In June 2020 before taking a cruise beginning in Civitavecchia we are thinking of spending several nights in Positano. My impression of the area is that it is actually best enjoyed while looking at it from the water as opposed to staying on it but I suppose that's a very subjective judgement. We have also more or less ruled out Puglia as an alternative destination. I say "almost" because I'm still not quite convinced.

Anyway, the question becomes is Positano the best place to stay and should we try to stay in a hotel, and yes it will most likely be IN a hotel vs some other accommodation, that is near the beach or further up? We will not have a car for this stay (for Puglia we definitely would).

I gather the views in Positano are "everything" but there must be more to it than that, or is there? In the past we have enjoyed staying on the various Lombardy lakes just vegging out and could do that again but the mob scene in Bellagio was off-putting (we stayed in another town) and at least there were the ferry rides to other places.

Any thoughts positive and negative appreciated as I mull this one over. I know i need to decide very early re hotel space. Thanks in advance

We've stayed in several of the AC villages, but much prefer Positano. There are several reasons for this, not least is the ease of getting off the AC towards Sorrento, Pompeii and north from there. It also has a better choice of restaurants and hotels than do the places to the east, Amalfi etc. with the only drawback being the steepness of the place if you have any mobility issues. The buses run through the village and there are plenty of taxis if you need them.

From the beach, the view up is spectacular and the walk down to the beach is worth it for the couple of restaurants down there. Small ferries run from the beach along the coast in season.

Rubicund, thank you for the reply. My tendency now is perhaps to stay in a hotel closer to the beach as opposed to further up. There are so many places in Italy we have not seen but somehow a Positano stay seems overdue at this point.

Positano is beautiful from both above and below. You really can't go wrong with either choice but for us, having a hotel balcony to be able to enjoy the gorgeous view whenever we want beats all other options. You may have already found this but I am going to copy in my reply from another thread.

We have stayed twice (once in May 2001 the other in June 2014) in Positano at the Hotel Eden Roc. We really liked the hotel and the gorgeous view from our balcony. Positano did not seem overly crowded to us either time we were there. We like Amalfi a LOT and I'm sure it would be a great place to stay but we prefer Positano. The hotel is quite a hike up/down steps from the beach area but we think worth it for the view. See links below for some pics of our 2014 trip. There are captions if you click on each picture or play as a slideshow. If you are really brave and/or crazy, I've also posted a trip report of our 2014 visit. I think page 5 is the beginning of our time at the Amalfi Coast.

https://john183italy2014.shutterfly.com/pictures/305
https://john183italy2014.shutterfly.com/pictures/357
https://john183italy2014.shutterfly.com/pictures/391
https://john183italy2014.shutterfly.com/pictures/416
https://john183italy2014.shutterfly.com/pictures/473

John183,
thanks very much for your comments and those links.

Have you consider Ravello? It is, perhaps, the single most beautiful place I've ever been (and I've been to some spectacular places!) And it has more than views -- two stunning and extensive gardens, a duomo with unusual, beautiful ambos, it's a great starting point for some wonderful walks and hikes, and -- during part of the year -- it hosts the Ravello Music Festival
https://www.ravelloarts.org/festival/index.php

It isn't as convenient for exploring the area, though, so it really depends on what you want to see and experience.

Ravello inspired Wagner and was home to Gore Vidal for decades. It is utterly breathtaking. Admittedly, I am a hiker with no mobility challenges. But if you have the time to perch and then taxi down to catch a ferry in Amalfi, the views and the gardens in Ravello are impossibly beautiful.

Lots of Ravello in the documentary on Vidal:


https://www.independent.co.uk/travel...o-8625989.html

I'm going to Puglia and then the AC in late April and first half of May.

I've stayed in Amalfi before so I looked at places in Positano and Ravello but they're both more expensive, it seems, with many places with average reviews asking for well over $1000 for 4 nights. I also checked Airbnb as well.

Ravello has some relatively reasonably priced places away from the main piazza. But the dealbreaker for me is that the buses from Amalfi are often packed and don't run frequently enough if you want to take the ferry or the bus along the coast. I don't know how I would get up there with luggage without using a taxi and they apparently charge pretty exorbitant rates.

Amalfi has more choices nearer the marina, without having to traverse a lot of incline if you're taking the bus or the ferry to visit other towns.

Yeah people may prefer the views from Positano and if you're going to hang out mostly there, it's not a bad choice but if you wanted to go along the coast or out to Salerno to visit other places, it take much longer too.

I actually like some of the towns in between Positano and Amalfi but again, the ferry links aren't as convenient.

Are the buses that busy now in off-season? I found it easy to get to and from Ravello when I was there -- a shoulder season transitioning to high season some time ago.

And BTW, "away from the main plaza" isn't far -- the whole town is quite small!

Perhaps, but Ravello certainly has quite a range of dining options, and many hotels have or require half- or full-board options. I stayed at the Hotel Parsifal; my dinners there were excellent, and its restaurant still gets very high ratings.

Several meaning three? Or?

It sounds like you're flying into Rome and have to return to Civitavecchia to board the cruise. It's going to take you a part of two days for travel from Rome and then back.

Almost thought about doing it despite the greater inconvenience relative to Amalfi.

I go to Capri after a 4-day stay and looks like most of the ferries and hydrofoils depart before 10 AM. So I don't want to have to worry about getting to the Amalfi port on time or going down to the port early and hanging around there with my suitcases.

But there are definitely places like apartments up there with terraces with those stunning views. Would be great to spend a few days with such views.

Thanks to everyone for the additional comments and insights. To clarify the question raised above: we would be spending four full days and nights in Positano besides any travel days to and from

Even in the off-season, bus travel has its downside. There are fewer buses so those that run can get very crowded. I've never been in high season but in April and in October, when I have been, the buses were quite a challenge although we dealt with them. Honestly and I hope I am not being insulting or nervy, but I do not think a few taxis (although quite $$ in that area, as is everything else) will mean much at year's end, if you get my drift.

Maybe take a look at Sta Caterina in Amalfi (do you know Fred Plotkin's books??) or, in the same town, the Luna Convento. I would not think I would like staying in Positano, although its been many years since I overnighted there. The hordes of day trippers are really a down side.

Ravello is gorgeous, and there are enough eating places in the town and in nearby Scala that you can pretty much stay put there and get those grand views.

The best restaurants on the entire coast, again in my opinion which often does not jibe with the opinion of many others, are in Cetara, which you can reach by bus or taxi from any town on the coast with a bus stop.

A couple of years ago we stayed at Residence Alcione in Positano. We were there in late May so not in the middle of summer. The hotel is not on the beach but not a bad walk down to the beach. We had a suite and would recommend it.

We had a driver one day to visit Pompeii but otherwise used the ferries and took the ferry to Amalfi then bus to Ravello for the day. Staying in Positano did offer the ferry option so we only had the one bus adventure to and from Ravello.

Seems like the bus schedule may not be bad. I found this but I can't believe this is the schedule year-round.

https://www.ravello.com/sita-bus-sch...avello-amalfi/

Seems to have additional buses during the middle of the day, two per hour rather than one per hour. If it's only one bus per hour, it would be pretty limiting.

I guess I could splurge for taxis to deal with the luggage. On TA forums, they said it's about 30 Euro to go up but on the way down, some taxi driver demanded 70 or something like that and the TA person said he or she just held firm and the driver finally agreed to 30 Euros.

I think whether to stay in Amalfi or Ravello (or elsewhere) really depends on what one wants to see and experience while in the area, not to mention how long one is planning to stay and one's budget. Dukey referred to an option for just "vegging out;" I'm getting the sense that you are looking for something quite different.

We stayed 4 days in Positano in May of 2014 and loved it. Our hotel, Villa Rosa was not on the beach, but had a great view, similar to John's as our hotel was only a short distance away from his. Breakfast on the terrace was delicious and the view....oh, the view....
We found the location great for exploring the area, and lots of dining options. We did not have a car, and some restaurants situated on top of the hill have shuttles that would pick you up from the hotel and bring you back.
Ravello was wonderful but buses to get there in May were packed, and bus waiting lines long. Great for a day trip, but I would not pick it as a base (sorry, kja).
There are lots of tourists in Positano during the day, but they seem to leave in the afternoon. And I would go back in a heartbeat.

Although it's been over thirty years since I've been back, I have fond memories of vegging poolside at Le Sirenuse. They have an elevator which brings you nearer (but not close) to the beach. The views are spectacular. I had no intention of ever returning, but the recent opening of the archaeological site under the church has me reconsidering. https://archaeologynewsnetwork.blogs...SbppkwjZ5xH.97

Don't know if I'd spring for Le Sirenuse again though. In the old days we had a deluxe room and demi-pensione for half the cost of a room alone today. Then again, we were spoiled, and it might be hard to downgrade.

FD