Positano

Situated in a superb spot which opens out southwards to the centre of a vast gulf, stretching from the Germano tip in the east to Capo Sottile in the west, Positano is one of the famous and popular seaside resort of the Amalfi coastline. An ancient fishing village nestling on the southern slopes of the Monti Lattari, it is crowned to the north by the steep slopes of Monte Comune and Monte S. Angelo in Tre Pizzi, between which snakes a deep valley falling away to the sea. Positano’s origins date back to the inhabitants of Paestum who, around the tenth century, took refuge in a Benedictine abbey, where the hid from the Saracens who had destroyed their city.

Positano: a charming view

As the natural disposition of the new site made it much easier to defend, the refugees established a new city there. Within a few decades, Positano had become a maritime centre of Amalfi. At the beginning of this century, its particularly lovely setting and mild climate began to attract tourist, initially Pathenopean aristocrats, who built some villas on the slopes of Monte Comune. In more recent years, the city’s hotels and sports facilities have been upgraded, thus allowing a grater development of tourism, which is currently the main activity of the people of Positano.

The oldest part of the town has preserved the typical aspect of a seafaring village, with its staged terraces descending toward the sea, and houses in the characteristic cubic shape, separated by narrow little streets most of which are marked with steps.

The backbone of the area is via Pasitea, which is an extremely windy street. The little Flavio Gioia square, from which one can enjoy a magnificent view, is the centre of the town: on to it looks the church of S. Maria Assunta, with its great majolica cupola in geometric patterns.

From the square one goes down to the clifframed beach of the Marina Grande. On the other side of the town, looking west, the beach of Fornillo opens out just beyond a tract of rocky coast. To the east Positano lie the highly accessible beaches of La Porta, Ciumicello and Arienzo.

The area surrounding Positano is full of extremely attractive spots. Near Punto Germano the coast road passes over a deep fissure in the rock with a precarious little bridge called “Ponte dei Libri” (Bridge of books). The name comes from the regular stratification of the rock walls which seem like leaves of enormous tomes superimposed on one another and which one can see better by climbing down the valley via a path. The charming village of Positano

Leaving Positano for Amalfi, the road runs high above the sea, passing the two charming villages of Montepertuso and Nocelle on the left. On the slopes of Monte S. Angelo in Tre Pizzi, stands the imposing “Arco Naturale”, which is particularly beautiful in the morning as the rays of the rising sun fall upon it. Near Punta S. Pietro is found the eponymous church which commands a grand and truly splendid view of the coast and the island of Capri, which can be seen protruding from behind Punta Campanella. From Positano trips can be made to Monte S. Angelo in Tre Pizzi and Monte Comune, while one can also test one’s strength in an arduous climb down the steep spurs which fall sharply away to the sea.

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