Is Positano worth the hype? The Amalfi coast and especially Positano are absolutely incredible, the colorful houses built in the rock are breathtaking. And the small streets with hats and lemon shops are so typical. It has so much charm! Also, doing a boat tour for sunset and admiring the Amalfi coast is magical and is one of the highlights of our trip!
But if you are planning to get there, be prepared to deal with a horde of tourists and very high prices! Especially during summer, Positano is crowded. The streets and the beaches are small and are not made for as many tourists! Also, if you want to stay inside Positano, the prices of the accommodation are crazy! Moreover, getting to Positano is pretty hard and we didn’t expect that! The nearest city with an airport is Naples and it is located 60 kilometers from Positano. So is Positano worth all the hype? Let’s answer now! 😉
Is Positano worth the hype?
It is hard to get to Positano
To get to Positano is not the easier thing! The nearest city with an airport is Naples which is located 60 kilometers from Positano. And the nearest city with a train station is Pompei, still 37 kilometers from our dear Positano!
The best solution is either to rent a car and drive 1h30 to Positano or either to do like us and take the local subway from Pompei to Sorrento and then take the local SITA bus. Also, the bus is coming from Sorrento and is coming trough Positano, Fuordo di Furore and Amalfi several times per day. And even every hour in summer. It is very cheap, around 2€ for a return ticket, per person. If you want more information, read our “ complete travel guide to Positano“.
Positano is very touristy
As you already know, every pretty Italian city is crowded in summer: Rome, Venice, the Cinque Terre, Florence… But Positano is very very crowded. I insist on that point so you won’t be surprised! And the streets and the beaches are really small. They were not made for thousand of tourists. Via Marina Grande, the main street to the beach, is so crowded that queues often form outside restaurants.
When walking in the little streets, you will always be interrupting photos!
Also, you need to know that when you arrive in the city of Positano, you will arrive at the heights of the city. To reach the beach you need to go down around 400 steps, but it’s good for the cardio! 😉
The prices are crazy
To park your car and enjoy the city or the beach you’ill have to pay 7€ per hour. So if you’re staying from 9 am to 6 pm that will cost you a modest sum of 45€ for one day at the beach! You can add to this price the cost of a long chair and an umbrella with is around 20€ per person at the main beach “la Spiaggia Grande”. Which is quite expensive for a beach day! There is a very small portion of the beach which is public and free, but to give you an idea it is less than 50 square meters with more than 50 people having a sunbath!
Then, concerning the accommodation, most of the hotels inside Positano are luxury hotels, you can count between 300€ or 400€ per night. If you want to stay inside Positano, that will be very expensive. If you book really in advance and you don’t come during the high season, maybe you can manage to have a better price.
Le Sirenuse hotel, where prices go up to €5,000 a night, is one of the most Instagrammed spots in Positano, thanks to its beautiful architecture and mosaics. The cocktails at the bar here go up to €18, which is comparable to prices at the most high-end bars in New York!
But Positano is absolutely incredible
The city of Positano is breathtaking!
The city of Positano is absolutely incredible! When we arrived in Positano, we immediately fell in love with these colorful houses built in the rock, the view on the Sea and these typical boats. But also these flower balconies and this church with a golden dome. The landscapes are straight out of a movie. And there’s just something special that I can’t explain. The Italian atmosphere is magical. You need to see this place once in your life!
A boat tour around the Amalfi Coast is a magical experience
Doing a boat tour for the sunset in Positano was one of the highlights of our trip! Sincerely it was a magical experience. We came to the beach at 5 am and we started our boat tour just before the sunset. Then, we admired the beautiful Amalfi coast for one hour, we were just the two of us. We even had the chance to see dolphins! I will never forget this moment.
The restaurants with a view on the coast are amazing
Also, there are beautiful restaurants in Positano where you can have a typical Italian lunch while admiring the view on the Amalfi coast! Either you can have lunch at Poseidon, on the heights of Positano and have a beautiful view of the coast and eat traditional gnocchis. either, you can have lunch by the beach at “la Bucca di Baccio” or “Chez Black” and try a heart-shaped margarita pizza! Both are amazing things to do if you find yourself in Positano!
The excursions to Capri and Fiordo de Furore are incredible
You can also spend a day in Capri or Fiordo di Furore. We didn’t have time to make it to these places but we will definitely next time!
Yes, Positano worth the hype! You just need to be prepared!
To the question “Is Positano worth the hype?” I would say yes and 1000 times yes but you need to be prepared for the reality! If you can afford luxury hotels and excursions, you will spend a fabulous trip to Positano.
But if you are traveling on a budget, don’t rent a car, rather come by train and the SITA bus. Then, don’t stay in Positano, find accommodation in Sorrento or Piano di Sorrento. Honestly, you can totally travel to Positano on a budget, there are plenty of tips that can help you!
Also, if you know that Positano is very touristy, just try to come during the middle or low season and avoid July and August.
Positano and the Amalfi Coast, in general, are just the kind of place that you need to see once in your life and you keep dreaming about months after! 😉 this reminds me of the beautiful villages of Cinque Terre! You should also check our Italy road trip from Cinque Terre to Amalfi!
Salut Chiara, je prépare mes vacances d’été et on hésite entre les cinque terres et positano. Tu nous conseilles quoi ? A bientot Marie