Sweet dreams are made of picturesque Positano

Published on by 100cobbledroads

Dream destination on the Amalfi Coast…

The entire horizon is covered end-to-end by the Amalfi Coast. The tiny image of a colourful little town carved into the stony hills of the Sorrentine peninsula grows larger and clearer as our ferry draws close. I scan the scene eagerly to identify the famous yellow-tiled dome of the cathedral. This is it…Positano!

Sudden downpour as we de-board the ferry. A tedious trudge along the cobbled roads through the main town, trailing heavy luggage, gripping flyaway umbrellas, clinging to 3-euro disposable raincoats. More trudging…uphill. How far now? Are we at the bus stop yet??? I make it without collapsing. Take cover in the alcove of a small church. Eternity. No buses. We grab the lone cab in view.

Wet seats. Squeaking shoes. Dripping hair. Shrugs. Smiles. The rain abates to a soft drizzle. We’re cruising along the hairpin bends of a short stretch of the Amalfi coast. Headed to Hotel Villa Gabrisa, about 3 kilometres away is on the loveliest street in all of Positano. They have alfresco dining outside, facing the sea! Life is good. The luggage is wet, and so are all its contents. Our bedroom is the worse possible rendition of a clothes dryer…wet clothes everywhere…bed rail, chair back, table top, door knobs, floor, balcony, not a square inch of potential space untouched. Luckily, we find the least damp of all our clothes, before some serious tummy pampering at the hotel restaurant. Puttanesca codfish and grilled sea bass. Life in Amalfi? Oh, its good!

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Heavenly walk down the quaint step-street of Via Maria Netti. A delightful trailer of the blissful everyday one encounters along the Sorrentine coastline. Fuschia bougainvillea-laden, red-roofed homes. Oversized terracotta urns. Peek-a-boos of the bright blue Tyrrhenian sea. Idyllic villas with balconies that make you want to give up your home.  

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A curving road past a cheerful, yellow church. Street cafes with views to kill for. Or at least, pay more for. Constantly captivating views of the town to delight your greedy lens. (Do you find peeling paint charming, too?) Scintillating previews of that breathtaking cathedral dome. Hogging all the limelight of an colorful Italian town rising up the hill around a cove harbour.

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You can’t get lost in that single pedestrian street, loaded with ceramic stores, linen goodies, macrame garments, art galleries and inviting restaurants, but it does make you linger. Not a shopaholic? Make an exception for the local tradition of handcrafted leather sandals…customised while you wait. 10 minutes and you walk out in a pair with straps and diamantes of your choice. Craving coffee, sandwiches and tiramisu with the most picturesque views? Spend an hour at Cafe La Zagara…its the place you’re looking for.

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At finally…up, close and personal with Church of Santa Maria Assunta, flaunting its Romanesque to Baroque makeover. The flat front facade faces a small square, making it impossible for you to see the huge yellow, green and blue majolica glazed-tiled dome. Inside, admire the 18th-century statues dressed in folk costumes and the 13th-century Black Madonna icon-like painting above the altar, which supposedly instructed the pirates carrying her, ‘Posa, posa’ (‘Lay me down’), converting them to Christianity. Posa, posa…Positano. See the connection?

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A stone’s throw to the stony Spaggia Beach. Some sand here, mostly black, rocky pebbles, but that doesn’t dilute its charm. Plop onto one of the vibrant beach chairs, and think about the shipyards along this beach that morphed into fishermen homes and touristy eating joints of today. Grab a gelato. Scan the unharmonious medley of houses with the weather-proof white dome-roofs filled with sand. Follow the changing colours of the sky and wait for the twinkling lights to light up the prettiest hilltown of Amalfi Coast, before you call it a day.

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Positano is your dream destination on the Amalfi Coast

 

 

112 thoughts on “Sweet dreams are made of picturesque Positano”

  4. oooohhhh bougainvillea reminds me so much of my childhood growing up in the Philippines. ❤ I've only been to Italy once and only in Venice so I should definitely get my butt to Positano. I mean look at that beautiful view of the ocean and the markets and the amazing food! ❤ sigh

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  8. It’s impossible not to love Italy! Positano is a great example of one of the most picturesque places in the country. The Amalfi coastline is truly spectacular.

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  10. I’ve heard incredible things about Positano! Your photos are amazing! I love how colorful this town is! Fingers crossed I’m able to visit soon.

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  11. I’ve travelled a lot in Italy but I have still never made it to Positano or the Amalfi coast. These photos really make me want to get there now! Lovely post.

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  15. This is such a lovely place!! I still have Italy on my pending travel list and I’m definitely adding Positano and the Amalfi coast to it! It looks so lovely and pretty, the perfect place to walk around and enjoy the food and the views!

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  17. Such a lovely written post loved reading this! We would love to visit the Amalfi coast some day. Maybe a road trip around the parts of Italy we’ve still yet to visit!

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  19. Such a nice little town sitting perfectly on the side of a hill. Love those small aleyways in particular. It would be a wonder if you don’t get lost in them.

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  21. Really is so picturesque – we visited the Amalfi Coast and loved our time, though the only thing I regret is doing it as a day trip from Naples – definitely not enough time to truly appreciate the beauty and explore the small towns along the way.

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  27. “Sweet dreams are made of picturesque Positano” … I am not sure if there is actually a better way to describe this place!
    I love your pictures, it seems like you were able to take a walk in a movie scene or a fairy tale kingdom.

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  29. Positano is so high on my bucket list for a very long time. Until I go there and see everything with my own eyes, I’m glad I can admire it through your photos and experience. Thank you!

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  31. We recently went to Italy for two weeks and this post brings back some good memories. We did the “mistake” to start with the desert, Cinque Terre and then continue to Rome, Florence and Venice. Nothing seemed the same after Cinque Terre which was by far our favourite destination. Your images are perfect, you managed to capture the essence of Italy in them. I am sure you had a blast over there.

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  32. Is there anything about this place that isn’t pretty?! I can’t wait to go back to Italy and spend some time here sipping espresso and strolling the streets. And spend a little time at that gorgeous beach too of course:)

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  33. Such a beautiful colourful small town on the hill. Would love to stroll around here. It is so picturesque and your pictures are clearly depicting; it is just like a fairyland or a dreamland. Loved your pictures and narration as always.

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  34. Positano is beautiful, I visited there 2 years ago. I was staying in Naples but did a day trip along the Amalfi Coast. It’s a great little town and lovely to walk around and nice to chill on the beach too.

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  36. Positano is so beautiful and your pictures are stunning! The whole Amalfi Coast area is picture perfect, I could spend days photographing the pretty coloured houses built into the cliffsides!

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  37. I am passing by the Amalfi Coast this winter and I think I will stop in Positano. You have photographed it wonderfully, Positano is so colorful, I’m sure I’ll take so many Instagram worthy pictures here.

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  40. Love that you didn’t let the unexpected downpour spoil your joy at arriving into Positano and getting to your hotel. We last stayed in nearby Sorrento but visited Positano from there, so very very pretty oh but all those stairs!!😂

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  41. When it comes to Italy, it’s so difficult to choose a single place as there are so many amazing places to visit! Positano looks absolutely splendid and your pictures speak for itself how picturesque this destination is!

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  45. No doubt it is a town right out of dreams. Reminded me a little of Lucerne. Every spot is picture perfect. By the way…disposable raincoats seem like a good option to combat the rain instead of carrying one all the way..I didn’t know there existed one

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  46. Amalfi is a dream. Your post got back some absolutely wonderful memories of my trip in 2015. The entire drive down the coast for me was the highlight of my Italy trip. The quaint houses, the flowerbeds outside windows, the orange trees everything was just so magical! 🙂

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  50. Italy is one of my favourite country in the world. Unfortunately, I couldn’t visit Amalfi Coast. Your pictures and posts show it to be really laid back and pretty place to be in. I would love to visit it someday.

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