Amalfi coast

Have you priced the car and driver? Both towns are exquisite, but Ravello is even more isolated and not on the rocky coast. Do you care about having a pebble beach option? Which hotel is more luxurious? Ravello makes the driver essential.

one day in Capri is enough, getting there from ravello, would take some time and logistics, but if you want to also see pompeii, once again time is not on your side transportation wise. in some ways you 'might' be better to use sorrento as a base. catch the ferry to both positano and capri, very easy ( assuming the ferry is running to positano) the train or car etc to pompeii (is much closer to sorrento) far less time in transit.
then take a day to trip down to ravello and surrounds?
driving yourself would not be an option- IMO.
your relaxed laid back day 'could be' the day trip to positano ( laying on the beach and having a coffee etc- we have been there in May and are returning there again this May. might be a bit cold to swim in the sea?)
or just chill out wandering around sorrento shopping or soaking up the town and surrounds etc.
4 nights, say 3 full days, is not that long so I would try and minimize the travel time?

just another option, hope this helps.

You don't have to stay in Naples. The ideal position to do Capri, Pompei, Positano, Amalfi is to stay in Sorrento. Good for laid back day, too.

I'd agree that for your itinerary, I'd stay in Sorrento. It's a better transport hub for getting around the region and 4 nights isn't really all that long.

You do not need a driver. Use the train from Sorrento to get to Pompeii - cheap and only takes 30 minutes or so - and a combo of ferries and SITA buses to do the rest of your exploring. Jet-boat service to Capri is frequent from Sorrento, and doesn't take long to Positano when the seas are not too rough for the boats to dock. There's jet-boat service to Amalfi as well.

That said, there's some love amongst RS posters for Salerno as well; see this recent thread?

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/grazie-mille-to-jay-for-salerno

There is jetboat/bus/train service out of that one too (train to Pompeii) although boats will take longer to Capri than from Sorrento. Spring 2017 schedules aren't up yet but some of last year's are so that you can get an idea. These are the websites (below) I use most often; info should be pretty much the same on all three but you might prefer one to another.

https://www.capribooking.com/en/ferry-schedule?path_id=21

http://www.coopsantandrea.com/en/servizidilinea/servizi.asp

http://www.positano.com/en/ferry-schedule

jacque, I've recently been trying to suppress my tendency to give posters advice they didn't ask for. But I agree that the other replies, from people who (entirely correctly) read "between your lines" gave better advice than I did. You titled your post "Amalfi coast", and mentioned two towns that are actually on the Amalfi Coast. So I didn't mention Sorrento.

It is impossible to tell from your OP exactly what the objective of your trip is. (Capri is a side trip that many visitors to that area take. Going there doesn't actually reveal what your tourism effort is. When someone's objective is multiple day trips to several places, Sorrento (which is not on the Amalfi Coast) is often the best choice. When someone wants to sleep in a relatively isolated resort town, with beach access and expensive international boutiques everywhere (and can handle unlimited numbers of STAIRS), Positano is often the answer. Apparently it's possible to stay in Positano on a budget, although it is famous for attracting the wealthy and the famous. But transportation from/to there is (depending on your budget and the month of the year) slow/expensive/tedious/limiting.

I'd also observe that "thinking about Pompeii" is not the same thing as "must see Pompeii." If you look at past posts about your topic here, you'll find a wide variety of good advice. And it might have helped you post an inquiry that would get you the best answers for your own trip.

If the OP is contemplating a helicopter ride, I don't think the cost-savings on the Circumvesuviana is going to be a selling point. :-)

Ravello can be reached easily by taxi from Amalfi; should you decide to stay in Ravello, it will add about 30 minutes to your commute to other towns. A car would be more convenient, whether you drive or hire a driver.

So many wonderful suggestions.

First off - we have never been to this part of Italy. We have been to Bellagio in the Como Lakes area as well as the Cinque Terre which we loved (stayed in Santa Margherita). We have been to Tuscany and love it and plan to spend a little more than a week there.

So, in planning the trip - my husband has not been to Rome, thus some time there. Since we may not get back to Italy (too many things on our bucket list), we thought we should allow some time to explore the AC. Your suggestions regarding Sorrento make sense.

Typically we try to avoid the crowded tourist towns but I do want to see Positano and the AC area. I have heard Ravello is beautiful as well. Additionally, we like to combine our trips with some history as well as some time to soak up the local culture. We don't need to sit on the beach. We go to the Caribbean for that :) Additionally, we aren't big shoppers so that is not our focus.

I love photography and take many photos of the landscape. That being said, I also wondered if we should go to one of the other islands, Procida or Ischia (?) rather than Capri. However, the grottos intrigue me but again, with the little time that we have we would not be getting in the water more than likely. So, the idea of a boat trip around the island sounds like a good idea.

I have always thought that a trip to Pompeii or one of the others you mentioned would be interesting. We only really have three full days and possibly a half day. My thoughts are

1) one day for Capri or one of the other islands
2) one day for Positano and the Amalfi Coast possibly Ravello
3) Pompeii etc?

We are looking into the train to and from Rome/Tuscany although I haven't booked anything yet.

I hope this helps you offer up better suggestions.

P.S. If we are spending the day in Positano/Amalfi Coast and staying in Sorrento are there transportation options back that would run in the evening?

FYI, we have been to Greece and Turkey and seen many Greek ruins.

From here, we will be heading to Tuscany.

Hi Jacque- I can share what we are doing. We have 3 nights on the AC , so only two full days. We are using Sorrento as our base (already have lodging). We will be coming in by train from Florence, stopping in Naples and storing our luggage to walk and get some Pizza and continuing onto Sorrento (Train or the Campania Express-not sure yet). Once in Sorrento we plan to check into the hotel and catch a ferry to Capri. Next day we have hired a private driver to take us to a few of the villages (there is 4 of us so the cost was very reasonable). Next day Pompeii on our own by train.

capri is well worth the visit. we went there in May. yes there will be crowds, but we caught the small bus to anacapri. there are a number of great places there for photo opportunities. eg: villa san michele and the chair lift ride to mt solaro etc. doing that pretty much took up the whole day. same with catching the ferry around to positano and looking around. so you won't have too much time on your hands.
while there will be numerous people in sorrento, I can't imagine walking the alley ways without them. we found the general 'buzz' of the town enjoyable. and you could easily catch the lift down to the beach/ferry terminal area.( there is a elevator that goes through the rock cliff)
when we were there in May most places were 'busy' not 'over crowded' eg: you could get a table for meals, bus and ferry connections without waiting, so doable, but with plenty of people.
we did pompeii on one afternoon, (caught the train there) it is a large place but if its hot you don't want to spend all day there.
I suggest you do a search for previous posts ( on the top of the screen) as this topic has been covered numerous times.

Not to highjack Jacque's thread but...

We will be coming in by train from Florence, stopping in Naples and
storing our luggage to walk and get some Pizza and continuing onto
Sorrento (Train or the Campania Express-not sure yet). Once in
Sorrento we plan to check into the hotel and catch a ferry to Capri.

Letizia, if you're going to try and do this, you'll want to leave Florence early in the morning, and don't dawdle long in Naples. As I recall, the last boat back to Sorrento from Capri is pretty early in the evening - and that last boat tends to be PACKED - so if you don't get there until mid-afternoon, it doesn't leave you much time.

We always stay in Ravello when we go to the A/C. We like to stay at Villa San Cosma or Punta Civita B&B. We like the locations and views from those two places.

The Amalfi Coast has many wonderful opportunities for hiking. Are stairs or hiking in general an option for you? If so, its about a 30 minute walk from the above mentioned lodging to Amalfi Town, where you catch the hydro foil to Capri. That same hydro foil does make one stop in Positano, so you could do Capri and Positano in the same day. I think that Positano is beautiful, but it is just so congested with tourists and kitschy shops. For us, we prefer the quietness of Ravello (relatively speaking compared to Positano). Ravello certainly has plenty of shops too, as well as restaurants. You can go to Villa Cimbrone and look out over the whole coastline.

Hello Jacque. I did this trip a few years ago. Here are some of my thoughts: Driving on the Amalfi coast is not advisable. It is treacherous and dangerous. I think if you read on Trip advisor, etc. you will see that most people suggest not driving there. There are tours you can find that go over to Capri by boat. I can't remember which one we used, but I think it would be less expensive than a helicopter trip, although a helicopter trip would probably be faster. Once on Capri, there is a great restaurant friends suggested to us called Da Gelsomina. They will send a car to pick you up from your location. The food was very good and reasonable. If you go there, ask them to show you the way to the beautiful view near the back of the restaurant. Regarding Pompeii, we were there is July and it was so unbelievably hot. I seriously thought I was going to have a heat stroke. The water in your body just evaporates. Be sure to take sunscreen, a hat, and be careful not to get dehydrated. I think you are wise to not stay in Naples. If you ride the local train, the Circumvesuviana, be careful, it is crawling with pickpockets, both on the train itself and at the station. I cannot speak to Ravello or Positano because we ran out of time, but I can tell you Ravello is at the top of my list when we go back. I'm sure some other travelers can direct you better there. Have a great time!!!

Driving on the Amalfi coast is not advisable.

I don't think Jacque was considering a self-drive option. She mentioned possibly hiring a driver. IMHO, there's no need for tours just to get to Capri. Public jetboat service is fine, and once there the island isn't really big enough to warrant a guide.

Kathy- Thanks for the info. We have our train booked and are arriving in Naples at noon and no dawdling planned, but the Pizza is a must and then onto Sorrento. If Capri does not happen that day, then maybe the next. I did look at one of the companies Ferry schedule and saw the time for the last boat departing from Capri, do you know if these times change in the Summer (we will be there in early June)?

...do you know if these times change in the Summer (we will be there
in early June)?

Not as far as I know BUT that doesn't mean that it couldn't happen. Keep your eyes on the schedules as your trip dates get a little closer?

Hi Jacque! I would like to suggest you look into the Hotel Villa San Michele, a wonderful place where we spent five nights a couple of years ago. Its address is Ravello, but it is actually located in Castiglione de Ravello, down the hill and directly on the sea below the town proper. What a fabulous spot; it is family-run, the views and public spaces are drop dead gorgeous, the food is spectacular, AND it has a dock/swimming platform where boats can be hired to take you to Capri. While there, we took a tour to Pompeii, explored Ravello and Atrani, and loved our down time on the property.

Have fun!

So, I have been struggling with this decision!

Must see while in Amalfi Coast region:

Positano
Capri
Ravello

I have reservations in Ravello and Positano as well as one in Sorrento. So it is decision time. I have been watching a lot of YOUTUBE videos on the area. Positano is beautiful but... we aren't really into shopping and more into history and enjoying the beautiful landscape. We love being on the water so

I am now thinking that possibly a day visit to Positano is probably enough for our visit and that when we are at our lodging location after a day of day tripping that it would be nice to go to a nice dinner and sit in the plaza and people watch.

So, my question is now should we stay in Sorrento or Ravello? Sorrento probably makes better sense as some have said previously it would be easier to get around by ferry?

Thank you again for all your comments. I know I am struggling with this but... we are picking up a rent car in Sorrento and heading to Tuscany from there. Seems like getting to Sorrento would also be easier - we will be coming from Rome. Haven't made that decision yet either - should we fly, train or drive if we stay in Sorrento? If we drive, we would turn in the car and then pick up a new one when we leave - probably doesn't make a lot of sense to do that. We could probably train to Naples and then have a car pick us up and take us to our hotel in Sorrento.

Sorry for my ramblings. As you can tell I am having a hard time deciding!

In my opinion, Sorrento is very skipable. Although the logic is that it makes a "good base", only if you are pitting it against Naples in the hot summertime...

I suggest staying IN the places you want to visit...like Capri for 2 nights and Amalfi or Positano for 2 nights instead to taking tons of ferry rides in a four day period. Capri ( Anacapri) can be done on a budget in May, and can be ritzy or just incredible nature landscape walks...your choice! Staying on Capri after the day trippers are gone is magical...even if you do it for one night before heading back to Naples and on to Rome. At the end of the trip see Pompeii or Herculaneum ( my suggestion for better preserved, and smaller site) when you reach Naples, put your luggage in storage at Naples train station, hop on Circumvensuvia to archeological sites....then pick up bags and head to Rome.

BTW Procida is lovely, small and mostly just two cute fishing ports and rustic hills good for long walks.. but should not be seen if you have never been to Capri. Ischia is a beach lovers island and you are not interested in beaches so much on this trip... with spas and the incredible Castle Aragonese fortress...but this is a big island with four major towns and requires time. Enjoy!

Just saw your new post re. starting in Rome,A/C and heading to Tuscany. In this case I would take the train FAST 1.5 hours or less one to Naples then catch ferry from Naples to Positano..or Amalfi etc..see Amalfi coast stay in whatever town you want for 2 nights....depart Positano for instance to Capri for 1-2 nights then ferry back to Naples ( see archeological sites) train to Florence or Pisa, wherever you are headed and rent the car there, see Tuscany, drop off car in that region and take train back to Rome if that is where you are flying out of... or perhaps do the trip in reverse where you fly into Pisa or Florence, see Rome, then head down and fly home out of Naples, or Rome. There are a million ways to do it...but back tracking from Rome is not a good use of time if you can avoid it...If Rome flights are a must, then try to minimize car rental and driving it Italy....seriously...once you are in Tuscany it is fine...

Thank you for your suggestions. We are flying in and out of Rome. My plan was to turn the car in at Rome airport and spend one night nearby before next morning departure.

We have driven in Tuscany before. We like to take our time and stop occasionally if we see something we like along the way. That is why we thought about taking car from Sorrento to Tuscany - I don't mind the train but it didn't look like there were any non-stops from Naples to near where we are staying. Do you think this is a bad idea? We have driven all over Tuscany, Venice, Como, Cinque Terre, etc.

We would like to stay in one hotel for the four nights and do the day trips. That being said, someone had recommended Sorrento earlier. That is not my preference but for convenience I was starting to consider it. My first preference is Positano but maybe in May not as easy to get to Capri and other spots. My husband wants to see Pompeii so we will do that at the end. Is it safe to drive to Pompeii and leave luggage in the trunk of the car?

I too have driven it Italy, and Tuscany is perfect for driving...just not sure about the route from Sorrento up to where you are headed..the cost for gas, rental etc. might be a lot for just two people, but if it is your best bet, then go for it. I understand wanting to stay put and relax at one hotel. I perfer to stay in the places that captivate me, which is what I did on Capri and Positano for my first trip to that region. If Sorrento appeals then enjoy! Just remember that the 2 hours back and forth to Capri on the ferries do not include queing up, getting on and waiting to disembark...that is 3 hours of your day...seeing beautiful spots at night when the day trippers are gone is really spectacular..especially Positano and Capri...just a thought!

Dear live-from-nyc

Thank you for your thoughts. Sorrento does not captivate me at all. I really want to see Positano and Capri. Perhaps you are right and we should spend two nights in Capri. Is there enough to do for two days? I have a reservation in Positano for 4 nights but can always change that. I also have a reservation in Ravello which looked interesting. Is it easy enough with luggage to get to the ferry and go to Capri? Would you go to Capri first and then go to Positano? I really do appreciate your suggestions.

We don't mind the driving or the cost - that is not an issue for us. It is mostly the convenience of being able to go off the beaten path if we want to along the way. I will look at a map and see if I can get a sense of it. We really haven't done much train travel in Europe except from Barcelona to the South of France. It was nice and fast. We are staying near Cortona in Tuscany. What would you suggest if we were to take a train - to where and would it be direct? I need to do some research and figure that out. Thanks again.

Looks like we should take the train from Naples to Florence and then rent a car there (2 and 1/2 hrs by train) and then 1 1/2 by car to Cortona.

Does that sound right?

Perhaps you are right and we should spend two nights in Capri. Is
there enough to do for two days?

We've stayed two nights on Capri and yes, there is enough to do if you're willing to put in some footwork to explore further reaches of the island. This is also the best way to lose the mob of day-trippers which clog up the piazzas during peak visiting hours. Capri and Anacapri settle down nicely after most of them leave in the evenings and before they arrive in the morning, or was the case when we were there, anyway. I don't know as I would have enjoyed it as much if we'd just done it as a day trip. It has a very good website (ignore the pitches for tours; not needed) so do some reading-up in advance.

http://www.capri.net

I highly recommend buying a map at the tourist information center to help navigate the maze of very narrow, pedestrian-only 'streets'.

Is it easy enough with luggage to get to the ferry and go to Capri?

Yes, as long as your bags are not humongous. You'd have a problem with humongous bags anywhere else, though. The "ferry" you'll take to Capri is likely to be a jetboat and they're sizeable. Getting your bag TO your accommodation in Capri can be interesting: check into porter services either from your hotel or at the docks if you can't manage them uphill from the port.

Which bases to choose in the Sorrentine/Amalfi is purely subjective, IMHO. We did fine with Sorrento, mainly for the variety/convenience of transport available from there. Positano left us a little cold (did it as a day trip) but again, different strokes.

jacque, is Florence an actual itinerary stop? You haven't made that clear, I think. You've been to Tuscany before, but you haven't listed the high points you've already done. I'd be inclined to take the train to Orvieto and rent the car there, unless you are sleeping in Florence.

We saw Florence and Orvieto on different trips - we deliberately visited Viterbo and Orvieto before our Tuscany nights. Cortona was an excellent place to visit. If your objectives are north of Cortona, it's fine. If south, you might consider Castiglione del Lago, which we found very attractive, but not a "hill town". (We were sleeping in Sinalunga, which is not nearby.)

Although I think both Positano and Capri are overrated, Capri seemed to me to have more to do. It's important to understand how pedestrianized Capri is, and how crowded it is in high season. While Positano is also crowded, it has (to my mind) greatly inferior beaches. But naturally, very few of the Capri hotels are "steps" from a beach.

It looks like you are getting great idea on this thread! If you pack light, one carry on sized roller and one daypack, you will have a much easier time with all the moving about. There are a lot of towns to explore along the Amalfi coast, just pick your base and see them all! I stayed in Positano several years ago and walked past the ferry dock along a beautiful path (15 minutes) to a smaller beach, instead of the main one..it was late in the season so not crowded at all. I stayed at the Hotel Royal Prisco and the staff ( owners are brother and sister) were very helpful. It is only a short walk up from the beach area. Be sure to pack water shoes as all the beaches are rocky, think slimey stones in a lake, making it impossible to wade in and out of the water without them, they always sell out in the beach towns and rarely have larger U.S.sizes. A pair of crocks or Teva type sandals can double if you are bringing them anyway...and if you won't be swimming much.

At the Positano dock there is a free shuttle motor boat with a fish on it that takes people to Da Adolfo restaurant which is wonderful...and beach club ( very rustic, a few chairs, a dock and a great view....with a small changing room....you can have your hotel make a reservation for the boat and spend several hours there...it is 10 minutes up the coast from the port by boat...they go back and forth every 1/2 hr or so.

Capri has a lot to do. hiking, Mt. Solaro chair lift, Villa San Michele, Villa Jovis, Gardens of Augustus..Marina Piccolo for a free and easy place to swim...walking the lanes, seeing sights, and taking a boat ride around the island....and two nights will be wonderful. Maybe Capri first, then go to Positano by ferry...Amalfi can be reached by bus or ferry from there etc.

I have not stayed here..I stay with a friend....but it is well reviewed and in a great location in center of town..good pricing for Capri town proper Fuorlovado 40 Via Fuorlovado, 40, 80073 Capri, Italy

Ana Capri....I have heard good things about this place...and having a pool is a big plus!
Hotel Villa Sarah Via Tiberio 3 A, 80073 Capri, Italy

You can pick up car in Sorrento or Naples..whatever works!

Enjoy!