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Guide · Positano

The best time to visit Positano

The ferries run only half the year, and the town is calmest right at the edges of that season — May and September.

May and September calmest·July–August busiest
Ferries
April–October
Busiest
July and August
Calmest
May–June and September
Positano
Positano · Rudolfo Kithera, CC0

Where to go: five more questions →

Ferries to Positano run only half the year, and within that window the difference is huge — July and August bring the highest prices and longest queues, while May and September hold the same warm sea with an emptier beach and a quieter Path of the Gods.

MonthDaily mean and rain
January10 °C, 16 rainy days
February10 °C, 9 rainy days
March11 °C, 13 rainy days
April13 °C, 12 rainy days
May18 °C, 13 rainy days
June23 °C, 6 rainy days
July26 °C, 3 rainy days
August26 °C, 9 rainy days
September22 °C, 9 rainy days
October19 °C, 8 rainy days
November14 °C, 18 rainy days
December11 °C, 14 rainy days

If you only pick one month — May. Temperature is the mean over the whole day (not the daily high), and a rainy day has at least 1 mm of rain; averages for 2021–2024.

The ferries run only half the year

Ferries from Sorrento, Amalfi, Salerno and, seasonally, Naples run roughly from April to October. The pier is small and closes as soon as the sea turns rough. Outside that window only the SITA bus from Sorrento is left, running all year, and it's the only reliable way to reach Positano in winter.

2 daysA plan built around this ferry window:Positano in 2 days →

July and August are the busiest

July and August bring together the highest accommodation prices, the longest SITA bus queues and the most crowded beaches: Spiaggia Grande fills up early in the morning through summer. Crowds are a given. Anyone arriving in that stretch should count on them as part of the plan.

BeachesWhich beach has more room when Spiaggia Grande is full:Beaches in Positano →

May, June and September hold the same sea

Outside the peak, the sea is already warm, the ferries run at full frequency, and the streets and beaches aren't packed. That's also the best window for the Path of the Gods. Mornings then come without the worst heat or a queue on the narrow trail.

Where to stayWhere it's worth paying more for closeness to the pier in this stretch:Where to stay in Positano →
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Frequently asked

Before you go

Short answers to what people ask most before setting out.

Does Positano have ferries all year?

No. The ferries run roughly from April to October; in winter the only link is the SITA bus from Sorrento.

What's the best month to visit Positano?

May: the sea is warm and the ferries are already running, but the crowds and prices of July and August haven't arrived yet.

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Photo credits and licences (6)

All photographs come from Wikimedia Commons and are used under the licence stated beside each one.