Positano...Gosnell Style
Buongiorno! Ok so I know it has been a hot minute since I have posted anything with you guys about travel. This is something really special to me because I am dying to basically go EVERYWHERE that I can. I love learning more about new cultures and different languages. One of the places you will see me post frequently about is Italy. If you haven't figured it out yet, our family LOVES Italy. We love everything Italian. Especially me. It's my happy place. I still have much of the country to discover and explore but I wanted to share with you one of my favorite parts and will also be sharing with you guys more about my family history there in future posts. For now, I am sharing with you my experiences in one of the most beautiful places on earth and that is Positano. From the first moment I saw the breathtaking views, I felt like I had died and gone to heaven. No seriously...It's ridiculous.
Transportation
We have always flown directly from Atlanta to Rome when traveling to Italy to avoid having to change planes. The flight isn't bad at all. We take a late afternoon/early evening flight and land by morning. It's about a 9.5 hour flight and about a 3-4 hour drive from Rome to the Amalfi coast (depending on the time of year and the traffic). Even the drive is awesome. Every time we are there, we use a company called "Amalfi Car Service". Our friend Pasquale Lauretano is one of the owners and always takes such good care of us plus his vehicles are top notch. The first time we were in Italy, he immediately became a family friend so we always use his company and we love keeping in touch with him throughout the year. You can contact him directly at Lauretanopasquale@hotmail.com or +39 333-943-8479. You can also find a link below to his company's website as well as him and his family's rental apartment in Praiano on Airbnb! (Praiano is about a 20-30 minute drive). Regarding safety, I would say I have always felt safe, especially in Positano. They don't have a lot of crime so there aren't many polizia (police) around because of this. Positano has also been know to be a hot spot for a lot of celebrity sightings especially during Holiday (Summer months).
When my husband and I went, we stayed in one of the most BEAUTIFUL villas ever! It was kind of over the top but that's just how Steve rolls. Plus it was for my 30th so he wanted to make it special. This house was incredible and was a few hundred years old. After we arrived we had also learned that Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake had stayed in this exact house which not gonna lie, that alone made my trip. I'm such loser, I know. We plan to go back with the kids as it would be GREAT for a large group traveling together. We booked it through Luxury Retreats which is SUCH a great company to find vacation rental properties because of all the extra accommodations you receive by booking through them. You get your own concierge and it's just all around top notch service. One of the amazing things that came with this house was we had a personal chef each day for our meals so we always made sure to eat Breakfast (Colazione) and sometimes Dinner (Cena) at the Villa. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE doing things over the top but I also love staying in a small flat or something more practical too because I want to experience how people live there and for my experience to be authentic. Another amazing thing about Positano is they call it the vertical city because of all of the large hills and everything is on top of eachother. Those were some of the most incredible views I have ever seen. I'm not going to lie, the first day or 2 I thought I was going to die from all of the steps but you get used to it. I now understand why most people in Italy aren't fat like we are in the US. It's embarrassing when an 80 year old Italian woman can climb these hills better than you while shaking her head grunting "Americans" under her breath. No really...true story but I also accept that I tend to be dramatic. Check out the pictures. HAHA! For sights, you are located to so many incredible spots for day trips. You're not far from Sorrento, Capri, Ravello, Pompeii, Naples, and just a lot of great places. Let's be honest, everything in Italy is very old and historic so there will be amazing things to discover everywhere you turn. You can find fabulous shopping, delightful restaurants and the best part...the greatest Limoncello ever! Also, you can expect to have some of the best seafood while you are there as well. Below I have linked where we stayed as well as some of my recommendations and some of our favorite places and things to do during our time in Positano.
Where To Stay:
Our Favorite Places To Eat:
I MAY or may have not climbed 4 different sets of steps and hills completely hungover one morning just to get a Cannoli from La Zagara. They are shipped daily from Sicily. The climb was worth it...
Things To Do/See:
Nightlife:
Music On the Rocks is really cool because it's a nightclub built into an open air cave right on the water.
Also here are some pictures when I went recently with Nonni (my mom) and Cami. We didn't stay in Positano as we were staying with friends in Avellino (I will share all of those details on another Travel post) but it was nice to take them for a day trip. We went in April so the weather was a little cooler and this is considered the off season so prices were not as expensive.
Like I said earlier, I love Italy so much and I love sharing with you the things that make me happy and set my soul on fire. I didn't want to go overboard with details as I know it can be overwhelming but if you are planning a trip there soon and have any questions, please feel free to email me as I am glad to help! Also, keep your eyes peeled as I have more travel posts on Italy coming soon, I just wanted to divide them up for you.