Italy Diary : Part I
Alright y’all it’s here! Part one of our incredible honeymoon! I wanted to share as many details as I could with you because we saw, ate, and did so many amazing things so I thought it would be best to highlight each of our three locations for you! I’ve broken it down into subcategories for easy reading and navigation! I’m giving you a run down on where to eat, where to stay, what to do, and what I packed for each location!
Today we are starting with our favorite location of the trip: Positano! This was a first for both B and I and we will DEFINITELY be going back! I know I’ve been gushing about it a ton on Insta but it is seriously one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. The people are incredible, the food was…well we are still thinking about it, and every street, alley, and corner is prettier than the last!
We arrived in Positano via hydrofoil which we took from Capri. Tickets are cheap and the ride was only 45 minutes giving a great view of the coastline (or the inside of your eyelids if your name is Lexi). You can also arrive to Positano by car but the view you get arriving on the water is the most incredible first impression of the charming and colorful seaside town!! Now, I’m going to sound like a broken record about this one but if you can, ALWAYS by your tickets before your trip! It was definitely cheaper to purchase our hydrofoil tickets ahead of time than while we were there, plus it helps you skip the lines. Also, be sure to screenshot any E-tickets sent to your phone via email unless you plan on getting an international phone plan or SIM card. Same goes for train tickets or flights! Something you should know about Positano BEFORE you go is it is the city of a zillion stairs. You can get around via car or vespa but only on the main road. The best and easiest way to explore is by foot.
Where to Stay:
Positano was our “splurge” destination as far as hotels go but be warned, it’s a small town so most of the accommodations are going to be on the pricier side. We also decided to go during shelf season when the weather is nice but the prices are lower and the crowds are less. Keeping this in mind, hands down I would recommend Hotel Montemare!! Their property is stunning, they are so accommodating, and the views from the rooms are breathtaking! Also, they greeted us with their “Montemare Punch” when we first arrived which was a Godsend after hiking the stairs with our luggage to get to the hotel. I honestly can’t say enough about how wonderful our experience was during our stay!!
Where to Eat:
A trick I learned from my Mom at a young age when traveling, especially internationally, is to ask a local where to eat! This failproof tactic has found us some of the best meals we have ever had! B & I did just that and our new friend Lorenzo suggested 2 places. The first was Da Vincenzo which was hands down my FAVORITE meal of our entire trip! It sits on a busy corner of Capri, up the hill, overlooking the ocean…it happened to conveniently be located about 10 feet away from our hotel and they give you a complimentary glass of prosecco while you wait to be seated! Please do yourself a favor and order the eggplant parmesan to start….I don’t even like eggplant and B and I were fighting over the last bites. In fact I still think about that dang eggplant parm…
The second suggestion we got was Ristorante Max. If you’re looking for a romantic dinner spot for two, look no further. We sat outside on the beautiful patio and took in the ambiance…no views here but lets be honest, what are you going to look at once the sun goes down?? Exactly. The food was so good and they have a great selection, many options included fresh caught seafood which was out of this world!
I also highly suggest checking out the following:
Vini e Panini for a fresh made Italian sandwich! We grabbed these while shopping on our last day and they were SO good! It’s also a local grocer and a great spot to pick up local food/drink souvenirs.
Il Capitano: this restaurant is attached to Hotel Montemare and shares a breathtaking view! We went for lunch and basked in the sun while enjoying some wonderful food!
What to do:
Grab your beach towels (Hotel Montemare supplied us with the most darling Turkish beach towels!) and spend a day at Spiaggia Del Fornillo. This beach is off the beaten path and although it’s a bit of a walk to get there, it’s worth avoiding the crowds and taking in some different views of Positano! Be warned y’all, Italian beaches are not so much sand and mostly rock so you may consider taking some water shoes or sandals that can get wet in order to save your feet!
Dance your heart out at Music on the Rocks! That’s right, Positano boasts its own dance club! It has three floors all open until midnight and then the main dancefloor stays open until the wee hours…we ended up here by chance but had such a fun time with some friends we made on our trip!
Buy custom made leather sandals or loafers at Artigianato Rallo! You get to pick your own design or design your own sandals that are made for you right there! In 15 minutes you have a new pair of shoes tailored perfectly to the shape of your feet and let me tell you, they only get better the more you wear them!!
Buy locally handmade and hand-painted ceramics from our friend Lorenzo in his beautiful shop Emporio della Ceramica
Get a massage at Hotel Posiedon’s spa! This felt incredible after walking 10+ miles a day for the 5 days leading up to our arrival in Positano! B and I did the couples treatment and left feeling so refreshed!
Explore the town!! There is so much to see and do! We spent almost 3 full days there and still felt like we only saw the tip of the iceberg!
Things we’ll be doing on our next visit to Positano:
Rent a vespa to explore more of the coast! It was only about 90 euros to rent a vespa for an entire day! We simply ran out of time
Grab pre-dinner drinks at Franco’s Bar…we stumbled upon this spot by accident and were going to grab drink here (another INCREDIBLE view!) but B felt a tad underdressed for this supper chic bar!
Spend an afternoon at the gorgeous pool at Il Sirenuse! You don’t have to be a guest to enjoy their pool!
What I packed for Positano:
Positano is seriously all of my favorite colors brought to life so dressing for such a location was SO much fun! I practically wore a sundress everyday and linen is QUEEN in Positano! You can’t go wrong with anything coastal inspired! I also ordered a great straw hat to take with me specifically for Positano but sadly it didn’t arrive in time. I’ve linked all my outfits from our time in Positano below as well as some other options for any of you planning a trip!
Dresses:
Skirts:
Shoes:
Accessories:
