Amalfi Coast or Lake Como

I can't speak to Lake Como, but 3 nights in Sorrento wouldn't be much due to the time it takes to get there and the slow and chaotic transportation issues while your there. Sorrento isn't actually on the Amalfi Coast so your still spending valuable time getting to the AC if that is you goal.

Sorrento isn't exactly the Amalfi Coast, but it is on the same peninsula. Sorrento is the cheaper place to stay and with better transportation options (trains, day trips to Pompeii and Capri). It is fairly easy to do day trips over from Sorrento. I don't see the need to stay there. It is very beautiful, but mostly shopping and lounging on the very small beaches (good hiking but somewhat rugged).

Florence to Sorrento is 5 hours by train passing through Rome and changing in Naples. So you would have 2 1/2 full days in Sorrento (you would also have 2 1/2 days in Como area). Enough to do quite a bit, but not everything in the area.
Look at the guidebooks and decide which area has what you want to see and do. I personally would chose Sorrento.

I don’t see Amalfi in an itinerary unless you mean Sorrento?
I prefer Lake Como myself but the dates would have to be late April.

To clarify:
Following the advice of previous posts I have seen, and from information in the RS guide book, we are tentatively looking at Sorrento as a less crowded base for visiting the Amalfi coast and also going to Pompeii. So yes, the above tentative itinerary assumes Sorrento as the Amalfi portion.

I prefer Lake Como myself but the dates would have to be late April.

Why late April please?

Early to mid April on lake Como is likely to be quite cool, with average daytime highs in the mid 50s. Sorrento and the AC are likely to be 5-10 degrees warmer.

We’ve been to both areas and I prefer Varenna on Lake Como. We were there in April and it was very pleasant and not cold, but probably not the time to jump in the lake, though. Of course, northern Italy is completely different than southern Italy and I’m sure there’s more people on here with more experience on the pros and cons than my two tours of both regions.

Early to mid April on lake Como is likely to be quite cool, with average daytime highs in the mid 50s. Sorrento and the AC are likely to be 5-10 degrees warmer.

I see. Well, we live in Seattle, so mid 50s is normal for us in spring. LOL

We’ve been to both areas and I prefer Varenna on Lake Como. We were there in April and it was very pleasant and not cold, but probably not the time to jump in the lake, though. Of course, northern Italy is completely different than southern Italy and I’m sure there’s more people on here with more experience on the pros and cons than my two tours of both regions.

Margie, thanks for the insight. I appreciate it.

Hi there, some excellent suggestions above. I was wondering about your dates and direction of travel - In general, I would suggest starting the furthest south and head north so early in the year. However, Easter is early this year! So anywhere, but especially Venice, Florence, Rome & small towns in the AC, will be JAMMED from Good Friday, March 29, through the following weekend April 7. (It seems Wednesday, March 27 is the beginning of Italian Easter school holidays, I just saw on a post about Easter in Venice.) I capitalized the word 'jammed' because we just spent 8 days in Rome over NY, 2023-24 and seriously, it was the most crowded I've ever seen it, and I've been going at the holidays many times over the NY.

So personally, I would either be ending my trip by Good Friday, or arriving the weekend of April 6-7, but guess what, more people will be traveling in April than in March...

Arrive Venice (3 nights), Bologna (2 nights), Florence (3 nights)

I like to think about actual transit time, (I'm a detailed planner) so would sit down quietly with at least google maps & hotel /apartment ideas and think about how long it takes to pack, get transport to train, add 15 min for screw ups, get train to next destination, blah blah, you get the picture!) So consider how long it will take from your hotel in Venice to place in Bologna? So you'd arrive there in the afternoon, making it really 2 nights but only 1.5 days before taking the train to Florence... and so on.

I've been to both areas several times & personally, I would go to Lake Como after Easter holidays are over & stay in Varenna, an area of superlative beauty & you can move around easier than on the AC. My niece was there last year in early April and had great weather, but of course that can vary! Like someone else said, you probably won't be jumping in the lake.

You would need to work on the logistics for AC more, if you do, consider staying in Salerno rather than Sorrento (which technically isn't the AC). And 3 days, hmmmmm. That's at least 6 hours I think to get from Florence to Sorrento, or Salerno, go out for the evening & relax, day 2 ferry along AC, day 3 via Pompeii where I understand there is small luggage storage available, train to Naples & train back to Rome, then logistics of getting to your hotel. (We did this last leg from the town of Amalfi with a private driver via Pompeii who kept our luggage while we walked miles, then delivered us to train in Naples to get back to Rome.)

Good luck & please come back with more details, always interesting to see the evolution!

Sandancisco
Thanks for the reply. Our trip is not this year, it is in 2025, so Easter is April 20 I believe.

Yes, once we have settled more on the where we will look closely at the travel times. The original thought was start up north in Venice then work our way down to AC and finish in Rome. But one daughter suggested Lake Como, so now we have a different plan, Rome first and then heading north, if we decide on that. It all comes down to deciding which destination we all prefer.

Lake Como, Lake Como, Lake Como.
We have been there twice, ( most recently April, 2023,) and shall return!

Important considerations-
Avoid Italy the week before and after Easter, which is late in 2025.
Book ( cancelable) lodgings asap, as soon as they will take reservations.
You have too many destinations. Two nights is one full day.
Getting from northern Italy to southern Italy takes an entire day.
The infrastructure south of Naples has been sadlyneglected. As a result, there is no efficient, or quick way, to get anywhere. Traveling in Sorrento/AC takes time and patience. I wish I had know that last May, 2023. As a result, I was disappointed in the area.
There are no shoulder seasons in Italy post-COVID.
Flying into Venice is easier than flying out of Venice.

Suggestions- fly into Venice or Milan,
Onto Lake Como ,
Venice, of course,
and add time to each desired destination.
I'd scrap the AC/ Sorrento entirely. You need 4-5 days to travel into and out of the area and tour.

We stayed at Hotel du Lac in Varenna, Lake Como, and plan to return in 2025. Ask for a room on the lake, with a balcony. They also have a great happy hours.

We love Hotel Ai Mori d'Oriente in the Venice Cannaregio area, on the quiet back canals, where you can take sunset pix without folks in your screen. There are no crowds here, yet you are only a ten minute walk to a vaporetto stop on the Grand Canal.

You have a lots of good planning time. Enjoy your family trip. Safe travels!

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/venice-lake-como-sorrento-amalfi-coast-with-lots-of-rain

Just to add, we stayed our first time on Lake Como on a RS tour at the Royal Hotel Victoria in Varenna, nice room, comfortable bed. The second time we stayed at the Hotel du Lac and it was absolutely lovely. My opinion, of course.

I'm sorry I missed you're not traveling until 2025. I was going to ask if either daughter has a strong preference. Good luck with your planning and it sounds like a lot of fun to be able to travel with the 2 daughters who've been to Italy before!

Avoid Italy the week before and after Easter, which is late in 2025.
Book ( cancelable) lodgings asap, as soon as they will take reservations.
You have too many destinations. Two nights is one full day.
Getting from northern Italy to southern Italy takes an entire day.
The infrastructure south of Naples has been daily neglected. As a result, there is no efficient, or quick way, to get anywhere. Traveling in Sorrento/AC takes time and patience. I wish I had know that last May, 2023. As a result, I was disappointed in the area.
There are no shoulder seasons in Italy post-COVID.
Flying into Venice is easier than flying out of Venice.

Thanks for the reply.
Yes, we are staying 3 nights in each destination, the only one that is 2 nights is Bologna. We are doing either Lake Como OR Amalfi Coast, not both. So I feel that we don't have too many destinations, since we can be in each one for 3 nights (Bologna is currently a tentative stop).
That's good to know about the infrastructure. Between that and the crowds I don't know if AC is worth the long journey south.

We stayed at Hotel du Lac in Varenna, Lake Como, and plan to return in 2025. Ask for a room on the lake, with a balcony. They also have a great happy hours.
We love Hotel Ai Mori d'Oriente in the Venice Cannaregio area, on the quiet back canals, where you can take sunset pix without folks in your screen. There are no crowds here, yet you are only a ten minute walk to a vaporetto stop on the Grand Canal.

Thanks you! I will check out these recommendations!

Margie, thanks, I will look that place up.

Sandancisco, no problem!
I love traveling with our daughters, we are all similar in our tastes and methods of travel. Really excited to be planning this trip!

@margie,
We agree on Hotel Du Lac! Hoping for a spring, 2025 return! Safe travels!

I have also been to both, and agree that three nights isn't enough to warrant the journey to Sorrento. We had a full week there so it was worthwhile.

As for Lake Como we had four nights there staying in Bellagio. We loved it so much we are returning in September and this time will stay in Varenna.

For those commenting on hotels, I currently have a room with a terrace booked at Hotel du Lac and a room with a balcony at the Royal Victoria. Obviously I want to cancel one of them.

My feeling is that Hotel du Lac is the better hotel, would those who have stayed agree?

Thanks in advance for the thoughts.

@theharbingers, I have only been to Hotel du Lac, and we are definitely returning! Have a great trip!

We've been to the Amalfi Coast twice. This summer we're looking forward to our first visit to Lake Como. The replies here are very helpful. Thanks, everyone!

theharbergers, the two hotels are very different, Hotel du Lac is the smaller of the two with a more intimate feeling. You climb the stairs up to your room while the Hotel Royal Victoria is quite a bit larger, has an elevator, I think the room was a bit larger etc., but without the, I guess, coziness. It all depends on what makes you comfortable. Take a look at both online.

Thank you Pat and Margie. I have looked at both on-line and Hotel du Lac reminds me of the hotel that we stayed at in Bellagio last time, and that is the feeling that we like. Plus it has a terrace, not just a balcony and the reviews are amazing.

I will report back after our stay.

Hey there, I forgot about the Vatican 2025 Jubilee, thought it would be worthwhile to consider going earlier in your trip, and frankly as far ahead of Easter as possible. I'm not sure if the 35 million quoted in this article is in addition to the millions who come each year or...
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/254346/rome-prepares-for-35-million-pilgrims-during-2025-jubilee-year.