Positano

To complement the vertical landscape, here is Italy's most vertical town. Positano spills down from the corniche like a waterfall of pink, cream and yellow villas. Positano is virtually divided in two by the cliff bearing the Torre Transita tower. West is the smaller and more pleasant Spiaggia del Fornillo beach area and east is the Spiaggia Grande, which gives way to the village centre. In ancient times it was called Pasitea, of Greek origins. Here the refugees from Paestum found shelter and the patricians built their villas. Today Positano attracts all sorts of people for the many boutiques and restaurants. Things to see Church Santa Maria Assunta - Just back from Spiaggia Grande. Inside you will find the 13th century Byzantine Black Madonna. The church is closed in the afternoon. Li Galli Isles - By tradition, these three outcroppings are the home of the Sirens, made so famous by Homer in the trials of Odysseus. The largest one was the S ummer residence of Rudolf Nureyev. He carried on a tradition of Russian ownership, after Diaghilev at the turn of the last century: The other two, with barely a flat surface upon them, are uninhabited except for scrub pines and seagulls. Perfect location for a tranquil swim in the warm water.