Hi everyone,
After months of travel planning the Amalfi Coast is starting to drive me crazy. Hoping for some advice. I will be in Solerno, then had hoped to ferry to Amalfi, spend a few hours in Amalfi, bus to Ravello and back down to Amalfi, then ferry to Positano, spend a short amount of time there and ferry to Sorrento where my next hotel is. The ferry schedules don't seem to have any ferry service from Positano onward to Capri or Sorrento, no matter what time I enter. They only seem to go from Solerno to Capri or Sorrento in the morning. I have heard the advice about using the bus as a back up in case the weather halts the ferry service. The bus sounds like a crowded challenge in peak season. I've tried to find a tour operator who would take me this route and so far no luck.
Questions:
1) Should you buy a ferry ticket in advance and if you do and they cancel for weather, how hard is it to get a refund?
2) Has anyone used a private driver/guide or tour on the AC from the direction of Solerno (or Positano) to Sorrento? The tours I see are all going the other direction, starting in Sorrento then going to the AC.
3) I've seen private boat tours that stop in AC towns. Has anyone used them & recommends a company? Do they run if the ferry is down or are all boats down if there is weather?
3) any current advice on the transportation situation on the AC.
Thanks in advance.
Posted by
3314 posts
We stayed in Salerno in April 2022. We paid the owner of our B&B for several car trips, including a tour along the Amalfi Coast from Salerno to Amalfi, with a few stops along the way, including Ravello. You could check with your accommodation for referrals or a similar arrangement.
Blu Mediterraneo is based in Salerno. We used them for a lovely boat charter. We had friends use the same company for a charter in June of this year, and I think they had even more fun that we did.
https://www.blumediterraneosas.com/
No experience with the buses or ferries.
Posted by
Minnesota 🎒
16032 posts
Hi - I'm a little confused:
....ferry to Amalfi, spend a few hours in Amalfi, bus to Ravello and
back down to Amalfi, then ferry to Positano, spend a short amount of
time there and ferry to Sorrento where my next hotel is. The ferry
schedules don't seem to have any ferry service from Positano onward to
Capri or Sorrento, no matter what time I enter.
For ferries from Positano to Sorrento:
https://www.naplesbayferry.com/en/t/positano/sorrento
As you're not staying in Positano, I'm unsure why you're looking at ferries to Capri from there? You don't have time to try and do that one the same day Salerno>Amalfi> Ravello> Amalfi> Positano> Sorrento.
Regardless, ferries from Positano to Capri:
https://www.naplesbayferry.com/en/t/positano/capri
From Sorrento to Capri (best to do it from this town versus Positano):
https://www.naplesbayferry.com/en/t/sorrento/capri
In all cases of day-tripping by ferry to Capri, it's important to check schedules BACK to wherever you'll be staying that evening. Ferries do not run after dark so the last ones leave late afternoon/early evening.
Posted by
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
4263 posts
Try looking at the Travelmar ferry schedule, it can get you as far as Positano, but then you'll want to book a company like Alilauro to get you to Sorrento. However, since the Positano dock is risky if weather doesn't cooperate, you may want to head to Positano first and then back to Amalfi. That ferry is much less likely to be cancelled.
https://www.travelmar.it/en/index
https://www.alilaurogruson.com/
I am curious about your luggage situation though. None of these towns-especially Positano are easy to haul luggage with you while exploring.
Posted by
Browns Point, WA, US
72 posts
We've scheduled the highly recommended Mondo Tours. It seems reasonably priced and seems to be a good balance of being in the van and on our own in three cities: https://mondoguide.it/shore-excursion
Posted by
Wyckoff, NJ, USA
7529 posts
It's worth noting that the Positano dock can only receive smaller boats. As I remember, Sorrento had more than one ferry company going to Capri, which is also closest to Sorrento. On a rough day you'd rather have a bigger boat.
It might be useful to try to determine the date when ferry service is reduced for shoulder season. Recent construction in Positano aside, these four ports are not interchangeable.
Are you booking a car service one way? If so, you will in effect be paying for an "empty return", so the home location of the car is less crucial.
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/amalfi-coast-day-trip
Posted by
San Diego, California
5099 posts
There's significant useful info here, and it's a weekly topic, so you can Search more specific topics, and/ or check out the posts under Italy.
The area is crowded, and there is no fast and efficient mode to move about. The infrastructure just doesn't exist in this area.
Good luck!
Posted by
OP
California
25 posts
A huge thank you to everyone for great links that allowed me to finally get all these ferries booked from Salerno to Sorrento.
One last question:
For the aliLauro ferry from Positano to Sorrento it says the max luggage size is 45 x 35 x 20 cm which is smaller than my carry on luggage which is a problem. The ticket says if there is excess baggage it will not be allowed on board and a ticket must be obtained at the ticket offices of the company. Does anyone know if this means you can just pay for the larger luggage at the ticket office? The other ferries I booked on Travelmar allowed me to pay a small fee for luggage but there wasn't any such option with aliLauro. I don't want to get there and have a big surprise regarding my luggage which is just one carry on suit case.
Someone asked about luggage storage while I'm touring the AC. I am planning to store it at Bounce in Amalfi.
Thanks very much!