Should we go to Sorrento in March or beginning of July?

Welcome Amelia!

You’ve basically answered your own question. ;)
March is a bit early, weather probably not the best. The ferries don’t start running til April. But it won’t be very crowded.

July will be hot and crowded.

You guessed Amelia, July willl be hot and crowded and if it were me, I would choose March

Thanks! So there will be no ferries to all the small islands or just few ? Thanks

The ferries to Capri and Naples should be running ( weather dependant). But the ferries to the Amalfi coast towns won't.

Thanks all for the good advices !

We have done both and returning in March/April is much preferred or you might try Oct if that could be an option.

We spent the last week of March in Sorrento last year, 2023. The weather was gorgeous and we had all ferry transportation except the one that goes from town to town along the coast. Everything was open. Crowds manageable. I chose just before Easter because the tourism floodgates open at Easter. Allen, who answers here too, went two weeks after we did and reported much larger crowds. I live near the Mediterranean Sea and am experiencing summer heat at this moment. I know what I’d choose for a return trip.

So there will be no ferries to all the small islands or just few ?

Hi Amelia -
Just a comment on your question? There is just 1 island visit-able by ferry all year from Sorrento; Capri. There is also ferry service from Naples to Procida all year but only from Sorrento from April to September. They run between Sorrento and Ischia only from April to October. Services can also be suspended at any time if weather creates unsafe travel conditions on the sea.

As already noted, the ferries do not run along the Amalfi Coast (e.g. Sorrento to Positano, Amalfi, etc) in winter. They do run from Naples to Sorrento.

But another consideration about the ferries? They are not an inexpensive way to get around, which is why I usually only recommend Capri as a place to stay and not as a base to visit other locations around the coast. Looking at rates today, It can cost as much as € 26, one way, from Sorrento to Capri, and € 21 the other direction. Depending on the # of people you're traveling with and number of times you'd leave from/return to the island, this can really add up. Unlimited budget? Then it's not as big a consideration.. Capri is an expensive location for accommodations though so there's another reason to choose to stay put and just enjoy exploring the island once there (we have; 2 nights). Services on the island will be more limited in the off months, and it'll be VERY busy in July.

If you plan to visit Pompeii or Herculaneum, then Sorrento is a better base as you'd have rail service. It will also have more hospitality businesses open during the winter but again, it'll be VERY busy in summer. We visited in early October and both Sorrento, Capri and Positano were very warm during the day. Capri, as mentioned before, is easily done as a day trip via ferry from Sorrento but expect heavy crowds in the two town centers and more easily accessed scenic spots.

We are traveling with 2 kids age 11 and 13. And yes we are on budget too so that is good to know about the ferries costs and I am still thinking which area for our base if we will be in this area around 5-7 days. I hear that sorrento is good to stay and then take ferry to other places.

Thing is, if you stay in Sorrento you will have multiple types of transport at hand: ferries (limited in winter), inexpensive SITA buses, and commuter rail. Now, the buses will be VERY full in July so you will want to use the ferries at least a time or two. The buses can also be a challenge for traveling the Amalfi Coast if you or your kids suffer from motion sickness. If you do, you know that most anti-nausea meds must be taken BEFORE feeling the effects so if taking on a bus trip,. take your Dramamine or other trusted remedy in time for it to work!

As I'd mentioned before, you can use commuter rail to Pompeii and Herculaneum (and I'll HIGHLY recommend Pompeii; your young people are old enough to appreciate it). While it's a battered, no-frills thing, it's dirt cheap so great for tight budgets. :O)

Bite the bullet and go in July. Hot and crowded for sure, but what is the purpose of going to that area in March?

If budget is an issue, July will be expensive as well. Flying to Italy and hotel costs will be significantly higher. Cost of food, including restaurants, won’t change and neither will ground transportation costs. Flight cost and hotel cost is the only variable. Everything else will not change and is insignificant anyhow compared to airfare and hotels..

Question we haven't asked yet? How much time do you have for this trip, and are you looking at combining the Sorrentine with any other part of Italy? If your kids want to enjoy the water then it's July for sure but as Roberto pointed out, accommodation prices will be at peak. You might look for accommodations in Salerno where they may run less pricey than Sorrento, and it also has rail service.

We are planning to go to Puglia as well. The whole trip might be around 15-17 days.