We are looking for a relaxing place for 2 or 3 nights before we head back to NY. We had originally planned on staying in Naples for 3 nights but I am concerned that we won't like it enough to stay that long (although I definitely want to experience it). I was thinking of shortening Naples to one night and maybe staying somewhere on the Amalfi Coast for two. We aren't thinking of this as a beach vacation, we still want to walk around and explore but at at less frenetic pace than in a city (we will be in Rome earlier in the trip).
My question is- is the Amalfi area a good choice for the second week of October, and where should we stay, Positano, Amalfi or someone mentioned Atrani? I originally thought Sorrento but from what I researched it doesn't seem as quaint as we would want. We were in Sorrento years ago off a cruise trip.
Any feedback including recommendations of hotels would be appreciated. Thank you.
Posted by
Gettysburg PA
7276 posts
You'll probably want to be somewhere where transportation is not an issue.
We liked Amalfi- town. Didn't care at all for Positano. We also enjoyed Sorrento and Salerno very much.
Neither has a "beach" as you are probably picturing- beaches are small and pebbly- not sandy. Salerno does have nice sandy beach.
Area will still be fairly crowded on October.
Where are you flying home from? If Naples I would definitely want to be IN Naples night before the flight.
Posted by
5158 posts
It will completely depend on the weather--Amalfi Coast ferries end sometime in October, but I believe this is weather dependent as well. I would leave options open and book something you can cancel. There are a million things to do in Naples if the weather is not good, in a village not so much (though staying in a small place is generally also my preference). I stayed in Cetara, which is close to Salerno so travel to the mainland is easier in case you want to visit Pompeii or Paestum.
You might look at the islands too--Capri, Ischia, or even little Procida, which looks quite charming to me.
Assuming you are flying out of Naples. Is car rental an option? You could also consider stopping in Gaeta en route to Naples, and save the AC for a longer trip.
ETA: I saw from your other post that you do not want to drive. I am sure there is transport to/from Gaeta, but I am not familiar with specifics.
Since you are going to attend an intensive cooking school, I'd still lean toward Naples, but you may be interestedin Cetara since it is a bit of a foodie place known for colatura. One day for Greek temples at Paestumn and one day for exploring the Amalfi Coast would be lovely. You may even be able to fit in Herculaneum en route to Naples if you decide just use Naples as your outbound last night.
Posted by
OP
Upstate NY
99 posts
Thank you both for your help. We are flying out of Rome, not Naples, I have hotel room at FCO the night before our departure. Yes we would like to have our transportation as stress free as possible, we are planning on hiring drivers when necessary but we don’t want to go crazy. A beach isn’t necessary, I was just thinking of a place with a soothing and spectacular water view.
The recommendation for Gaeta looks interesting and since we are heading back to Rome ultimately it seems to be an appealing location. I am however not identifying any hotels that jump out at me. I do feel we can plan a lot of great day trips out of Naples, I am just not sure how the evenings will be in Naples. We like to stroll to/from dinner and recent reviews have not made that sound that attractive. Maybe I am unnecessarily concerned?
Posted by
Tel Aviv
15798 posts
If you are worried about Naples (which I enjoyed), go to Salerno for 3 nights. You can get there and then to Rome by fast train. The train station/bus depot are walking distance from the historic center. So are its big sandy beach, pleasant seaside promenade and lots of good restaurants. Visit the AC villages by bus or ferry (if they are still operating) from Salerno. The AC towns aren't quaint, the magic of the AC is the spectacular views.
Posted by
Calgary, AB
155 posts
In October 2019 we arrived in Italy (Naples) and spent 3 nights / 2 full days there with 1 day exploring Naples with the morning in their Archeological museum concentrating on the Pompeii and walking around the old town, using the RS guide. The 2nd day, we caught an early train to Heraculaneum (similar to Pompeii but smaller with their mosaics etc still in place) before going for lunch and catching the bus up to Vesuvius. At about 5 pm caught the train back to Naples. We stayed in the old town between the train station and the ferry port.
Next day as it was raining heavily, we took a taxi and we caught the ferry to Capri and continued to Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast. This part of our trip took 10 nights and we had perfect weather, sun and no serious rain showers. The ferries were still running mid-October and a lot more pleasant than taking a bus or driving.
Enjoy your trip but it sounds like too much time spent changing hotels in a short time for us.
Posted by
5158 posts
Where in NY are you coming from? Many liken Naples to NYC (at certain times in its history I suppose). How you will enjoy time there is something only you can decide, but remember tons of people go there and have no problem. Other than not wearing flashy jewelry, I took no special precautions.
I assumed you were flying out of Naples from the previous post, so I can't say I would change locations that much either. Salerno is a nice alternative--good access to the coast and to the spectacular temples at Paestum, easy transport back to Rome.