Number of days to plan for trip to Pompeii, Amalfi

I would say a minimum of 4 nights/3 full days and up to a week would not go amiss. Renting a car is not really necessary.

It is very easy to base yourself in Sorrento. Take the Campania Express from Naples to Sorrento and get oriented. Will you already be in Europe or are you likely to be jet lagged? If the latter, all the more reason to not rent a car, plus, parking is nightmarish and you cannot take a car to Capri, anyway. 😉

Allow a day for Pompeii. Go early before the heat sets in and consider a tour.

Another day, go to Capri by ferry from Sorrento, and although you did not mention it, a day spent going down the coast to Amalfi is lovely. I would do that by bus (down) and ferry back as the driving is challenging. If you can spare the time, a day spent in Naples is nice as well. Rick Steves has an excellent self-guided day tour of Naples as well as a lot of info about touring the entire area.

We did Pompeii as a day trip from Sorrento, and I felt like my partial-day there (probably around 4 hours) was about right. And I'm a pretty dedicated lover of old stoney things. Unless you have been everywhere and are nearing saturation with all things Italian (hard to imagine that), I think one day at Pompeii is plenty (maybe even too much - it's going to be hot in June...).

Both Sorrento and Capri have their charms (and plenty of tourists). For me, Sorrento is a great base, for day trips to Pompeii, Capri and the Amalfi Coast. There's lots to enjoy in this area.

Are you sure you want to rent a car? I love driving, and the Amalfi Coast is spectacular (and I am not shy about taking on driving that's challenging) but there is no way I would ever drive in this area. It's perfectly well served by train, bus and ferry. I think for most folks, a car would be a major headache there, and a mistake.

Thank you both for your replies
Will definitely rethink renting car

The friends we went with really wanted to drive, so they picked us up at the Rome airport and we spent the night in Pompeii. We arrived shortly after the gates opened and spent 4-5 hours there, then continued on in the car to Positano. That was enough time to do a fairly thorough visit to Pompeii. Four nights in Positano gave us time to spend: one day going to Ravello (friend drove--a mistake, but it worked out), one day going to Amalfi on the ferry, and one day going to Capri. We could have easily enjoyed a fifth night on the Amalfi Coast.

I think you've gotten great advice from Laurel and David! Please rethink the need for a car - it will be more hindrance than help for this particular trip - and I'll vote with them on choosing Sorrento for your base. Yep, 4 nights should be about right for a nice look at this region.

One caution? You don't want to be here the night before a flight out of Rome or even an early one out of Naples. If you're doing either, you'll want to stay closer to your airport of departure.

I think it is very hard to "do" the Amalfi coast with only one base. Some people will do it from Sorrento, but IMO you really miss out on those perfect moments that make a trip so memorable. If you can pack lightly and move hotels, I think you might appreciate the Amalfi Coast more.

There is a lot to do in the area. You mention Pompeii but not Herculaneum. You could also climb Mount Vesuvius. I spend 5 nights in Capri last year and still had things to do. Ravello has spectacular views and music. Positano is iconic. Amalfi is really bustling with energy. Naples get mixed reviews.

How many nights do you have available might be a better question.

A car in June is a bad idea. Parking is expensive and on the Amalfi Coast its hard to find. Roads are clogged with traffic much of the time and if you drive to the AC, you have to drive back. That means you don't have the option taking the ferry and my guess is that the views are wonderful (my visit was in winter when the ferries were on vacation).

I based in Salerno and had a car. In winter there's little traffic on the roads and it's usually easy to find parking and winter rates in the lots are very reasonable and free parking is available.

If you are still considering renting a car, read about my experience here.