Traveled July, 2024.

While I stayed in Sorrento, Italy in July 2024, the most important thing I HAD to do before leaving was make a day trip to one of my bucket list destinations: The Amalfi Coast.

POSITANO

I chose the city of Positano on the Amalfi coast over other cities for a few reasons:

1: I had some friends travel to Positano while we were all studying abroad, and they raved about how beautiful it was.

2: I needed to go to CB Positano for some shopping that was exactly my style.

3: It was one of the first stops on the bus that takes you from Sorrento to the Amalfi coast.

The ride was about 45-minutes and extremely scenic up the side of a mountain. Lots of twists and turns. And once we finally arrived, I was obsessed and in love with the views and the energy of this romantic and colorful paradise.

Here’s everything you can get excited about before planning an amazing visit to Positano: 

THE VIEWS

You’re going to take so many photos here, so get your camera or phone ready. From the second I stepped off the bus, I was amazed by the colors, flowers, beach and aesthetic of the city. The photos say it all. I mean seriously, look at this! Perfect patterns of boats, beach umbrellas, and pastel buildings on top of buildings. Purple flowers and greens everywhere, and lots of life and sun.

THE FOOD

There’s nothing like enjoying lemon sorbet that’s served frozen in a whole lemon peel as you walk the steep streets of Positano. The food here was great, but it tasted just a little bit more special because of the views. Here’s what I ate during my day in Positano – I was there from 11 AM-4 PM:

• Pistachio cream croissant – my new breakfast obsession. I got it at a cute and tiny bakery called Collina.
• Iced coffee – I had been drinking only hot coffee and cappuccinos for weeks through Europe, but the heat made me try some iced coffee that was absolutely delicious. Also from Collina.  
• Lemon Sorbet – sorbet served in a lemon peel is immediately 10 times better than regular lemon sorbet. This was creamy, sweet, and refreshing. We went back later in the day to Collina to get this treat.

If I had stayed for dinner, I had a place picked out: Ristorante Bruno. It was right near where the bus dropped us off and looked absolutely delicious. I was planning on ordering the Spaghetti and clams, my #1 Italian dinner choice. The tables outside were overlooking that beach with the blue umbrellas. I definitely could have enjoyed my dinner with that view.

I tried to make a reservation at Terrazza Cele or Le Sirenuse, both highly rated restaurants with impeccable views, but they were already booked up a month ahead of time. Le Sirenuse is also a hotel, and Il Tridente, another hotel/restaurant, gives similar vibes. Also completely booked.

Guaranteeing that you get to these restaurants definitely takes a little more planning and more time to enjoy it all!

THE BEACH

Imagine finding bits of sea glass in every handful of sand that you scoop up. It was unreal, and as a big sea glass lover, I found this to be so cool.

The beach was stunning. We sat at the beach for just 20 minutes, though, because it was unbelievably hot. The dark sand was also scorching, and as much as the cool water of the Tyrrhenian Sea was perfect for cooling off, the heat was hard to withstand in the middle of July. But swimming was an absolute fantasy – looking around at the magical views of the city built up around me was fascinating and so memorable.

THE SHOPPING

You can shop in Positano for hours. It is filled with the most amazing stores with unique clothing, ceramics, art, Italian souvenirs, and everything else you can imagine.

My top recommendation: CB Positano is the ultimate store for the cutest cottage-core floral prints you’ve ever imagined. I follow them on instagram and WOW.

Shopping there was actually really difficult considering I wanted everything I saw. Their bags range from small zip up pouches to makeup bags, duffle bags of all sizes and tote bags, and they range in price from $25-$100. Check out the blue bag collection below. I bought one of the small blue duffle bags and its so special because it’s different than anything else I own.

They also have a stunning selection of hand-stiched floral dresses with dreamy floral prints and flattering styles. Each dress is unique.

The dresses are more expensive, and most of the ones I looked at cost around $200- $220. Next time I go, I’m investing in a dress. I have to. I’ve never seen any dress like a CB Positano dress.

Positano Art and Taste: I stumbled across this adorable artsy shop after leaving CB Positano with my new duffle bag – it’s right across the street. Here, I was able to try free samples of three different types of limoncello, and I ended up buying a few tiny bottles to take home for some friends. The cream limoncello was delicious but not as strong as regular limoncello which I think I preferred. I also bought 5 or 6 watercolor printed postcards that were truly stunning and make the perfect souvenir from Positano.

Ceramica Assunta: And treat yourself to some beautiful lemon themed ceramics while you’re over there. Ceramics are popular on the Amalfi coast. There were so many shops in Positano, each with something special to offer. Ceramica Assunta was one of my favorite shops to browse. Some of the larger pieces are truly incredible with their intricate detail and bright colors. I wanted to take home something small, so I bought a few ceramic letters for some friends at home – their initials in white covered in blue and yellow flowers and an cute little border.

THE LEMONS

I saw lemon-themed everything in Positano, including the biggest real lemons I have ever crossed paths with – I mean some of these lemons were bigger than my head. I’m a big fan of lemons, and I think the lemon theme makes for a cute decoration. Buying gifts here was so easy because of the endless array of lemon products. Lemon candles, soaps, ceramics, jewelry, limoncello, and actually so much more. You will absolutely find a lemon souvenir here.

THE DETAILS

The round trip bus ticket from Sorrento to Positano cost $10, and I bought it at a little coffee bar right near the station. I found the bus schedules online. When I got to the train station, where the bus was departing from, I asked an employee at the station for the exact spot to wait for the bus to Positano – there were a few buses and lines outside of the station and not any signage. From there, we waited for maybe 20 minutes for the next bus.

I wish I could have enjoyed Positano without the intense July sun. Next time, I think I’ll go back when it’s a little less hot so I can enjoy myself even more. 

DAY TRIP TO POSITANO OR STAY THERE?

I think if you really want to immerse yourself in the Amalfi coast, enjoy the beach and the shopping and the cuisine, it’s best to stay there. You could easily stay in one city and travel around. It would absolutely be worth it to stay in Positano and make day trips to Amalfi and Capri. However, if you’re crammed for time, it’s worth it to make the day trip over there even if it’s just for a few hours.

It’s also important to note that getting around in Positano is completely by car or by foot. The streets are narrow and steep, and there’s a lot of steps. I was glad I didn’t have any luggage to lug around there.

But no matter what your preference is for staying there or just visiting, seeing Positano should be on your Italian Bucket List. It’s an unforgettable destination.