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Amalfi Coast ?s

My husband and I will be visiting the Amalfi Coast in mid April. We would welcome recommendations on tours in Sorrento and Positano. We’ve read about food tours, cooking classes, and a local farm tour. Are there specific tours and/or classes recommended?

Posted by
847 posts

How long will you be there and where will you be staying? Of course there are plenty of tours of all sorts available, can be booked in advance or booked once you get there. But there's plenty to do on your own with no need for any tours. The bus which goes all along the coast (Sorrento to Positano to Amafi to Salerno) is a three star site itself and shouldn't be that crowded in April. So from where ever you base you can do bus to all the other towns. Boats are also great. They also link those towns (depends when on April you are going, they are less frequent in 'winter') as well as going to Capri which is a great day trip. But that can also be done on a 'tour'. But basically to enjoy the best of the Amalfi coast - the views, the ambiance, etc. there is no need for any organized tours.

Posted by
16 posts

We were there last April. There are frequent buses from Sorrento, but you will have a hard time seeing the coast if you are seated on the left (from Sorrento to Amalfi), so try to grab seats on the right side of the bus . The roads were busy. I can't even imagine how bad the traffic is in summer. We opted for a pricey alternative: private car. It was expensive, about $300/400 day. We are in our 60s, not incredibly fit and didn't want to spend the time commuting by bus. I had an itinerary for our one week there. It included one day to Positano, Amalfi and Ravello. Positano is beautiful, lots of upscale shopping, and very busy. I preferred Amalfi and Ravello (the quietest). Also went to Paestum to see the Greek Temples. Not busy at all, and the temples are amazing. Small museum onsite. We planned a day at Pompeii and Herculaneum. Pompeii was busy but not jammed, and the weather was cool. Again, can't imagine the heat and crowds of summer. Herculaneum was much less crowded and had lots to see. We went to Naples, and I loved it. The center of Naples is packed with small stores and restaurants, a great street scene. Lots of churches and art/architecture, including the National Architectural Museum where all the treasures of Pompeii are on display. A highlight for us was a visit to the Sansevero Chapel to see the sculpture, the "Veiled Christ." There was a line for that, but manageable. We were able to dine off the beaten track at restaurants where the food was amazing. I'd like to revisit Naples. We enjoyed Sorrento. It is a town built around tourism, but sedate and beautiful with great views of the sea and lots of restaurants. Our trip was pricey for us, but we may never revisit and I wanted to do a lot in a little time. We used Amalfi Coast Destination Tours, and couldn't be happier. In fact, I cried at leaving our driver, Roberto, at the Naples airport. If you are in Sorrento the night of Good Friday, don't miss the Good Friday procession.

Posted by
1929 posts

Well, there you have it, OP. Both sides of the coin.

If it were high season (mid-May through September), and I was going to the A.C. for the first time, I'd opt for the tour, almost regardless of cost. So much easier.

In mid-April, however, you have a fighting chance doing it on your own & thriving. Getting around the A.C. has gotten to be such a pain, caused by sheer logistics made worse by throngs of tourists. Do your homework--mostly on this forum by asking specific questions that can be answered by one of us--and you could do great for far less money than you'd spend on a tour.

Depending on what your priorities are while there (some described above), I think either Sorrento or Salerno are equally good bases. Ironically, neither are technically on the A.C. If you must stay on the Amalfi Coast, wide schools of thought--the tried-and-true Positano, Amalfi or Ravello, or the less-traveled Atrani, Minori, Maiori or Vietri sul Mare.

Enjoy your planning!