Need Help With an Amalfi Coast Itinerary

You have a huge amount of research to do, not just on this board but on the various websites. Although the Museum is open to 7:30, it is difficult to get to Sorrento on the cheap train late in the day, perhaps on Sunday as well. You need to download the Circumvesuviana timetable (no reservations needed) and make sure the dates cover shoulder-season September 30.

Sorrento books up far in advance. Start looking for a hotel right now, it's late to get your first five choices.

There are several ferry companies, but this is around when the off-season schedule starts. Capri and Positano are both the definition of a place with hills and steps. In particular, much of Capri is pedestrian-only. It felt to me like the walk to Villa Jovis (a priority for you) was three miles uphill in both directions. I don't believe taxis can take you all the way there. You can visit Capri without steps, but you can't see all of it without steps. Back on the mainland, note that there is a three (?) day ticket that covers FIVE ancient sites, not just Pompeii and Herculaneum. They are all accessible with the Circumvesuviana and easy city walking. However, Herculaneum is a 15- minute down hill walk from the train station. That means, of course ... ...

Since there is no assurance you will get the "view" side of the low-cost bus, you don't have to worry about being scared by the ordinary drop-off on the way to the Amalfi Coast, like you might see in Utah or New Hampshire.

You don't say if budget is important. Lots of people book a car service for the Naples-Sorrento transfer, but it's nearly 100 Euros. There are also a small number of bus departures for that, but except for right from the airport, I haven't read about them here.

I suggest you start with the Search box top left. I also recommend (I don't work for him) our host's book that covers the Sorrento area.

I also struggle with heights and had no problems on the Amalfi Coast highway nor in Ravello.

I cannot imagine you would possibly have any issues of fear of heights by riding on a bus ; choose a non-window seat and I am certain you will not.

Trying to do the Archeological Museum as a side trip from the station will be difficult I think. You land at 2:50, but by the time things shake out it will be closer to 4:00. What are their hours on a Sunday? I would advise heading to Sorrento, a longer ride than it seems.

Herculaneum doesn’t take as much time to see as Pompeii, and it much closer to Naples. I would do the Archeological Museum as a combo day with Herculaneum.

On Capri, you can take the funicular up from the port and then a bus up to Anacapri very easily. Anacapri is very level. The chairlift up to Monte Solaro rewards you with stunning views all around. I don’t think you have to do too much more than that on Capri honestly. Capri Town is all shops, the thing you’re trying to avoid.

Ravello is shaping up to be the most difficult of these to see, it would take the better part of the day to get there, see, and get back. I’ve heard there might be a bus that goes over the peninsula (not along the coast)? If not, perhaps a private driver would be a good investment under the circumstances.

Each of the things you want to do is best done with a full day, and you only have two... might have to make a tough decision.

You only have 2 full days but 3 day trips basically you want to do so you will IMO have to cut one...

Since I agree that trying to find luggage storage and see something in Naples in route is not a good plan.
Your first day, get to your hotel as soon as you can and then see a little of Sorrento itself since you really will not otherwise.
Here are the 3 basically full days:
Option 1: Amalfi Coast drive and/or boat to see: Positano / Amalfi and Ravello ; this will take a full day and seems crazy to me to go to Ravello and not at least stop in quickly to see Positano and Amalfi ; Positano is the more breathtaking but Amalfi has a really nice Duomo with museum attached. The bus is not scary at all!

Option 2: Capri Day trip ; this takes a full day ; though with the heights concern not so sure about the chair lift.

Option 3: Herculaneum and the museum in Naples

I would vote for 1 and 2 and think those are cannot miss things but go choose based on your interests not mine.
I listed these in this order for a reason, as number one I think is a better day than Capri.

Personally I'd take the Curreri Viaggi bus from the airport. It's a nice coach, and you'll be in Sorrento in 1:15. Schedule here.

http://www.curreriviaggi.it/autolinee/images/AUTOLINEE_CURRERI.pdf

Second thought to consider, where
Are you checking your luggage? There is no luggage check at the Archeological Museum, the largest thing you can check in the coat room is a day backpack.

For your trip along the Amalfi Coast, take the ferry to Amalfi, change to the bus to Ravello and visit that first, hit Amalfi on the return. Then take the bus to Sorrento.

Ferry and bus schedules here.

https://www.positano.com

On your second day, do Herculaneum and the Archeological
Museum.

What time does your flight leave for Paris?

All the years that I traveled with my husband (I am a widow now) I always planned well and thoroughly in advance and we always had wonderful trips. My niece has frequent flyer miles to use before the end of the year and she has asked me to go with her. I have not had as much time to plan as I usually have done. Our hotel in Sorrento is already booked. Rick Steve's book on the Amalfi Coast should arrive any day, so that will help.

I agree that it makes more sense to head to Sorrento from the Naples Airport and I will check this out. And I believe that we could take the train from Sorrento to the museum in Naples and see Herculaneum on the way back to Sorrento on another day. I have read that we will walk downhill to Herculaneum and that is fine as long as there aren't steps to climb up on the way back.

My niece has already been to Capri but I have not. When my husband and I were there some years ago the boats were not running because of the weather. So we will need to decide whether to go to Capri or take the coast bus ride; we can't go to Positano or any of the other towns by boat because we would have to climb steps to reach them. But maybe we could take the buss to Positano and come back by hydrofoil or boat (if they are running). I think we can walk down stairs just not up them.

Would we be missing a really fabulous experience if we didn't stay on the bus all the way to Amalfi and then change busses and go to Ravello?

Thank you all for taking the time to give us great suggestions; we really appreciate it !!!

You will have to check on this, but I think I remember that maybe the beach at Amalfi does not require the steps that are needed in Positano. But the church in Amalfi is all-steps. Another question is whether a car driver can possibly get you close to the Positano beach with the vehicle? I don't know. You did not indicate whether you can afford 250 Euros for an 8-hour car and driver from your hotel's local service provider. If you have walking limitations, this would be a smart splurge.

Our driver first stopped at a curve on the road to Positano (from Sorrento), where vendors were set up and we had a lovely view. Then he dropped us for free time (no guiding) in Positano, steps both up and down. (Did not ask for special treatment, however.) We had a little less free time in Amalfi. He then drove us up to Ravello, which we liked the best of the three stops. We went to the church and its musuem, and took a substantial level walk to Villa Cimbrone, and had a light snack (end of lunch hours) in a hotel with a view of the gardens.

It's a personal thing, and you have not put your home area in your visible profile, so we can't know if you ever go to the beach in the USA. But I thought the pebble beach in Positano was the least interesting thing about the town. The views are what count, both up and down the hillsides. I agree that the view from Ravello is worth an effort. But LEVEL walking in Ravello is also rewarding. Can you walk on an even paved grade for unlimited distances? There are also two lovely villas and a (pay) garden.

I know there is not much support here for my qualms about Positano. Certainly it has been a rich-folks resort destination for a long time. But if you don't care about looking in the stratospheric-price boutique windows, you can save a lot of walking energy there. Everyone is going to ask you if you saw Positano, so I suggest you have a coffee or cocktail there. I don't mean to flog a particular location, but I wanted to have a drink at a famous hotel, La Sireneuse. Because they are a major hotel, they have an elevator to the level with the bar terrace. (We had to sit in the non-guest area, and the terrace wasn't huge. The pool was about 7' x 20', and all of the patrons looked like they'd "had some work done.") My point is that in a rich town, that can't be the only ELEVATOR to a view-terrace. If you have a real hotel in Sorrento, the Concierge might have such knowledge ...

You might use this service rather than the bus.

https://www.sharedtours.com