Will be spending 3-4 days along Amalfi Coast. Main objective is Pompeii and Vesuvius, but want to explore along the coast also. Coming in from Rome, probably by train. Where to stay - Napoli or Sorrento, or someplace else? Thanks for your suggestions.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16231 posts
Pompeii is half way between Sorrento and Naples. To go up the Vesuvius you have to go from Ercolano, which is between Pompeii and Naples. The prettiest town in the Amalfi coast, IMO, is Positano, a little past Sorrento by bus. Positano is very small and quaint and that's where I like to stay. Logistically both Sorrento and Naples are good because they are on the Vesuviana rail line, from where you can reach both Pompeii and Ercolano. From Positano you would need to take a short bus ride along the coastal highway to Sorrento station first, then the Vesuviana train.
It depends in what type of environ you like to be: big beautiful city (Napoli), smaller resort town (Sorrento), or quaint fishing village on the Amalfi Coast (Positano). Wherever you stay you are not that far from either of your target destinations.
Posted by
Colorado Mountains, USA
8050 posts
My husband I stayed in Sorrento but I would agree that it depends on the kind of environment you like. Positano is really beautiful. I personally would not recommend staying in Naples unless you have been there before. It is certainly a big city in Southern Italy. Sorrento has great transportatio connections and reasonable restaurants.
Posted by
OP
Denver, CO, USA
15 posts
Thank you Roberto, Cyn, and Linda for your most helpful information and recommendations. (Isn't the RS Travelers Helpline great?)
Posted by
Bromley, Kent,, UK
1829 posts
The bus ride from Positano to Sorrento station takes 1 hour. http://www.sitasudtrasporti.it/public/tpl/campania/5070.pdf
Posted by
Sunnyside, New York, United States
439 posts
We traveled to Italy in Nov. I would go to Sorrento. Napoli was the absolute worse place I have ever stayed. It looks like NYC in the 1970's. Sorrento was so much nicer (and cheaper), I wish we had stayed there the two nights.
Posted by
Courtenay, BC, Canada
2 posts
We did this a couple of years ago. We stayed in Piano de Sorrento, which is in the hills above the town of Sorrento, and it was a little problematic in getting to the train. However, I would recommend staying in Sorrento, and taking the Circumvesuviana train to Pompeii. Very easy to do. I would also recommend the SITA public bus from the Sorrento train station to the Amalfi coast. It goes through Positano, but I'd stay on until Amalfi, and stop in Positano on the way back. Buy your tickets in the train station, the stop is right outside. It's a very busy bus, so I'd wait until you can be near the front of the line to get a seat near the front. They are large, coach type buses and the drive is amazing. Have fun - our stay in the Sorrento area was probably the highlight of our Italy tour.
Posted by
OP
Denver, CO, USA
15 posts
Thank you to all who have weighed in on this. Your input has helped us decide to stay in Sorrento, (or maybe even in Positano). Thanks again.
Posted by
San Francisco/Marin County
9436 posts
I vote for Sorrento. We've been there 3 times for a week each time and absolutely love it. Favorite place in Italy. It's much more practical than Positano, imo. Has way more amenities, and is a transportation hub to anyplace you'd want to go. We enjoyed visiting Positano but there isn't much there and it's all built on a very steep hillside. Sorrento is flat and just as charming as Positano imo.