I'm traveling to Italy with my family of 6 adults in mid to late April and trying to decide on the best way of seeing the Amalfi Coast from our home base when we are in Sorrento. We are boaters so our preference is to lean towards the water (not sure how cold the water will be) but there are so many boat companies and many include a long stop at Capri. Any recommendations to certain companies/tours based on your experiences (preferably ones that leave from Sorrento)? Also interested in recommendations on land tours to get to AC towns like Positano, Amalfi, Ravello or do we just take a bus and explore on our own? Thanks in advance!
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16063 posts
From Sorrento to Positano and/or Amalfi with a ferry it would be a great way to see the coast. Service starts in April, so it may not be published yet.
Obviously if you want to walk around the towns (ferries dock at Positano and Amalfi on the A.C.), you need to disembark.
If I were you, I'd take the bus going from Sorrento, then come back via ferry. You can do also viceversa, but going from Sorrento to Amalfi, the bus will travel on the right lane that is closest to the sea. Sit on the right side, if you can although everybody will try to do the same and the bus might tilt and roll down to the ravine and crash on the sea cliffs hundreds of feet below (I scared you uh?). If you make it unscathed to Amalfi you can take the ferry back. Don't worry about the ferry capsizing in the sea. Captain Schettino of the Concordia cruise liner is still in jail (he is a native of Castellammare, near Sorrento).
Posted by
Wyckoff, NJ, USA
7889 posts
Hard to predict in advance if the ferry will have outdoor seating or just tinted, sealed windows. Any first hand reports?
Posted by
Vancouver
169 posts
There are 2-3 different ferry lines that sail from the harbour in Sorrento to Positano, Amalfi, and elsewhere.
Generally these ferry’s/boats doing this route do not go to Capri. The boat trip we took to Capri departed from a harbour further down along the coast which we got a private ride to as part of the tour ticket.
Imo.. really the only way to get to amalfi or Positano from Sorrento is the boats. The road is a complete nightmare. The bus which departs from Sorrento had a 3 bus wait when we were there in November.. it’s cheap but I’m not waiting 1.5-3 hours to get on the bus so I can wait another 45 minutes to get there.
We ended up splitting a private van with 5 other people and the ride still took almost 45 minutes in November.. I can’t imagine what it’s like in busier times.
The boats In Sorrento can easilly be booked day of, if you make it to Positano or amalfi there are also stands there to buy only the return trip as opposed to the round trip from Sorrento. These boats also drop you off exactly where you want to be, as opposed to say the bud or private van which can drop you high up in the hills and having you walk down what basically amount to switch back stair cases down to the water.
Posted by
OP
Boston, MA USA
22 posts
Thanks for the additional information, very helpful! I'll keep looking at various boat tours and will plan to use the ferries to get to other AC towns.
Posted by
Wyckoff, NJ, USA
7889 posts
Posted by
San Diego, California
5617 posts
You're in luck-
There are now daily posts on this subject here on the Forum- and answers to your questions- , so just review the last several months under the Italy section here.
You may check out Mondo tours, and the special section on Shared Tours for RS travelers.
Have a great trip.
Posted by
OP
Boston, MA USA
22 posts
@Pat from San Diego, I did do a search and reviewed prior postings. Thank you!
Posted by
Los Angeles
4853 posts
my usual answer, talk to Elizabeth