Positano Activities

Daily excursions from Positano:

Pompeii & Vesuvius: one of the most requested tour - Capri & Anacapri - the most romantic island of the world - Pompeii & Herculaneum: the two most well-know archaeological site in one day only - Sorrento & Herculaneum: the Amalfi drive tour combined with the fascinating Sorrento and the buried city – Paestum: the beauty of the ancient Posedonia, the greek city, and the beautiful museum – Positano Cruise: sail along the Amalfi Coast to see one of the most beautiful coastline from the sea

Church of Santa Maria Assunta

This is the Chiesa Madre, or parish church of Santa Maria Assunta, its green-and-yellow majolica dome topped by a perky cupola visible from just about anywhere in town. Built on the site of the former Benedictine abbey of Saint Vito, the 13th-century Romanesque structure was almost completely rebuilt in 1700. The last piece of the ancient mosaic floor can be seen under glass behind the altar. Note the carved wooden Christ, a masterpiece of devotional religious art, with its bathetic face and bloodied knees, on view before the altar. At the altar is a Byzantine 13th-century painting on wood of Madonna with Child, known popularly as the Black Virgin, carried to the beach every August 15 to celebrate the Feast of the Assumption. Legend claims that the painting was once stolen by Saracen pirates, who, fleeing in a raging storm, heard from a voice on high saying, "Posa, posa"—"Put it down, put it down." When they placed the image on the beach near the church, the storm calmed, as did the Saracens. Embedded over the doorway of the church's bell tower, set across the tiny piazza, is a medieval bas-relief of fishes, a fox, and a pistrice, the mythical half-dragon, half-dog sea monster. This is one of the few relics of the medieval abbey of Saint Vito. The Oratorio houses historic statues from the Sacristy, while renovations to the Crypt have unearthed ancient (1st century) Roman columns.
 

Beaches

In a region where rocky cliffs descend straight to the water, Positano is unusual in that it has a couple of dark and gravelly beaches. Sections are cordoned-off stabilimenti, where you pay to use a sunbed, but parts are spiaggia libera, free beach, where anyone can put down their towels and enjoy the water. If you want a bit more peace than is afforded by the central beach, take the path above the water's edge to the quieter bay at Fornillo (to the west, or your right as you face the sea).
 

Positano Caves

Along the Positano coast there is an impressive number of caves.In the nineteen fifties Prof. Antonio M Radmilli of Pisa University initiated a study of the Italian Mesolithic era. In the entire area traces of an economy based on mollusc gathering have been found. The caves in which the excavations were conducted were those which were most likely to have been inhabited by humans in prehistoric times: Grotta La Porta, Grotta del Mezzogiorno and Grotta Erica.
 

Positano Hiking

The whole Amalfi coast is a paradise for hiking. The entire peninsula of Sorrento is criss-crossed with ancient walking paths leading over the rocky landscape from one hamlet to the next. With hiking you experience breathtaking views down to the always present sea, interestingly shaped rocks, mountains and traces of hundreds of years of cultivation and a climate which is favorable for hiking all year long. You walk on paths already in use for many centuries, often carefully built with stone steps and well maintained. In the time before cars these were the lifelines.

Hiking is one of the most popular Positano activities. Many trails are available in this area of the Amalfi coast. The "Sentiero Degli Dei" or the "Pathway of the Gods", is a famous and stunning walk with panoramic views. Past brigands’ treasure caves, along a mule track looking down on terraces of lemon trees. The old footpath, generally in good condition, is a moderate 3-4hour walk from Agerola to Positano - Footpath 27 CAI - signposted at the beginning and every so often. 

Shopping

Shopping is one of the favorite Positano activities! Everyone loves to find treasures. When it comes to the region's gastronomical specialties, we suggest you pick up and take home some delicious limoncello, as well as a few lemons: just sprinkle a few slices with sugar and enjoy. Nocino is another of the region's typical liqueurs, which is certain to bring a smile to the faces of your friends and relations. And why not take them a bag of excellent walnuts, which are plentiful in these parts.
As well as these gastronomical specialties, in Amalfi you can also find scented candle sculptures, handmade silver jewelry, and embroidered cameos and tablecloths. To conclude this small shopping guide, Vietri has been renowned for centuries for its wonderful ceramic artists, while Positano is the ideal place to find a whole assortment of clothes, sandals, swimwear and other accessories. Sandals: The artisans' workshops dedicated to leather sandals are one of the "must visits" in Positano.