Listen, I hear you. You’ve seen Positano in all its splendor on your Instagram feed so many times that you snapped, and you blacked out for like, twenty minutes only to come to and discover that you now have round trip tickets for Positano booked even though your bank account can definitely not support such a trip. But listen, I gotchu girl! What if I told you that you could plan the trip of your dreams, but without selling a kidney! That you, too, could frolic where the Instagram models thrive, at the fancy bars and restaurants, all on your not Instagram model salary! Well, you can visit Positano on a budget, and here’s how.
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Visit during shoulder season
Positano during high-season is absolutely crazy. It’s filled to the brim with sweaty tourists who don’t know about the concept of deodorant, and prices are jacked up so high that you’re scratching your head wondering how anyone actually has enough money to afford it. However, the weather is phenomenal and perfect for beaching. Meanwhile, Positano during the off-season is almost a ghost town. Venues that you’ll want to go to won’t be open, the oceans will be too choppy for ferries and boats, and no one will be there.
The perfect middle ground is to visit Positano and the Amalfi Coast during shoulder season! Mid-April to May during spring and September to early October are the optimal times. When I visited mid April, the most popular rooftop bar had its opening night for the season (which was a lovely birthday gift), the weather was great for beaching, and yet, it wasn’t crowded at all! Prices were also lower than those that I had researched, which was quite the happy surprise, and I’m fairly sure it was because of the season I visited. Flights will also be a lot cheaper. To find the cheapest flights, use Skyscanner and keep the dates flexible, and it’ll show you the lowest prices for each day of the month!
Don’t stay in Positano
This might seem counterintuitive, but if you want to enjoy Positano but really can’t justify the insane cost of accommodation there, stay in one of the other cheaper towns on the Amalfi Coast! Praiano is a good alternative; it’s right next to Positano but 5 times cheaper, and it’ll only take you about 10-30 minutes on the bus to get to Positano. However, if you really are looking to save money, it’s worth staying further away in a hotel in Sorrento or Salerno. Sorrento is about a half hour away from Positano while Salerno is an hour, but staying in either of these towns will save you a significant amount of money. Especially if you stay in a hostel or Airbnb (click here for a $40 discount when you sign up for AirBnb).
If you really must spend a night in Positano, splash out one night by staying in Positano and then stay somewhere else the rest of the nights.
Take the bus
So you’re staying outside of Positano. But then how do you get there from your accommodation? In terms of public transportation, the bus is definitely the best price you’re going to get. Tickets were about 1-2 euros one way, and they take you on a pretty long journey. However, I have to say, taking the bus in Positano was probably the single worst part of the entire trip. I’m not trying to be rude, but the cliffside roads are just so winding that the whole experience was just hellish. The ferries are about 12 euros one way, which is 6x more expensive than the bus, but that money is so worth it. Plus, you get really great views!
Bring your own towels
The number one activity in Positano is to just lay on the beach, which seems like it wouldn’t be that expensive, but think again! What, did you think you’d be allowed to exist on the beach without paying?
Really, it would be fine to just lie on the public side of the beach, except for the fact that it’s a stone beach, and it’s really not comfortable to just sit on it. But if you’re really determined to do this on a budget, bring your own towel and it’ll lessen some of the discomfort. Otherwise, a chair and umbrella will set you back around 20 euros during high season.
Bring sunscreen!
You might be reading this like, um, duh Claire, obviously I’m going to bring sunscreen to a beach town. But I want to stress this point, because this is where my friends and I royally screwed up. None of us had actually brought sunscreen with us, but we thought, it’ll be fine, we’ll just buy some when we get there!
Spoiler alert: it was not fine. It was so not fine because the cheapest bottle of sunscreen we could find was 12 euros, and that was a travel-sized bottle! Learn from our mistakes, and bring your own sunscreen, because the sun there is harsh and will f you up.
Ball out for lunch, not dinner
This might be confusing, but hear me out. One of the best parts of Positano is the view, and I know one of the must do’s on my list was to dine at a restaurant with that gorgeous iconic view. However, a good view always makes the meal like 2x more expensive, for some reason. The most expensive meal of the day is dinner, so if you want a really nice view, schedule a lunch reservation at a nice restaurant instead of dinner to save some money!
If you’re looking for a nice restaurant that won’t break your bank but still has incredible views, I recommend Ristorante Bruno. It’s located right next to a road, which is kind of annoying, but hey, that’s why it doesn’t cost as much.
Want to read more about the Amalfi Coast? Click here.
Have a picnic
If I’ve already emptied my bank account at lunch, then what do I do about dinner? You might be wondering. Well, have a picnic! Personally, I love picnics; I think there’s something really romantic about them. Pick up a few sandwiches, charcuterie, and wine from a grocery store, then hike back down to the public beach, lay down that towel I was talking about earlier (see, it has multiple uses!) and feast next to the ocean.
Don’t stay at Le Sirenuse, but visit during the day
So let’s say you’ve ignored all of my advice up to this point, which is rude, but whatever, and you’re staying in Positano. And you want to stay at Le Sirenuse, which is probably the most famous hotel in all of Positano and arguably has the best views, but you really cannot afford the price tag of a room (which is around $1000/night). Or, maybe you just want to experience Le Sirenuse even if you’re not staying in Positano. Well, there are actually plenty of ways to do that without selling your first-born child!
The number one way I’d recommend is by visiting Franco’s Bar. Unfortunately, it wasn’t open for the season yet when I was there, but if it is, definitely go. The drinks are quite fairly priced, the decor is gorgeous, and the view is absolutely breathtaking. Le Sirenuse also has a Michelin starred restaurant called La Sponda that I cannot afford, and a second bar, simply called the Champagne Bar & Grill, with a nice view as well, but the drinks there are pricier.
You can also visit around midday from 12:30 to 6 PM and eat by the pool if you want to experience the stunning pool they have without staying there. And then there’s the cheapest way to experience it of all, which is by just walking to the lobby balconies and asking if you can take photos. They’re pretty accommodating about that, but if you’re going to take advantage of their location like that, I feel like it’s only fair to purchase something.
Pregame
I feel like this goes without saying, but in case you haven’t heard, if you’re going to go out in Positano, pregame first! It is SO much cheaper to buy a bottle of liquor and share it with friends at home than pay for drinks at the club! If you are going to go out, I highly recommend Music on the Rocks, which is a super cool club in a cave that you have to walk across the beach to get to. Just remember to drink responsibly!
Take advantage of birthdays/anniversaries/celebrations
The next tip I’m going to share may be slightly controversial, but this is a really good life hack. There’s a reason I keep mentioning that it was my birthday when I went. If you are celebrating any kind of special occasion when you go to Positano (or, for that matter, on any trip) tell people. You’d be surprised at how nice people are when they hear that it’s your birthday! This works best at bars for some reason – I’ve found that bartenders are usually happy to give you a free birthday shot.
Of course, an unethical life hack could also be to lie about celebrating an occasion when you’re really not and finesse people that way, but I would never recommend that on my blog! 😉 Listen, you didn’t hear it from me.
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