What to Buy in Positano: Crafts, Fashion and Local Flavors
There is a reason why Positano never ceases to fascinate. It is not just for the postcard landscape, or for the clear sea that caresses the beaches. Positano is a place that vibrates with hand-made beauty, with details, with natural elegance. It is one of those places where craftsmanship has never been folklore, but a living part of the local culture.
Walking along its stairways, you will immediately realize that here the “souvenir” does not exist. Or rather: it does not exist in the commercial sense of the term . In Positano you buy what has a soul. And every object tells a story.
This is a guide not just on what to buy , but what is worth knowing .
1. Positano Fashion: The Birth of the Mediterranean Style
In the 1950s, Positano became a destination for artists, intellectuals and travellers in search of authenticity. The local women, who were already making light clothes for the summer heat, began to reinterpret the available materials with their own personal taste: raw linen, cotton, Sangallo, antique lace.
Thus was born “ Moda Positano ”, a true fashion, recognized throughout the world. Able to combine simplicity and sensuality with a never ostentatious refinement. Today, buying a garment made here – whether it is a linen shirt or a hand-embroidered caftan – means wearing a cultural heritage. Not just a dress, but a lifestyle.
Brunella's Workshop – Via Pasitea, 72
Icon of Mediterranean style, with 100% linen and cotton garments made in Positano. Ethereal collections, natural fabrics, comfortable and refined cuts.
Ancient Tailoring of Positano – Piazza dei Mulini
Bright colors, embroidery, boho-chic skirts and caftans. Great for those looking for something flashy but authentic.
2. Handcrafted sandals: a symbol of relaxed elegance
Positano sandals are an icon. They are born from an ancient tradition: that of the shoemakers who hand-made custom-made shoes for fishermen and farmers, adapting them to the foot, to walking, to everyday life.
In the 60s, with the arrival of international tourism, these same artisans began to create more refined sandals, enriched with decorations, thin straps, gold or silver leather details. Women discovered them walking through the streets of the village, and ordered them on the spot, seeing them built before their eyes.
Even today it works like this: you choose the model, the leather, the stones. You measure your foot. And in a short time you leave the shop with a pair of unique sandals, made for you. It is not just a purchase: it is a small ritual, which combines aesthetics and pure craftsmanship.
Ancient Positano Sandals – Via del Saracino, 18
Here you can live the complete experience: choose your model, materials, decorations, and in 10 minutes your sandal comes to life in front of you. Italian leather, precise workmanship, true tradition.
Not in Positano? No problem.
You can order online directly from the site sandalianticapositano.com , customize your model and receive it wherever you are. Comfort and beauty, shipped with care.
3. Ceramics: colour, earth and Mediterranean tradition
Ceramics are an integral part of the aesthetics of the Amalfi Coast. But it is not decoration for its own sake. The production of ceramics has ancient roots: since the Greco-Roman era, the area of Vietri sul Mare (a few kilometers from Positano) was known for the quality of its terracotta works.
Over time, the techniques have been refined and the motifs have been enriched with local symbols: lemons, flowers, marine animals, geometric and baroque motifs. Each piece is decorated by hand and bears the mark of the artist who created it.
Buying a piece of ceramic here – even just a plate or a tile – is like taking home a fragment of the landscape.
Ceramics Assunta – Via Cristoforo Colombo, 97
Active since 1948, it is one of the most famous shops in the area. Decorative and functional objects, all hand painted.
It also has an online shop.
Home and Shop – Via Pasitea, 100
Modern yet traditional concept store: ceramics, textiles and homeware in contemporary Mediterranean style.
4. Perfumes and soaps: the Costa in a fragrance
The vegetation of the Coast is a mix of citrus, figs, flowers, wild rosemary, myrtle. Walking through the alleys of Positano, it is impossible not to be struck by the scents that mix with the salty air.
Some small artisanal maisons have transformed these perfumes into **real essences**, creating lines of unisex fragrances inspired by the landscape. These are not simple commercial perfumes: they are natural extracts, often processed with traditional techniques.
Even the artisanal soaps, cold saponified with essential oils and local ingredients, are part of this culture. A daily gesture that smells of the Mediterranean.
Carthusia – Tartana Street
Historic maison of the island of Capri with a point of sale also in Positano. Their fragrances tell the Mediterranean in an elegant version. Also soaps and body care of the highest quality.
Fragrances of Positano – Via Cristoforo Colombo, 175
Small independent shop where you can find original fragrances and scents inspired by local gardens and citrus fruits.
5. Handcrafted jewelry: small stories to wear
Every craftsman has his own style, but the philosophy is the same: create with your hands something that speaks of the sea, the earth, the sun. Semiprecious stones, coral, mother of pearl, shells, copper, brass. Set in bracelets, necklaces, earrings light, versatile, never excessive.
Many are unique pieces. Others, customizable on the spot. In any case, wearing them is carrying a small symbol of the place.
6. Flavours of the Coast: liqueurs, preserves and oil
The Amalfi Coast is not forgotten even for what you eat. The artisanal limoncello (the real one, made with lemons from Sorrento or Amalfi) has a deep, fragrant, balanced flavor. The citrus jams, the dry lemon biscuits, the extra virgin olive oil from small mills are authentic products, often made in limited quantities.
Buying them means supporting local farmers and small producers, and taking home a real, unrepeatable taste.
Valenti Positano – Via Guglielmo Marconi, 142
Historic family-run store, it is one of the most authentic places to buy real limoncello (not the industrial one) and local specialties. Here you can find artisanal liqueurs, citrus jams, traditional sweets and even local spices. Everything is carefully selected for quality and provenance.
Shopping in Positano is a cultural gesture, not just an aesthetic one
In an era where everything is replicable, fast, disposable, Positano represents the opposite. Here every object requires time, attention, care. Nothing is mass-produced. Every piece – whether it is a dress, a sandal or a ceramic – is the fruit of an ancient knowledge that continues to live because someone chooses it. Appreciates it. Takes it with them.
For this reason, when you enter a shop, do it with curiosity. Don't just look for "something to buy". Look for something that resembles you. That speaks to you. And that, once you get home, still smells of sun and sea.
Did you enjoy this journey through the stories of Positano?
On our site you can also find articles dedicated to Mediterranean style, slow fashion and custom-made handmade sandals. All made here, where time does not run. Walk. Barefoot, or almost.