Family Trip to Naples and Amalfi Coast - October 2026

I think you’re on the right track, and I’d definitely stick to two bases. I’d decide closer to the trip, as weather would dictate to me (early October being a relatively safe but you never know).

We did Pompeii on our way from Rome to Sorrento. We took the fast train to Naples and then the Circumvesuviana to Pompeii Scavi. We stored our luggage and spent the day in Pompeii. It worked well for us.

If we go back to the area, we'd either stay in Amalfi Town or Salerno.

I'm not sure if you've booked your air, but with teens that don't love early morning, you could consider flying home from Rome. On our most recent trip to southern Italy, we flew into Naples and out of Rome.

I agree with your overall plan and thought process. There’s little reason for you to spend nights outside of Naples and Amalfi Coast.

For me, Capri was just right as a day trip, avoiding Capri Town. I think your concerns about being “stuck” on Capri are valid. Poor weather or rougher seas are a possibility, but generally speaking anything requiring a ferry trip to sightsee is dicey imo. Just more complicated than I’d choose to take on.

If you want to get around on the coast, see some towns, Ravello, or reach a trail head, then yes Amalfi Town is the logical choice. Reading between the lines though, with the kids being kids a smaller town with a beach might be a better fit: Pirano, Maiori, Midori, etc. Amalfi Town was a bit touristy for me. I stayed in Atrani and loved it. It’s a short walk (with cars along the coast road) from Amalfi, so you get the convenience of Amalfi with a more local experience. They have their own sand beach and a bunch of restaurants.

Jules, my concern with attempting Pompeii (or Capri) after landing at NAP is that we'll be zombies. So, I thought it best to make our way straight to our AC base and at least drop luggage. (Since lodging is so expensive, I don't want to book the previous night.) But I do agree it would be a great way to fill all that time, under different circumstances.

You could waste an entire day transiting between hotels so I certainly wouldn't add a 3rd location. Personally we enjoyed Capri far more than anything we saw in the Amalfi Coast. So much so that we have a plan for sometime in the future to spend multi days there.

You have to go to Herculaneum as well as Pompeii, at least in my humble opinion. Herculaneum is in many ways much more striking than Pompeii.

In terms of pizza in Naples, I really liked Starita, Diego Vitagliano, and 50 Kalò.

You have to go to Herculaneum as well as Pompeii, at least in my
humble opinion.

I agree, and if you have time I'd add Oplontis to that list.

Plectrude, we haven't decided on all the places we want to see, but I agree Herculaneum will probably make the list. I assume doing that and Pompeii on the same day is overkill, so perhaps we'll do Pompeii en route from AC back to Naples (since Pompeii has luggage storage). That would allow for an efficient, in-transit visit but not on arrival / zombie day. And then depending on how Naples is going, we can decide if we want to hop on a train to Herculaneum.

A related question: I feel like we'll end up staying in Amalfi Town (for convenience) or points east (for a less touristy scene). I see that Positano is pretty far west, and Capri of course even farther. To avoid making two separate long-ish ferry daytrips while basing in AC, advice on how to pair Positano with Capri, keeping in mind the shorter daylight in October? If the ferry from Amalfi Town to Capri gets a good view of Positano, maybe we don't even need to set foot there.

Although I’d go to Capri if I’m lucky enough to return to the area, I skipped Capri and Positano and have no regrets.
Atrani really is the best of all worlds, tucked away but adjacent to Amalfi for ferry access. You can walk right onto trails from there and from Amalfi.
You don’t have to walk along the main road to connect the two, there is a winding path that took maybe 15 minutes if memory serves. Watch Ripley on Netflix before you go.
What do the kids want to do/see? No matter who you are, it’s a short list—views, hikes, boat rides, just a few churches and partial ruins like in Minori or Maiori, so once you have that list you can select the best base.
The ferry service connects the mainland end villages so it’s no great sacrifice to stay in them.

Jake, I agree Pompeii on arrival day would be a lot. Especially because its huge and there's little shade.

Herculaneum is fairly small, but a very worthwhile site. You could look at a map and possibly consider visiting there on your first day.

Positano is lovely, I would go as far to say stunning, especially a view from the bus stop at the top. I'm not much of a shopper, so beyond the beautiful view, I enjoy other Amalfi towns and Sorrento much more.

Jake, I mean this in a pleasant way, not as "RTFM", but I suggest that you wait for Rick's book to come before you make a lot of firm decisions. While I found the AC slightly overrated, it's a varied and unusual place, and you don't yet have enough information. For example, Capri is not "like" or "on" the AC. That's one of the good things about it. The shortest ferry ride to Capri is from Sorrento, and an argument against going to Capri from Positano (I know you didn't suggest that ... ) is that Positano can't take as large ferries as the other ports, but it's still a long and potentially rough crossing on a small boat.

We don't like changing hotels, so we slept 5 nights in Sorrento, as the perfect base for public transit trips. We could afford an eight hour car and driver (who is not a certified "guide") to see Positano, Ravello, and Amalfi, plus a couple of scenic-view stops. That did mean we didn't have time to see the (ticketed) gardens in Ravello, but we did have an hour or so free time in each town. PERSONALLY, that was enough for me, especially for Positano, which was a disappointment.

It is also important to understand the amount of energy, and walking, and sun and heat protection, needed for Pompeii and for Capri. I'm sure we walked five miles on our daytrip to Capri.

If you use the pretty good Search function on this newsboard, you will find vast numbers of people (time-challenged or money-challenged) who see Pompeii either returning to Naples or on the way to Sorrento or the AC. Two hours is just a taste of Pompeii, because many posters will tell you they spent 8 hours there.

I don't see the logic of your ruling out Sorrento and Salerno. The question is whether the more remote AC delivers enough of something you want to justify not staying in a larger place that has one train or another to Naples. The AC is transportation-challenged, and taxis and car services charge high rates to go from one town to the next. The busses can be very full.

October:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/amalfi-in-october-7a37dca7-a4be-4b44-80aa-d58b62130c06
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/amalfi-in-october
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/amalfi-coast-october
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/rome-amalfi-october-family-of-5-w-3-teens

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/getting-around-amalfi-coast

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/naples-to-sorrento-train-or-private-driver

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/amalfi-coast-for-7-nights-itinerary-help

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/herculaneum-and-pompeii-questions

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/one-week-on-the-amalfi-coast

Hi, sorry moving this from your previous post... No way I would go to Pompeii on arrival day, it's a large area filled with fascinating villas & so much to see. I've added my trip report from December below because it has some details on logistics & the Compania Arte Carte 365 Lite, which we used and it saved us some money. Also, we loved our Askos Pompeii tour, Pompeii is huge and it's best to have someone to show you around. Agreed, the kids might also like Herculaneum, it's very different from Pompeii. https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/great-trip-to-pompeii-naples-over-new-years-december-26-january-2nd-2026.

I loved Capri, and have visited several times staying over night over the years, but it is the outlier to a trip to Naples / Pompeii / and the AC. I would only consider it instead of the AC. About the luggage storage at Pompeii - That's at the main Porta Marina entrance close to the Circumvesuviana. Does that go all the way to Salerno? IDK. If you take the Regionale train, you arrive about a 15 - 20 minute walk to the Porta Marina entrance, that would be a real drag with luggage. But you could hopefully get a taxi.

In October the ferries might be hit or miss, something to consider when planning the AC portion. Personally, I would not go out of my way to see Positano, but I would absolutely make Ravello a priority, it's high on a bluff overlooking the Med, seriously gorgeous. Be sure to visit Villa Cimbrone, amazing. Have fun! Dang, I forgot to add that watching The New Dig on PBS would really help all of you enjoy Pompeii more.

Thanks, this is such great feedback, especially the point about Pompei luggage storage being off the Circumvesuviana! That small detail could materially change our plan, assuming we train back to Naples via Salerno.

I've done more thinking (and, yes, Tim, RTFM ; ) and here's the tension: I'm more concerned with things to do, while my wife cares more about the accommodation. She can't unsee the Airbnbs high above the AC with stunning views and pools. I'm OK walking down 500 steps, but those steps have to lead to a ferry dock and/or gelato shop. I get antsy; my wife and kids don't.

Also, you tell me if I'm wrong, but staying in Sorrento feels like commuting from the suburbs. You're on the same daytrips as everyone else and don't get to experience a more tranquil AC / Capri. I like the idea of a reverse-commute.

Lastly, I totally agree with 2 bases max in 7 nights. However, if we insist on seeing Capri, that transit time is already happening so perhaps there's an argument to make it a 3rd base?

All that said, I see two scenarios:

Plan A: AC (4 nights) > Naples (3)

• Arrival morning: NAP to Centrale to Salerno to AC (yuck) or private transfer
• Hopefully find an AC rental that offers views and some practicality
• Daytrip to Capri from AC, daytrip to Pompei from Naples

Plan B: Capri (2 nights) > AC (2-3) > Naples (2-3 depending on AC)

• Arrival morning: NLG bus+ferry ticket straight from NAP
• Look for wow factor in Capri, with a more practical AC rental
• Frees up a day in AC, but probably still need to do Pomepi from Naples

Just to make sure what Sandancisco said is clear, all of the Pompeii entrances have luggage storage, but naturally you have to reclaim it from the place where you left it. If you don't care about the distance from the TRENITALIA station in Modern Pompeii, you could take a local TRENITALIA train to there, and check and retrieve your luggage from the Amfiteatro entrance. (This is one reason I don't agree with those who think that Salerno is perfectly situated for every possible excursion! (Opinion.)

Re: "staying in Sorrento feels like commuting from the suburbs." Do you understand that if you are in any AC town except Salerno, or Sorrento, next to the AC, it is either two hours +, or 150 Euros by taxi, EACH WAY to Pompeii Scavi? I don't think there is any dispute that Sorrento has the best public transit connections on or near the AC coast. (I am not slamming Salerno, I'm saying Salerno is 7-8 out of 10, and Sorrento is 10 out of 10. That includes soft issues, like ferry time to Capri, as well as total transit mode options.)

I realize that demand is slightly less in October, maybe, but it is already late to book housing for October, 2026. Sorrento books up six months in advance or more, all year round. We took our sixth choice for five nights in Sorrento, last week of May.

I ask out of ignorance, but check to see if there is a luggage size/quantity limit for the ferry to Capri. Also, make sure you know in advance how it is going to get to the hotel on Capri, which is hilly and highly pedestrianized. Even the laughably small busses don't go to every hotel area. This is not a trivial matter. (Have not slept on Capri.)

tell me if I'm wrong, but staying in Sorrento feels like commuting from the suburbs. You're on the same daytrips as everyone else and don't get to experience a more tranquil AC / Capri.

This is 100% spot on.

Plan A: AC (4 nights) > Naples (3)

Plan B: Capri (2 nights) > AC (2-3) > Naples (2-3 depending on AC)

Two bases are good because you only move once. But three bases are good because with the third base, say Capri, then you get quality time in Capri without daytrippers (this is a big plus).  If you go from Capri to the Amalfi Coast, I would pick a hotel on the Amalfi Coast really close to the port, just to make the move a little easier.

tell me if I'm wrong, but staying in Sorrento feels like commuting
from the suburbs. You're on the same daytrips as everyone else and
don't get to experience a more tranquil AC / Capri. I like the idea of
a reverse-commute.

You're not wrong, but since you've never been to the region you can't fully appreciate the transportation issues you're going to face. I didn't stay on the AC so I can't say this for sure, but I don't think there will be a reverse commute. There will be chaotic, and not quite so chaotic. Here's an excerpt from my Trip Report from 2023;

If you do plan on doing it in a day and if you’re unsure whether to
take a car tour, boat or SITA bus…the stories are true about buses
being too full and not stopping to pick up passengers. We saw it and
talked to people it happened to. On our way back to Sorrento as we
passed through Positano, there were so many people waiting for the
buses heading both east and west that they were spilling out into the
road and blocking traffic, and only one lane of traffic could get
through. This was about 4:45 as people are trying to get back to their
towns and hotels.

If you're interested here a link to the Trip Report. Days 4-6 are the AC and Capri.

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/trip-report-2-weeks-of-day-trips-from-sorrento

A story that didn't make my report is on day 4 while we're walking the Path of the Lemons. There are some areas along that path that vehicles can't get to and stuff is brought up by donkey. I don't want to scare you because that trip ranks as one of my best ever, but you need to be aware of what challenges you'll face no matter where you stay and visit from.

Hi again, I stand corrected, I didn't know there's luggage storage at the Amfiteatro entrance nearest the TrenItalia stop at Pompeii, which is max 15 minute walk. I recall it being a 10 minute walk from Hotel Forum, which is very close to that entrance. (BTW, Hotel Forum has an excellent dining room open all day, great food and welcome svisitors. The entrance is basically a lemon grove, also seating outdoors. https://hotelforumpompeii.com/en/.)

If it were my family, here's what I would suggest - Split the trip 50/50 between Naples & Capri - & visit the AC by ferry during the day. So I completely understand the wife not being able to un-see the views from AirBnB's on the AC, but have you looked closely at places on Capri? It has GORGEOUS views that rival the AC. The AC has dreadful infrastructure - Take a look at the commute from NAP airport via Salerno to Amalfi town, it will take you part of the day to get there. Leaving the AC returning to Naples you would leave Amalfi in the early AM, take ferry back to Salerno, walk to train station, take train to Pompeii, stash luggage and visit a quite rough terrain ancient site for 6 hours, THEN take the train into Naples, then get to your residence doesn't sound like fun! (I always try to look at all the details of transit, walking, trains, etc to get a real idea of what's involved.)

I've stayed on Capri for a few nights 2x - I seem to recall either a bus or perhaps it was a funicular (?) up to Capri town. Both times I found beautiful 3-star hotels with pools overlooking the famous rocks of 'the Faraglioni'. We had carryon bags only, walked perhaps 200 -300 yards to our hotel with our bags, not difficult at all if you travel light! There are GREAT hiking trails on that side of the island as well. Be sure and visit the utterly amazing Villa San Michele, stunning views and architecture. Whew, so much to think about!

On our way back to Sorrento as we
passed through Positano, there were so many people waiting for the
buses heading both east and west that they were spilling out into the
road and blocking traffic, and only one lane of traffic could get
through. This was about 4:45 as people are trying to get back to their
towns and hotels.

From Positano, it's much better to take the ferry than the bus, especially in the afternoon. The people you saw waiting for the bus planned poorly, and just because some people planned poorly doesn't mean that others shouldn't stay on the Amalfi Coast.

Note that the Positano ferry dock is small, and more subject to closures from weather and high seas. When we were there May, 2023, folks were stranded in Positano when the dock was closed.

Marco, I have not personally taken the ferry in Positano, but I note that this trip is the middle of October. The fact that Positano takes only smaller ferryboats increases the probability of a cancellation in October. And note that sunset is at 6:22+- on Oct 15. A backup plan (such as having enough budget for a very expensive taxi), is always wise on the transport-challenged Amalfi Coast.

Arrival morning: NAP to Centrale to Salerno to AC (yuck) or private
transfer

Although a private transfer is probably the best choice once you add it all up, check the schedule for the direct airport bus from NAP to Salerno, if you want to save a few bucks. It’s completely painless, I assure you—and I’m a hothouse flower.

Re the 2/3 base conundrum, I’d probably lean toward Capri and Naples with day trip to AC versus all three. But that’s is your crew is the type that can entertain themselves and take advantage of the island without wanting more to “do/see”, make sense?

From the advice I've gotten here and elsewhere, I'm noticing a general trend: The people who have more experience in this area suggest overnighting in Capri, versus the conventional daytrip advice. On one hand, that says a lot! On the other, I'd like the opportunity to come to that same conclusion (i.e., prioritize the more bucket-listy AC on my first trip). We faced a similar scenario with our Greek Isles trip, when people recommended less time on Santorini--but we spent 4-5 nights and the "holy cow, I'm actually here" drama kept me entertained.

I love the idea of enjoying Capri before and after the daytrippers, but that also changes the trip's pacing, especially for a family. Let me discuss the pros and cons with my wife. If we do spend 2 nights in Capri, I'm inclined to keep 3 nights in Naples and reduce the AC to 2 nights. I'm not sure what we'll think of Naples, but I want to allow for flexibility and an early bedtime our final evening. Perhaps if we hit Pompei en route to Naples, we could consider only 2 nights there.

It's funny ... the very early arrival is both a blessing and a curse. It effectively gives as a full day--and is the only day we'll get started that early--but it's the least fun day of the trip. I've ruled out Pompei for that reason, and I'm not sure a Capri ferry layover would be great in zombie mode. We usually power through on arrival day, but this will be atypical due to the weird flight time (3pm-7am) and transit logistics. I'm starting to think the best plan is AC first with a private transfer, storing our bags while we acclimate to our base. And then Capri can either be a daytrip or a stopover for 1-2 nights before Naples.

Hi again, here’s where we landed: 4 nights in Amalfi Town, then 3 nights in Naples. We found a stellar view in Amalfi that’s only a 10-minute walk to the ferry. Despite the allure of Capri at night, I want to keep things simple and flexible in mid-October. (And our inspiration was the Amalfi Coast, after all.)

• Oct 11: Arrive NAP @ 7am > TBD to Amalfi
• Oct 12-14: Full days for AC and Capri
• Oct 15: TBD to Naples
• Oct 16-17: Full days for Naples and Pompei (Herculaneum TBD)
• Oct 18: Depart NAP @ 6am

While it’s tempting to maximize Oct 11, I think we should just hire a private transfer from the airport. We’ll get to Amalfi early on a Sunday, but can hopefully entertain ourselves for a few hours before check-in.

Oct 15--now we’re talking. Current leader is Capri. So still a daytrip, just stowing bags and on to Naples instead of back to Amalfi. Other contender is Pompei off the Salerno > Naples train, but that seems a bit less pleasant and efficient (but would probably be our only opportunity to see Salerno, if that’s a big miss).

If you have the wherewithal for it, on arrival day, I’d skip the private transfer since you need to kill time anyway. And nothing beats a sea arrival! You can take bus from NAP to Salerno (nap on bus). Eat breakfast in Salerno (store bags at train station), then take a ferry to Amalfi.
You’ll be a lot closer to check in by that point, and I think the sea arrival just perks everyone up.

I’d play it by ear in Capri. On your first full day in Amalfi, do one of the hikes and get a village or two in so you’ll have a sense of how much you are missing Capri.
Since you are not dealing with intense heat, you can do Pompeii whenever, which will help a lot,

I had the same idea re: Salerno, but only saw a late afternoon bus that day. For now, I've got a private transfer that's refundable. I figure we'll want to spend time wandering Amalfi and Atrani anyway, so can just do that as our very first thing. I was tempted to add a Herculaneum stop to the transfer, but that feels like a weird way to start the trip.

I've stayed in Naples, Sorrento and Salerno. I haven't been to Capri. Honestly, tho it's been pretty low on my list, but I'm going back to Salerno in October for 5 nights and I've been moving it up toward the top of the list.

If you stay in Naples, you can get to Herculaneum and Pompeii as easily on the Circumvesuviana as from Sorrento. I don't know how much patience the kids will have for the National Archaeology Museum, but they may like the "adults-only" rooms, though maybe not at the same time as their parents.

Here's why Salerno may be the best option for the AC (it is for me). First, it is actually on the AC and the buses and ferries start there, so you don't have as much trouble (especially with buses) getting to the cliffside villages. Others have noted the high-speed trains to/from Naples. Rooms and restaurants are significantly cheaper that the villages or Sorrento. Salerno has a relatively large sandy beach and a lovely long seaside promenade. It also has a well-preserved historic center just minutes away from the sea. I haven't been to the villages late at night, but Salerno is a place to enjoy until quite late, whether window-shopping in the upscale shops or having a nightcap at a bar.

Maybe Paestum's Greek temples aren't a big draw (they are lovely), you could take a 2-3 hour private tour from Salerno to a buffalo farm, see the cows, tour the dairy where they turn the milk into mozzarella, and gelato and maybe even cannoli filling. Lots to taste for the whole family.

Chani, although we want to stay in an AC village (and love the apartment we found), your Salerno advice made me realize we could do one of those side-trips "on the way" to Naples (i.e., ferry to Salerno, store bags near station, take a daytrip, then on to Naples). Thanks!

Hi, Giangilberto from Milan, so there are two or three problems that no one here in the forum has yet touched upon, but they could cause you really big problems.
As for travel, the first thing to consider is that in October there could be some days of bad weather, especially with strong south westerly winds. This could affect the number of ferries that depart.
The very small ferries are always cancelled, while the larger and more stable ones continue their journey.
This is a problem that you must consider very carefully because if by chance your ferry from Amalfi to Salerno were to fail, for example, you should have a plan B that includes, for example, Sita buses or a very expensive taxi.
That is, this must be considered very carefully before building your day around it.
Another point is that October 15th at the archaeological excavations of Pompeii, is the first day with the winter timetable, so the last available entry to Pompeii is at 3:30 pm, and so if you plan to visit it in the next days you've got to keep it in mind.
The last but not least is that given that your flight on the 18th leaves very early in the morning, at 6am, you must necessarily book a taxi the night before. Public transport usually starts around 5:30 so there will be no public transport.

You can do it directly or, if you are in a hotel, have the hotel staff make the reservation for you as they usually also have a trusted driver who serves them.

My son's family went to Italy last year with their 14 and 16 year old girls and all my DIL had to say was, "next time we'll leave the kids at home." The girls enjoyed a few of the things they did, but had little tolerance for the extensive walking you do in Italy and seeing "boring" art museums and ruins. They did more whining than enjoying, and when they got home and I asked them things like, "what was the best thing you saw, and what was the best meal you ate?" they both kind of shrugged.

Hope your kids do better than that!