An Amalfi Coast Veteran’s Positano Picks

• Inside Emporio Sirenuse.
• LE SIRENUSE POSITANO
  GARDEN-PRINT KAFTAN Matches Fashion, $230

When it comes to romance, you can’t do much better than pastel-hued Positano, and Le Sirenuse—one of its most historic and glamorous hotels (since opening in 1951, it famously hosted John Steinbeck and other notables)—takes full advantage of the storybook setting and its hairpin beauty. And perhaps no one knows it better than proprietor Carla Sersale, who together with her husband Antonio, can often be found on its picturesque lemon-tree-scented terrace overlooking the deep blue sea. “I first came here when I was 25, and I still remember how I felt taking in the view for the first time,” she says. In 1992 Carla took the reigns of Emporio Sirenuse, the in-house boutique and last year began designing her own collection of beach-ready dresses and caftans inspired by the town’s sun-kissed palette to go along with the assortment of Dragon bags and Ancient Greek sandals already on offer. Her favorite piece this season? The garden kaftan, a cotton-voile style with cropped sleeves and side-seam slits that pairs perfectly with a bikini.

We asked Carla to share a few of her favorite spots in town:

• Casa e Bottega: For ice cream, cakes and freshly made juices and smoothies. This is a must.

• Le Tre Sorelle: A beachside pizzeria that’s absolutely delicious.

• Il Palo Borracho: An outdoor boutique that mostly sells linen goods.

• Lo Scoglio Restaurant in Marina del Cantone: The most amazing food you will ever eat in your life.

• Da Adolfo a Laurito: An iconic hippy beach shack. Everyone should go.