Amalfi Coast in March

Hello Sarah and welcome

A search of this forum brings up many discussions on this topic

Amalfi Coast probably not the best choice in March -depends on what you envision your stay there to be

Here’s some:
https://search.ricksteves.com/?button=&date_range=2y&filter=Travel+Forum&query=Amalfi+in+March+&utf8=%E2%9C%93

The Amalfi Coast may be too cold for swimming in March. However, it’s a great time for photography of the coastline in March.

I leave for southern Italy in 3 weeks for about 5 weeks. I usually plan a trip a year out so I get travel/train/bus/market/ferry/events info for the same time of year I am traveling. (November is my birthday month and as I like to say one day just doesn't cut it anymore. It requires a month in Europe)

Am doing 5 days on the AC and originally had booked an apt (99% of the time I stay in apts). But in researching found that Sorrento to be a town rebuilt after WWII. And why do all that extra travel from Sorrento every day to the AC. I switched to Hotel Fontana, Amalfi right across from the bus depot so I can catch buses going west to Positano and east to Ravello, etc. I also am staying there as the AC is steep/hilly and wanted to be at sea level for my accommodation to save energy for the hilly towns. That is also why I'm not staying in Positano.

I will be 10 days in Naples and what about the ferries? Directferries.com has all the ferry schedules. Most appear to change around November 1 and pick up again May. Blue Grotto tours end at the end of Oct and although I have not checked probably do not get back up until April/May/June, Tours also depend on the weather during the season. Ferries do go Capri from various spots and directferries can tell you.

Not a big foodie and usually rent apts so never worry about restaurants being open and italians especially eat late and healthwise I am unable to eat that late.

I loved Orvieto, spent a month in Florence, visited CT and have been to Venice many times. Without putting pencil to paper I don't quite know how you are going to see/visit all those places in the time you have left without it being rushed and mainly getting from one place to the other taking time. You could maybe see the highlights each each place but still feel it might be rushed. Florence to me in particular has crazy visiting hours so be careful about places you might want to see there.

My suggestion: really review where you want to go, check the visiting hours, especially in Florence, rome3rio.com for transpo options and in country travel time. All of this is my 2euros!

I wouldn't depend on anything Rome2Rio says. It is often wildly off-base.

Our experiences are apparently very different with rome2rio.com. i use it as a starting point and then delve into their transpo options. Has been working very successfully for me for years as an initial resource.

First of all, like Janet I too start out with Rome2Rio to get basic logistics, then delve deeper on other sites from there.

I've been to the Amalfi Coast twice in early March, and weather-wise it's a crapshoot. One year it was sunny and 60, the next time it was 40's and blowing rain. That year our trip to Capri was cancelled. For that trip, we also based in Sorrento, which truly is the only town on the peninsula that is fully operational in March. Otherwise, base in Salerno. Both have great restaurants open all year, and I would give the culinary edge to Sorrento. Just fabulous food. Like stated upthread, it's a post-WWII town that's more touristy than cool, but when we were stuck there in the rain for 4 days it was plenty good for us.

If you are not renting a car, you are subject to public trans, which means the quasi-dependable SITA bus because the ferry won't be operating that time of year. From Sorrento we bussed across the peninsula to Positano, which was deserted (this was about March 10) except one restaurant. We had a great time view-wise with the whole town to ourselves, but there wasn't much open.

I would not do an AirBnB for any of those three A.C. towns for that reason, and the suspect transportation options. From Sorrento, it's a hub and you can also go the other way for daytrips to Naples or Pompeii.

Florence, Tuscany, CT & Venice after Orvieto? Wow--even with 2 weeks by itself that's way too much traveling I think. If possible you should fly in Naples, go to Sorrento for 2-3 days, train to Orvieto for only one night? It's beautiful, we made it a daytrip from Rome. Then train to Florence for 3-4 nights, then Venice the same amount and fly out of there. That's still a lot of moving around--you're going to be on trains, busses or planes a lot!

Any reason you're skipping Rome? It's my favorite city on the planet, just asking.

Finally, it's good you're addressing this now because with Jubilee 2025 country-wise, folks are definitely making reservations earlier. We're fully booked on a Florence--Rome--Salerno--Sicily trip for early next April.

Enjoy your planning!

We rented an apartment in Positano on booking.com for three nights March 30-April 2, 2023. We knew that it was very early season, some things may not be open, and the weather was going to be iffy. We had already been in Bologna and Florence so this was the "vacation from our vacation." We were lucky and had very good weather. I think it rained a little one day but it was mostly sunny. Shops and restaurants were mostly open - more open than not. It was right before Easter so it wasn't yet "in season" and none of the boats had started up yet. We explored around Positano, sat on our sunny balcony and ate good food. It was definitely not deserted, but it was nothing like the hoards of people I see on Instagram and Youtube during the high season, which I would find miserable. If this is when you can go, and you want to see the Amalfi Coast, then set your expectations and enjoy the trip. It is stunning.
After the Amalfi Coast, I'd be inclined to skip Cinque Terre in favor of more time in Florence (or Rome - I also question why you aren't planning to go there).

Thank you! This is all so helpful! We will be visiting Rome on the first and last day. Yes, it is a lot to see in 2 weeks, but we are balancing the 3 one night stays in between 3 nights on the Amalfi Coast, 3 nights in Florence, 3 nights in Cinque Terre and 2 nights in Venice.

I totally agree with Jay, Your itinerary looks exhausting. I would definitely drop Cinque Terre. You need to map out your travel times along with getting settled into your accommodations for each location. Then you will understand how much travel time you have verses the actual time allotted for in each location.

We have stayed in both Positano and Ravello in 2 different trips, I would lean towards the town of Amalfi or Positano for your base on the Amalfi coast.

Good luck and enjoy your trip.

Thank you! This is all so helpful! We will be visiting Rome on the
first and last day. Yes, it is a lot to see in 2 weeks, but we are
balancing the 3 one night stays in between 3 nights on the Amalfi
Coast, 3 nights in Florence, 3 nights in Cinque Terre and 2 nights in
Venice.

Sarah--

If I'm reading this correctly, that's 7 stops in two weeks. That's 7 times packing/unpacking, 7 hotels/other lodging, 7 modes of transportation from Point C to Point D, etc. More taxing could/will be getting to your hotel from each train or bus station. It's not always walking distance, and I'm afraid it will not only be logistically wearing on you, but expensive as well.

It is your first trip to Italy and I know you want to see everything. I just don't want this to turn into what Rick calls 'the checklist', where you never get to experience 'la dolce far niente', which loosely translated is 'the art of doing nothing'. Simply sitting at an outdoor cafe with an aperol spritz, thinking about nothing in particular & watching the world go by, is the essence of Italian travel.

Enjoy your planning, and we're crossing our fingers for you!

Another vote for picking the Amalfi Coast OR Cinque Terre--that would give your itinerary a little breathing room, plus neither may be ideal in Mach (weather).

Sarah, is this your first trip to Europe? It might be helpful to tell us your home area, so we understand why you are hoping for (referring to my own March travel preference) Caribbean experience in CT or the AC.

Although I have not slept on the AC (but only five nights in Sorrento, where the daytripping is, by far, the easiest), I think you are making a mistake in staying in an isolated warm-season resort town (that will be mostly closed down) for some nights. Perhaps you have a glowing vision of your last "en-famille" time with your daughter, but you are not taking proper account of your under-informed choice of specific destination.

I suggest that you start with a local-climate website that has March temperature ranges, and then use the Search box top center to read both more about the choice between the AC and Sorrento, as well as more realistic itinerary layout for the two weeks.

I can't make your choices for you, but you might check on how much travel your daughter has projected during her 16-weeks. Presumably she'll go to Florence multiple times. If she is not going to see (for example) Palladian villas, Venice, or Milan, you can make better winter choices than CT and AC. It is difficult to spend too much time in Rome, whether the focus is architecture or not. Your sketch doesn't even mention Pompeii, which along with Oplontis, Stabiae, and perhaps Hadrian's Villa and Villa d'Este (back towards Rome) are much more important for her.