Naples to South of Italy

Sounds good. There's no reason to drive; the train from Naples to Sorrento is easy. You can take a bus from the airport to the train station.

You might check the calendar to se when Easter falls. That might impact your plans.

Sounds like a wonderful trip to me! Honestly, I wouldn't rent a car - trains and buses will more easily take you everywhere you want to go. And, if the weather is nice, the boat from Sorrento to Positano/Amalfi (and then bus to Ravello) is very special. The train to Pompeii is frequent. And you can't drive to Capri. Your itinerary also seems to leave plenty of time to "be" in the Sorrento area (as opposed to checking things off your to do list). Sorrento is my go to place every June for a week. There I can relax, do some shopping (love the linen shirts), eat amazing food (Trattoria di Emilia, Hotel il Nido, Ristorante di Gigino), and especially enjoy the views at all hours of the day and night,

Do not, repeat, DO NOT rent a car. It will be a liability. Parking problem$, ZTL’s, narrow streets. The simplest way to get to Sorrento from the airport is by direct bus. Your time line seems fine and everything you want to visit is accessible by public transportation. I would substitute visiting Herculaneum for trudging up Vesuvius. When in Naples, take one of the funiculars and visit Castel Sant’Elmo for a panoramic view of the city and Bay of Naples, the Isle if Capri and Vesuvius.

“Should we drive or take the train?”

You would not want a car. Get a quote from Sorrentocars for a transfer to your hotel. Otherwise, if your hotel is close to the Sorrento station [as taxi fares are high], take the bus or €18 taxi to Napoli Centrale and one of the downstairs local trains at Garibaldi:

https://www.sorrentoinsider.com/en/naples-to-sorrento-train-schedule

https://www.sorrentoinsider.com/en/campania-express-train-schedule [much more comfortable]

If visiting Pompeii later on, note the Pompeii Scavi stop.

Ferries:

https://www.sorrentoinsider.com/en/ferry-schedule

Just did this area and stayed in Sorrento. DO NOT TAKE A CAR. The public transportation to those areas is easy. There is a bus between Sorrento and the Amalfi cities, or another option would be to hire a driver.

Agree with the choir. You really, really do NOT want to have a car in this area. The best way to get around is by train, boat and bus, forget the car. Your schedule sounds OK -- it's a bit densely packed, but reasonable for a short trip.

Smart move saving Morocco for when you can do it justice.

Have fun!

We visited around New Year’s in 2012/2013, and had brought the car we’d rented in Sicily, and used to work our way up to the Amalfi Coast and Sorrento. We kept it for the area (less crowded time of year), and getting to some more out-of-the-way places. It was handy to have the car for that, and parking and access in our base town, Piano di Sorrento, was easy and free.

But traveling between Sorrento and Naples on our day trip, we used the convenient train. And we turned in car the day we headed to Rome by train, for the last leg of our trip. Just for the places you mention, having a car isn’t needed. You might also consider seeing Herculaneum (also called Ercolano), another ancient town buried in the same Vesuvius eruption - worth a visit! We asked the owner or our B&B, who also ran cooking classes, the best time of the year to visit Sorrento, and he said April.

Thanks for all the replies. Should we book the train to Sorrento from Naples before we arrive in Italy? Our friend who is from Italy says Naples deserves three nights.

Isn't the Naples-Sorrento route the Circumvesuviana? If so, no need to book ahead. It's cheap and frequent.

Since your flight is into Naples Capodicino, there's absolutely no need to travel to the train station. The Curreri Viaggi bus traveled directly to Sorrento, 10€, 1H20 min. Timetable here.

https://www.curreriviaggi.it/airport-shuttle/times-download

Look at Ischia as a substitute for Capri.

https://www.ischiareview.com/things-to-see-in-ischia.html

Naples is a fascinating city, you could spend months and not touch the surface.

Gerri, a few years ago we planned to take the Curreri Viaggi bus traveled directly to Sorrento, but for some reason it didn't seem to be running that day. After waiting longer than we thought reasonable (past the posted departure times), we crossed over to the public tram or bus (can't remember which) and headed for the train station.

The Curreri Viaggi was our first choice, but just didn't work out that day. It would certainly have been easier. We considered taking it back to Naples when we left, but on a whim opted for the ferry instead. Actually, as I remember, we did take it into Naples on a day trip. Cheap and convenient.

April 10 is Good Friday, April 12 is Easter Sunday. Check for closures and possible limited public transportation. I'm guessing here, but that first weekend could be really crowded with tourists and holiday travelers. That could mean long lines for ferries and buses from Sorrento to Capri and the Amalfi Coast, and on the Circumvesuviana to Pompeii.

I can't argue with your friend's assessment of Naples. I spent 5 nights there and once I got over the initial impressions of Naples, I very much enjoyed being there. The RS self-guided walking tour is very good, the archaeology museum is a wow and there are other worthy sights as well.