Where boats leave from in Positano, and how long it takes to get down there
Finding it from wherever you are staying
Positano funnels downwards. Whichever lane you start on, keep going down and you will arrive at the Spiaggia Grande, because there is nowhere else for the town to send you. From the main road the walk down is stepped most of the way and takes fifteen to twenty-five minutes depending on where you began and how often you stop. Coming back up afterwards takes longer and there is no shortcut, which is worth knowing before you book something that lands you at the pier at the hottest part of the afternoon. What the town is like to walk in general is on one day in Positano.
Where each kind of boat gathers
| What you booked | Where it meets | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Capri crossings | The jetty, Via del Brigantino | Kiosks at the landward end |
| The full-day Capri boat | The Spiaggia Grande | Some operators board at other ports too |
| The day trip with pickup | Your hotel, then the beach | Pickup and drop-off included in Positano |
| The sunset run | Via Regina Giovanna 3 | By the brasserie at the east end of the beach |
| The private charter | The brasserie at the east end | One boat, one time, so be early |
The pickup option exists for a reason
One of the Capri day trips includes hotel pickup and drop-off in Positano, and it is the answer for anyone who does not fancy the stairs at either end of an eight-hour day on the water. It runs six to eight hours from $206, rates 4.8 across 302 reviews, and includes the Marina Grande landing tax, a Capri guide, drinks, towels and a swim stop, with the Blue Grotto itself optional at extra cost. It gathers on the Spiaggia Grande under the operator’s blue-and-white gazebo. Lawrence, who took it, wrote: “Boat trip around the island was great. The captain was funny and explained what we were viewing.”
What works
- One pier for everything, so there is no wrong side of town to be on
- Ticket kiosks are at the jetty itself for the scheduled crossings
- The sunset and private boats meet at a fixed street address, which is easy to find
- One Capri day trip includes hotel pickup and drop-off, which removes the stairs entirely
- Laura, on the sunset run, wrote that the meeting location was easy to find
Worth knowing
- Everything is stairs, and from the upper roads that is fifteen to twenty-five minutes down
- The climb back up afterwards is longer than the descent
- Wheeled cases and these steps do not get on
- Meeting points differ between listings, so read your confirmation rather than this page
- There is no drop-off by car at the beach itself
Walk down to the pier the evening before, so that the morning of your boat is not the first time you have done those stairs. It takes twenty minutes, it settles where the kiosks are, and it is a pleasant walk in the cool anyway.
Booking the day that collects you
If the stairs are the deciding factor, the Capri day trip with pickup is the listing to look at. What to have in your bag when you get to the boat is on what to bring aboard, and the rest of the Capri options are on Capri boat tours compared.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the Positano ferry pier?
At the end of Via del Brigantino, on the right-hand side of the Spiaggia Grande as you face the sea, with ticket kiosks at the landward end. Fares and timings are on the ferry page.
How long does it take to walk down to the beach?
Fifteen to twenty-five minutes of stairs from the upper roads, and longer coming back up. There is no flat route. What that means for a day in town is on one day in Positano.
Do all the boat tours leave from the same place?
They all use the Spiaggia Grande, but the exact meeting points differ — a gazebo on the beach, a street address at the east end, or a hotel pickup. Read your confirmation. The listings are compared on all tours.
Can I get a taxi to the pier?
Not to the pier itself. The last stretch is pedestrian and stepped whichever way you come. The day trip that includes hotel pickup is the way round it — the Capri options.