On
one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline in the Province of Salerno, at
the centre of the gulf formed by point Germano to the west and cape Sottile to
the east, on two mountain slopes, those of Mounts Comune and S. Angelo at Tre
Pizzi, stands Positano, in a splendid panoramic position. Its territory
preserves traces of very ancient settlement, already evident in the Palaeolithic
period, as testified by remains found in the grotto named La Porta, not far from
the town, but also Roman remains, such as those of a large villa, visible close
to the parish church. According to tradition Positano was founded by inhabitants
of nearby Paestum, refugees after a Saracen siege, on the spot where a
Benedictine abbey dedicated to St. Vito already stood before the tenth century.
Its praises sung by illustrious poets and writers and immortalised by painters
from all over the world, nowadays Positano is one of the most interesting places
on the Amalfi coast. The centre of the town is enchanting: here in small Flavio
Gioia square, among the delightful white or
pastel-coloured houses, with their typical cubic shape and the greenery of
luxuriant gardens, stands the parish church of Santa Maria Assunta, with its
splendid majolica dome. Considered one of the best-equipped and exclusive
tourist resorts in Italy, also famed for its flourishing fashion tailors,
Positano perfectly combines the beauty of its natural surroundings and numerous
beaches, Marina Grande, Ciumicello, La Porta, Arienzo e Fornillo, with the
fascination of its ancient fishing port and the charm of its steps and lanes
crowded with quaint colourful shops.
Quality
fashion tailoring is an activity that has distinguished Positano since the end
of the 50's when, with the creation of the bikini, innovative swimming costume,
the town on the Amalfi coast became famous in Italy and throughout the world.
Nowadays production is wide ranging and offers a great variety of clothing:
including typical garments for the seaside, wraparound skirts, beach robes, bags
and Bermudas, to the more formal afternoon clothes or elegant evening dress and
even very special wedding dresses. Bright, cheerful patterns, brilliant colours
and the use of absolutely natural materials, linen, gauze or cotton,
characterise Positano fashion. After a phase in the 1950s and 60's, in which
Hawaiian-inspired designs predominated, during the 70's plain-coloured gauze
took over, instead today, patterns that portray Mediterranean plants prevail,
lemons, flowers and leaves, "borrowed" from the luxuriant natural
surroundings. So, pleasant little shops cheer the lanes of the centre and are a
must for the many tourists who come to the town all the year round. Apart from
its skilled tailors, Positano is outstanding for its famous cobblers, able to
create the typical Positano sandals hand-made to measure while you wait in front
of the shop: with names like "spider", "monk", flipflops,
wooden or cork clogs and the very comfortable canvas mules, with string soles.
Right
in the centre of Positano, in the small Piazza Flavio
Gioia, stands the parish church of Santa Maria Assunta. The building with its
large majolica-mosaic dome, contains important works of art, outstanding among
which is a Circumcision, a stupendous work by Fabrizio Santafede, from the end
of the sixteenth century, and a delightful thirteenth-century Byzantine-style
panel depicting the Virgin and Child. According to popular tradition, the origin
of the town's name is linked to this very icon: looted by the Saracens, the
precious panel was brought back to land following a storm, while from the shore
was heard the prodigious cry "posa, posa" (put it here). Having given
back the ill-gotten icon, the sea calmed down, so a church was built in honour
of the Virgin on that spot and the town grew around it, that took the name of
Positano. The bell tower is also very interesting with a medieval bas-relief
portraying a sea monster, some fish and a fox, probably to underline the dual
nature of the coastal inhabitants' souls, half countrymen and half seamen.
Positano cookery
offers a series of tasty specialities, some linked to typical seafood traditions,
others to country cookery. So, both delicious fresh fish- and meat-based dishes
are available. Among the most typical recipes should be mentioned the tasty
spaghetti with clams, dressed only with olive oil, naturally locally produced
and extra-virgin, and parsley, without tomatoes, the delicious fish soup,
appetising fried anchovies, dressed with mint, vinegar and garlic, the delicate
swordfish roulades, stewed octopus cooked in earthenware with tomatoes from S.
Marzano, or boiled or indeed raw, freshly fished, and mussels in black pepper.
For those who prefer meat, the rich grills over charcoal are recommended, a
typical dish of the area, accompanied by exquisite vegetables, prepared in a
great variety of ways. The dairy products are delicious, especially the
mozzarella cheeses, to be enjoyed as they are or roasted on lemon leaves, to a
local recipe. Moreover, Positano is well-known, like the other towns along the
coast, for its long tradition of confectionery: among the dainties should be
mentioned the lemon
delights, that are outstanding hereabouts for their excellent quality and
extraordinary sweetness, and the Positano cake, the "babarese", a
rolled baba pastry filled with cream and wild strawberries, and the original
puff pastry without ricotta. All washed down with excellent liqueurs, prepared
to ancient recipes, based on the aromatic local citrus fruits, or wild
strawberries, wild bilberries, roses, laurel, prickly pears, fennel and walnuts.
On
one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline in the Province of Salerno, at
the centre of the gulf formed by point Germano to the west and cape Sottile to
the east, on two mountain slopes, those of Mounts Comune and S. Angelo at Tre
Pizzi, stands Positano, in a splendid panoramic position. Its territory
preserves traces of very ancient settlement, already evident in the Palaeolithic
period, as testified by remains found in the grotto named La Porta, not far from
the town, but also Roman remains, such as those of a large villa, visible close
to the parish church. According to tradition Positano was founded by inhabitants
of nearby Paestum, refugees after a Saracen siege, on the spot where a
Benedictine abbey dedicated to St. Vito already stood before the tenth century.
Its praises sung by illustrious poets and writers and immortalised by painters
from all over the world, nowadays Positano is one of the most interesting places
on the Amalfi coast. The centre of the town is enchanting: here in small Flavio
Gioia square, among the delightful white or
pastel-coloured houses, with their typical cubic shape and the greenery of
luxuriant gardens, stands the parish church of Santa Maria Assunta, with its
splendid majolica dome. Considered one of the best-equipped and exclusive
tourist resorts in Italy, also famed for its flourishing fashion tailors,
Positano perfectly combines the beauty of its natural surroundings and numerous
beaches, Marina Grande, Ciumicello, La Porta, Arienzo e Fornillo, with the
fascination of its ancient fishing port and the charm of its steps and lanes
crowded with quaint colourful shops.
Quality
fashion tailoring is an activity that has distinguished Positano since the end
of the 50's when, with the creation of the bikini, innovative swimming costume,
the town on the Amalfi coast became famous in Italy and throughout the world.
Nowadays production is wide ranging and offers a great variety of clothing:
including typical garments for the seaside, wraparound skirts, beach robes, bags
and Bermudas, to the more formal afternoon clothes or elegant evening dress and
even very special wedding dresses. Bright, cheerful patterns, brilliant colours
and the use of absolutely natural materials, linen, gauze or cotton,
characterise Positano fashion. After a phase in the 1950s and 60's, in which
Hawaiian-inspired designs predominated, during the 70's plain-coloured gauze
took over, instead today, patterns that portray Mediterranean plants prevail,
lemons, flowers and leaves, "borrowed" from the luxuriant 
natural
surroundings. So, pleasant little shops cheer the lanes of the centre and are a
must for the many tourists who come to the town all the year round. Apart from
its skilled tailors, Positano is outstanding for its famous cobblers, able to
create the typical Positano sandals hand-made to measure while you wait in front
of the shop: with names like "spider", "monk", flipflops,
wooden or cork clogs and the very comfortable canvas mules, with string soles.
Gioia, stands the parish church of Santa Maria Assunta. The building with its
large majolica-mosaic dome, contains important works of art, outstanding among
which is a Circumcision, a stupendous work by Fabrizio Santafede, from the end
of the sixteenth century, and a delightful thirteenth-century Byzantine-style
panel depicting the Virgin and Child. According to popular tradition, the origin
of the town's name is linked to this very icon: looted by the Saracens, the
precious panel was brought back to land following a storm, while from the shore
was heard the prodigious cry "posa, posa" (put it here). Having given
back the ill-gotten icon, the sea calmed down, so a church was built in honour
of the Virgin on that spot and the town grew around it, that took the name of
Positano. The bell tower is also very interesting with a medieval bas-relief
portraying a sea monster, some fish and a fox, probably to underline the dual
nature of the coastal inhabitants' souls, half countrymen and half seamen.
Positano cookery
offers a series of tasty specialities, some linked to typical seafood traditions,
others to country cookery. So, both delicious fresh fish- and meat-based dishes
are available. Among the most typical recipes should be mentioned the tasty
spaghetti with clams, dressed only with olive oil, naturally locally produced
and extra-virgin, and parsley, without tomatoes, the delicious fish soup,
appetising fried anchovies, dressed with mint, vinegar and garlic, the delicate
swordfish roulades, stewed octopus cooked in earthenware with tomatoes from S.
Marzano, or boiled or indeed raw, freshly fished, and mussels in black pepper.
For those who prefer meat, the rich grills over charcoal are recommended, a
typical dish of the area, accompanied by exquisite vegetables, prepared in a
great variety of ways. The dairy products are delicious, especially the
mozzarella cheeses, to be enjoyed as they are or roasted on lemon leaves, to a
local recipe. Moreover, Positano is well-known, like the other towns along the
coast, for its long tradition of confectionery: among the dainties should be
mentioned the lemon
delights, that are outstanding hereabouts for their excellent quality and
extraordinary sweetness, and the Positano cake, the "babarese", a
rolled baba pastry filled with cream and wild strawberries, and the original
puff pastry without ricotta. All washed down with excellent liqueurs, prepared
to ancient recipes, based on the aromatic local citrus fruits, or wild
strawberries, wild bilberries, roses, laurel, prickly pears, fennel and walnuts.