Positano is set in the centre of the bay comprised between
Punta Germano and Capo Sottile,
and is one of the
most elegant health resorts of the Amalfi coast. It has been a holiday resort since the time of the Roman Empire,
as confirmed by the discovery of a Roman villa in the vicinity of the present-day Chiesa madre.
The architecture of this ancient seaside village is characterised by porticoes, underpasses, narrow lanes and
flights of steps, packed with the countless colourful boutiques that have made Positano
an international benchmark for seaside fashion.
The little white houses, crammed up vertically against each other, clamber over one of the rocky spurs of the
Lattari Mountains, making up an extraordinary pyramid dotted with
oases of oriental palms, and terraces of maquis and citrus fruit trees. This little town, suspended between the
sea and the sky, is encircled by
Monte Comune, Santa Maria del Castello, S. Angelo a tre Pizzi, Canocchia, Campo
dei Galli and Paipo.
The picturesque beaches look out towards the three islets of Li Galli
also known as the "Sirenuse": Gallo Lungo,
la Rotonda and Castelluccio.
The archipelago has in fact always been considered the mythical dwelling-place
of bewitching sirens. According to Greek mythology, these creatures represented a hazard and peril for ships
and sailors, especially in this stretch of sea where it seems numerous vessels were lost. Another Greek myth
holds that Positano was founded by Poseidon, the god of the sea, for love of the nymph Pasitea.
What is certain is that this territory was already inhabited in prehistoric times, as confirmed by the finds
in the prehistoric caves (Grotta La Porta, Grotta Mezzogiorno, Grotta Erica).
Among the events of the summer season, the feast of the patron saint
in Montepertuso and in Positano, and the
International Dance Prize event.
