Advice for traveling around the Amalfi Coast

Man, that's a lot of moving around after running around la Sicilia for 10 days.

I've always wanted to take the train from Messina up to Paestum (corrected!), so I would be the last person to dissuade you from that. Looks to be 3-4 non-change trains daily from Villa San Giovanni to Paestum that take about 3 hrs, 40 min, so I would choose one of those.

Most people that visit Paestum stay in Salerno, but maybe I'm wrong. Salerno is a nice base for that kind of thing as well as destinations up to Naples, certain a wider variety of food than Paestum. But any way you slice it, if it were I I'd solidify two bases, no more than 3, instead of four. It's hard enough, even in shoulder season when you'll be traveling, to get around the area as it's different than any other place in Italy, except maybe the Cinque Terre. The rewards are immense, however.

If I had to do two bases, I'd pick either Amalfi, Positano or Ravello and Naples. Three bases--Salerno, Positano and Naples.

Double check April temperatures. I think staying in both Positano and Sorrento out of season is not necessary. I would visit Bari or Matera before I spent three (!) days in Paestum. Paestum is very hard to reach from anywhere except Salerno, so I'm not opposed to staying there, but (like you, I guess) we prefer to stay 3-4 nights in one place. Do you have any interest in Caserta Palace?

Sorrento is known for being less attractive than Positano but far, far, far better for daytrips. (We slept five nights in Sorrento and hired a car and driver for one day on the actual Amalfi Coast.) In your favor, we had to give up on Paestum as too far for a daytrip.

I think you may have made a list without sufficiently researching your actual options and desires. For example, are you going to Capri or other islands? How many ancient Roman sites are you going to see? Are you content with bus travel around the Amalfi Coast? Do you know there is no direct train between Salerno and Sorrento?

The 8 AM train from Catania gets to the station in Paestum at 3:40. Till you check in to your lodgings, you will have wasted a full day traveling. I was on the Sicily tour last autumn and suggest a few things. I would stay an extra day or 2 in Catania. Though we scratched the surface, many of us wished we had more time to explore Catania and perhaps take a tour up Mt. Etna. I would also suggest taking the 1 hour flight to Naples and spending your first 3 nights there before heading south. You could then take the Circumvesuviana to Sorrento from where you can catch the bus to Positano. I’d also suggest taking a day trip to Amalfi and Ravello which can easily be done from Positano by bus.

EDIT: That bottle of primitivo last night fried my brain. From Sorrento you should go back to Naples Centrale to get the train to Paestum. Thanks all who pointed out my error.

To get to Paestum, take the bus back to Sorrento and the Circumvesuviana to Pompeii where you can take a train to Paestum. A train from Paestum to Rome takes about 3 hours.

Other than the archeological site and museum and the farm, there was not much of interest in Paestum. I flew to Naples and picked up a rental car after 3 nights there. I then drove to Herculaneum, Amalfi, Ravello and Paestum. I had been to Sorrento on a previous trip so I skipped this time. From Paestum I made the trek to Orvieto. The night before my return flight, I stayed in a hotel in Fiumicino and drove to the airport to return the car and catch my plane. On the way to Fiumicino I detoured to visit the Villa d’Este in Tivoli.

I would not choose to stay in Paestum. My impression was that other than the archaeology site, there's not much there at all. I had a car and drove to Vanulo (loved the cannolo) and then to Paestum (beautiful in the late afternoon sun). I'm sure you could get a car/driver for a day trip from Salerno - going from anywhere else will just add tons of travel time. I stayed in Salerno and explored the Amalfi Coast by car but in February when there was mostly local traffic and few tourists. I wrote a little of my experience here. I think Salerno is a much better base to visit the Amalfi Coast - the town is nice (and cheaper than Sorrento) with buses and ferries that are a short walk from the historic center . . . unlike Sorrento whose center is perched on the cliffs, with a long stairway down to the water. However Sorrento is a good base to visit Capri and the ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum - but then so is Naples. I'd consider staying in only 3 places - or maybe even just two. And I'd fly to Naples and then take the fast train to Salerno.

Philip, note that when you get off the Circumvesuviana in Pompeii, you are at the Porta Marina entrance to the ancient city. The train to Salerno does not stop there. The Trenitalia long-distance rail line from Naples to Salerno has three stations in modern Pompeii, the closest at least 30 minutes away on foot. I have not done that walk, with or without luggage.

Philip, note that when you get off the Circumvesuviana in Pompeii, you
are at the Porta Marina entrance to the ancient city. The train to
Salerno does not stop there. The Trenitalia long-distance rail line
from Naples to Salerno has three stations in modern Pompeii, the
closest at least 30 minutes away on foot. I have not done that walk,
with or without luggage.

Correct, Tim, maybe even longer. Earlier in the day, coming from Salerno, we took Trenitalia to the Pompei-town stop, and walked about 25-30 minutes to the Porta Nocera entrance at the south end of the ruins. It was a nice day, we had no bags, so there was no problem.

After 4 hours at the ruins, however, our feet were tired and when we exited Pompei at Porta Marina, we had to find a taxi to get back to the station at Pompei-town. Probably a 5 minute drive, but it was over a mile for sure.

We were in Naples, Sorrento, Amalfi, and Positano two summers ago.

My two cents would be to stay in Amalfi not Positano. I liked it much better--you can day trip to Ravello from Amalfi and there is a beautiful cathedral. It is a medieval town which adds to its charm. Positano is steps, steps, steps, and really nothing but shopping. We did rent chairs and sit on the beach for a day but too cool for that in April. You can take a ferry between the two towns which is worth doing. The view is beautiful. You can easily visit Positano for a day from either Sorrento or Amalfi.

Beth

Thanks everyone for the input! I have some editing and re-arranging to do on my itinerary!

Hello,

We went to the AC two years ago and took a private car from Naples to Praiano for 4 nights. It's between Positano and Amalfi. It was a lovely place and you can reach both towns via bus or water. (We did both). Less crowded than Positano and Amalfi.

I second the recommendation to go to Ravello for a day. It's absolutely breathtaking. Also One Fire Beach in Praiano!!

Good luck with your trip planning!! You will LOVE the Amalfi Coast.