 9th, 2015, 11:49 AM
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A month in Positano - where to stay??
Putting the details together for a trip to Positano May 2015. I already have a week booked with friends in a private villa but want to add 3 weeks to explore on my own. This will be my first trip to Italy and I love the idea of having a home base and traveling from there, as well as really getting a feel for one particular area. Future trips will take me inland to other magnificent areas of Italy but for this one I want to focus on the Amalfi Coast - with the possible exception of a getaway to Cinque Terre.
Would love recommendations for where to stay in Positano. I am super active, love to meet others when traveling, and also really appreciate nice accommodations. Plan to do a considerable amount of hiking, cooking classes, exploring other coastal towns nearby. Thinking a centrally located apartment (with an amazing view) might fit the bill, especially if there is possibly a central dining/breakfast/lounging area. Any tips for apartments, hotels, B&B's for a 2-3 week stay?
Would love recommendations for where to stay in Positano. I am super active, love to meet others when traveling, and also really appreciate nice accommodations. Plan to do a considerable amount of hiking, cooking classes, exploring other coastal towns nearby. Thinking a centrally located apartment (with an amazing view) might fit the bill, especially if there is possibly a central dining/breakfast/lounging area. Any tips for apartments, hotels, B&B's for a 2-3 week stay?
Jan 9th, 2015, 05:34 PM
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See www.summerinitaly.com for tons of rentals---and they have a free call line as well. Good people.
Jan 9th, 2015, 08:11 PM
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If what you meant by a "getaway" to le Cinque Terre is that you want to leave Positano for a few days so you can travel to le Cinque Terre and then return to Positano, that isn't really easy to do at all. It will take you between 10 to 12 hours just to go in one direction, even if you fly, with multiple changes of transport.
Also, while an extended idyll in Positano is a great way to finish a book (I mean writing one, not just reading one) or shop until your drop, for someone who self-identifies as "super active", you might find you quickly run out of things to do, especially if during the week you spend with friends you visit Ravello, Capri and Amalfi town. Most of the villages in the area are extremely similar in what they offer to "explore". They are commercialized tourist towns through and through. Getting further afield from Positano will be quite difficult and time consuming.
If you want an apartment that is a beautiful perch for gazing at a beautiful view, and can entertain yourself or enjoy the same few hikes every day, it would be a fabulous luxury to have so much time there to reflect and be peaceful. (Although some might even prefer a town less touristy 24/7 than Positano, perhaps one of the islands, or a village above Ravello.)
But if you are super active, and enjoy exploring, and want to get to know something of Italy through the prism of just one location, you might want to consider a location with less mass tourism and where you aren't stuck waiting in line for a bus so often.
Also, while an extended idyll in Positano is a great way to finish a book (I mean writing one, not just reading one) or shop until your drop, for someone who self-identifies as "super active", you might find you quickly run out of things to do, especially if during the week you spend with friends you visit Ravello, Capri and Amalfi town. Most of the villages in the area are extremely similar in what they offer to "explore". They are commercialized tourist towns through and through. Getting further afield from Positano will be quite difficult and time consuming.
If you want an apartment that is a beautiful perch for gazing at a beautiful view, and can entertain yourself or enjoy the same few hikes every day, it would be a fabulous luxury to have so much time there to reflect and be peaceful. (Although some might even prefer a town less touristy 24/7 than Positano, perhaps one of the islands, or a village above Ravello.)
But if you are super active, and enjoy exploring, and want to get to know something of Italy through the prism of just one location, you might want to consider a location with less mass tourism and where you aren't stuck waiting in line for a bus so often.
Jan 10th, 2015, 04:06 AM
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It really depends on what you are looking for. Much of the Amalfi coast and the islands that are steps away from the tourist mobs are places where you can go hiking and relax, but there are not places where you can easily do a lot of sightseeing because they are remote and public transportation is thin. If you would like a scenic "retreat" experience with access to good hikes, I would suggest going to Capri but staying in a more secluded part of the island. On the coast itself, maybe someplace closer to Maiori or down by the Cilento.
Another possibility is to book an apartment or stay in an agriturismo in the hills above Sorrento, where there is good hiking and beautiful views and you are not right in the middle of the tourist scene, but a taxi ride will get you to the train station or the docks so you can go exploring in the Pompei area, plus Naples and the islands.
Places with loads of interest and good transportation connections are not a scenic, so that would be a big trade-off. But Naples is fabulous if you can abide a hectic city and Salerno can make an interesting base for excursions but also as a place in itself -- especially if you are a cook. Check out the agriturismo Seliano near Salerno and see if maybe a week of cooking classes would work for you as part of a mix of places you could stay for 3 weeks rather than just one.
http://www.agriturismoseliano.it/index.php?id_lingua=3
If in the end what you really want is Positano, then getting an apartment high up in the hills will help cut down on being surrounded by tourists every minute and you'll more likely find locals hanging out up there.
You might try asking your questions on Slow Travel. I believe some people there have spent weeks at a time along that part of the Mediterranean and you could hear first hand how they filled their time.
Another possibility is to book an apartment or stay in an agriturismo in the hills above Sorrento, where there is good hiking and beautiful views and you are not right in the middle of the tourist scene, but a taxi ride will get you to the train station or the docks so you can go exploring in the Pompei area, plus Naples and the islands.
Places with loads of interest and good transportation connections are not a scenic, so that would be a big trade-off. But Naples is fabulous if you can abide a hectic city and Salerno can make an interesting base for excursions but also as a place in itself -- especially if you are a cook. Check out the agriturismo Seliano near Salerno and see if maybe a week of cooking classes would work for you as part of a mix of places you could stay for 3 weeks rather than just one.
http://www.agriturismoseliano.it/index.php?id_lingua=3
If in the end what you really want is Positano, then getting an apartment high up in the hills will help cut down on being surrounded by tourists every minute and you'll more likely find locals hanging out up there.
You might try asking your questions on Slow Travel. I believe some people there have spent weeks at a time along that part of the Mediterranean and you could hear first hand how they filled their time.
Jan 10th, 2015, 06:45 AM
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May is gorgeous but you will definitely have movement issues. You will watch full bus after full bus go by - and they aren't every 15 minutes, either. Why not a week in a few places:
Week in Capri
Week in Positano
Week in ???
If you get the very first bus of the morning, you should be better off when leaving Positano. But that is quite early.
Week in Capri
Week in Positano
Week in ???
If you get the very first bus of the morning, you should be better off when leaving Positano. But that is quite early.
Jan 10th, 2015, 07:06 AM
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I highly recommend La Fenice. great views, Great hosts, and for a little extra they will serve you a lunch under the Bougainvillea, overlooking the Med that you will never forget.
http://www.lafenicepositano.com/
http://www.lafenicepositano.com/
Jan 10th, 2015, 07:06 AM
#9
i have to say that had I the luxury of a month in Italy, spending the whole time in Positano does not spring to mind. Like Sandralist, I think that after the week there with your friends, you'll have had enough of the place.
I might think of a week in or near Salerno as SL suggests, then a week in Naples, and perhaps a week in Rome to finish the trip, or a week on Capri/Ischia to do some walking.
Another idea, given the time you've got, is to do a language course - 3 weeks of morning lessons and afternoon excursions would do wonders for your italian.
I might think of a week in or near Salerno as SL suggests, then a week in Naples, and perhaps a week in Rome to finish the trip, or a week on Capri/Ischia to do some walking.
Another idea, given the time you've got, is to do a language course - 3 weeks of morning lessons and afternoon excursions would do wonders for your italian.
Jan 10th, 2015, 07:15 AM
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@sandralist thank you so much for such detailed info! My first time using this forum and I so appreciate your time in responding. Will check out Slow Travel and the other areas you suggested. Is there a name for the area of Positano you are referring to in the hills?
@flygirl your TR has been so helpful - I remember your discussion about trying to get the SITA bus to Ravello - sounds like one can easily kill half a day waiting around. I also noted that you said you could easily have spent a week in Capri. I could be happy hiking every day so that is sounding more and more inviting.
Thanks again to both of you for the suggestions!
@flygirl your TR has been so helpful - I remember your discussion about trying to get the SITA bus to Ravello - sounds like one can easily kill half a day waiting around. I also noted that you said you could easily have spent a week in Capri. I could be happy hiking every day so that is sounding more and more inviting.
Thanks again to both of you for the suggestions!
Jan 10th, 2015, 09:21 AM
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I don't think there is a specific name for that "neighborhood" at the uppermost part of Positano but I could be wrong. Positano is still a fairly small village that slopes steeply downward on a cliff to the sea. Just generally speaking, most tourists visiting Positano are not going to feel like climbing up the hundreds of stairs to get all the way to the top, especially if they come in by boat. So the higher you go in Positano, the more chance you have of finding a bit of an oasis from the daytime crush in the heart of the village, which is crammed with tourist shops, and at the seaside. And you might find more locals just hanging out at a little cafe with plastic chairs and no view and cheap prices.
Even further up the hill is a tiny perch with some places to eat called Montepertuso. But if you want to get around to other towns or the islands, that might be too remote. In Positano there is a shuttle bus that goes up to the top of the hill as well as to the docks, so if you get an apartment up there and learn to use the shuttle you can move around easily if you don't feel like hill and stair climbing that day.
Even further up the hill is a tiny perch with some places to eat called Montepertuso. But if you want to get around to other towns or the islands, that might be too remote. In Positano there is a shuttle bus that goes up to the top of the hill as well as to the docks, so if you get an apartment up there and learn to use the shuttle you can move around easily if you don't feel like hill and stair climbing that day.
Jan 10th, 2015, 10:07 AM
#12
I've often thought I could spend a month in Naples and environs, visiting the Greek and Roman ruins in the area, but I have a high interest in (and tolerance for) ruins. However, I wouldn't recommend a long stay in Naples if you don't know what you're getting into. The problem with Positano is that it is quite isolated. As noted above, there are some good hikes in the area, and you can catch ferries to Capri and Amalfi, but in truth, I think you will have seen quite enough of it after your week in the villa.
Jan 10th, 2015, 11:14 AM
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@okminty La Fenice looks amazing!! Incredible views. On map it looks like it is far from walkable to the town center? Web-site says it opens in June so may not fit my May schedule. Thanks for the tip - really a gift to find out about places others have been to and liked!
@annhig - I'm with you on Capri/Ischia! Any particular hotels you've stayed at and loved in either location? And yes so true on taking the opportunity to study Italian while I'm there. Can combine it with some of my Spanish. Did something similar to this trip 20 years ago - took off for a 6 wk trip to Mexico - ended up living there for 16 years.
I'm hearing you on staying a little off the beaten path in Positano @sandralist - and I found from my years in Mexico that the real jewels in restaurant offerings were indeed the dirt floor plastic chair spots! Definitely interested in visiting Montepertuso. Thanks again for all your tips!
Thank you @Fra_Diavolo. On this trip at least I do not have a high interest in visiting the ruins. I think this is the first of many trips ahead to Italy so that is why I am focusing more on the coastal areas in the south. Capri is sounding more and more like it is worth a longer stay.
@annhig - I'm with you on Capri/Ischia! Any particular hotels you've stayed at and loved in either location? And yes so true on taking the opportunity to study Italian while I'm there. Can combine it with some of my Spanish. Did something similar to this trip 20 years ago - took off for a 6 wk trip to Mexico - ended up living there for 16 years.
I'm hearing you on staying a little off the beaten path in Positano @sandralist - and I found from my years in Mexico that the real jewels in restaurant offerings were indeed the dirt floor plastic chair spots! Definitely interested in visiting Montepertuso. Thanks again for all your tips!
Thank you @Fra_Diavolo. On this trip at least I do not have a high interest in visiting the ruins. I think this is the first of many trips ahead to Italy so that is why I am focusing more on the coastal areas in the south. Capri is sounding more and more like it is worth a longer stay.
Jan 23rd, 2015, 02:59 PM
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@flygirl I am finalizing my bookings for Positano. Will be staying at Hotel Marincanto for a few days and think I will be booking an apartment also. I read your recommendation about Alcione - is there a particular apartment that you liked? Does the 3rd floor have the best view and largest balconies?
Jan 23rd, 2015, 03:21 PM
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Check out VILLA LE SIRENE in the center of town, just off VIA PASITEA. It has stunning accommodations overlooking the water as long as you don't mind climbing a long staircase back and forth to access it.
The location is excellent except for the stairs! It's roughly midway between town and beach with wonderful views, and a lovely staff. I checked it out about two years ago for a writing assignment.
If that won't work, there's another property across from PALAZZO MURAT that also has apartment-type accommodations.I'm blanking on the name right now, but will check my files. That location is very close to ground level and the beach.
Very jealous that you get to spend nearly a month in one of my favorite spots! If you need a hotel for a few days, check out HOTEL POSEIDON, a place I go back to whenever I get a chance to spend time on the Amalfi Coast. It's a small boutique hotel, just across the street from the staircase that leads to VILLA LE SIRENE.
The location is excellent except for the stairs! It's roughly midway between town and beach with wonderful views, and a lovely staff. I checked it out about two years ago for a writing assignment.
If that won't work, there's another property across from PALAZZO MURAT that also has apartment-type accommodations.I'm blanking on the name right now, but will check my files. That location is very close to ground level and the beach.
Very jealous that you get to spend nearly a month in one of my favorite spots! If you need a hotel for a few days, check out HOTEL POSEIDON, a place I go back to whenever I get a chance to spend time on the Amalfi Coast. It's a small boutique hotel, just across the street from the staircase that leads to VILLA LE SIRENE.
Jan 24th, 2015, 06:33 AM
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goldngirl - sadly I've never stayed on either Capri or Ischia, though I've visited Capri on a day trip [which is why I say that staying at least one night would be nicer] and heard a lot about Ischia from my italian teacher, who comes from there.
good luck with your hotel/apartment search.
good luck with your hotel/apartment search.
Jan 24th, 2015, 07:10 AM
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I just replied to my thread with info on the Alcione.
On Capri, see if you can get into La Minerva. They have one single room, for 110E (2013) and while there was no view/it wasn't bright and sunny, it was decently sized for a single and the bathroom was decently sized as well. IE not huge, but perfectly adequate and I am picky about rooms/bathrooms. A double room, view but no balcony, would have been 220 a night and a balcony double something like 350 if I recall correctly. Euros...
I didn't mind not having a view or balcony because their lounge has lovely views, comfortable sofas, and they will serve wine to you right from the bar to your perch on the sofa.
On Capri, see if you can get into La Minerva. They have one single room, for 110E (2013) and while there was no view/it wasn't bright and sunny, it was decently sized for a single and the bathroom was decently sized as well. IE not huge, but perfectly adequate and I am picky about rooms/bathrooms. A double room, view but no balcony, would have been 220 a night and a balcony double something like 350 if I recall correctly. Euros...
I didn't mind not having a view or balcony because their lounge has lovely views, comfortable sofas, and they will serve wine to you right from the bar to your perch on the sofa.
Jan 25th, 2015, 04:51 AM
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La Minerva is very nice. And The Alcione is the property I was blanking on across the street from Palazzo Murat. Don't miss LO GUARACINO, a local pizzeria with endless water views on the right hand side of the walk from town to Fornillo Beach.
Feb 18th, 2015, 09:54 AM
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Overdue thank you for all your suggestions!Accommodations are finalized and I am so appreciative of the ideas given here on the forum. In addition to my time in the villa with friends, and the Hotel Marincanto, I booked Villa Brunella in Capri, and Alcione in Positano. I used "Summer in Italy" for the Alcione booking and they were wonderful to work with, a true pleasure. Thank you again to @flygirl and @WWK for the Alcione rec. And La Minerva - went with Brunella after reading reviews and seeing photos - both properties look incredible.
@WWK I loved everything I read about Villa le Sirene - and so does everyone else - it was long booked out. Planning a quick visit while I'm there to check it out for next time. Will look at Hotel Poseidon too! Very excited about Marincanto - the photos of the rooms, property, view are what sold me. Thank you for the rec on Lo Guaracino - pizza with a view sounds perfect.
So appreciative of this forum!
@WWK I loved everything I read about Villa le Sirene - and so does everyone else - it was long booked out. Planning a quick visit while I'm there to check it out for next time. Will look at Hotel Poseidon too! Very excited about Marincanto - the photos of the rooms, property, view are what sold me. Thank you for the rec on Lo Guaracino - pizza with a view sounds perfect.
So appreciative of this forum!
Feb 18th, 2015, 11:56 AM
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Goldngirl, the family that owns Villa Le Sirene also owns Hotel Le Sirene on Laurito Beach. If you go to Hotel Le Sirene for dinner (highly recommended - they send a boat to get you to/from the dock in Positano), mention to Chiara (big curly hair) that you would like to see VLS in the hopes of booking it in the future. I am sure she would be happy to give you a tour and let you pick a lemon from the garden! 
