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Sorrento/AC Itinirary Help

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We arrive in Sorrento (Palazzo Marziale) the evening of May 5th and depart for Naples (and then on to the Puglia region later) the morning of May 10th, which means we have four full days in Sorrento and the AC area for touring. We will see Pompeii as part of our Naples leg of our journey. Trying to prioritize our time in the AC area. The areas and sights we would like to see are Positano (perhaps including a hike along the Path of Gods?), Fiordo di Furore, Ravello (Villa Cimbrone & Villa Rufulo), Amalfi and Capri. We are considering a shared tour as a way to see Positano, Amalfi and Ravello all in one day and perhaps one day devoted to boat trip to Capri. Any other ideas on how to allocate time or arrange transportation? A third sight we are interested but have mostly ruled out due to time/distance is Paestum. Would love to hear others suggestions for how to arrange this itinerary or other spots we should not miss. We are a married couple who enjoy activity and lounging/dining. Not very interested in spending the day on the beach as we come from Southern California and live walking distance to our local beaches. As for expense, we are amenable to public transportation but open to private arrangements also to save time and allow us to see more of what we are interested in.

Thanks in advance for your advice!

Posted by
5250 posts

How long will you be in Naples? You could easily visit Paestum from there--less time-consuming than from Sorrento.
For your day trips, I would combine Ravello and Amalfi--you can arrive at Amalfi by ferry or bus, then take a bus or walk to Ravello (I prefer walking up versus down, that is easier on the knees to me).
I would devote one full day for Capri and one full day for Positano to include a hike. You could include Furore on the Positano day.
I'd save the last day for a hike near Sorrento.

Posted by
3 posts

This is great advice. We are only in Naples for one day/night then leave for Puglia region the next day. We are planning on meeting family in Naples and touring Pompeii from there so there will not be time for Paestum as well. Given that info...do you think it makes more sense to try to cram Positano, Amalfi and Ravello into one day (skipping the hike) so that we could do Paestum? My understanding that Paestum from Sorrento would be an all day event so that would mean 1 day in Paestum, 1 day in Capri, and two remaining days. I am guessing our first day we will be rather jet lagged and exploring Sorrento seems the most likely plan for that day?

Posted by
5250 posts

If I had to leave one thing off that list, it would be Capri--granted, I have not been, but everything I have read makes me think the crowds and constraints of a day trip would detract from the experience for me, but only you can decide!
I have limited experience seeing Greek temples, but those at Paestum were spectaular!
I did not get to Positano but wish I had. Amalfi was less impressive than Ravello due to the views. I am an avid hiker, so the hikes I have done along the Italian coast have been highlights--being from SoCal, it may not be your priority.
What I am trying to say is, loose one but make it your own! I would rather long to return than feel like i had crammed too much in and could not enjoy it.

Posted by
1175 posts

If you love hiking, definitely do the Path of the Gods. The scenery is spectacular.
You can also hike down from Ravello into Atrani and walk into Amalfi.
Capri gets a bad rap about crowds, but when you depart the funicular, walk straight with the TI on your left and the pedestrian Rodeo Drive street on your right. You can hike Villa Jovis, the Arco Naturale, and Belvedere Tragara and not see a soul. We loved the scenery. Our friends did a private boat trip around the island and enjoyed that.

And take a ferry - maybe from Amalfi to Positano - it was lovely seeing the coastline from a different angle !

Do y'all enjoy cooking ? Mama Agata's cooking class in Ravello is amazing - eating and drinking wine while enjoying the drop dead views !

Posted by
1059 posts

That’s a fair plan. It sounds like you aren’t planning on doing any sightseeing in Naples itself. I would do Pompeii on its own day, and give yourself a little more time there. If you enjoy ruins, then consider Herculaneum. It’s quite different from Pompeii, and is less intense and crowded.

A day trip to Capri is great as long as you get an early start. It’s easy to do from Sorrento. I would not skip it.

A day trip to Amalfi/Ravello is great. There’s not all that much to see or do in Amalfi. I would head straight to Ravello from there, you can explore some on the return of you felt like it. You can spend a whole day in Ravello. I wouldn’t do these towns on some kind of blitz tour. Take your time and explore at your pace.

I don’t think Path of the Gods is a good decision here. You’ll have to do a fair amount of traveling just to reach the trail. It’s a few hours to walk it and then you’re traveling all the way back. I did not enjoy it. You’re not getting any more spectacular views than you’ll get from Ravello, or the ferry to Amalfi.

General rules for the region, take the ferry when possible and get an early start to minimize the crowds.

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