Vicoli in Arte

A festival spread through the alleys of Positano

Vicoli in Arte is the cultural festival that accompanies Positano throughout most of the year: from the New Year's concert to summer evenings and the final autumn events. The underlying idea, stated since the very first edition, is as simple as it is ambitious: to showcase the streets, alleys, villages, and districts of the Municipality of Positano by bringing in national and international-level performances, designed for both residents and visitors to the Amalfi Coast.

The result is a festival without a single theatre: the stage is the city itself, with its stairways, terraces overlooking the sea, the square of the Church of Santa Maria Assunta, and the beach. A format that fits perfectly with Positano's vertical geography, where every walk is a show in itself.

Organizers and the project

The festival is promoted by the Municipality of Positano, in the province of Salerno, with artistic direction by Giulia Talamo and direction by Ario Avecone. The formula developed over the years weaves together folk and contemporary music, classical and opera music, theatre, dance, and immersive shows, hosted in the city's iconic locations, starting with the Roman Villa.

The project has a dual tourist and cultural vocation: to de-seasonalize, meaning to offer reasons to visit even outside peak months, while simultaneously providing the people of Positano with a high-quality cultural calendar right on their doorstep. It is no coincidence that the festival opens on January 1st, when the village is quiet, and continues until autumn.

Performance venues

• Piazza Flavio Gioia, at the foot of the majolica-tiled dome of Santa Maria Assunta: the setting for the Grand New Year's Concert.
• Roman Villa of Positano and its medieval crypt: an archaeological site buried by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD and brought to light, it hosts the festival's immersive shows.
• Spiaggia Grande: for summer evenings, a stage is set up facing the sea, used for major concerts.
• Alleys, stairways, and small squares of the historic centre, with short, itinerant formats.

The programme

The lineup is deliberately multidisciplinary. Over the years, it has featured big names in Neapolitan music and world music, orchestral ensembles and big bands, original theatrical productions, and performances by the Positano School of Performing Arts, which showcases local youth. Alongside concerts, there is space for dance, narrative theatre, and immersive experiences with actors in costume, video, and live music.

Part of the programme is also designed for an international audience: some shows are offered in a dual version, in both Italian and English, a choice that speaks volumes about the composition of Positano's audience between June and September.

Why it is worth an evening

Positano is famous for the sight of its houses clinging to the rock, its boutiques, and its sea. Vicoli in Arte adds a less obvious element: the chance to listen to live music against the backdrop of the gulf, to enter a Roman crypt transformed into a theatrical stage, or to attend a symphonic concert on New Year's morning with the sea breeze. Most events have free admission, making the festival one of the most democratic ways to experience one of the most exclusive villages in Campania.

Tips for visitors

The performances take place outdoors and in places reachable only on foot, often after climbing a few flights of stairs: comfortable shoes are a must. In the summer months, it is advisable to arrive well in advance, both due to traffic on the Amalfi Drive and because seats in the squares and on the beach fill up quickly. The updated calendar is published by the Municipality of Positano and distributed by local Amalfi Coast media.