Positano Bites Deep..

So wrote John Steinbeck in a piece for Harpers Bazaar in 1953. He was right. Anyone who has been to Positano will understand exactly what he means. Italy's Amalfi coast is without doubt beautiful, but Positano has to be its gem. The array of multi-coloured houses and villas clung to almost vertical cliffs, that open up into a bay with deep, blue, clear waters cannot fail to impress even the most soulless of beings.

The drive from Naples airport to this Amalfi hideaway is all part of the Positano experience. Out of the bustling Naples airport, past Vesuvius, Pompeii and Herculaneum, along the Bay of Naples and finally the cliff clinging roads around the Gulf of Salerno. Its a glorious drive, although if you don't like cliff edge roads with sheer drops to the sea below its probably best to sit on the left hand side of the car. Steinbeck talks about a mad taxi driver who was intent on doing the journey in record time when he visited. Things have not changed much in this regard. Italian chauffeurs still seem intent on trying to break the land speed record whenever they get behind the wheel.

When staying in Positano, there is only really one place to rest your head. Le Sirenuse is that rare find for a hotel these days. Privately owned by the same family that started it originally. It sits at the top of Positano with a prime vista over the harbour, shops and eateries below. Rooms are fresh and elegantly furnished with a range of antiques. Service is second to none. From the moment you enter you are treated almost as if you are a family friend visiting and staying for a few days. Nothing is too much trouble and a glass of champagne in the oyster bar at sunset is a simply stunning intro for dinner.

The restaurant at Le Sirenuse, La Sponda, is a Michelin starred wonder. Set on a terrace, lit by a hundred candles and overlooking the gulf of Salerno its location is perfect. At night time you can dine under the stars whilst gazing out at a few of the super yachts that have taken up port for the night below. The food is expensive, you can eat much cheaper down in the town, but to miss out on a treat such as this at least once would be a crime. We ate here twice in the four nights that we stayed. Both times we had the eight course tasting menu. On visiting the second time, and commenting that we had had the tasting menu two days ago, our waiter told us that if we wanted it again they would provide eight totally different courses to the ones we had eaten earlier that week. With this offer we had to accept. How many Michelin starred restaurants would do this for their guests. Not many I would venture and for me typifies why La Sponda is truly special. Of course the food is good, the wine is excellent and the location perfect. But as I have said before you need more than this. In the case of La Sponda its the staff and service that make it stand out. The waiters are knowledgeable, chatty and efficient without being overbearing and intrusive. The sommelier guides you towards whatever suits your budget without the distain that some in city restaurants have. In all its a thoroughly professional affair carried out in a relaxed but classy environment.

Steinbeck's Positano article is now almost 60 years old. However, if he were to visit again today I doubt he would find that anything had changed. Its was perfect then, and still is now.