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Courtney Adamo of Babyccino lives in London with her husband and four children—ages 8, 6, 4 and 6 months. She and her husband first visited Positano ten years ago, and they loved it so much, they vowed to return every year. The locals now joke that Courtney and her husband show up with a new baby every summer! Here are her insider tips…
Where we stay: Before kids, we stayed in hotels. But once we started coming with children we found it was easier to rent an apartment so we could cook meals, keep food in a fridge, do laundry, etc. (We’ve rented through Summer In Italy.) The last few times we’ve been, we stayed at Residence Alcione, which offers serviced apartments with little kitchens and laundry machines. We ask for the apartment with the big terrace (Serena 1), and that enormous terrace overlooking the sea is really the reason we keep going back.
Where we play: Our favorite thing about Positano is that we do the same thing every day. We wake up, eat breakfast on the terrace (Nutella sandwiches!), and then head down to the beach, searching for lizards along the way. We arrive at the beach, set ourselves up on the sun chairs and spend the day in and out of the water, hanging out until the sun dips behind the cliff. Then we walk back through the town up to our apartment, always stopping for gelato on our way. We are totally predictable—the locals could set their clocks by us—but we love this simple daily routine.
Where we eat: We always eat lunch on the beach at Il Puppeto. The food is so good! We dream about the bruschetta and the caponata salad all year long. For dinner, our favorite restaurant is Da Vincenzo—their fried anchovies are out of this world (even our kids devour them!). The best place for pizza is the pizzeria at Covo dei Saraceni on the pier. We sit outside and let the kids play on the beach until the pizza arrives. Le Tre Sorelle on the beach is always delicious, and it’s where all the locals eat. And our favorite place for gelato is Bar Mulino Verde, across from the bus stop. My husband and I joke that even the gas stations have good food. Even the Naples airport!
How we spend the evenings: We aren’t too rigid with our bedtime schedule on holiday, so we just sort of wing it from day to day. Some days we stay at the beach so long that we’ll stop for pizza on our way back home—then my husband and I will put the kids to bed and sit out on the terrace with a glass of wine. Some days we pick up food from the little delis and make a simple dinner to enjoy on our terrace. Sometimes we come home from the beach, shower and get dressed and head back out to a restaurant with all the kids; then we’ll all come back home late-ish and go to sleep at the same time. And at least once or twice we’ll get a babysitter to watch the kids. A bit of everything I guess!
Favorite moment that we’ve had there: One year we took a boat tour to Capri that stops along the coast and lets you swim in the grottos and caves. I remember diving off the boat and swimming in the emerald green water inside the dark cave. It was such an incredible experience—I can’t wait to take my children there someday.
Any insider tips about Positano, or things to pack, or advice overall: Because Positano is situated on a cliff, you’re always walking up and down stairs to and from the beach. So if you have a baby, it’s best to bring a baby carrier instead of a stroller. Also, I always feel like warning friends that it’s not a luxurious resort type of holiday destination. It’s not the Mai-Tai-on-a-sandy-beach type of place, but a bit more rustic with its rocky beaches, antiquated decor and funky shops. (If you want luxury and fancy shopping, Capri is probably a better choice.) But it’s incredibly beautiful and charming.
Anything tricky about going to Positano with kids? Kids are allowed everywhere, even in the nicer restaurants, and while nothing is overly kid-friendly (they might not have kid’s menus or highchairs or baby-changing facilities), they go out of their way to accommodate children. But because of all the stairs, it might not be the easiest vacation spot unless your kids are independent walkers or your shoulders are sturdy! And depending on where you’re staying you could be a long walk from the beach so you have to remember to bring everything you need for the day when you set out in the morning. Between the stairs and the carrying of beach bags and children, you’ll really earn that daily gelato…
What you love about Positano: Where do I begin? The beauty! The food! The people! The sunshine! My kids love Positano so much that they have all decided they’re going to live there when they grow up (I think I’ll join them!).
Do you have any vacation plans for this summer? This looks like a dream—thanks, Courtney! (Courtney is one of the founders of Babyccino, and here’s her gorgeous Instagram.)
P.S. 10 tips for traveling with a baby, and 10 ways to entertain a toddler on a plane. And we went to Positano on our honeymoon!
