Positano with Limited Mobility: Steps, Boats and Cars

In this guide

• How steep the town is, and where the road reaches
• Boarding the boats, and which tours carry an accessibility flag
• Private cars, pushchairs, luggage and porters
• Pompeii on foot, and where to stay

How steep is Positano really?

Very. The town falls from the SS163 coast road to the beach in terraces joined by steps and ramps, and the lanes are polished smooth by centuries of feet. Nothing below the one-way loop road is reachable by car. From Nocelle the stairway to the town is counted at between 1,500 and 1,700 steps, and the stairway to Arienzo beach at about 300. If walking is hard for anyone in your party, plan every day around where the road goes.

Where does the road reach?

A single one-way road loops through the town, called Viale Pasitea on the way down and Via Cristoforo Colombo on the way up. Taxis, hotel cars and the small local bus use it, and a private transfer can usually stop on it. Anything on this loop, and on the coast road above, can be reached without stairs. Everything between the loop and the sea is on foot.

Which bus stop is nearer the beach?

The SITA coast bus stops at Chiesa Nuova, at the top of town, and at Sponda, at the other end, nearer the beach and the church. From either, the way down is on foot. The local bus that loops the town road gets you closer to many hotels, and it runs up to Montepertuso and Nocelle. The stops are set out on getting around Positano.

Can you board a boat from the pier?

The boats board from the pier on Spiaggia Grande, by a gangway, a step or a small tender, and reaching the pier means walking down to the beach. None of the boat listings here states that it is wheelchair accessible, and one traveller on a Capri cruise found the transfer by a smaller boat difficult for older guests. On the other hand, a Sorrento boat crew was praised for caring for a traveller who walks with a cane. Ask the operator exactly how you will board before you book.

Which tours are wheelchair accessible?

By their listings' own statements, the private tour of Pompeii, Sorrento and Positano from Naples, and the private Pompeii tour with a licensed guide, whose vehicle is listed as wheelchair accessible. Both ask you to tell the operator in advance. Several boat listings are marked stroller accessible, which is not the same thing. The table shows what each listing states.

Is a private car the easier way?

For most people with limited mobility, yes. A private car or minivan collects you at the nearest point the road reaches, goes where you want, and waits. The private day from Positano to Pompeii, Amalfi and Ravello is $472 a person, and the private Pompeii tour from Naples $508 for a unit of two. A private transfer to Naples airport or station from your hotel, about two hours, is From $135 a person. Drivers set you down as close as they can, and one traveller on the Pompeii transfer was dropped near the hotel to save the stairs.

What about pushchairs?

A pushchair works on the loop road and almost nowhere else. A baby carrier is the practical choice in the lanes, and on the boats several listings are marked stroller accessible. The family view is in Positano with kids.

Luggage and porters

Arrival and departure are the hardest moments. Porters meet the bus stops and the pier and carry luggage down the lanes to your hotel, for a price agreed in advance, and a private transfer that stops on the loop road avoids most of the stairs. Pack light, and ask your hotel to arrange both before you travel.

Staying where the road reaches

Choose a room on or near the loop road, even at the cost of the sea view. Ask the hotel how many steps lie between the road and the door, whether a car can stop outside, and whether it arranges porters. The levels of the town are compared on where to stay in Positano.

Pompeii on foot

The ancient city is paved with large, uneven Roman stones, with high kerbs and little shade, and most of a guided tour is on foot. The small-group tour from Positano is not wheelchair accessible by its own statement. With a private car and a licensed guide you can set the pace and the route, and the accessible private tours from Naples are the ones to ask about. Bring water and a hat, and plan short stretches with rests.

Is a Capri day manageable?

With care. The boats board from Positano's pier, and on one shared cruise guests transfer to the boat by a smaller tender, which one traveller found hard for older guests. Capri itself is steep, and moving between Capri town and Anacapri needs the island's buses or taxis. A private boat lets you set the pace and stay aboard while others go ashore. Ask the operator how you will board before you book.

What should you tell the operator?

• How far each member of your party can walk, and whether steps are possible.
• Whether anyone uses a wheelchair, a walking aid or a pushchair.
• The exact address of your hotel, so pickup can be at the nearest road point.
• Any medical condition the listing asks about, such as heart or back problems.

A gentler Positano itinerary

1. Arrive by private transfer to a room on the loop road.
2. Take the local bus to the nearest stop for the beach, and the lanes only as far as you like.
3. See the coast from the road on a private day to Amalfi and Ravello.
4. Visit Pompeii with a private car and guide, at your own pace.
5. Leave by private transfer from your door.

Arrival routes are on how to get to Positano.

Frequently asked questions

Tours that come to your door

Private Pompeii, Sorrento & Positano tour with Licensed Guide

A private licensed guide in Pompeii, then Sorrento and Positano.

From $177 per person

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Private Tour of Pompeii, Sorrento and Positano from Naples

A private car from Naples for Positano, Sorrento and Pompeii.

From $508 per group, up to 2

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Private Transfer From Positano Hotels to Naples

From your Positano hotel to Naples airport or station, private.

From $135 per person

Check Availability