2 Weeks in Italy - Help!

Unless you absolutely also have another place you absolutely have to be, 2 weeks is never too long in one area when traveling! We only had a week in Sorrento (having visited Rome, Sicily, and Calabria on the same trip), and included day trips to Capri and Positano. If part of what you enjoy doing is laying out by the water, I'd imagine you'll want to devote some of that two weeks to doing just that.

If you had an extra day or two or three in your timeframe, we took the Circumvesuviana train to visit Naples one day (birthplace of pizza & a great museum), and also visited the archaeological sites of Pompeii and Ercolano (Herculaneum). If you want to hike on mainland Europe's only active (but not currently erupting) volcano, a climb of Mt. Vesuvius might be worth exploring.

Happy Anniversary!

Add a day or two to Capri.

Hello Zachary
Congratulations on your anniversary! We were just in Sorrento from 9/21-9/27/17 and really enjoyed it. The weather was beautiful and we visited Capri, Positano, Almalfi and Ravello. We used the Fiumicino Express bus to go from FCO to Napoli Centrale (very clean, easy and inexpensive) and then the CV train from Napoli Centrale to Sorrento. We stayed at hotel Plaza and although it was somewhat above our usual frugal budget, the place was fabulous and the breakfast was incredible (homemade pastries, fresh fruits, even a blender for smoothies and champagne). There was a jazz saxophone player on the rooftop deck (where the pool is with an incredible, unobstructed view of the Bay of Naples/Vesuvius). I would highly recommend it and would love to return there. From Sorrento, it is easy to go to Pompeii, Naples and the Almalfi coast. I would also recommend the city sightseeing bus not the regular SITA buses. For only a few euros more, you are guaranteed a seat and there is air conditioning or at least fans on the buses. This is not the case with the SITA buses- very hot and stuffed in like sardines. I got bus sick as so did many people on the bus and it was the only part of the trip I wish I could redo. It was still crowded everywhere we went, even in late September, but it was beautiful to say the least. Personally, I couldn't be there 2 weeks, there are too many other places to see, but that is only my opinion. message me if you need anymore info.

Thank you Cyn and Marie! Very helpful information. I was wondering if Calabria is worth visiting as my wife's fathers family is from there. Is it a day trip?

We spent 10 days on Amalfi Coast two years ago. Two weeks would have been good.

We flew into Naples and spent two nights there. We then took a ferry to Sorrento and hiked Mt Vesuvius. That is worth doing but it is actually closer to Naples than Sorrento so that wasn't very efficient of us as we took a train most of the way back to Naples. We went to Pompay by train the next day which I would definitely recommend. We spent two nights in Sorrento but I would have spent three.

Sorrento is not really on the Amalfi coast, although it is a pleasant town. We took a bus from Sorrento to Amalfi. I liked Amalfi better than Positano and would have day tripped to Positano rather than moving if I were to do it again. But you will have more time than we had. We went to Ravello just for the afternoon, because it was raining the day we arrived in Amalfi. But it is worth some time too. We went to a garden there and then hiked back to Amalfi. We also did the hike Path of the Gods which is also worthwhile. We took a bus from Amalfi to Agerola/Bomerano and then hiked to above Positano. We took a bus down to Positano and then a ferry back to Amalfi. It is easier to hike the trail from Amalfi in terms of public transportation (unless you want to do it both ways) which is why we started from Amalfi,

We took a ferry from Positano to Capri but I think it came from Amalfi first. It was incredibly crowded and we waited just for a bus to go from the dock to the upper town (which had a shorter line). We checked our luggage in near the dock and then took a ferry back to Naples. Capri is very expensive compared to the other places we traveled and frankly it was so congested that I did not have any great desire to spend more time there. But I would guess that in the evening all the ferry traffic clears out and so it might be far more pleasant than what we experienced.

The beach is more developed at Positano than Amalfi, although they both are rocky. Bring water shoes.

You can take a ferry I think from Sorrento to Capri and then from Capri to Positano. But the most beautiful part of the coast is beyond Positano towards Amalfi, My Italian friends spent a whole week in Amalfi and day tripped from there.

Beth

We've been to the Amalfi Coast twice in the past 3 years--in March 2015 basing 5 nights in Salerno, then in March 2017 in Sorrento, also for 5 nights.

Salerno is a cool little city just south of the A.C. of about 110,000 residents, has a great Old Town, a good beach and prices decidedly cheaper across the board than Positano or Amalfi. And it is the best transportation hub in the area. We got to Amalfi, Pompei and Paestum is less than an hour. Of course, in March the SITA buses are only half-full and quite pleasant.

Sorrento is also a great base and its main purpose--to me anyway--is this: You can daytrip anywhere in the area--Naples, Pompei, Ercolano, Amalfi, Ravello, Positano--by leaving in the late morning, coming back in the late afternoon, taking a nap, then walking to dinner at any number of great, reasonably-priced restaurants. The food is fabulous in Sorrento, make no mistake.

This all being said, if I had an extra week, I wouldn't spend it on the A.C. I personally think a week is enough. Me? I'd take at least 4-5 days and travel to Puglia, the heel of the boot, for something completely different. Or Sicily, although veterans on this board will tell you a week is not nearly enough there. It's true--we spent 4 nights and didn't want to leave.

I'm assuming you are thinking of flying and out of Rome. If you haven't booked your air yet, consider flying into Rome and out of Naples Capodichino, with the knowledge that there are no Napoli/NYC non-stops. You will have to make a connection. That way you don't have to waste a night staying in Rome the night before departure, because from anywhere on the A.C., traveling to Rome on the day of departure could get a bit dicey for any number of reasons.

Enjoy your planning!

For me 2 weeks would be too long but, that's me. I would spend about 6 nights max. You can take a day trip to capri from Sorrento and can visit the other areas as well. Why not add Matera for a night and Puglia. for 6 nights. Check out Polignano a Mare, Monopoli, Alberobello, Martina Franco and Bari. There are many small villages in Puglia one can visit while staying at one place. A car would be better to have. Just my opinion.

Thank you so much goodorf and Jay! I was also considering Sicily so the Puglia area sounds fantastic! I am going to read and re-read your comments today so I can make the best decision on my itinerary. I am starting to think 14 nights is too many just for the Sorrento/Positano area. I would love to see Ravello, or Calabria or Sicily or.... Too many to list haha. Its going to be tough to make a final decision but I'm sure whatever I decide will be great because its ITALY!

Your plans and results may vary, Zachary, but her was our itinerary. This was back just before Christmas 2012 thru New Years 2013, and things were decidedly less crowded (and hot) than August, to say the least. But that also meant that beach time was not in the picture, except for strolling on the sand at sunset one evening in southern Sicily. We spent a week in Rome (too much to see and do for just one week, so we need to go back sometime), then flew to Palermo, Sicily. We didn't actually ever go in to the city, as the airport is several miles to the west, and we got a rental car and headed west to Erice. We spent the next week traveling sort-of counter-clockwise. Rick Steves has scant information about Sicily, so the Lonely Planet guidebook was our main source of information. We did, however, spent Christmas Eve and Day at the agriturismo on his video from many years ago, Il Vecchio Frantoio (the Old Olive Press). When we reached Messina, we took the car ferry across to the mainland.

Calabria wasn't originally a destination, but we knew we needed to drive up from the toe of the boot to get to Sorrento, meaning we'd be passing thru Calabria. The region gets relatively few tourists, but deserves a visit! A fortunate listing in a Pauline Frommer guidebook from the library mentioned a great place to stay, the Locanda di Alia in Castrovillari, so we booked the place for one night. They couldn't have been more welcoming, and what a fantastic dinner there, and breakfast the next morning had THE BEST Cappuccino in all of Italy, which means in the entire world! We didn't linger as we had 2 days driving to get to Sorrento, so I'd say it's not a day trip. The highways were under construction and down to one lane in places, but I'd guess that 5 years later, things are running more smoothly on those roads.

We stopped at the must-see Greek temple site at Paestum that afternoon, then stayed the night in Salerno, before continuing to Sorrento the next day. Hope your planning goes well, but it was a shame we just had one night in Castrovillari on our 3-week trip, and were basically passing thru Calabria -- we need to go back there, too, some day.

At Jay's recommendation, I stayed in Salerno to explore the Amalfi Coast. On a previous trip, I was in Sorrento and day tripped to Herculaneum, Pompeii and Naples. Both trips were in February and both towns were great choices. Salerno has one of the best beaches on the coast, relatively big and sandy (many are pebbly). It's easy to see the scenic coast by bus and by ferry - different views. Puglia is on my list for a future trip. An additional plus is that Salerno is on the fast train service to Naples and Rome.

2 weeks is a good amount of time for Sicily. Much too much for less time than that.

After years of visiting the Amalfi Coast, we decided to head here last September for 6 nights.

If you like sandy beaches, crystal clear water, great hiking and cute little beach towns head here. A car will be necessary.

http://www.grandvoyageitaly.com/travel/the-cilento-beaches-mountains-grottoes-and-ghost-towns-part-1

Take the ferry to Salerno and rent a car. We headed to Palinuro a 2 hour drive from Salerno. We stayed in a sweet little dependence at Castello di San Sergio in Centola for 3 nites

Edit: http://www.ilcastellodisansergio.com/eng/index.html

If you're able to book this one for your dates, do so as soon as possible.

Then headed to Santa Maria Castelabate for 2 Nites and ended in Salerno for 1.
The only town we were not impressed with was Agripoli it was just too large and busy.

Train from Salerno to Naples is 40 m.
To Rome 2 hrs.