Amalfi Coast Best town to make as a base

Have you read the RS guide to Italy chapter on Amalfi Coast & Paestum? The three towns you've listed, as well as the town of Amalfi, all have different reasons to recommend.

Even though 1-night stays tend to be tiring, I might choose to spend the first night in Sorrento, then do the coastal drive (by bus or with a hired driver) and end up in Ravello. That's if you don't plan to go to Capri. If so, then 2 nights in Sorrento with the boat to Capri & back on the intervening day.

In October the weather may be lovely and mild or inclement.

With only 3 nights I would stick to just the one place.
Day 1. Via Pompeii to Sorrento (3N)
Day 2. Day to Capri
Day 3. Day to Positano
Day 4. Via Naples to ... ??

Thanks, Yes I have Rick Steve's book and am pouring through. My husband and I actually spent 4 nights in Ravella for part of our honeymoon but it's been 33 years ago. I guess I am curious to the changes since then and like I said, what my kids would enjoy more. I would prefer to not hop around each night and would rather use one town for a base. I guess the weather will also dictate what we can do.
Thanks, both for your suggestions!

Seeing that--as stated above--in late October the weather could be great or it could be inclement, I'd stay in Sorrento for 3 nights and be done with it. We stayed there for 5 nights in early March of this year when the weather was decidedly inclement--cold, rain, wind mostly--and where we stayed, which was near the Piazza Tasso in the old town near the train/bus station, made our time there tolerable and even enjoyable at times.

The key to Sorrento is that it's the only place where one can explore any part of the Amalfi peninsula with relative ease. Pompei is 45 minutes by train, Naples an hour by train, Positano 45 minutes by bus, Amalfi/Ravello, 2 hours by bus. And if the ferries are operational (iffy in October), you've got Capri in 25 minutes, not to mention the A.C. easier than by land as well.

Food is much better than I expected in Sorrento, much more reasonably-priced, as long as you stay in town--down by the marina is a little more high-end but certainly more picturesque.

In short, Sorrento allows easy audibles to Plans B & C should the need arise. Perfect example is that wind knocked out the power at an agriturismo that we had scheduled a cooking class, so we just decided to go the Archeological Museum in Naples that day instead--easy switch. Enjoy your planning!

We were in Ravello in March. It was very beautiful, but quite touristed and quiet. I would stay somewhere with more to do for the young people. You could always do a day trip to Ravello and other coastal towns from your base.

Late October is a mostly shuttered time on the A/C...I recommend Sorrento as a good alternative travel base with visits to A/C.
I recommend something like this for active people.

Arrive Naples: see archeological museum and Herculaneum or Pompeii ( I prefer H. for many reasons including size which enable a museum visit and lunch in Naples within the time frame..and more in tact)

Eat lunch( this can be done on your last day in the area as well, by locking luggage at Napoli Centrale train station in morning see sights and pick up luggage in late afternoon check closing time of luggage room!!!!)

Head to Sorrento 3 nights see Amalfi Coast/Capri daytimes from here, just eat dinner and sleep in Sorrento
Last Oct. it was wet and rainy, stormy the entire time I was in Rome and Capri....so check weather a day or so before you go...to make plan adjustments...

Have fun!

Thank-you all. Yes, Definitely worried about the weather but at least the food will be great no matter what! I should have mentioned this before---do you all recommend getting a private car service from Naples to Sorrento? Someone mentioned a ferry but it sounds like I may be out of luck in late Oct? I am alittle leary of taking the train?

Thanks again for the input!

Well, we did. We had taken the Freccia train from Rome to Naples, never had taken the Circumvesuviana at that point. So we contracted in advance with the B&B at which we were staying in Sorrento to drive us door-to-door from Napoli Centrale station to the B&B. Cost about 100 Euro.

Worth it? In this instance, I think so. We had our bags, and this was really the only 'transportation splurge' of our trip. Other than a taxi from Roma Fiumicino airport to our apartment, we took public trans in Rome all over. The two other alternatives would be to take the CV--which we did on a daytrip from Sorrento to Naples--and it really wouldn't have been bad, and it would've been super cheap, but probably a real P.I.T.A. handling the bags on a crowded train.

The other option would be to take a taxi to Napoli Capodichino airport and take the Curreri Viaggi bus---which runs once every 2 hours--from there to Sorrento. Also cheap, around 10 Euro apiece. In fact, when we left Sorrento for good we took this bus to the airport. Excellent value.

Enjoy your planning!

Four people traveling, a car service makes sense to me. Less traffic that time of year too. Otherwise it is four people getting on and off trains and buses. Train to Sorrento, bus to Positano is the route. Some people take the train to Salerno and work their way back up the coast.

Enjoy!

Best town for logistics as a base will always be Sorrento. I really don't think you could even make a case for another town.
Factoring in related travel costs and probably lower lodging cost options it is also the better value I think.
However that is different from which town is the best to stay in.
We stayed in both Positano and Sorrento before and would much rather and prefer stay in Positano.
Ravello only visited but would enjoy staying there as well but logistic wise probably the worst choice of the 3, I think it would offer the least to do as well ; I see Ravello working well for a relaxing stay for which it does have appeal to me and likely pick it over Sorrento personally as a return traveler to the region. For a first time traveler with only 3 nights and want to see the surrounding towns and areas, Ravello is probably not as good an option as the other 2.

While I always understand the convenience factor when people recommend Sorrento over the Amalfi Coast, I just cant imagine traveling all the way there and not staying on the Amalfi Coast. we also prefer Ravello and I would recommend it even that time of year. We were there early April one year and although it was chilly and off season, it was still heaven. There are stairs and hiking trails all over the place from Ravello. No lack of exercise for sure! Check out Villa San Cosma or Punta Civita in Ravello.

Again, thanks for the info. I am thinking seriously about switching to Positano. We loved Ravello when we stayed there also. Just not sure!I

Again, thanks for the info. I am thinking seriously about switching to Positano. We loved Ravello when we stayed there also. Just not sure!I

Highly recommend Sorrento. Ease of transportation to everywhere is unbeatable, plus its a lovely place itself.

Mike
DC

Thanks, Mike

I would pick Naples or Positano. I found Sorrento to be just milk-toast. Decide to go crazy and immersed in Naples...my choice; or enjoy the unique, but quieter and 'pretty' style in Positano.

Wray--

Naples kind of reminded me of the North End in Boston (only with more graffiti)--my grandfather was born in the North End. We daytripped to Naples and walked around but in advance of our trip I didn't have a sense as to what neighborhood would be best and relatively safe, so we opted for Sorrento, which was decidedly not exotic but certainly served the purpose for us.

Positano was my spot for two nights and that was enough to tour the area. I stayed in Naples to do archeological sights, museums and have great food. Just try to book refundable hotels and change gears a couple of days before if needed due to weather..

If you were going in high season I would say definitely stay in Positano, as I am not a Sorrento fan..but I am NYC gal so staying in Naples does not scare me, in fact I laugh at their rube-ness compared to NY'ers! LOL

Sorrento is the safer bet for that time of year for most travelers for many reasons noted here...if you want peace of mind book in Sorrento.

JJ I guess I'm curious---when you say peace of mind--book Sorrento? Is that because of the terrain in Positano if weather is nasty or because of there not being enough things to do?

I am sure JJ can respond for himself, but yes, it's all those things. That time of year, the only thing you're missing in Sorrento is the spectacular scenery, but if you stay down by the marina in Sorrento, you get a good part of that too.

Getting around--if that's important to you--for day trips has Sorrento written all over it. Part and parcel of that is being able to switch gears in crappy weather. And yes, slippery terrain is an issue on all parts of the peninsula, and Pompei as well.