Italy - Positano - Ferries, Buses, Trains and Automobiles
- chebelladonna
- Oct 19, 2025
- 9 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
Four years ago Pablo and I embarked on our inaugural European vacation together. To compound that even further, it was our first trip since the start of the pandemic. We, like much of the world, had been sitting in our house for a year and half. That alone made it epic. The world suddenly felt huge. Those were strange times.
Pablo was jet-lagged on our arrival in Rome and I hadn't felt the wind in his sails on the train to Naples. Would he love Italy the way I do?
We emerged from the train and were promptly whisked away by a car to take us to Positano. Driving in Naples is akin to driving in Latin America and I could still feel his skepticism. The road eventually narrowed and began to twist. And then we took a turn onto the costal road toward Positano. Pablo turned quiet. His body went still. He was dialling in.
We checked into the Hotel Savoia which exceeded all expectations. Those brightly coloured tile floors and the crisp clean white walls will get me every time. It's a thing of beauty. Our room was ample, adorned with yellow and blue tile - my favourite. We had an entry way with a large built in wardrobe allowing us to fully unpack, bedroom, bathroom and two balconies - one with a small table and chairs, the other, a Juliet. As a corner room we had sweeping views of the sea and the mountains.
By the time we arrived to the hotel it was mid-afternoon. All we had to do was not fall asleep, to try to push through the worst of the jet lag. With a couple of hours to kill before dinner, we changed clothes and set out to explore the town. I cannot express how fantastic the location of the hotel was, sitting at the perfect altitude. We had a great vista but it wasn't so high up that we had to hike down to get into the heart of the village. Basically we were able to cross the street and walk down one flight of stairs to connect in. For the most part, cars use the windy roads and people make sure of staircases to get up and down the mountain. There are a number of pedestrian only streets within the village centre. We ran all over like kids, exploring the various alleyways and the beach. This would be our home base for the next five nights. Lucky us!
High on adrenaline we ran back to the hotel to get ready for dinner. I don't normally book daily dinner reservations on a vacation but I decided to on this holiday. One, I'd heard that restaurants could book quickly leaving travellers out of luck; I didn't want to spend half the holiday trying find somewhere to eat. And secondly it was a pandemic. Researching where to go allowed me to dream of brighter days as those long pandemic months dragged on.
That first night we enjoyed what was probably our swankiest dinner of the week, at Aldo's, in the iconic La Sireneuse hotel, a short walk up the street. It's an open air restaurant on the terrace of the iconic red hotel, complete with mosaic tiled tables, brightly coloured throw pillows, wicker chairs and cascading in beautiful plants and flowers. The trip started with a crisp glass of white wine, grilled fish and the most unbelievable sunset over the Tyrrhenian Sea and the iconic houses layered into the mountainside. Pablo's mind had officially imploded. (Pro tip #1: Since I was being a little extra when planning this trip I looked ahead to see what time the sun would set that week and made dinner reservations accordingly. You're welcome.)
The next day I woke up before the crack of dawn due to a combination of jet lag and excitement. I read, took a bath and eventually went in search of the breakfast room until Pablo was awake. I needed coffee. Sitting in the cheerful room full of large windows with a steaming latte, my journal and a cornetti (how could I say no), I pinched myself. We were here. That first bite of the cornetti didn't disappoint. The outside was so flaky, it exploded in my mouth while the inside was soft and warm. A superb pastry and coffee is one of life's greatest small luxuries. Eventually I worked my way back up to the room nudging Pablo awake, only to head back down to the breakfast room where we enjoyed more coffee, cornetti, pastries, scrambled eggs and fruit. We were set up for the day.
The question was what to do? (Pro tip #2: I had researched multiple day trips that could be moved around according to weather and energy levels. I also left one day completely open. For me a great trip includes doing much of the leg work ahead of time to make it effortless, but one that still allows for spontaneity. The idea of a holiday with a military tight schedule is not for me.)
Back in the room we stood on the balcony listening to the Sunday church bells in this dramatic landscape and somewhat lamented the grey skies and drizzle. The forecast didn't look great. That combined with low energy from the flight, we decided to cash in our free day. In the morning we went for another long walk in the rain poking in and out of shops, the local grocery store with its wall of pasta and enormous parmigiano cheese wheel, and to the church on the square. We stopped for a coffee a local cafe over looking the beach where we met an American couple who were equally as pleased to find themselves in Positano in 2021. Then we returned to the hotel. I went for a blow dry at a local salon, which was followed by an afternoon nap with the patio doors open - a perfect Italian Sunday.
In the evening we had dinner reservations at Buca di Bacco, in an old hotel down by the beach. The hotel has been frequented by the likes of Steinbeck, Hemingway and Grace Kelly. Steinbeck wrote the famous quote, "Positano bites deep. It is a dream place that isn't quite real when you are there and becomes beckoningly real after you have gone." Was he staying at Buca di Bacco when he wrote it? We were treated to a corner table over looking the beach, and another glorious sunset. A beautiful bride and groom walked onto the promenade and a crowd gathered around them including most of the restaurant staff, and the cooks. Even in the middle of dinner service there was time to take a moment to celebrate this young, local couple. After dinner we enjoyed another long walk ending up at a random hotel with a secret courtyard complete with beautiful architecture, cascading flowers and a pianist quieting playing in the corner. After enjoying a final night cap, we tucked ourselves into bed.
The next morning we awoke bright and early, skipping down to breakfast knowing that a mountain of those delicious pastries awaited us. They did not fail to disappoint. And yet, there was no time to linger.
We were taking a morning ferry to Capri. I felt both excited and anxious. Staying in Capri in the 90s has been a core memory throughout my life. Should one return to a moment in time that was so special, or should it be left alone with rose coloured glasses for posterity? I was about to find out. As we waited for the ferry I ohhed and ahhed over all the fishermen's boats and equipment on the beach. One of the many things I love about Italy is the ability to blend nature with luxury, and real life with fantasy. Positano for all its tourism, is still a working fisherman's village. I love that. As for Capri, it's safe to say I could go home again and will write a separate blog to follow.
That evening back in Positano we had reservations at the bar in the Hotel Poseidon. Initially when I was researching hotels I had hoped to stay there, but it was outside our budget. Hotel guests are able to borrow a hotel owned 1971 Volkswagen Beetle for a spin around the mountain which looked like fun. Regardless, we walked up the mountain on a crisp fall evening, to arrive at another beautiful hotel. We were promptly tucked into the warm and cozy bar, adjacent to a fireplace crackling with a group of young women, guests of the hotel, curled up on comfy sofas and giggling about their day. After a long leisurely lunch, we weren't starving, ordering a gorgeous charcuterie board to pick at. One of the most delightful elements were the olives. Travelling in October, our stay coincided with the olive harvest. I do not typically like olives but fresh olives are a delight - lighter and more refreshing. They are a completely different animal to a pickled olive. Meanwhile, Nina, the resident black lab, sidled up between our bar stools looking for salami. According, to the bartender, she was the boss and we paid the cheese tax.
The next morning we were picked up at the hotel by a car, from the same company that transferred us from the train. We were off to Pompeii, a place I regretted missing on my first swing through the region.
Back in Positano in the late afternoon we had to change to get ready for our next dinner pick up. Today we were starving as all we'd eaten during the day was the only piece of bad pizza in Italy, just outside the Pompeii gates. We were dining at La Tagliata way, way up the mountain in Montepertuso. The restaurant, a working farm that also offers cooking classes, figured out that if they ran a free shuttle from Positano, the people would come. Jumping out of the bus after switchbacking up the mountainside, we were greeted to brightly painted vintage Fiat 500s adorned with the logo, much to Pablo's delight. Heading into this terraced restaurant feels like being on the top of the world. Beautiful leaves slowing turning red with the fall only enhanced the drama.
La Tagliata is family run, with a set menu. It's also meat based, instead of seafood. There are five courses - salad, an antipasto plate, a variety of pastas, a variety of grilled meats and dessert with homemade limoncello. Come hungry. Even Pablo, who loves meat cried defeat as the sun set.
The next morning marked our last full day in Positano. Trying not to think about it, we went to the local kiosko after breakfast to buy tickets for the intercity bus. We were off to Amalfi and Atrani. On my 90s trip to the region we had stayed in Capri, then Atrani. With only minutes to spare we sprinted up the hill to the stop, just managing to catch it. Taking the bus in the Amalfi Coast is an experience. The drivers are built differently. In many spots there is only space for one bus requiring one party to either back up or scooch over. It's a the kind of moment where you put your hands in the fate of the universe, if you can settle in and enjoy the ride.
Back in Positano we enjoyed a last dinner at Chez Black down by the beach. I tucked into a wood fired pizza shaped like a heart. I'm a simple bear who loves pizza; and this was excellent. The restaurant was packed and I suddenly felt a little gun shy to be so close, to so many people. We chatted with the couple next to us who had just arrived. He noted they were from Montreal, and Pablo pretended not to know where Canada was. He let the guy try to explain it repeatedly, completely perplexed, for a minute or two, until finally letting him off the hook. He kept saying things like, you know the really big country to the north of the United States. lol
After dinner we mosied on over to Music on the Rocks, an uber cool nightclub inside a cave. There were far fewer people at the nightclub, than in the restaurant. We secured a table and enjoyed a cocktail while listening to the DJ play beats under the lights. Would the world ever be normal again? Would we ever dance again?
Around midnight we knew we were turning into pumpkins, as we had a late morning pick up to take us back to Naples, to catch the train to Rome, where we would spend our last three nights. Our last breakfast was divine and we enjoyed a final walk around Positano, including the purchase of a beautiful ceramic serving bowl, blue with yellow lemons. Back in the room Pablo moved slower and slower as he packed his bag. He didn't want to leave and frankly neither did I.
As for our trip we loved visiting in October with the olive harvest and the changing leaves. The weather can be a bit of risk, but after the first day, it worked out for us. As for my first trip to the region that was in June when the region is dripping in lemons. I don't know if I would go to Positano in the heat, and crowds, of July and August.
In the blink of an eye our check out was complete and there was nothing left to do but to buckle our seatbelts for the ride. With every kilometre we wound our way away from this magical corner of the world, a place that defies both logic and gravity, and towards our big city adventure in Rome. Positano, may we return.
As for things left undone:
Ravello, located above Amalfi, looks gorgeous and I have missed it on both trips.
Booking a boat tour and/or a beach day at a beach club (Arienzo is a famous one) is a no-brainer.
There is a renowned hike called the Path to the Gods which I'd love to do.
Cooking classes look fun, including one run by La Tagliata.
And I'd happily spend some time in Naples - a city that scared me a little in 90s but that I think I have probably grown into over the decades.
