The garden terrace of a Ravello villa high above the Amalfi Coast, Maiori and the sea below
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Luxury in Italy

Positano

Pastel houses tumbling to the sea: Le Sirenuse and Il San Pietro in Positano, the Caruso high in Ravello, the coast by private boat, and lemon groves above the water.

A villa garden above the coast, RavelloPhotograph: Magda Ehlers

Benvenuti

A coast of vertical towns

Positano is a vertical town: pastel houses stacked up the cliff from a small beach, joined by stairways rather than streets. John Steinbeck wrote in 1953 that it “bites deep”, a dream place that is not quite real while you are there and becomes real after you have gone.

Along the coast, Amalfi was a maritime republic in the Middle Ages, a rival of Venice and Genoa, and its cathedral still rises above the harbour. High above the sea, Ravello keeps the gardens of Villa Rufolo and Villa Cimbrone, and every summer the Ravello Festival holds concerts on a stage over the cliffs.

The whole Amalfi Coast is World Heritage, a landscape of terraced lemon groves, watchtowers and fishing villages. The road is narrow and slow in summer; the finest way along the coast is by private boat, stopping at the coves for lunch.

A few words of Italian
EnglishItalianSay it
HelloBuongiornobwohn-JOR-noh
PleasePer favorepehr fah-VOH-reh
Thank youGrazieGRAHT-see-eh
Good eveningBuonaserabwoh-nah-SEH-rah
The bill, pleaseIl conto, per favoreeel KOHN-toh, pehr fah-VOH-reh

Where to go

Positano at a glance

When to go, the one best hotel, table and beach club, and how to arrive privately.

Amalfi Coast

Best time to visitLate May, June and September are ideal: hot dry days, a sea warm enough for swimming and fewer crowds than July and August. Many hotels and restaurants close from November to March.

  • Stay
    Il San Pietro di Positanothree MICHELIN Keys

    Built into the cliff outside Positano, with a lift through the rock to its private cove; its restaurant Zass has a MICHELIN star.

  • Dine
    Torre del Saracino

    Two-MICHELIN-star cooking near the coast: Gennaro Esposito's restaurant on the Sorrento peninsula, about 50 minutes by road from Positano.

  • Beach
    Le Sirenuse Mare

    Le Sirenuse's beach club at Marina del Cantone (Nerano), opened in 2026 and open to non-guests daily from April to October, 25 minutes by boat from Positano.

Arrive privately
By private jet
Naples International Airport, Capodichino (NAP / LIRN), about 1 hour 15 minutes by car to Positano, longer on summer weekends. Salerno Costa d'Amalfi Airport (QSR / LIRI), at Pontecagnano south of Salerno, is the closer option for the southern end of the coast, at about an hour by car to Amalfi.
By helicopter
Helicopter transfers from Naples and Salerno serve the coast; confirm the landing point near your hotel when booking.
By sea
Marina d'Arechi, Salerno, for yachts up to 100 metres; about 45 minutes by car to Amalfi, or by tender along the coast.

Stay

Luxury hotels in Positano

The finest hotels in and around Positano: each rated Forbes Five-Star, holding two or three MICHELIN Keys, or among the 25 Finest Resorts of the Mediterranean.

Amalfi Coast

Il San Pietro di Positano

Built into the cliff just outside Positano and named for the small 17th-century chapel at its entrance, Il San Pietro has been run by the same family for more than half a century.

Visit website ↗
Amalfi

Borgo Santandrea

One of the Amalfi Coast's newest grand hotels, Borgo Santandrea opened in 2021 on the cliffs just outside Amalfi, with terraces stepping down to a private beach.

Visit website ↗
Ravello

Caruso, A Belmond Hotel

Caruso occupies an 11th-century palace on a cliff in Ravello, high above the Amalfi Coast, with an infinity pool that seems to pour straight into the sea far below.

Visit website ↗

The finest hotels

Each rated Forbes Five-Star or holding two or three MICHELIN Keys.

Dine

The best restaurants in Positano

The finest tables of Positano and around, and the beach clubs.

Two MICHELIN stars

  • Piazzetta Milù✦✦Castellammare di Stabia

    On the Bay of Naples at the gateway to the Sorrento peninsula and the Amalfi Coast.

  • Torre del Saracino✦✦Sorrento

    Gennaro Esposito's restaurant, which moved in 2026 from its long-time home in Vico Equense to the Bellevue Syrene hotel in Sorrento; its two stars were awarded at Vico Equense. Visit website ↗

Beach clubs

  • Le Sirenuse MareMarina del Cantone (Nerano)

    Le Sirenuse's beach club on the bay of Nerano, on the Sorrento peninsula's southern shore, open to non-guests daily from April to October and 25 minutes by boat from Positano. Visit website ↗

Sail

Yachting in Positano

Yachting at our standard in and around Positano.

Yacht services

  • Luise GroupNaples

    A registered yacht agency based in Naples, with teams along the Italian coast and islands (among them Capri, the Amalfi Coast, Rome, Tuscany, Sardinia, Sicily and the Aeolian Islands) handling clearances, berths, provisioning and concierge arrangements for large yachts. Visit website ↗

Cruises

Positano by sea

How the ships arrive in Positano, and the luxury lines that call.

Ships anchor off Amalfi, Positano or Sorrento and bring guests ashore by tender; larger ships berth at Salerno, about 25 km from Amalfi.

The luxury lines that call here

From the lines' own 2026 and 2027 voyages. Ports change from season to season, so check the voyage before you reserve.

Luxury Cruise LinesSuites at Sea

Travel

First-class travel in Positano

The great hotel trains and the chauffeurs at our standard. Private jet arrivals are covered in the questions below.

The hotel trains

Overnight journeys in restored carriages.

  • Venice Simplon-Orient-Express: Villeggiatura journeys to the Italian coast

    Multi-night itineraries that pair a night on the train with stays at Belmond hotels: Paris to Portofino with Belmond Hotel Splendido, and Paris to the Amalfi Coast via the French and Italian Rivieras, with a Pompeii visit and two nights at Belmond Hotel Caruso in Ravello. Visit website ↗

Chauffeurs and self-drive

  • Cerrato LimoAmalfi Coast, Naples and Italy-wide

    A family chauffeur firm started by Umberto Cerrato in 1963 and now run by his grandson Andrea, registered in Campania as Cerrato Group Luxury Service S.r.l. with a licensed private-hire (NCC) fleet of Mercedes S-Class, E-Class and V-Class cars and larger vans. Visit website ↗

  • Positano VintagePositano

    Self-drive hire of classic Fiat 500 convertibles, an Alfa Romeo Spider and a Volkswagen Beetle convertible, from Via Arienzo in Positano, for more than ten years. Visit website ↗

  • Dolcevita CarsSorrento

    Self-drive hire of vintage cars for the Sorrento peninsula and the Amalfi Coast, from Via San Renato in Sorrento, including an Alfa Romeo Spider and a Fiat 500 Spiaggina beach car. Visit website ↗

Experience

Events and things to do in Positano

The Positano year: the great events, month by month; each event's own website gives this year's dates.

Opera houses, concert halls and festivals

Weddings and celebrations

  • Hotel Villa CimbroneRavello

    A hotel in a 12th-century residence high above the Amalfi Coast, known for its gardens and the Terrace of Infinity, run by the same family since the 1960s. It hosts weddings and events. Visit website ↗

Live

Luxury real estate in Positano

A home in Positano: the agencies and advisers at our standard, for the purchase and for life after it.

Prime real estate

  • Romolini ImmobiliareTuscany

    Exclusive Christie's International Real Estate affiliate since 2008, specialising in historic properties, wine estates and villas in Tuscany, Umbria, the Amalfi Coast, Monte Argentario and Sardinia. Visit website ↗

  • Italy Sotheby's International RealtyMilan

    The Sotheby's affiliate for Italy, with 15 offices including Porto Cervo, Genoa, Palermo and Noto, covering Portofino, the Amalfi Coast and Sardinia. Visit website ↗

All the leading agencies in Italy ›

Looking for a home in Positano? Write to [email protected] and we will introduce you, in confidence, to the right agency.

Plan your trip

Luxury travel in Positano and the Mediterranean: your questions answered

Plan your journey to Positano

Where is Positano?

On the Amalfi Coast, on the southern side of the Sorrento peninsula in Campania, southern Italy. Naples airport takes private jets and is about 75 minutes by road; a helicopter takes about 20 minutes.

What is Positano famous for?

Its pastel houses stacked down the cliff, Le Sirenuse and Il San Pietro, its beaches and boutiques, and its place on the World Heritage Amalfi Coast with Amalfi and Ravello.

When is the best time to visit Positano?

Late May, June and September are ideal: hot dry days, a sea warm enough for swimming and fewer crowds than July and August. Many hotels and restaurants close from November to March.

Where are the best luxury hotels in Positano?

Il San Pietro di Positano (three MICHELIN Keys).

Also among the 25 Finest Resorts of the Mediterranean, in and around Positano: Le Sirenuse; Borgo Santandrea; Caruso, A Belmond Hotel.

How do you arrive in Positano by private jet?

Naples International Airport, Capodichino (NAP / LIRN), about 1 hour 15 minutes by car to Positano, longer on summer weekends.

Which are the best restaurants in Positano?

The finest tables on our list: Piazzetta Milù (Castellammare di Stabia); Torre del Saracino (Sorrento).

Do you tip in Positano?

Not obligatory; a service charge (servizio) may already be on the bill. Leaving a few euros, or up to about 10% for excellent service, is appreciated. Taxis: rounding up is enough. Luxury hotels: porters €2–5 a bag, housekeeping €5–10 a day, €10–20 for a helpful concierge.

What should you wear in Positano?

Shoulders and knees covered in churches; carry a light scarf or layer. Some resort towns fine people for wearing swimwear or going bare-chested in town centres; check locally. On yachts, soft-soled or bare feet on deck. Elegant, well-cut dress for fine dining.

Beyond Positano

More in Italy

The rest of Italy, and the Mediterranean beyond.

ItalyLuxury Italy Holidays: Amalfi Coast & CapriExplore ItalyThe MediterraneanTwenty-two countries and Gibraltar, first class onlyExplore the MediterraneanPlan your journeyFrom your home to Positano, with the costsOpen the trip planner

Customs and etiquette

Customs and etiquette in Positano

How Italy does things.

Language
Italian. English is widely spoken in luxury hotels and leading restaurants in Rome, Florence, Venice, Milan and the main coastal resorts; less so in the countryside.
Greetings
A handshake on first meeting; cheek kisses among friends and family. Titles matter: dottore / dottoressa for anyone with a university degree, signore / signora otherwise.
Dress
Shoulders and knees covered in churches; carry a light scarf or layer. Some resort towns fine people for wearing swimwear or going bare-chested in town centres; check locally. On yachts, soft-soled or bare feet on deck. Elegant, well-cut dress for fine dining.
Dining
Lunch about 1–3 pm; dinner from about 8 pm, often 9.30 pm or later in the big cities and in summer. Book ahead for good restaurants. A per-person cover charge (coperto) for bread and table setting is normal and is not a tip. Ask for the bill; it will not arrive until you do.
Tipping
Not obligatory; a service charge (servizio) may already be on the bill. Leaving a few euros, or up to about 10% for excellent service, is appreciated. Taxis: rounding up is enough. Luxury hotels: porters €2–5 a bag, housekeeping €5–10 a day, €10–20 for a helpful concierge.
Good to know
Smaller shops often close for a midday break and on Sunday. Many towns fine people for sitting on monument steps or eating and drinking beside major churches and monuments; entering or bathing in public fountains is an offence in many cities, including Rome and Florence, and swimming in Venice's canals is banned. Taking sand, shells or pebbles from the coast is illegal, and Capri bans disposable plastics.
Tourist tax
Venice charges day visitors an access fee on set days from April to July, from €5 booked in advance; guests staying overnight in the city are exempt but must register online.

Every list on this page is checked by hand and dated: last checked October 2026. Hotels, restaurants and events link only to their own official websites, where confirmed.

The Mediterranean Season Letter

Where to be, every season

Four letters a year, one for each season: the Mediterranean from spring to autumn, and Beyond the Mediterranean, into the Alps, in winter. The one best hotel to book, and the events worth crossing a sea for.