Positano on a budget? Yes, it is possible!

POSITANO - On a budget - my top ten tips


Yes - it is possible

Adjust your expectations
'Budget' in Positano means paying around 180 euro per night. If that is too expensive, try the villages of Nocelle and Montepertuso above Positano - the local bus runs twice an hour or you can use the stairs. It’s half the price of Positano. You can get a room in a B&B from around 75 euro per night. Some even have stunning views. Ensure your place has a fridge or stay in an apartment. Even cheaper are the villages above Amalfi. Some photos of Nocelle are below - it really is a hidden gem and a cheap one at that.



Views of Positano from Nocelle (above)
The piazza in Nocelle with the best lemon granita stand!


Above and below - tiny pathways around Nocelle





Buy food from supermarket
The higher up in Positano you go, the cheaper groceries get. There is a supermarket near Bar Internazionale on the main road. It has bread, cheese, wine, salad veges, ham, yoghurt. Everything you need to self cater or pack a picnic.

Take the local bus
The SITA bus runs along the coast between Sorrento and Salerno. You can get a 24 hour ticket for 8 euro which allows you unlimited rides. The bus between Nocelle and Positano is 1.20 euro one way.

Positano's Fornillo Beach (above) - the free swimming area is at the far end of the beach.

Swim in the sea on the free areas of the beach
The free area of Spiaggia Grande is near the ferry dock. The free area of Fornillo Beach is to the north of the Il Puppetto beach bar. The beaches are stones/gravel so not comfortable for a long sunbathe but if you want to swim and sit in the sun for a while it’s a perfect solution. Sunbeds can cost up to 20 euro - and if you stay at the beach for just one hour or all day, you still pay 20 euro.





 In Nocelle they still use mules to move produce to and from stores



Above and below - beautiful ceramic tiles serve as artwork and directional signs on Nocelle's pathways

 Cappuccino at Nocelle's tiny cafe and grocery store

Above - the usually packed main thoroughfare of Positano

Buy wine from a supermarket, take a corkscrew, grab some plastic cups and have a sunset sip with a view.
There are various spots and benches on Via Pasitea to stop and take in the view. No one will stop  you from having some wine and enjoying the scenery as long as you show appropriate behaviour. The people in the posh Franco’s bar will have the same view and yet they’ll be paying 25 euro for their glass of bubbles.

Top five things to do on a budget

  1. Swim - it’s free
  2. If it’s raining, take the SITA bus to Sorrento and then train to visit either Pompeii or Naples
  3. Take the bus to Amalfi and hike the Valley of Iron. Take a picnic with you and sit by the waterfall. If it’s hot enough, have a swim in the waterfall (this is permitted).
  4. Hike the Path of the Gods.
  5. Go shopping - some of Positano’s best local produce is affordable, like bars of lemon infused soap for 4 euro.



One of Positano's two children's playgrounds. A quiet spot to sit and take in the view
Nocelle's little church.

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