Almost everyone who comes to Positano heads straight for Spiaggia Grande — the big main beach right below the town, with the postcard view of pastel houses climbing the hill behind it. It's beautiful, and it's packed, and it's expensive. A five-minute walk away there's a second beach that most day-trippers never bother to find, and we liked it so much more that we didn't go back to the main one. If you're choosing where to lay your towel in Positano, here's the case for Fornillo Beach.

The Walk There Is Half the Reason to Go

You reach Fornillo on a footpath called the Via Positanesi d'America, a narrow walkway carved into the cliff that curves around the headland from the main beach. It hugs the rock above the water, passes an old Saracen watchtower, and gives you the best views of Positano you'll get all trip — the whole town stacked up behind Spiaggia Grande, framed by sea on the other side.

It takes about 10 minutes and it's mostly flat, and it's genuinely one of the prettiest short walks on the coast. The main beach doesn't have a view of itself; this path does. By the time you arrive at Fornillo you've already had the highlight.

It's Quieter and More Secluded

Because it takes that little bit of effort to reach — no road drops you right onto it — Fornillo filters out the crowds almost entirely. The day-trippers and the tour groups stay on the main beach; Fornillo is smaller, calmer, and tucked into its own cove, screened from the town by the headland. It feels like a place locals go, not a place that's on a list.

That seclusion is the whole difference. On Spiaggia Grande you're one towel in a sea of them. On Fornillo you can actually hear the water.

It Costs Less

Positano is not a cheap place to sit down, and the main beach charges main-beach prices for a sunbed and umbrella. Fornillo's beach clubs are noticeably gentler on the wallet for the same setup — same sea, same sun, less money. We got an umbrella and two lounge chairs for 30 euros. There's a free public section too if you'd rather bring a towel and skip the loungers altogether.

None of it is Positano-cheap, exactly — nothing here is — but for a day by the water it's the better value by a clear margin.

What to Know Before You Go

Getting there: follow the Via Positanesi d'America from the western end of Spiaggia Grande — the path starts near the boat docks and is signposted. About a five-minute walk.
It's pebbles, not sand. Like most Amalfi Coast beaches. Water shoes make getting in and out far more comfortable.
Go earlier in the day for the best pick of loungers and the softest light on the walk over.
Bring water and snacks if you're on the free section — the beach clubs have service, the public stretch doesn't.
Wear something on your feet for the path. It's paved but uneven in spots, and you'll want more than flip-flops if you're carrying beach gear.
The light is best late afternoon, when the crowds on the main beach start to thin and Fornillo stays calm.

The Verdict

Spiaggia Grande has the famous view, and if you want the classic Positano photo, you'll want to stand there for it. But for actually spending a day at the beach — swimming, reading, not paying a fortune, not fighting for space — Fornillo wins in every way that matters. The walk over is the kind of thing you remember, and the beach at the end of it is the Positano people picture in their heads but rarely find.

Planning the Rest of the Coast?

See why we based our whole Amalfi Coast trip in Piano di Sorrento, and where we ate on the Sorrento Coast for the food side of the trip. Chasing quieter beaches in general? 10 underrated European beach destinations.

Have you been to Positano? Tell us in the comments whether you're team Spiaggia Grande or team Fornillo — everyone who's been has an opinion.

Fornillo Beach: Why We Skipped Positano's Main Beach