5 crazy women on a trip to Italy (HELP)

Sorrento is a good base to see the Amalfi coast, Capri, Pompeii, and Naples. You can access everything by bus, ferry or train.
We rent apartments through HomeAway.com and have always found them to be exactly as pictured. Once you have selected your apartment, you can communicate with your host regarding your arrival.

You can also easily reach Rome via train from Sorrento (with a change in Naples).

Unfortunately since you plan to go in August, you will face enormous crowds of tourists!!! If you have the option, you should consider changing when you go.

Good luck. Sounds like fun.

Here is a quote from USA Today:

July and August are the most popular months to visit Europe when many Americans and Europeans take advantage of their vacation days and fine weather. August is especially crowded, as both French and Italians pour into Europe’s seaside areas and major cities during their annual month off from work. Lines to popular tourist sites are long. Hotels are often fully booked; eateries may be packed

Germans also take August. You will not only be there with hoards of American and Asian tourists, but also European vacationers.

If you stay somewhere in the Amalfi region, I can see going to Rome, but Venice will be a lot farther away. A quick look at Google Maps shows train service from Sorrento to Rome at ~3 1/2 hours while service to Venice is 8-14 hours depending on time of day.

Where ever you choose - fly INTO your first destination and fly OUT OF your last destination. That will give you more time to enjoy Italy without having to backtrack to your original destination.

And I know Sorrento is a good base for trips, but if I could choose a destination to spend time on the Amalfi Coast it would probably be Positano.

Kathy, I'll echo the posters above about trying to do this in August. The popular coastal destinations, ferries and buses will be positively heaving with vacationers, and you're actually a little late in the game for snagging accommodations...which will be expensive on the A.C. With your desire to do Venice, it makes more sense to look at the Lake District, if wishing to be near water, although the most popular locations will also be crowded and expensive there as well.

Still, I'm wondering if someone has a bright idea for a nice but less-overrun location there that's easily reached (pretty sure RS-popular Varenna is booked up)? Or, as suggested, is there any chance of moving this trip to a different month?

That said, Sorrento is a good base city on the AC as it has (local commuter) train service, and there has been a lot of love for Salerno from some RS posters as well. That one has Trenitalia train service, and both have SITA bus and ferry service around the coast.

I wouldn't do this in August. Too many visitors, way too hot, too little planning time, and added wrinkle of getting accommodations when everyone else is competing for the same areas. I wouldn't try to plan this on your own (for your own sanity, unless you really know these people and can divine all their preferences). Have everyone contribute to research and planning, divide and conquer. It sounds like you don't have a clear idea of the outline of this trip (it's too wide open right now), so more reading/ research is needed by each person so that you can all get on the same page (and more importantly that everyone is happy or OK with the result in the end). Guidebooks are great because they give you sample itineraries so you don't have to reinvent the wheel. Then get everyone together to discuss, make tradeoffs, lock down budget, priorities, who's responsible for what task. Make this a "shared" thing - someone can take the lead, but everyone needs to participate or this will go off track fast. Trying to coordinate 5 people's schedules is very difficult as well.

There are many beautiful places on the coast but some are really not set up for villa lodging for 5 people and they're not exactly a great base for trips (Positano comes to mind - it's too small to spend 5 days in unless you're on a honeymoon).

In addition to HomeAway and VRBO, you can use Booking.com to search for places for 5 adults. Once you get your initial results, you can filter them in a number of ways. Be aware that apartments or vacation homes do not have stars. The best filter for quality for them is the review score. I use 8 or higher.

If you are talking about August 2018, there may be limited availability for the reasons already stated. That could definitely affect where you go and when. Finding lodgings for 5 will not be cheap or easy.

As a person who has rented apartments in many countries, I find it fun to see the options. Be sure to read all the fine print and the reviews.

Going in August? Yeah, you're crazy.

But if you must.... where to stay on the AC really depends on whether or not you want to visit other areas. If you want to see anything of Naples, Pompeii, Capri as well as the AC towns, then Sorrento (which isn't actually on the AC, it's on the Bay of Naples), makes the most sense, since it has the best transportation connections. If you want to just stick with the AC towns, then Amalfi is the most central.

Rome is a quicker transit that Venice, obviously. I'd recommend flying there from Naples if that ends up being your choice. But just for convenience, I'd stick with Rome. And book a multicity trip - into Naples and out of Rome. By the way, how long is this trip- the number of nights IN Italy?

Sorrento is best logistically
Positano is prettier and actually on the Amalfi Coast ; still has ferry and bus connections ; just no train so not as good for visiting sites like Pompeii, Naples, etc...
Both will be very crowded in August, Positano likely moreso.

If you must go in August go as late in the month as possible.
Have everyone wait a month and go in late Sept and everyone will have a better time and likely save some money.
Sept is still high season so will be by no means slow or cheap.

hi kathy
how fun for all, we were 4 women last year (31-63) and we had a fabulous time. It's a "tall" order to fill. what are you dates? Like others have posted it's the maddening crowds in the areas you've chosen plus the heat and late to be finding and booking something. I'd get the other ladies to give you more info what is important to all. You may find a couple other places that still would be fun. What are the number of beds and rooms you prefer? Italy is a great place for eating drinking and being merry, we did a prosecco private tour outside of venice with a great guide. Happy travels
aloha

Sorrento is best logistically

I will 'second' this notion.

So how many more days, after the 5 in Sorrento/AC area do you have? If its 2-4 more then do Rome. If 7-8 or more then Rome and Venice are feasible.

Hi Kathy,

I guess I am crazy too because I am just now planning a trip to Italy with a friend in June and there are a ton of places to stay. May be that August is just different, but most of the Italians I know who live in Italy (including two of my daughters) don't plan very far in advance -- drives me crazy! One of my daughters has friends who own apartments in Florence that they rent out AND a friend who has a nice condo in Atrani (cute little town next to Amalfi) that he used to rent out, so if you have trouble finding a place, send me a private message and I will check with her. Also, some Italians don't take vacation until starting the second week of August, so you might be "okay" if you go the first two weeks (or the last week of August and first week of September). Anyway, check out VRBO and AirBnb. There were many listings for August when I did a quick search in the general area. I quickly searched Atrani (next to Amalfi) and Salerno (access Amalfi Coast by bus or ferry) and found many available.

As for itinerary, not sure whether you considered Florence (probably very hot) to Rome (also very hot) to Amalfi Coast and return home out of Naples. Otherwise, I agree that you should probably go from Rome to Amalfi Coast (and return home out of Naples?). I think the Amalfi Coast is ideal for a group of ladies -- you'll have a blast (even if it is crowded)! I have never been to Europe in August, so maybe I am way off base but I am happy to ask my daughters for some "off the beaten path" recommendations.

thank you so much everyone for answering most of my questions, I would love to change the dates but unfortunately a few of us work in the school districts and cant get out or have weddings to go to. I have found quite a few villas and apts to rent as of right now (knowing that can change faster than me booking my flights lol) but that is the least of my worries as of now - my biggest fear I quess is getting from one area to the other. so all the help or advise is greatly appreciated. Oh yeah all the women I am going with are leaving everything up to me they dont care where we go - they have never gone over seas or europe before so they are so excited.

My biggest fear I quess is getting from one area to the other. so all
the help or advise is greatly appreciated

Ok. I understand about having to travel within school vacations. Don't worry about the getting about unless you choose a location not well served by public transit. You've gotten some good advice as far as locations on the A.C. which are easier than others for getting to/around. Venice is a really long way away from there, though, so I'd probably go with Rome for your second base.

Once you choose a villa we can help you with the transport details. Just be sure to choose one that does not require a car to get to, and look up their actual location up on a map. Some fudging of distance from town is not unknown with accommodations. :O)

God bless you, Kathy.
I did Florence (day trip to pisa), varenna, and Venice with 3 other women using mass transit, and we survived. (We also rented a car and did 2 nights in Slovenia, but that's another story) contrary to standard advice here, we did change lodging every 2 nights. We all live in different states, so we wanted to hang out and s talk, and time on trains accomplished this.

This really doesn’t answer your question about routes, etc.....but you might really enjoy 100 Places in Italy Every Woman Should Go by Susan Van Allen....wonderful book!

Highly recommend Sorrento, we love it and have been there 3 times for a week each time just to be there and enjoy all there is. I do not think Positano is prettier and I like Sorrento much more.

hi kathy
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aloha

Hi Kathy,
I understand why you need to go to August and as long as you like the warm weather (like I do) you'll be fine. I plan trips for lots of people too because I'm the organized one. I see lots of places for you to stay in Rome, Positano, and Sorento on Homeaway.com. Flying into Rome and out of Naples seems like your best bet. Take the train in between. Use SNCF or another one of the Train lines to book your train trips ahead of time. Book things you want to do ahead of time also. Research the top things you want to see in both places and book them online so you don't have to think too much when you get there. Take a list of recommended places to eat along with you and make those reservations as you go. Don't plan too many things in one day as you'll want to relax some, especially on the day you get there and the day you leave. Let the other crazy women know about Packing Light so you don't have big huge suitcases to carry on and off the trains. If you don't have to wait in line for sites the crowds aren't as bad. Have a great trip!

Logistically, Sorrento is a sound choice with the most efficient transport links for your wanderings.
1. Ferry to Capri & Positano.
2. Bus to Positano & Amalfi.
3. Train to Pompeii & Naples.