We are up bright and early in Rome and on our way to the Tiburtina train station, where we are much more relaxed about the whole train thing. We chose leaving from this train station and the train would arrive in Salerno in time for us to catch a good ferry ride to Positano.
For those of you trying to find a way from Rome to Positano from like April through mid October...this is the way to do it. We read about it on Trip Advisors. It takes 2 hours to get to Salerno, then you have to leave the station and walk about 1/4 mile to the ports...very easy, tons of people are going that way. We found our company, TravelMar, and purchased our tickets. The ferry ride over to Positano lasts 90 minutes and it is just stunning to see the Amalfi Coast that way. Plus, I'm scared to death of heights and driving on cliffs. I had to shut my eyes several times on the PCH in 2014. The coastline is much prettier from Salerno to Positano than from Sorrento to Positano. From Salerno, you see all the towns and houses along the way...from Sorrento no so much, almost totally just cliffs.
Everyone was so excited as we approached Positano, as it's incredibly picturesque. I first found out about in when Under the Tuscan Sun first came out and remember telling DH that I am going THERE in my lifetime! We decided to do Positano at the end of our trip, as we wanted to relax on the beach after busy days in Venice and Rome...which we are glad we did. We also lucked out in that the weather was very nice, and the only really hot days was one the last day of Rome, and then Positano. We didn't care that much, as we would be in bathing suits...plus it wasn't a heatwave...just 88 - 90 degrees. Well, it was hot when we arrived and we flagged down a porter as soon as we docked. They are right there to take your suitcases. There are no taxis at that level up to a certain level in Positano...you have to walk. There is NO way you are taking those suitcases, unless you have a lot of self-hatred. DH balked when I told him this before we left, saying he could carry his own suitcase...but I convinced him otherwise and he was glad. Of course, we are worried that we'll ever see them again...but they all arrived about 10 minutes after we got to our hotel.
It's a hike to the hotel..very nice walk through the little town and shops, but we were drenched when we got there and the hotel desk staff looked at us really weird..haha. My hair was drenched, I just looked ragged. We stayed at Hotel California, the "Under the Tuscan Sun" hotel, that was Marcello's apartment. Of course we took tons of pictures and I was teasing DH by yelling "Marcello, Marcello!" up toward the balcony, but he didn't come out. It's a nice clean hotel, decently price...awesome VIEW of the iconic Positano landscape. I found it quite sparsely decorated...would a picture have killed them...but again we don't spend a lot of time in the room. The common breakfast area outside was gorgeous. Unforunately I might not stay there again, we'll see. If I do, I'm taking my own blowdryer. That was was SO bad, I didn't blowdry my hair the whole time. I had to either put it in a ponytail or wear it up on my head. I know I'm vain, but I liked to do my hair in the evenings.
OKay, enough about my hair issues. Positano does not have a Piazza or places like that to sit. You are walking up and down the inclined hill, passing really cute shops and restaurants all the way. This is the only place I purchased anything for myself.
The first day we just put on our suits and we to the beach. It's so cool the way the European beach loungers and chairs are set up with waiters. We just loved that. DH had the best time swimming in the sea, he said it's different than the oceans at home. It was so cool seeing all the million dollar yachts anchored out there, too. We were in the playground of the rich and famous! I didn't like the pebble beach, though. It really hurts your feet.