Pictures from Positano

Positano, with its 4.000 inhabitants, is situated on the Amalfi Coast in the region of Campania. At the beginning of the 20th Century it was just a poor village, inhabited mostly by fishermen, but in the 1950s it began attracting large numbers of tourists, thanks to the fact that John Steinbeck had published his poem about the place in the American fashion magazine Harper's Bazaar. Today, tourism is the main industry in the area and the village attracts wealthy Italians and Hollywood stars.

The picturesque houses, with their tiny alleys and narrow streets are clinging to the mountain side. The town is full of designer shops, souvenir stalls, hotels and restaurants; everything to cater for the tourists. I have to admit that I think there were just too many tourists for such a small place, at least in August when all the Italians also take their holiday. (And they don't go abroad, they remain in their beautiful country....) Anyhow, the sun, the sea and of course the view was all very captivating - as you can see from the pictures below...