Visiting Positano during the off-Season
Positano, a fairy tale like hilly village located along the southern coast of Italy is an absolute must for any travelers looking for beauty or relaxation . If you would like to relax, enjoy water sports, eat delicious Italian food and drink cheap amazing wine this is the place for you. Famous for its views and beaches, Positano can also be visited later in the year for a much different/less crowded experience.
When to go
Unless looking for a extremely quiet experience I don’t recommend visiting past late October. November is the start of most restaurants and shops winter vacation season. “But it’s fall” I know, for Italians it’s time to close up shop. I visited around mid November 17-22nd and around 80-90% of shops and activities where “closed for the winter.” Nonetheless, I don’t regret going at this time because I could enjoy taking many beautiful shot without the crowd in the background. There was no lines, no traffic, no reservations needed, no escalates hotel and car rental fees and best of all no problems. Just a beautiful tourist-less trip. Because of our timing we were able to visit other near by places such as Amalfi and Pompei easily without any traffic or ticket reservations.
Local specialties
Positano is famous for its lemons! That means lemons everything. Don’t miss the lemon cello, a lemon flavored alcohol liquor.
Where to say
knowing Positano is a vertical village with many stairs we stayed at a B&B. We didn’t want to hike first thing in the morning just for breakfast, so a hotel or B&B which serves breakfast is a good idea. If you plan on staying in the hill side of the town to enjoy those spectacular views you must consider the inconvenience of walking down that hill. Although there are many hotels, I recommend staying at an Airbnb or a home away, same great views, half the price.
I stayed at a lovely B&B which was listed on many webites named L’Uliveto B&B. I would absolutely recommend staying here for any budget travelers. Click here for more information on where to stay in Positano.
Where to eat
As mentioned, during the late November period most restaurants where closed for winter. The restaurants I planned on visiting included:
1. Da Gabrisa Positano
2. Da Vincenzo positano
3. Ristorante de costantino
4. chez Black
5. La tagliata
6. Collina Bakery
7. II Ritrovo
Of that list we were only able to eat at two of those locations
1. Chez Black: An amazing beach size Italian restaurant with beautiful dinning tables, outdoor seating and lively illumination at night. The menu has many options but it’s a bit on the pricey side. Also, don’t be alarmed at the water and bread charge which you thought was on the house. I went there twice and got
2. II Ritrovo: This restaurant was very beautiful and upscale . If possible try reserving a window seat. I just loved the candle lite tables during the evening. Also, check out the wines and open kitchen while you wait. After ordering one appetizer, two wines and two meals, we were brought two complementary glasses of champagne and two appetizers. A lovely gesture. The service was friendly, helpful and very kind. After eating we were given a special local spice mixture as a souvenir! As a cook I was very excited to use this to recreate the dish I ate. Service and hospitality A+
What to do
Water sports and beach activities are a must in Positano but if you go during the off season obviously these activities aren’t an option. If you go during the off season, I recommend a slower pace vacation, including walks around Positano, indulging in delicious foods, tasting various wines and shopping. Positano had many local clothing shops with beauty handmade items. Another great things to do is to visit local areas since the prices and traffic will be low. Click here for a great Southern Italy Itinerary.
Enjoy your trip
