Amalfi Coast

I'm a big fan of Sorrento. It has worked very well as a home base with day trips easily arranged for Capri, Pompeii, Amalfi Coast and Naples. There is a boat from Sorrento - sorry you have to do a web search because I can't find the details in my notes - to Positano and Amalfi Town. The great part of the trip was when the boat stopped off the coast of Capri for everyone to go swimming. My friends and I are still talking about that 4 years later! Your son might like to have that story to take home. I imagine a hotel could help you make those arrangements.

I’m a big proponent of splitting your stay between Sorrento and somewhere on the Amalfi Coast. Day tripping between these places takes time, and allows you to relax and enjoy your surroundings a bit. Sorrento makes a great base for everything on the Bay of Naples and Capri.

I don’t know about staying on Capri. I enjoyed visiting for the day, but otherwise there didn’t seem to be tons to do. Though, given you’re arriving there late, with two nights that basically means you’re there for only one full day anyway.

I was thinking of catching a ferry over to Capri the day we arrive in
Naples. (We arrive at 1:30pm) and spend 2 nights there and then
spending the last 3 nights in Sorrento. Or would you spend all 5
nights in Sorrento?

Cindy, we've actually done the same thing so your plan is fine. You'll need to transfer from either your plane or train to Naples to the port to catch a ferry to Capri. The island is a better experience, IMHO, if you stay there versus day-trip it: you'll be able to take advantage of the golden hours when the mass of day visitors have yet to arrive and after they've departed. You'll have no problem at all finding enough to do with just one day, in fact will not be able to take full advantage of what Capri has to offer.

Skip the Blue Grotto (we did): not worth the time or money for the few minutes you're actually in the thing. DO try to do some exploring to some points away from piazzas on the island (the hike up to Villa Jovis highly recommended).

Ferry schedules for Naples and around the region here:
http://www.capri.net/en/ferry-schedule

There (Sorrento) we could do a day trip along the Amalfi Coast and hit
Pompei one day. Any suggestions on other day trips?

3 nights in Sorrento will only give you 2.5 days: 1/2 day for Sorrento itself; one day for Pompeii and one day for the Amalfi Coast. That's really all you'll be able to manage in that amount of time. Pompeii is HUGE so you could spend the lion's share of the day there. It will also be hot and wearing so you'll likely just want to go back to the hotel and collapse when you're done! Take the Circumvesuviana commuter train from Sorrento: takes about 30 minutes and tickets are dirt cheap; remember to validate them before boarding the train, both directions, as checks are not uncommon and fines for unvalidated tickets are high!

http://www.sorrentoinsider.com/en/naples-to-sorrento-train-schedule

You'll want to get off at Pompei Scavi - Villa dei Misteri station, right in front of the main entrance. Human guides, if you want one for touring the scavi, may be hired at the entrance to the excavation or do it independently with a guidebook (we did).

Also, does anyone have suggestions on where to hire a driver for the
day?

Sorry, no help there as my stomach could NEVER have handled the coastal road in a car or SITA bus (severe motion sickness 🤢) so we did our moving around by ferry. I'm sure someone else will have a good suggestion, though!

It is already very late to be booking the area from Naples to the A.C. for 2018. You will have to compromise on your hotel choices. Do you remember how crowded and difficult it can be to get around the A.C. (as opposed to the route of the Circumvesuviana train service?) 5 nights is a very reasonable time for your ambitions, but you need to plan NOW for your last night and your departure (to where? from where?) Many visitors to this area don't have a realistic plan for their departure.

I would caution that as attractive as Capri is, it is very crowded in June and very pedestrianized and hilly for a 9 year old used to sitting in a giant SUV on the way to school. Sorrento is not the prettiest of the places you named, but it is just IDEAL for a base of daytrips. We slept five nights in a Sorrento luxury cliffside hotel (Ambasciatori) with a gorgeous balcony view at extra cost. That may not be ideal for you. We hired a car and driver for 8 hours on the A.C., which is a very good idea in June. I would also urge that you get an air conditioned hotel, but that's a matter of personal preference.

I suggest you use the Search box to read a wealth of past posts here. In June, I would plan to be at Pompeii at opening time, not to beat crowds, but to beat the sun and heat. You can do something else that day, although you'll be fatigued after walking the immense site. Don't neglect the history and art of Naples, if you have time.

Cindy--

Kathy & Tim give some great advice. I've been to the Amalfi Coast twice myself, but both times in March, where I didn't have to deal with many tourists at all and basically had the run of the place. End of June is peak season.

Yes, use the search engine and read the previous threads about other places to stay in and around the A.C., like Vietri sul Mare, Cetara, Maiori, Minori, or even on the other side of the peninsula in Vico Equense, because in the popular venues (Positano, Amalfi, Ravello, even Sorrento) your choices will no doubt be limited at this point in time. Or Salerno--where I've stayed--is a good option, just off the A.C. but with great transport choices.

But book now, as Tim said. Wait a week or two and your options will be fewer. Enjoy your planning!

very pedestrianized and hilly for a 9 year old

Just IMHO, a healthy 9 year-old shouldn't have any issue managing Capri on foot. I'd think he'd enjoy exploring the more natural areas and the ruins versus the crowded piazzas and high-end shops. :O)

Thank you all so much for all of your suggestions and advice! I realize it's late on booking hotels. We just readjusted our Croatia trip so we could get over to Italy for 5 nights. I actually found a nice place in Sorrento that I just booked, but it was hard to find. I'm still debating about spending the 1st 2 nights in Capri. I haven't found any accommodations that will work. I've been mainly looking at staying in Ana Capri. My son is a great traveler and can handle a lot of walking, so the hills on Capri shouldn't be a problem. I agree about the blue grotto, but I know my son would love the adventure.

Cindy, take him up to the top of Mt Solaro on the chairlift instead of the grotto? He has to ride by himself (chairs will only accommodate 1) and I don't advise it if he's got a fear of heights but you're never super high off the ground. My DH has a thing about heights and it didn't bother him at all. :O)

We have been to Amalfi Coast 4x now, most recently last October, and we always have stayed in Sorrento and daytripped by boat/bus/train to Capri, Positano, Amalfi town, Pompeii and Ercalano etc. I would stay all 5 nights in Sorrento to avoid having to pack up, check out and check into new accommodations as that takes time. But that is just how we like to roll. Five nights will give you four full days:

1.Take the boat to Positano or all the way to Amalfi town. Check out Amalfi (cathedral here is lovely) and then maybe take the bus up to Ravello to see Villa Rufolo or Villa Cimbrone with the infinity terrace. Both have beautiful views. Can take the bus from Amalfi back to Sorrento.
2. Capri--On our first visit here when our kids were elem and middle school age we did do the Blue Grotto. Was during the month of june and we did it immediately after getting off the boat from Sorrento. Was a beautiful day and we did enjoy it. Our kids are grown now and it is still a very fond memory. They do charge quite alot for this though & it does take a chunk of time. In Capri town you could check out the cathedral, Giardini di Augusto with views of the Faraglioni Rocks & walk "rodeo drive." Via Krupp, which is beautiful, is the switchback that connects the Gardens of Augustus with Marina Piccola was closed and if it still is you can at least see it from the lookout by the gardens. Also, for mom, near the Gardens is Carthusia I Profumi di Capri, the original one with factory. They have perfumes, body lotions, soap, reed diffusers etc. I picked up the Mediterraneo scent and it is light, fresh and clean. Sorrento has a store too.
AnaCapri--Take the bus up here and do the chairlift to Mt. Solare (if wearing flip flops, you may want to take them off) we did round trip but you can hike back down. Walk the main drag, Via Orlandi, and check out the majolica floor in the Church of San Michele. The bus to and from AnaCapri is like a mini Amalfi Coast ride.
3. Pompeii and/or Herculaneum. Easy train ride from Sorrento. Have done both of these in one day
but not on our first trip here. You may find that Pompeii is enough.
4. Explore Sorrento and the village of Marina Grande which is below Sorrento. Marina Grande is charming with lots of good seafood restaurants.
Have a great trip and enjoy Croatia! We loved it!