Two Weeks in Italy: Historic Sites, Beaches, and Food – Part 2 Pompeii and Positano

Amalfi Coast – Pompeii and Positano (stair climbing, swimming, cliff diving)

Visit Pompeii and Positano. Check out this ideal itinerary for a two week visit to Italy. A perfect combination of historic sites, beaches, family time, fantastic food and new friends. Visit Rome, Positano, and Polignano a Mare.

Naples to Pompeii to Positano

After an amazing visit in Rome, we took the fast train from Rome to Naples to begin Part 2 of our Italian adventure. The ride was very comfortable and the scenery gorgeous.  Positano Tony Taxi picked us up at the station in Naples and we had a 2-hour stop for a self-guided tour at Pompeii. Three hours would have been ideal, two hours was enough in the August heat. I definitely recommend a stop in Pompeii. No wonder this was a resort area for the Romans. Fantastic!!! The ruins of homes, neighborhoods and baths built prior to the Mount Vesuvius eruption were interesting to view. On to our accommodations in Positano for a seaside adventure.

Pompeii Tour

An ancient Roman city, Pompeii is located near the modern city of Naples in the Campania region of Italy. Mount Vesuvius erupted in AD 79, burying Pompeii and the surrounding area under volcanic ash. Frozen at the moment it was buried, the excavated city offers a unique snapshot of Roman life.

I was impressed by the organization of the city and craftsmanship of the buildings, given the early age of the community. Viewing the ruins gave me the feeling that the homes, baths, and public spaces were opulent. Homes blended indoor and outdoor spaces with beautiful fountains and gardens. Very interesting that excavation is on-going and we continue to learn more.

Ornate architectural detail.

Bath houses with frescos.

Pompeii residence and community.

Positano

Positano Tony Taxi delivered us from Pompeii to Positano. The journey was enjoyable. Grateful I was not driving on the narrow winding roads. Frequently there wasn’t enough room for two vehicles to pass and someone had to back-up into another street to make room.

Positano was breathtaking. The beaches filled with colorful shade umbrellas, the restaurants, the pottery stores, the beautiful linen clothing with colorful designs, and the hand-made shoes. I loved the hike from our accommodations into town. Winding down the road with a new vista around every corner without having to battle the August crowds for a spot on the bus? I’m in! The bus lines were insane. Keep this in mind if you plan to village hop during your stay on the Amalfi Coast.

Accommodations

Our accommodations in Positano made this trip one of our favorite vacations ever.  La Fenice Bed and Breakfast offers a variety of rooms for couples, small families, and large groups. The scenery is breathtaking. Because La Fenice is nestled in the cliffs of the Amalfi Coast a stay here requires A LOT of stair climbing. Payment is a bit inconvenient, requiring a wire transfer or cash vs credit card. Trust me, this B&B is worth it. I’m almost afraid to share it. Maybe I should keep it a secret to ensure it’s available for our next trip? We will certainly make a return visit.

Breakfast on the veranda was a beautiful way to start the day and mingle with the other guests. Food was fresh from the family’s garden, including eggs from chickens raised on a nearby property.  House-made fig jam was served every morning. Absolutely delicious on croissants alongside fresh fruit. Great variety. Something different every morning.

Each day, we enjoyed delicious lunches pool side. My son devoured panini loaded with meat and my husband enjoyed the caprese salad. My favorite was the mixed salad. Essentially, a caprese salad topped with lettuce, artichoke and corn. Delizioso. No ranch dressing here ;-). Just perfect topped with a few splashes of house-made olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  Wine, beer, and Aperol Spritz were available along with other beverages.

The pool at La Fenice is gorgeous. It’s built into the cliff with a beautiful waterfall. I enjoyed lounging on the pool chairs with a book throughout the day and used the pool as a rest stop on the climb from the beach to our room at the top of the cliff.

Public beaches are available in Positano; beach chair rental runs approximately 15 Euros per person. There is the main beach in town and nearby Il Fornillo. La Fenice has a fantastic private beach. We definitely preferred the option of relaxing at our private paradise. Some guests even arranged boat excursions with a pick-up at the La Fenice dock.

Kayaks were also available free of charge. We enjoyed cruising atop the water to view Positano, the surrounding area, visiting yachts, and nearby resorts from the sea.  The Tyrrhenian Sea glittered in the sunshine. Sea glass and pottery decorated the beach. Coastal pottery was absolutely new to me.  We collected some of these beautiful treasures, which I continue to use for crafting necklaces, bracelets, and earrings.

Cliff diving

Costantino and his family were wonderful hosts. I enjoyed watching his sons help with everything from dinner reservations and tours, to helping young teenagers discover the Positano late night club scene. Between the stories of Costantino’s son and the encouragement of other American and European guests, my son experienced his first cliff diving adventure. What a wonderful lifetime memory for him. Courageous and adventurous.

Our room was very comfortable and we enjoyed a small balcony with a sea view. Perfect place to unwind with a glass of wine after an exciting day. I even enjoyed the traditional key.

Dining in Positano

We enjoyed the food in Rome. However, the seafood, pasta and pizza in Positano did not disappoint. You can’t go wrong with fish, mussels, clams, prawns, fresh pasta and tomatoes. Furthermore, the beautiful sea view at Buca di Bacco was breathtaking. This is where we enjoyed our first meal in Positano. Our La Fenice hosts ensured we had a perfect table.

Our hosts at La Fenice also made reservations for us to enjoy a meal high in the Amalfi hills at La Terra. A driver from the restaurant picked us up at La Fenice for a long and winding ride to the restaurant. The grilled vegetables and fish were a perfect meal. And not to be redundant, more breathtaking and elevated views of the region.

During a stroll in town to check out the shops and beaches, we enjoyed pizza at Capricci Ristorante . It is directly on the main path heading towards the beach. A great place to people watch and the tiled tables are festive. The pizza was delicious. The restaurant gets busy, so you have to be patient.

We plan to visit Positano in the future, so something we missed that I need to try is the spaghetti alle vongole with white sauce at Chez Black. Alyson Haley gave it a great review and I have to confess we didn’t dine there for the same stigma….restaurants with the best venue can get away with serving mediocre food. Shame on us!!!

Activities

We certainly enjoyed touring the town of Positano, relaxing at the beach and pool at La Fenice and kayaking, but we wanted to explore the area further. We decided our big excursion would be to hike the Path of the Gods. How intimidating does that sound?!?!

I have to confess that I was a little nervous tackling this trail in August heat. It all worked out and despite discouragement from locals due to the heat, I’m so happy we did it. The exercise was amazing (more pasta, wine and gelato please), the scenery breathtaking, we enjoyed the hike with new friends from La Fenice, and we felt a sense of exhilaration at the onset and accomplishment when we returned to La Fenice. You can continue on the road past La Fenice to hike into Positano.

We hired Tony Taxi to take us up to Bomerano early in the morning (6 AM) to beat the heat. Our lovely hosts at La Fenice prepared bags of fresh fruit and snacks for us to take on our journey. Upon arrival in Bomerano. we enjoyed cappuccino and pastry in the piazza.

Without a guide, we managed to find our way down the trail without a problem. We ran into several hikers who were having a difficult time navigating the trail. I recommend you conduct on-line research to make sure you are comfortable with the trip.

We followed the spray paint markers at key locations and made our way down the trail successfully. During our hike, a crew was out repairing a washed out area of trail and it was navigable during our trip. Overall, the hike took about 4-hours. We stopped for breaks to enjoy the views, take photos and refresh. I definitely recommend starting the trail in Bomerano and working your way downward vs climbing upwards.

Cairns in a shady spot along the the trail provided a perfect spot for a group photo and a little rest.

There is a nice refreshment stop before you complete the rest of the journey. I recommend lemonade before you begin the stair climb down to the road. I am remembering burning quad muscles as I write this post. Felt great to cool off and stretch out those muscles in the pool.

Towards the end of the path there is a fantastic view that captures the beauty, residences, pool and private beach that comprise La Fenice. A wonderful place to make your home base for a visit to the Amalfi Coast.

Souvenirs

No trip is complete without souvenirs. Positano is filled with lemon trees and pottery shops. I love lemons and purchased a small pottery dish to remind me of our trip. Perfect place to stash my rings. Limoncello is another fabulous souvenir. I have tried to imitate limoncello at home, but it’s just not the same with US vodka. Be sure to bring home a few souvenir bottles.

Continuing on the lemon theme, I purchased this beautiful tote bag at a linen shop on the walk down to the main beach. LOVE it!

Antica Sortoria provides an interesting story. This circa 1960 Positano business provides linen beachwear and other items. I love my linen tunic with lemons and coral, accented with embroidery. Super cool for hot summer days. Perfect way to reminisce on our wonderful Positano vacation.

Our visit in Positano ended way too quickly. I hope this post provides you with a helpful introduction to the Amalfi Coast. I am already dreaming about a return visit.

Transfer Positano – Polignano a Mare

We began our transfer with a ferry ride from Positano to Salerno (approximately 1-hour and $20/person). To simplify our transfer we arranged a luggage pick up service. La Fenice ensured our suitcases were delivered safely to the ferry dock. After enjoying our final walk into town, we grabbed a cappuccino at the beach before boarding the ferry.

Upon arrival in Salerno, we walked to a nearby rental car pick-up. Our ferry arrival time in Salerno was close to closing time for the car rental company. I paid a bit extra to make sure they stayed open for us. My husband and I can drive manual. If you can’t, be sure you make special arrangements for an automatic vehicle. They are not common in Italy. We threw our bags in the trunk, hopped in the car and started on our journey to Polignano a Mare. Exciting!

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