We hope to do the RS Best of South Italy in May and stay on for a week following the tour. The plan is 3 nights in Sorrento and the remainder of the week in an Amalfi coast town. Would you recommend Positano or Amalfi for the additional nights?
Any information is appreciated including your favorite accommodation.
Thank you,
JoAnn
Vernon BC
Canada
I know many people swoon over Positano; but when we faced the same choice some years ago, we opted for Amalfi. Our reasons were: lower prices, better transportation connections, greater walkability, and more interesting sights. Regarding the last point, a day trip to Positano convinced us we had made a correct decision. We found it to be nothing but hotels, restaurants and shops aimed at the tourist trade. There was so little of interest to us that, in fact, we left after half a day.
JoAnn -
Both are wonderful with multiple lodgings. Le Sirenuse in Positano is world famous. We stayed in Ravello, which is above Amalfi. Gorgeous views of the Tyrrhenian Sea and the coastline. We would hike down (lots of hiking trails available) to the towns, then take the bus back up. We stayed at the Villa Cimbrone, which I highly recommend.
Larry
I would also suggest Amalfi, with its better transportation connections.....most buses stop or start there, you have buses to Ravello and other cities, and Ferries all over the coast....
it seems a little less touristy than Positano, and I love the easy hiking behind the town....
anything in Ravello is gorgeous too! But its harder to take day trips from there in comparison.....
As you will be spending two nights in both Positano and Sorrento on the tour I would look for other places to stay. I did the tour in 2011 and in Positano spent a relaxing day on the beach; others went to Revello and raved about it. You could also do a day cruise to Capri. Pretty town but as someone else said, its mainly hotels and shops. I had been to Amalfi before on a nice day trip. Both Positano and Amalfi are great bases for visiting along the coast. Are you planning on renting a car? Parking in Positano is difficult; I don't know about Amalfi as I was on a boat.
I enjoyed Sorrento and from there you could revisit Pompeii or go to Herculaneum (well worth the visit and I know a lot of people prefer it to Pompeii) or do Vesuvius.
If you stay in Sorrento check and see what hotel RS is using. We stayed at the Ulisse DeLuxe Hostel which has to be my least favourite RS hotel (from 3 tours in Italy). Suprisingly it doesn't tick many of Ricks hotel criteria (memorable, family run, centrally-located hotels). Having said that I notice recent reviews on Tripadvisor are more positive. It was OK for 2 nights, but if you want a view or a hotel closer to the centre of the town, with more atmosphere there are lots to chose from in Sorrento.
If you are looking for rest and relaxation after the RS tour, either town would be fine. Amalfi has far more dining options and is more of a "real" town vs. Positano which is very touristy. But if you want to be mobile, keep in mind that both towns are quite isolated and travel can be time-consuming. You didn't mention what airport you are departing from to return to Canada. If it's Naples, you'll want to spend your final night close to the airport.
My favorites are Ravello and Praiano, but the transportation connections are better in Amalfi. You might consider a few nights on Ischia.
