We made it to Positano on Saturday, courtesy of the train from Rome to Naples, then the local train to Sorrento and finally the windy bus ride to our destination. Whew – it’s quite a trip to get to the Amalfi Coast. But, when you’re here, you’re in an Italian paradise. And luckily you don’t want to leave anytime soon.

Our villa is lovely, perched on a cliff with breathtaking views of the ocean. The family who owns the place lives below us. “Momma” makes her own limoncello – an Amalfi Coast specialty, which we were treated to on our first night here. We’ve been enjoying the space and especially the views from the terrace.

Positano is a vertical city. Let me repeat myself, Positano is a vertical city! This is no joke…and we quickly learned this our first day in town. To get anywhere in town you must either go up or down. This fact makes it one of the most scenic towns on all of the coast, while also making it a challenge for anyone visiting (the locals don’t see this as an issue – in fact they are very proud of the vertical nature of their town). If you can figure out the bus system, you’ve got it made. Unfortunately this has taken us a few days…..but we’ll have amazing calves to show for it. 😉

On top of all the walking, we’ve learned a great deal about this town of 4,000. It’s had an interesting history – as a spiritual center for monks, then as a top shipping center, finally evolving into an inspirational haven for artists and writers. Positano is known for beautiful sandals and airy fashion styles. And it’s also known for its dogs…

Enter Figaro – an adorable little black pup owned by one of the shopkeepers in town. We met Figaro on our walking tour, and he greeted us with gusto. His wagging tail and cute face spurred our guide to tell us about the pups of Positano. Apparently the townspeople are known for their love of dogs. So much so that people who abandon their dogs will often do it here. When this happens, the people of Positano embrace the strays – ensuring they are fed and bathed, and even putting collars on them so they aren’t caught by the dog catcher. They become the town’s dogs. This story perfectly portrays the generosity and incredible spirit of the Amalfi Coast people. And being a dog lover myself, I can definitely admire a place where pups reign supreme. And admire it, I do.

Looking forward to a few more days on the coast before we make our way back to Rome. Until next time, ciao!