My husband gifted me a trip to Italy for my birthday this year! Isn’t he the best?! We both share a deep love for the country and hadn’t been back since we were dating. It was a perfect gift.

Each time Keith and I go to Italy we spend a few days with my grandparents in the north before traveling to a new city or two. This time we decided to visit Positano in addition to my hometown of San Quirino.

Our 2019 Positano Itinerary

Hopper is our go-to for tickets to Europe. This time around, Keith scored round-trip tickets on United and Swiss Air for less than $600 through the app. Of course, it did mean we had 2 stops each way – which we’ve since sworn we’ll never do again…

June 6th: Left the USA.

June 7th: Arrived in Venice, Italy where my grandparent’s picked us up and drove us to their home in San Quirino.

June 7th to 12th: Visited with my grandparent’s in San Quirino.

June 12th: Drove to Venice and then flew to Naples where a driver met us and then took us to Positano.

June 12th to 16th: Spent time in Positano and Capri.

June 16th: Left Positano. Transported by private car from Positano to Naples. Flew from Naples to Venice.

June 17th: Flew from Venice to USA.

We also used Hopper to purchase tickets from Venice to Naples and Naples to Venice through EasyJet. Each ticket was about 60 Euro. (Please note: There are no direct flights to Positano. Naples is the closest airport to Positano).

In total, flights came to about $1,440 for roundtrip flights to Italy, plus flights between Venice and Naples.

Transportation from Naples to Positano

There are a few ways to get to Positano:

Private car service

Rental Car

(I don’t recommend this one – the roads are dangerous and the drivers unpredictable).

(I don’t recommend this one – the roads are dangerous and the drivers unpredictable). Train

Bus

Ferry

To reach Positano from Naples, Keith and I chose to book a private car through My DayTrip. The total cost was 120 euro (including tip) and the service was excellent. The site found a driver for us and then sent us their contact information with regular updates. (Please note you must book within 72 hours). We found our driver waiting for us at the airport gate in Naples and enjoyed an easy 1-hour drive to Positano.

To get back to Naples from Positano, we asked our hotel to book a car for us since we’d forgotten to book through My DayTrip and it was too late to do so. Thankfully, Villa La Tartana came through with an excellent driver via Positano Limousine Service. We were humored and delighted with plush, Mercedes S Class service to the Naples airport. (Be sure to bring dramamine for these drives – both of us got very car sick).

In total, transportation between Naples and Positano came to 260 Euro.

Where to Stay in Positano

I chose to stay in Positano over any of the other Amalfi beach towns because I wanted to be in the heart of the action. Plus, I wanted to see the legendary, hillside village Positano is famous for and which we’ve all seen plastered across Instagram .

My friend and former colleague, Scott Bay, provided us with an excellent recommendation for lodging while in Positano: Villa La Tartana. This hotel is located in lower Positano, steps from the beach. A delicious, continental breakfast is served daily and guests have the choice between street and sea view rooms. There are many great places to stay in Positano, but I highly recommend this spot since it’s centrally located and offers wonderful hospitality.

For those looking for cheaper digs, check out accommodations on Naples, Sorrento or Ischia. These three, charming Italian towns are quick ferry rides from Positano and are known to have less-expensive lodging options.

In total, we spent 950 Euro on a four-night stay at Villa la Tartana (this included a 12% discount for paying in advance online). P.S. Don’t forget to bring coins to pay the tourist tax at the end of your trip – we owed 12 euros for our stay.

What to do in Positano

For the first time ever, I didn’t plan day-to-day activities for our trip. Keith and I were both exhausted from the past year (our wedding and honeymoon, my new job, Keith’s MBA program, and more), so we decided to take it easy. I felt confident doing so since friends who had previously visited had assured me it wouldn’t be hard to play it by ear.

Positano

Life in Positano is relaxing. We spent two days in the village just laying on the private beach. The weather was excellent for June – sunny and mid-90s every day!

Each morning we’d get up at 8 AM (jet lag), eat breakfast in the hotel, then walk down to purchase a beach-front spot (25 euro each). We’d then spend the remaining balance alternating between laying on the beach chairs reading, dipping in the clear, blue water, and jaunting into town for aperol spritz and pizza. In the evening, we alternated restaurants. A few of our favorites included:

Chez Black ($$$$)- our spot for my birthday dinner (thanks for featuring it in your Insta stories, Albion). We recommend the Seafood Soup with the Caprese salad. This hot spot is in high demand with celebrities, so be sure to book far in advance.

Osteria Le Tre Sorelle ($$$) – a prime beach restaurant with great people watching views. Plus, it had wonderful service – the host loved us and came over with free limoncello shots. (This may or may not have been because we forgot coperto is included at restaurants in Italy and had been generously over-tipping for the majority of the trip. Oops).

Bar Bucca di Bacco ($) – for delicious, cheap pizza and Peroni on draft. We ate at this bar about four times during the trip.

Capri

On day two of our trip, we took a ferry from Positano to Capri. Once on the island, we walked around the lower-half, then rented a scooter from Capri Scooter by Amalfi to reach the top (15 euro per hour). Once there, we wandered around the high-end department boutiques (Fendi, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Moschino, Guicci, and more) and the charming, colorful homes. We also hiked to the edge of the island for spectacular views of the Blue Grotto. Before heading back to Positano, we stopped for handmade gnocchi and Prosecco at Le Camerelle.

Transportation to Capri from Positano

It’s easy to catch a ferry from Positano to any of the nearby islands. Each trip is about 30 minutes and costs anywhere from 15 to 20 Euro per person.

However, if you’re looking to get the full Amalfi experience (and spend some serious dough), you can rent a private boat for the day (about 900 euro – but feel free to try and haggle here) or buy a seat on a group expedition (approximately 85 euro per person).

Our ferry rides cost about 60 euros roundtrip.

What to Pack for Positano

As you know, Keith and I prefer to travel light. For this trip, we each carried a Cotopaxi Cusco Backpack. Keith also stuffed an empty Herschel duffel into his backpack so we could fill it with souvenirs and gifts during our trip.

What we packed:

Passport and license Sunscreen – I especially love this product from Drunk Elephant. Sunglasses – we’re both a fan of Raybans. Bose QuietComfort 35 Headphones – I hate that Keith uses these since it means I can’t bother him on the flights, but he loves them because he gets to tune me, and all the screaming babies, out. Otterbox – Keith’s phone has survived all of our travels thanks to this nifty contraption. TSA Luggage Locks – I was nervous traveling through Naples, but we ended up not using these at all. Keep an eye on your bag, and a hand over your purse, and you should be fine. Travel Bottles – I can’t leave home without my hair and skin products. Shoes – Birkenstocks and Sperries for Keith, Keds and sandals for me. Scarf – the best way to transform an outfit. Tshirts and shorts – we packed two or three of each. Light Jacket – mine was a jean jacket and Keith’s was a pullover. Dress – I brought something easy to slip into for dinners on the beach. Swimsuits – Keith brought his chubbies and I packed a piece from Monday Swimwear and Red Dress Boutique. Sunhat – I’ve carried the same straw hat on my travels for the past four years. Gotta keep the wrinkles away!

What I should’ve brought, but totally forgot:

Swimsuit cover – thankfully I was able to find a cute one while in Positano at Antica Sartoria . A book – I ended up downloading ‘Where the Crawdads Sing‘ on my iPhone. Travel Adapter – we forgot one this trip. Thankfully, my Nono had an extra. Extra Euros – we underestimated our expenses for this trip and ended up having to pull some out while at the airport which was a bad idea since it was so pricey.

Positano Souvenirs

I always love picking out gifts and souvenirs. This time, we chose to bring Keith’s parents a bottle of balsamic vinegar and mine a bottle of our favorite Italian wine, Cella Antonio Raboso Veronese. I also picked up a bottle of dry limoncello and a packet of lemon drop candies to share with my coworkers. And of course, we chose a bottle of creamy limoncello for our own bar cart.

The moment we return from each of our trips, I create and print a memory book for our coffee table using Social Print Studio. I also send a copy of the book to any family or friends who hosted us while we were traveling. Our grandparents always enjoy receiving their copy.

My Italian birthday trip was incredible! Grazie mille to my husband for spoiling me with another amazing adventure and great company!

Please feel free to comment below if you have any questions for us &/or ideas for others planning to travel to the Amalfi Coast in the near future. My best friend is planning her 2020 honeymoon to Positano, so all the recommendations are welcome!

Ciao!