In September, we are going to spend 10 days in the area of the Amalfi Coast. We are trying to determine the best place(s) to get lodging. We are in our 70s and in fairly good health, but we do have some mobility issues, particularly stairs and walking long distances.
We would like to see Naples, Pompeii, Sorrento, Positano, the towns along the Amalfi Coast, and Capri. Should we base ourselves in one, two, or three areas - Sorrento, Amalfi Coast, and Capri? We would prefer to stay in the same place for the 10 days. Is that reasonable? What is the best way to get around if you don't have a car?
We've never been there before, and will obviously be much more aware of the area after this trip, but for now, we need to decide where is the best place to get lodging. It seems we should stay somewhere that is on a road where we don't have to climb many steps to get to our lodging, and where we would have easy access to the bus.
Also, what is the best way to get from Civitavecchia to the Sorrento/Amalfi Coast area, and from there back to the airport in Rome (FCO).
Thank-you in advance for your information and recommendations.
Posted by
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
4625 posts
Transportation in the region is slow, frustrating and chaotic. For that reason I would choose to base in one place and do day trips so you're not wasting a day getting to a new hotel. We spent 2 weeks in Sorrento in April 2023 and it was the right choice for us because our focus was more on Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Naples. We did a couple of day trips to the Amalfi Coast from Sorrento and that was enough for us, we much preferred Capri. If your heart is set on some time on the Amalfi Coast (Sorrento is not on the AC), then my first choice around be Amalfi Town since it is the transpotation hub for the AC.
There will be no easy way to get to Sorrento or the Amalfi Coast from Civitavecchia. You can take a train to Rome, then a train to Naples and then another train to Sorrento. Or take a train from Rome to Salerno and then a ferry to Amalfi Town. You'll eat up most of day one of your trip getting there. You could also hire a private driver which will likely cost you €600+.
Posted by
Wyckoff, NJ, USA
7939 posts
There isn't much debate about whether Sorrento is the best (and level-terrain) location for daily daytrips and easy dining, although it's not one of the prettiest places in Italy. And it's not a beach town, being built on a cliff. We slept in Sorrento (Ambasciatori Grande) five nights, which worked well for us. Your budget affects travel choices in this area. There are bargain/bus-tour hotels up on the hillside that require a daily shuttle, so avoid them.
Unless you can book a flight home after 3 PM, it is virtually impossible to wake up on the AC, or in Sorrento, and fly home to the US from ROME the same day. Read and repeat.
Posted by
Chicago
2100 posts
Unless you can book a flight home after 3 PM, it is virtually
impossible to wake up on the AC, or in Sorrento, and fly home to the
US from ROME the same day. Read and repeat.
Read, repeat & rinse, Tim! (Howiya?!)
Although...in March 2017...we took the Curreri Viaggi bus from Sorrento station at 8:30. Supposed to arrive at Napoli Capodochino airport at 10:00, ended up being 10:45 because of a nasty bottleneck at Castellammare di Stabia. Since we had a 12:30 out of there to Munich (then on to Chicago) I was starting to get nervous, but all ended up well. Curreri's a good transport, really inexpensive as well.
I suppose--if all the planets align maybe--you could get from there to Roma Fiumicino in a couple hours using a cheaper transport than Curreri, which is supercheap to Naples by bus (13 Euro/pp) but by sedan or van for 2 people from Sorrento to Rome is exorbitant (600 Euro!). There are other ways, but again everything has to go right to be able to catch a 3:00 flight out of there, especially because these days they want you at the airport 3 hours ahead--personally I think 2 is plenty, but that'll be the time you get scroogied!
On a lodging note, I might recommend Salerno as an option to stay, using either the ferry or the SITA bus to get onto the A.C. And...Salerno won't be as chaotic as staying in Amalfi or Positano. We've done it, albeit in March when--at least then--it was still a little sleepy on the A.C.---just the way I like it! And we also have stayed in Sorrento, and while it's on the other side of the peninsula, like Tim said it was a good choice.
Posted by
OP
Hudsonville, MI
7 posts
Thank-you. I appreciate your time, the information, and recommendations. What do you think of staying in Ravello, Minori, or Majori, or Atrani? Would they be less busy? Would we be able to get to Amalfi and Positano by bus? Should we get from place to place by bus or ferry? Should we stay on Capri or just go there for the day? Sometimes it sounds so busy and congested, I think we should head north to the Dolomites instead.
Posted by
1045 posts
Barb, I advise splitting your stay so you have a base on the Bay of Naples side, then the Amalfi coast side of the peninsula. Sorrento is a fine base for seeing Pompeii, Naples, Capri, etc. and is a very comfortable place to stay. Then, on the Amalfi Coast side it can depend a bit on your plans. There’s typically less “sightseeing” so a smaller town can make sense if you just want to enjoy at a slow pace. The key thing is by staying ON the Amalfi Coast you avoid the bulk of crowds, which are mostly day trippers. By staying on the coast, you’ll get to enjoy the towns before the crowds arrive, and after they leave. And you’ll often be moving in the opposite direction as the crowds.
If you have some mobility issues, this is a tricky area. Most of these towns start flat but quickly climb up the hill. I wouldn’t normally recommend it as a base, but Ravello might be a nice fit in this regard. It’s relatively flat, and certainly beautiful. Unfortunately, you’d require a bus ride or taxi to get anywhere else if that’s a big deal. Amalfi town itself is the transportation hub here, so if you’re eager to get around and explore that’s a better option. Btw, traveling by ferry is best imo. Capri is a lovely day trip, but I don’t think it requires more.
Posted by
Wyckoff, NJ, USA
7939 posts
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/amalfi-coast-for-5-days-where-to-set-base-from
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/getting-around-amalfi-coast
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/herculaneum-and-pompeii-questions
Posted by
314 posts
S, F, 70+, solo, public transpo only. Going to Southern Italy for the month of November. Am doing AC for 5 days. Originally arrive Naples and was staying in Sorrento. Been to Capri before but was opting to go again and then every day to AC. When I read Blue Grotto tours do not run in November and so would be spending what seemed like so much time traveling to the AC, switched to staying Amalfi. Will do Sorrento for the day and then take the bus late in the afternoon to Amalfi. Almost 100% of the time I stay in apts but will stay in Hotel Fontana. it is across the street from the bus depot, flat area, ferry pier and can get to AC towns in either direction from Amalfi. There were nice apts in Amalfi but am saving my steps. If I would have stayed in Sorrento to get to Ravello and towns in that direction would have had to go Sorrento to Amalfi and then Amalfi to... So for me Amalfi is a better choice.
Posted by
Indy
59 posts
This past April, we stayed for a week in Minori on the Amalfi Coast, and it was perfect for us. It’s so much quieter and flatter than Amalfi and Positano. We were in an Airbnb overlooking the coast and fairly close to the main road. Easy to get to and had an elevator. There’s a dock in Minori and the ferries run on a regular basis unless the seas are rough. We took a tour along the coast from the water and really enjoyed it.