Sorrento better for bad knees?

Stay in Sorrento for sure you can take public bus to ride the amalfi coast and Ravello (for luch).You can see alot from the bus as you pass by. Or you can take a ferry along the coast to Positano and view from the sea up. enjoy , it is drop dead gorgeous there. I think there is a hotel in Sorrento that has access to beach ck RS guidebk.

It's been a few years but, as I recall, when we stayed in Sorrento several days to visit the islands and the coast, the town of Sorrento is pretty much on one level, but if you want access to the beach and ferries, it's all downhill.

From the bus stop into the town of Positano you have to go downhill.

Don't recall the beach from the little town of Amalfi, but the bus stop was right near the water and you actually went up, but it was not steep and not bad. Steps up to the church though. I'm not sure about accommodations in that town, though it appeared that they would be uphill.

In Sorrento we stayed at two hotels right in Sorrento (which at the moment I can't recall the names of), but they were both along the cliffs and had great views. They both had a nice terraces and one also had a pool. Check out Rick Steves' books and also the venere.it website.

The Sorrento and Amalfi Coast are not known for their beaches but rather spectacular scenery. The ones that are there tend to be small and usually pebbles or dark sand. However, there are plenty of private sea bathing establishments with decks over the sea and include beach chairs/umbrellas, toilets/showers and small cafes/food bars.

A good proportion of the hotels in town have pools and/or their own sea bathing set ups below them.

In Sorrento which is set out along the cliff top and mostly flat, there are little local buses that go down to the two harbours at sea level so you could stroll down and bus it back up.

http://www.vesuviana.it/web/files/Linea8DEe.pdf

There is more of a traditional beach at Meta di Sorrento but be aware, as with the rest of Italy, that all the best spots are run by private concessions. The public parts are usually a bit scruffy because no one seems to look after them. Bus service from Sorrento to Meta.

http://www.vesuviana.it/web/files/Linea8Ae.pdf

There are of course beaches at Positano and Amalfi but others could tell you more about them.

Pls realize amalfi coast does not have big wide sandy soft beaches. They can be quite small, pebbly and crowded.

My bad knees would be happy in Sorrento! It is quite flat, as I recall. The sea is at the bottom of the cliffs and hotels have elvators to their docks, but it's not much for beaches. The view looking across the bay of Naples to Vesuvius is lovely. Make sure to visit the shops where they make and sell Limoncello....and give out samples!

Sorrento - wonderful place to wind up your trip! Another plus is that it has been a favorite destination for Brits for years so most locals speak English well. After 3 weeks you will be ready for easy communication! We stayed at Hotel Minerva, recommended in Rick's 2007 Italy Book (minervasorrento.com). Beautiful views, very nice breakfast,lovely rooms, and even a small pool, bus stops at the door to get to town. However, we are returning this summer and are staying at a hotel in the center of town because we did not like being at the mercy of the bus and the 25 minute walk was tiring after a nice dinner and carafe of wine. Perfect base for exploring Amalfi Coast and Pompeii. If you don't mind being outside of town, Hotel il Nido gets good reviews on this site and is a Rick recommendation (ilnido.it).