We drove in our rental car from Matera to Positano. It is normally a 4-hour drive, but it took us much longer as the coastal road from Amalfi to Positano was closed due to a mudslide.
We stayed again at Le Agavi Hotel, located in Positano. We like this property as it has wonderful views, a pool and a funicular that takes you to a private beach. There is also a spa and a Michelin Star restaurant. We especially enjoyed the breakfast on the terrace. Excellent food and what a view! The valet parking is mandatory and expensive. Just give your car keys to the valet and do not look when and where they park your car. The hotel has a free shuttle that takes you to town. It’s a very nice perk, because parking in town is a challenge (price and availability).
As we had visited the area before, we spent our days at the beach and our evenings by the sea in town. The shopping is very good. They have a lot of stores and dining choices. We made a reservation for the first night at Chez Black. The food was very good and the staff friendly and professional. We had a reservation nearby the second night, but the staff was so rude that we left and returned to Chez Black.
The Amalfi Cost has some of the best views in the world. It is very convenient to have a car, but be careful driving around on these narrow and curvy roads. Especially on weekends when local go to the beach and are very creative in finding parking spots along the roads.
When we left Positano for Assisi, we passed Naples and stopped at the Royal Palace of Caserta. It’s a one and half hour drive from Positano. The Palace is a former royal residence constructed by the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies as their main residence (they were the kings of Naples). It is an amazing palace, known as the largest royal residence in the world. We have visited large palaces before in France, Germany, England or Poland, but because of its size, the Royal Palace of Caserta is in a category of its own.
In 1997, the Palace was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. If you visit, do not forget to visit the Park. Remember that it is a monumental complex, so it takes a while to visit. You can walk through the fountains and the Park to go to the English Garden, located on the opposite side, or you can take a shuttle. They also rent bikes.
