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Help with planning four day trip to Amalfi Coast please

Posted by on

We are a 50sih couple spending 30 days in Italy this September.
We have four days towards the end of our trip to try to do the following - any tips much appreciated:

Day One - Sunday - Leave Florence and head to Pompeii (check luggage) and explore. Then proceed to Sorrento (need to find a place for one night; our place in Positano couldn't take us on Day One). Appreciate any train tips regarding: 1) bullet train from Florence to Naples; 2) Circumvesuviana train from Naples to Pompeii; or 3) getting from Pompeii to Sorrento. Have heard the C train is to be avoided due to length of time and heat, but it is mentioned in the Rick Steves book. We are not fussy people but one of us doesn't enjoy the heat as much as the other. Also, any concern with checking luggage at Pompeii? Also, noted two different speed trains from Florence to Naples - any favorites?

Day Two - Take local bus with great views from Sorrento to Positano and check into our hotel and deposit luggage.

Explore Positano.

Day Three - Visit/hike Amalfi and maybe Ravello. Use bus or take ferry between towns.

Day Four - Day trip to Capri. Try to find a boat that goes directly to the Blue Grotto rather than dropping us in the port to catch another boat. Anyone know of one?

Day Five - Head to Rome. Have read to go to Salerno and catch bus or train to Rome versus retrace earlier route. Thoughts?

Any help with transportation, or things to do or places to eat much appreciated.

Thank you.

Posted by
3943 posts

We stayed in Atrani and took the bus from Amalfi to Ravello (my fav spot on the coast). We wandered for a few hours and then did the hike down from Ravello to Atrani. It was quite lovely, if not a little hard on the knees because it's all downhill and there are stairs. But my mom did it and she was 67 then (she's a walker tho - walks a few hours every day). From Atrani it's just a hop to Amalfi - about a 10 min walk along the road. I think it took us the better part of an hour to do the hike down.

Posted by
907 posts

A couple of thoughts. You make "dropping luggage" sound easy and it may not be. Have this figured out before you get there. In Positano we had to use the "Blue Porter" to our bags to the hotel. If you are close to the highway you might be able to just haul them around.

Naples to Sorrento, hire a car and have them take you to Pompeii and Herculaneum (don't miss this). Your bus plan from Sorrento to Positano sounds good.

Don't miss Revello.

You will not find a boat directly to the Blue Grotto unless you know someone. The littler boats line up outside the grotto and wait, sometimes a long time, for their turn to enter. There are other grottos also. You sure you want to take on the hassle? It takes a bit of time.

Don't know about Salerno but a high speed from Naples to Rome Termini is easy peazy. You won't know you are back tracking and it doesn't really matter unless you want ot go on down the coast to Salerno. As far as getting Rome you likely won't know the difference.

You will probably have to change trains in Rome on your way from Florence. Be ready for that.

Posted by
795 posts

I would definitely take the ferry to Salerno on your departure day, as backtracking the other way till be long and possibly complicated and seeing the same things you have already seen before, the ferry will let you see a different part and is VERY easy.....

Posted by
7175 posts

I wonder if a Naples stay may have been better than Sorrento on the Sunday night. You could have been rid of your bags at your hotel after an early train from Florence, then continue to Pompeii unencumbered by luggage. The following day you could have transferred directly to Positano from Naples.

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