In late April, the first part of our 2.5 week trip to South Italy will include 2 nights in Naples followed by 1 night in Sorrento and 4 nights in a villa just outside Atrani. After that we're renting a car in Salerno and driving to Puglia where we have reservations in three different towns for the rest of our trip. Originally we were going to spend 5 nights at the Amalfi Coast villa after Naples, and day trip to Sorrento on one of the villa days, but Sorrento is far enough away that we decided to make it an overnight stay before going to the villa. My husband and I will be traveling with one other couple. Should we try to spend a day on Capri? We'd like to see it. Two choices are: (1) do it from Sorrento as a Rick Steves shared tour with Mondo Guides, on the morning after our overnight in Sorrento. We're staying Hotel Antiche Mura, which is where the Mondo Guides tour would pick us up. Presumably the hotel can store our bags for the day, then when we get dropped back at the hotel in the early evening, we can pick up bags and proceed to our villa for an evening check-in. The shared tour has a 6 person minimum but if only the 4 of us were to sign up, the tour would still go if we picked up the fee of the missing two passengers. Our cost would go from 90 Euro per person to 135 Euro per person, but it would have become a private tour and this is a very affordable price compared to other private tour options. (2) Do it by public ferry from Amalfi Town on one of our days at the villa. It does appear that the public ferry will be running by then, as our trip is after Easter, although schedules for 2020 aren't yet viewable. Plan no. 1 was really appealing to me but it does cut into our limited time in Sorrento. We'd really only have one afternoon and evening there after arriving from Naples. Also, I'm not sure what our evening transportation options will be to get to the villa, and the owner of it might be inconvenienced by our late arrival. Is plan 2 better?
Posted by
Colorado Mountains, USA
7590 posts
Our visit to Sorrento and Capri was one December, although the owner of our B&B said that April was the best time of year to visit, and was when he’d visit if he didn’t already live there. If you want to see Capri, then do it! You won’t get another chance until the next time you come 😊
If you did the public ferry instead of the tour, take an earlier ferry. We had a leisurely morning in Sorrento, then caught a later ferry, which allowed time on Capri, but we would’ve enjoyed another couple of hours there, at least. Also, if the Blue Grotto is something you’re hoping to see, be aware that if the waves are too rough, they cancel access to the Grotto, and we got shut out the day we visited Capri. Walking the island, seeing Anacapri town, and getting some amazing views of the rocky coast made up for missing the Grotto.
Posted by
lexington, il
4105 posts
Take the ferry from Naples- Capri check your luggage there by the ferry dock. Then ferry from Capri-Sorrento for your overnight.
Do your day trip with Mondo tours the next day.
I'd see if Mondo would take your luggage with you ( if your group is the only one I'd pay the extra for this) and drop you at your Villa.
Can't hurt to ask.
Edit. Mondo private tours. For the 4 of you appears less expensive.
https://www.mondoguide.it/city-tours-from-amalfi-coast/amalfi-coast-positano-amalfi-ravello
Posted by
956 posts
It doesn’t sound like you’re using Sorrento as a base for additional sightseeing. If you’re staying in Sorrento to see Sorrento, then don’t worry about it cutting into your time. I always feel like I’m slamming the place, but there’s just not much to see/do in Sorrento. It’s a great base and enjoyable, but you do not need to set aside extra time for it.
It sounds like you have the Mondo tour worked out as a decent value to you. Though I wonder about being locked into that in April, not knowing the weather. It’s also very easy to day trip to Capri yourself from Sorrento. Get on one of the first ferries of the day, skip past touristy Capri Town and bus up to Anacapri. You’ll have the place to yourself as the tourist hordes slowly make their way up. RS guidebook also has tips on how to see Capri en route from Sorrento to Amalfi. It sounds crazy, but was very easy as well. I was on Capri for about six hours total, and that was enough for me,
Posted by
San Francisco/Marin County
9436 posts
We love Sorrento more than all the other towns and enjoy exploring and hanging out there. Very relaxing, beautiful and fun. We don’t care for Capri, but everyone’s different.
Posted by
Wyckoff, NJ, USA
7542 posts
You can't ferry after dark, and the busses don't run very late, especially out of season. How are you "proceeding" to the villa. You need to think specifically, not vaguely. Budget for the transfer? Amount if luggage? Can a car service get to the villa door? (I don't know Atrani, but the AC has few roads and hundreds of stairs.)