What is Positano known for?
John Steinbeck wrote that Positano "bites deep. It is a dream place that isn't quite real when you are there and becomes beckoningly real after you have gone." This impossibly photogenic village tumbles down vertiginous cliffs in a cascade of pink, white, and terracotta houses, punctuated by bougainvillea and lemon trees, ending at a gray pebble beach. Once a poor fishing village, Positano was "discovered" in the 1950s and 60s by artists, writers, and jet-setters who made it synonymous with Mediterranean glamour. Today it draws visitors seeking that same magic -- though now with designer boutiques, luxury hotels, and prices to match. The town remains car-free below the main road; exploration happens on foot, climbing and descending hundreds of steps. Amalfi is a short ferry ride east, and Ravello sits high in the hills above.