|Europe Diaries|

3 Days in Positano & Capri

August 17, 2020 /

Amalfi Coast is a UNESCO world heritage site located in the Campania region of Southern Italy. With 30 miles of coastline, cliffside villages and mediterranean waters, Amalfi coast has been on my bucket list for as long as I can remember. So when we had an opportunity to visit Europe back in 2019, Amalfi Coast had to be on our itinerary. We were spoilt for choice while planning the only 3 days we had for this leg of our journey. Each of the 13 seaside towns in the region was unique in their own way, tempting us to stay longer. However, since we could not extend our stay beyond 3 days, we finalized Positano for our visit with a day trip to the island of Capri.

Why choose between mountains and beaches if you can can have both, right? Known for it’s postcard landscapes, picturesque beaches, jaw-dropping views, handmade leather sandals, ceramic tiles, cotton/linen clothes, mouth-watering limoncello.. Positano stood out for us!

Day 1 – Accommodation & Torre di Clavel Beach

  • Narrow village streets
  • View from our room at Sunset
  • Hidden Beach while heading down the hill

We flew early morning from Zurich to Naples during the first week of June back in 2019. It was the best time to explore Southern Italy, right before the peak summer season. While we waited for our chauffeured car at the airport, we indulged in some deep fried Italian comfort food savoring every bite of the arancini and croquettes. The other cheaper alternatives of transport from Naples Airport to Positano were ferries and buses. However considering the amount of time and effort they would have required, we stuck to the car. Since we were 3 passengers, booking a car was worth the money.

After an hour long pleasant and informative ride (thanks to our friendly local driver), we checked into our accomodation – Pensione Maria Luisa. Located in the heart of Positano village and only a 15 minute walk from the main Positano beach, this was the perfect hotel within our budget. Positano is a prime vacation spot and in general all hotels and restaurants are expensive. Pensione Maria Luisa offered a triple room with shared terrace and a panoramic dining room. The views of the ocean from the dining area with it’s huge windows and views of the hill from our room at sunset were dreamy!

  • Beachfront Restaurant
  • Pensione Maria Luisa
  • Torre di Clavel Beach

After taking some rest and grabbing a quick coffee, we ventured out to the closest beach on foot. Positano being located on a hill has a lot of narrow streets and steps. But that was the fun part.. There was beauty all around, at every nook and corner. Ocean views, white washed houses, colorful flowers and plants.. we stopped every few minutes to take a picture.

Located right in front of the remains of a 16th century watch tower known as Torre Fornillo, Torre di Clavel Beach was a gem of a find. The watchtower with it’s staircase makes for a stunning backdrop. The beach is lined with a few beachfront bars and restaurants. There are beach chairs and umbrellas available for rent. We ordered our first Italian Pizza (considering it was our first visit to the country) and ordered some much needed beers. The staff was friendly and they even served us prosecco on the house. We felt welcome by their hospitality, perfect start to our trip in Amalfi.

Day 2 – Spiaggia Grande Positano Beach & Positano Village

  • Ferry departing the main beach
  • Ceramic Tile Shop in the Village
  • Spiaggia Grande Positano Beach

Next morning, we were very excited to visit the Spiaggia Grande Positano Beach. While walking downhill would have been a lovely experience, we took a public bus considering my Mom’s health. Taking a bus in itself was very rewarding as we got a glimpse of the local culture. Locals stopped at the bus stop to greet and talk with people they knew. Italians love to talk and have a good laugh, the sense of community is very strong despite it being a vacation town.
Once we reached the closest stop to the beach, we got down and had our first proper Italian coffee. I couldn’t resist getting a panna cotta on the side and it was definitely worth every bite! Rest of the way to the beach was a delight to the senses. The cafes, restaurants, espresso bars, shops, boutiques and a beautiful church sitting right in the middle. The hustle-bustle of the village was mesmerizing. Positano is known for it’s ceramic tile factories and Limoncello, an Italian lemon liqueur produced in Southern Italy. We decided to grab a bottle on our way back and enjoy it as a night cap!

  • Village Shopping
  • Positano
  • Positano view from the bus stop

Finally, we reached the Spiaggia Grande Positano Beach and nothing could have prepared us for the view around that beach. I had seen numerous pictures of the beach and in my mind, Positano was Italy’s answer to Santorini in Greece. Except that, instead of being all white and blue, it is full of colors! And boy did it blow us away.. With Tyrrhenian sea on one side and the colorful cliffside village perched atop the hill on the other side, this is hands down the most beautiful beach I have ever visited.
It is not the best beach in conventional sense as it is small, crowded, there are ferries leaving the port and the sand is gray with pebbles. But it does offer stunning views and it is a great place for people watching. If you would like to spend time at the beach, I would suggest going to the Spiaggia Grande Beach Club. It’s right on premises, you can rent beach chairs & umbrellas and have some time and space away from the crowds.
While we didn’t get a chance to visit the beach at night, I have heard the views are gorgeous after sunset as the entire village lights up after dark!

Day 3 – Day Trip to Capri

  • Convertible Taxis
  • Capri
  • Designer Boutiques

On our third and final day at Amalfi Coast, we had planned a day trip to the island of Capri. Ferry tickets were booked in advance and all ferries departed from the Spiaggia Grande Positano Beach. Much to our delight, the main beach was full of activity with tourists, artists, people lazing around the beach and locals going about their day. The ferry ride was comfortable with indoor as well as outdoor seating. Capri is an island located off the Sorrento Peninsula, on the south side of the Gulf of Naples in the Campania region of Italy. Often frequented by celebrities, it’s known for it’s stunning landscape, beautiful blue seas and lovely (yet completely opposite) towns called Capri and Anacapri.

  • Light house Views
  • Capri Town
  • Green Grotto

After arriving at Marina Grande, we had a scheduled boat tour around the island with a stop at the most popular destination known as Grotta Azzurra (Blue Grotto). In order to access the cave which is brightened by the water reflecting a stunning blue light, one needs to hop on a gondola. However, since there was a long queue at the venue, our tour guides decided to skip it and offered to take the interested parties back after ending the tour. While we were disappointed a little, I wouldn’t want to spend the little time I had on the island over one attraction.
The tour took us to some of the most memorable sights from the trip. First one is the Faraglioni also known as the Kissing Arch. When you sail through the arch (giant rocks rising out of the sea), you must kiss your sweetheart. Each rock has a name – Stella, Faraglione di Mezzo and Faraglione di Fuori. These rock formations formed by crashing of the waves beneath are a photographer’s dream.
Another beautiful sight was the Grotta Verde (green grotto), a sea cave which looked like being surrounded by an enormous liquid emerald.
We also spotted a lighthouse and some celebrity houses during our tour around the island.

  • Casa Rossa
  • Capri Piazetta
  • Church of San Michele

The town of Capri was full of tourists but charming nonetheless. The Piazetta with it’s clock tower with a backdrop of the mountains was something to remember. There was so much to take in, the cafes, shops and designer boutiques. To my surprise, the taxis/cabs were these fancy convertible cars screaming of luxury. Wander off into the narrow lanes to escape the crowds and checkout the local scene though.


Next we took a bus to Anacapri, the lesser crowded town with beautiful whitewashed buildings. You can take the Mount Solaro chair lift which takes you to the summit with panoramic views of Capri. We couldn’t take the chairlift as my Mom wasn’t comfortable, instead we headed to the Church of San Michele. An epic example of Neapolitan Baroque architecture, the interiors of this church were unlike any I had seen so far. The hand painted ceramic tile floor is a marvel. The scene including trees, plants and animals depicts expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden. We took the staircase up to the organ loft and had an opportunity to take in the full view of the church.


The last attraction we visited was the striking red building called Casa Rossa. It’s a museum with paintings, sculptures and archaeological artifacts on display. I remember going inside a meat shop or a bakery to ask for directions. The owner was this warm Italian guy with a smile on his face asking me where I came from and laughing wholeheartedly.. spreading happiness all around! It is moments like these which make your travels all the more special. He was the exact image of a local Italian I had in my mind, based on the books I had read and stories I had heard.

It was time to head back to Marina Grande and catch our ferry back to Positano. Of course we couldn’t resist getting some gelato at a harbor view cafe while waiting for our ferry. Positano greeted us back with a rainbow view, perfect ending to fabulous 3 days at Amalfi coast!

  • Positano Beach
  • Positano View from Ferry
  • Artist at Positano Beach

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