Villa La Tartana

The Villa La Tartana, owned by the same delightful owners of the Villa Rosa, deserves more than a full page write-up. Very different than the Villa Rosa, which is located high above on the hillside above the main road of town, the Tartana is down at the seaside where one has easier access to restaurants, ferries to Capri, stores, and lounging on the popular beach. A three-story white house snuggled in between others, the bed & breakfast offers comfortable rooms each with its own terrace, many amenities, and the warm hospitality of the Caldiero family. In keeping with the seaside ambiance, local hand-painted tiles from Vietri are used in cool blue tones throughout. A main living room with bright, yellow sofas and colorful paintings of nautical themes is where guests are greeted and daily itineraries are arranged to Amalfi, Sorrento, or Ravello. The best way to get a real taste of Positano is to rent a gozzo boat (with or without a skipper) and view the dramatic coastline from the sea, stopping to swim at various beaches and coves or lunching at one of the delectable, waterside trattorias serving pasta with seafood and other local specialties.