Hi everyone
We ( party of 2 ) are planning a 7-10 day trip to Sorrento, Capri and Positano in April/ May or Sept/ Oct 2026.
Need advice on
1. Which month/ week is best to visit these places
2. Recommendations for hotels which have rooms with fantastic sea view and have no stairs and are accessible by taxi as both of us although fit, are 70 plus years old. The budget for the hotels is US $ 500-600.
TIA
Can only help you with Positano but considering your limitations I would not even visit Positano. It is nothing but steep hills and stairs. We were there for a wedding and loved it. However I had a difficult time getting up to the part of town where the bus and taxi stands were due to my sore back. Our bed and breakfast was lovely but we had stairs to go up and down to our rooms. Just my own experience.
Thanks Gail
It’s not that we cannot do stairs , we are healthy and ok to do a few stairs , but not too many.
Even our house is on 3 levels.
Just would prefer to have a place where we can go by car
no stairs? - you are in areas with all stairs, steep cliffs, etc - you won't find a place with no stairs in this area.
We love October as we don't love the heat.
I don't have recommendations as we typically stay in B&B's with ocean views - there will be stairs in them instead of elevators.
I certainly don't recommend a car in this area - the roads are very narrow and winding and there is no where to park. Base in Sorrento and take a day trip with Sharedtours.com (Rick Steves affiliate) to Amalfi Coast. You won't need that much time in that area in my opinion - but it would be very relaxing if you did. Some of the best food in all of Italy is in Sorrento.
We spent 9 nights in the area in May 2019. We’re 70+ now. We had some very rainy days and some very hot sunny days. It was a great trip. I’d visit again- late May or mid-late September.
Make sure you have your transportation sorted out- it’s chaotic and crowded on the AC.
You'll need to book lodging quick if you are going this spring.
All of our lodging always has elevator, AC, close to transportation.
Here's what we did- it was our 40th anniv-middle of a longer trip
(Train from Rome)
Driver from Napoli Centrale
Sorrento 4 nights- Grand Hotel de la Ville-location, view, bkft!
-day trip Pompeii, Capri- Mondo Guides www.sharedtours.com
Driver to Amalfi- less steps/stairs, transportation hub- ferry, taxi, bus
Amalfi 2 nights- Hotel Bussola- at water level, steps from center/transportation
-day trip Positano by bus, walk down lots of stone steps and see high end shops, ferry return to Amalfi
Bus to Ravello- don’t miss, stay over, visit Villa Cimbrone
Ravello 1 night- Hotel Rufolo-views!
Bus to Amalfi- ferry to Salerno
Salerno 2 nights Hotel Montestella
-day trip Paestum- another don’t miss
The ferry rides and boat ride around Capri were highlights for us. The views.
You do not want or need car in this area.
Where are you coming from/going to? Flights from/to?
Hi Christine
Thanks for your detailed reply.
When I look at the hotel prices there is a sharp decline in prices after October 17.
Any idea if 3rd week of October is good to travel to the Amalfi coast ?
Thanks for all your recommendations for excursions and taxis etc. will definitely make reservations before we arrive. Our trip is for 2026.
We are flying from Seattle .
Thinking of flying to Rome or Naples.
We are retired and can travel in any month we want to : so debating between May and October. Any thoughts on that ?
Thanks for the hotel recommendations: I shall look into them. Grand Hotel de la Ville looks really good. What room did you book ?
A few questions :
1 How easy was it to navigate your train trip from Rome to Napoli.
Did you buy the tickets online.
Was it easy to find the train station and your train ?
2 How did you do your hotel bookings? Online or through an agent ?
TIA
Hi ChinaLake67
We both are retired 70 years old. We can do stairs but not hundreds of them. So looking for hotels close to main squares/ restaurants with minimum number of steps.
We too do not like the heat, so would like to go in October.
What is ur experience of going in October? Are the prices lower ? Does it ever rain ? Is it cold ?
We do not intent to get a car. Just take taxis if the hotel is a steep walk from the main square/ ferry station.
On the shared tours.com website, it says that the minimum number of people is 6-8. In case we book and they do not reach the minimum number will the tour get cancelled ? What was your experience ?
TIA
Yes it can rain in October, and it can rain in September, too, as I know very well!
Advantage is fewer crowds.
Since views are of prime importance maybe take a look at staying in a hotel in Ravello. You can stay there and take the bus down to Amalfi and then another to Positano.
If you want views and few steps, look at hotels directly on the sea which, of course, will be pricey. But even if the hotel is on the sea and says the room is sea view, make sure you are getting a full on sea view. I once stayed at the Tramonto d"Oro (Praiano) in a "sea view" room but much of the view was blocked by another part of the hotel and most of my view was of a blue rooftop with the sea beyond. Same thing happened in Furore at Hotel Bacco---Furore has magnificent views but again, mine was obscured by a roof of the hotel!
I'd stay in Amalfi rather than Positano; much of the town is flat around the main piazza, and there are good bus connections to Ravello. Astounding views at Hotel Convento, high on a cliff overlooking the sea but not in town. The Luna Convento is a short walk from the center of Amalfi and is a historic property where some rooms have excellent sea views.
Views will usually mean steps. Hopefully, an elevator.
What price are you prepared to pay for a hotel?
On the shared tours.com website, it says that the minimum number of
people is 6-8. In case we book and they do not reach the minimum
number will the tour get cancelled ? What was your experience
We based in Sorrento for two weeks in late April/early May in 2023.
Here's a couple of excerpts from my Trip Report, but to summarize, you need to be proactive with shared tours.
I’d been bouncing around since 5am, waiting to go to Pompeii. We
originally booked a tour for 9am via Mondo Tours which is touted in
the RS guidebooks as a way to save some money by booking a shared
tour. Mondo has a subsidiary https://www.sharedtours.com/ which has an
agreement with RS and once 6 people sign-up, then the tour is official
and will go ahead. But Mondo also has its own site
https://mondoguide.it/ which offers other shared tours under the
heading NEW Shared Trips ENDORSED by Rick Steves. The official RS
tours on the site are Shared Tours FOR Rick Steves. They’re supposed
to email you 3 days before with notice if your tour is going ahead or
not. But as became a pattern through this trip, if not enough were
signed up they would wait, and I needed to be proactive and ready to
make alternate plans.Nobody else signed, so the night before I emailed Dario at Mondo and
suggested we’d take the 11am tour and within minutes we were
confirmed.
And on another day:
They’re supposed to give you 3 days notice, but they don’t, and you
have to be proactive. 2 nights before, there were only 4 of us signed
up so I contacted them and let them know I needed an answer by noon
the next day or I would cancel and make alternative plans. Dario got
back to me right away and said if we would share the cost of a
6-person group between the 4 signed up then it would go ahead. So, the
price went from €30/pp to €45 as the other couple also agreed.
Bring cash if you use them. Our tours were all cash only.
Weather for our trip was good, not great. Most days in the shade we needed a light jacket, and definitely needed a jacket in the evenings. However I also wore shorts everyday.
I can't help with hotels because ours wouldn't meet your view criteria. I agree with the others about Positano. It's nothing but steep stairs and steep hills, there is no flat. Amalfi or Ravello would better suit your needs.
If you're interested, here's a link to my Trip Report. https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/trip-report-2-weeks-of-day-trips-from-sorrento
Hi ekscrunchy
Thanks for your reply .
We are retired and so can travel in any month/ season.
I read on the net that September / October are relatively dry with only 2 inches of rain. Ofcourse there is no certainty with weather but would you advise going in April/ May instead ? The temp in April/ May is also pleasant with hardly any rain. Also, most hotel rooms are slightly cheaper in these months.
I take any advise given to me by fellow travelers, very seriously as their advise is based on personal experiences. I have been consistently advised against staying at Positano as I am told that it’s best viewed from ferry and a couple of hours in this place are enough, plus too many stairs. So I have decided to change my itinerary and stay at Ravello or Amalfi instead .
Thanks for your advise regarding misleading info on hotel websites regarding” sea view “ rooms which actually just have “a partial sea view”. Like you, I too have learnt my lesson the hard way, a few years ago.
I am comfortable paying for a room in the price range of $ 5-600.
Imperial Hotel Tramonto in Sorrento is a beautiful property. Although it is a bit expensive during the summer months, the rooms with sea view are a bit closer to my budget after October 17, and that’s why I would like to go during this time frame. Any comments on this hotel ?
Love the views and rooms at Hotel Bacco in Furore, but I cannot make out how many stairs one has to climb or how steep is the walk to the port/ main square. Also, any idea as to how well is it connected by ferry to Ravello, Positano and Amalfi ?
Look forward to some hotel suggestions from you specially in Capri and Ravello .
TIA
The temp in April/ May is also pleasant with hardly any rain. Also,
most hotel rooms are slightly cheaper in these months.
While our weather in late April was fine, we had friends that were in the region the week before us and it poured rain daily. 10 years ago we made a day trip from a cruise ship to the Amalfi Coast and it was blazing hot
There is no ferry in Furore
Hi Allan
Thanks for all the info you have provided and also thanks for forwarding the link to your blog . It is hilarious and extremely informative/ educative.
Your day 1 problems as faced as you didn’t have roaming activated on your phone have convinced me to get an Italian Sim for my mobile as soon as I land in Italy or have my roaming activated on my phone before I leave Seattle.
Thanks for the advice on being proactive with Mondo Tours and also on carrying cash. Will do both.
After reading what others and you have said, I am changing my proposed itinerary and now am planning to stay at Amalfi or Ravello and not at Positano. Plan to just do a ferry excursion to Positano with a few hours stop.
Question : We propose to spend 8 days on the Amalfi coast and plan to spend 3 days in Sorrento, 2 in Capri and 3 in Amalfi/ Ravello. Do you think this allocation of days OK or do we need to tweak it ?
Any suggestions for hotels in Ravello or Amalfi ?
As per your experience, is it worth it to go to Miniori and Maiori and do the “Path of the lemons” walk ?
In Sorrento : Great tip to avoid the steep walk down from topside of the cliff to the water below, by taking the elevator for €1.10/pp.
Where exactly is this elevator located on the water front ?
Instead of taking the overcrowded bus, wouldn’t it be a better option to take a taxi to Anacapri ?
Also how difficult is the walk from Capri to Augustus Park ?
Regarding seeing the Amalfi coast : is it better to do it by car or by ferry with short stop overs in different cities/ villages.
After reading your blog, I feel that maybe it would be better to book car tours which pick you from the hotel and stop you back to the hotel. Organizing ferries and transportation would be done by them.
We prefer climate that’s not too hot. A big dilemma when to go : Late April/ May or late September/ October.
Obviously we do not want to be caught in rain.
You have mentioned that weather in late April/ early May was good, with no rain. Maybe that’s the better option. Or do you feel mid October is better as the hotel prices are lower.
Sorry for asking so many questions, but then your blog is so informative that I felt compelled to clear my doubts.
TIA
You did ask for "best", not "cheapest" or "least crowded." Our lovely room with balcony at the Ambasciatori Grande in Sorrento cost extra for the balcony and extra for the view of Vesuvius off the end of our bed. All five or six of the luxury hotels on the cliff edge have elevators, that also serve the fixed (not floating) bathing platforms in the Gulf of Naples. I believe five of the hotels have the same ownership.
It is unclear how much better October or May will be. This area is incredibly crowded, and has sustained demand. Some hotels close for the season after October. Sorrento is reported to still have good restaurant availability off season, but the smaller towns, on the AC, not so much maybe. There are also many fewer ferries off season.
You need to be sure you can afford the time and travel costs of multiple nights sleeping on the actual Amalfi Coast (as opposed to Sorrento, which has the best public transit options in the general area, and is not "on the Amalfi Coast.". I mean, a taxi from Sorrento to Positano is probably 120-150 Euros. That's also what it would cost to go to Pompeii from Positano, as opposed to 5 or so Euros from Sorrento. You also need to think critically about the number of STAIRS in Positano, and to a lesser extent, Amalfi. There are, literally, hundreds of stairs in Positano. Do you understand that beautiful, expensive Ravello is literally, hundreds of feet above the water level? It's a 12-15 minute bus ride down to Amalfi, where you could get a second bus to Positano and Sorrento. But that is a slow bus, on the only two-lane road through the area, with curves and mountain-corners to negotiate.
We were there in the last week of May, and it was sweltering. The hotel's icy air conditioning was a big plus.
You have a lot of reading to do:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/getting-around-amalfi-coast
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/naples-to-sorrento-train-or-private-driver
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/amalfi-coast-for-7-nights-itinerary-help
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/amalfi-coast-for-5-days-where-to-set-base-from
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/one-week-on-the-amalfi-coast
Hi Allan
Thanks for all the info you have provided and also thanks for
forwarding the link to your blog . It is hilarious and extremely
informative/ educative.
Now that I've stopped blushing I'll try and answer your questions. I'd also recommend getting a copy of the Rick Steves Snapshot to the Amalfi Coast guidebook. https://store.ricksteves.com/shop/p/amalfi-coast-guidebook Whether it's the Rick Steves books or other companies, of all the guidebooks I've read over the years, this one has been the most valuable to me. Don't underestimate how chaotic this region of Italy can be.
I haven't reread my Trip Report before answering your questions so I might be repeating what you've already read. I will state that I both turned 60 last year and am active and fit, and I tend to have a problem sitting still, even on a vacation. When I suggest things I try to be careful and remember that other people may not be as active as me or may have challenges walking distances and dealing with stairs. You'll need to try and interpret my opinions to best suit your activity level.
I hope this is useful. Feel free to keep firing questions at me.
Meenamehta, yes..good idea to stay in either Amalfi or Ravello rather than Positano. You have a budget that is very good so I think in those shoulder seasons of spring and fall you can find a really great hotel in either town (I do not know Sorrento very well). I will look into my notes but for now, in Amalfi the nicest waterfront hotel would be the Santa Caterina and I am certain you would find rooms with great views there. (If you can get your hands on a used copy of what we used to call "the Bible," GOURMET TRAVELERS GUIDE TO ITALY by Fred Plotkin, you will find a lovely description of this hotel; the book is not only a food guide but it has a lot of information about Italy that you would not find in a regular "guidebook." (In a somewhat similar vein is the book by Carla Capalbo: Food and Wine Guide to Campania....very good reading and insight into a lot about this very special region of the world.
BUT the Santa Caterina is a bit of a walk along the main road to the town of Amalfi--not very long and it is pretty flat, but just be aware; maybe the hotel has a shuttle. Another classic older property is the Luna Convento, slightly out of the center but easy, flat walk. Both of these are in old buildings so rooms will vary a lot in size and view, so check carefully before selecting a room type. The other place would be the Convento di Amalfi, high on a cliff face but also not in the center. For this one, shuttle might be offered so check that. There are a few pleasant hotels along the sea, like the Bussola, which I think someone mentioned, above, and the Miramalfi; not as upscale as the first two I mentioned but very very nice even if they are not inside beautiful buildings. Easier walk to the center from these.
But, for the views, you really need to think about stying in Ravello. It's more of a small-ish village, much less bustling than Amalfi. Many day trippers but once they leave, so charming. Beautiful gardens with sea views....a gem of a place. The last time I was there I stayed at the Palazzo Avino (in a single room with NO view due to price). This is one of those perfect, old-World charmers and if you can handle the price--yes! The Caruso nearby is in that range and my sister loved her stay there (she took one of the view rooms!!)
But there are a couple of other Ravello hotels that are just wonderful--the Parsifal, Villa Fraulo, Villa Cimbrone....these are dreamy. I've not stayed in any of those latter hotels because I prefer being able to swim in a pool, but you would not go wrong based on the glimpses I've seen inside these properties and what I've heard from others who have stayed at them.
I seem to be going on and on.....let me know what you think and I will be happy to offer any advice I can.
You do NOT want to stay in Furore, or not at the Hotel Bacco. The restaurant is good, the hotel, no! There is an agriturismo hotel up there that gets great reviews but I don't think it will do for this trip. Furore is VERY high up with limited bus service and very pricey taxi rides to reach.
As for spring or fall.... difficult question. It might be too late to get the rooms you want for this spring, I don't know.
Based only on my own limited experience, early September is fantastic but crowded; later in the month the rain seems to come in and then skies clear up as you get into October. I cannot tell you how many times we've been disappointed by rain in the latter half of September--on Ischia for almost an entire week; in Maratea, same....on and on. But that's just my own tale and you know every year is different and the climate is changing perceptibly, so none of us can really predict. And as long as it does not pour buckets, you'll be ok, because you won't be spending your time on the beach....ok...gone on too long....will keep an eye on this thread!!
Hi Tim
Thanks for your text and for all the links to similar/ related topics. I went through all of them and in the process acquired a lot of information about the AC.
I did mention that I was looking for a room on the price range $ 500-600 , but maybe not on my main post, which I have not edited. Sorry about that. I have gone through your hotel recommendation , it’s truly a beautiful property with the added advantage of a floating bathing platform. but unfortunately the cheapest sea facing room ( even in the shoulder seasons of May and October ) is around $ 1000 . ☹️
A bit above my budget.
I have given serious thought to the stairs in Positano and that’s why I have changed my itinerary from Positano to Amalfi .
Not a fan of sun/ sunbathing / heat, and that’s why we would prefer to visit AC in the cooler months of late April/ early May or late September/ early October.
The jury is still out on which months/ dates to go.
Would love anyone’s personal experience on this
After reading multiple harrowing posts of travelling by bus/ train , carrying luggage to hotels from train stations/ ferry terminals etc, I have decided to hire cars / taxis and not get into this unnecessary tension. I would prefer to reduce my trip by one day and use the money for the ease and peace of driving directly to a hotel. Even for day trips/ excursions I am inclining towards booking them through an agent which will include pick and drop from hotel.
Your thoughts on this would be more than welcome .
Thanks for all your time and help.
Hi Alan
On your recommendation I have bought the Rick Steves Snapshot to the Amalfi Coast guidebook and hopefully soon I shall “ know better”
Like you, we both are also quite fit and healthy but don’t want to get tired walking stairs to and from hotels and waste energy that we would rather expend on our excursions.
My 8 days on the AC do not include my travel days. As per today I am still fleshing out the details of my itinerary. We plan to fly from Seattle to Venice and take a coach tour which will take us to Florence , Siena, Pienza , Rome etc. and finally wind up in Sorrento.
Still thinking of staying 3 days in Sorrento , ( it will be an easy and early change from the hotel of the coach tour to the hotel booked by me. Hopefully the new hotel will have a porter service that will carry our bags for us ) , 2 days in Capri and finally 3 days in Amalfi from where I think we will do a boat tour to Positano and a car tour to Ravello.
Your inputs pls.
Re the 2 walks / hikes you have mentioned : Path of the Lemons and the Path of the Gods.
Which one do you prefer and how difficult are they ?
We will take a taxi to Anacapri. What are your thoughts on the chairlift to the top of the mountain ? Fun experience?
Thoughts on going to Bagni Regina Giovanna ?
After reading all the stories about the buses, I think I shall avoid the buses and instead book a boat or a ferry to see the various towns of the AC .
Feel free to correct my proposed itinerary / thinking, as that’s why I am on this forum .. to learn and make a better itinerary.
Thanks
Hi elscrunchy
I too had through that my budget is good, but now that I am actually looking at the prices of sea facing rooms in hotels that fellow travelers like you are forwarding me, I am not so confident any more, as most of the hotels are above $ 1000. Even the hotel you have suggested in Amalfi : Santa Caterina , is more than $ 1000 per night for a sea facing room. Btw it’s a beautiful hotel and I would love to stay there but it’s way too expensive
Luna Convento di Amalfi is also more than $ 1000 per night. Hotel Miramalfi is really beautiful, but again out of my price range.
Hotel Bussola is in my price range.
Any comments on it ?
I am told that it’s very difficult to come and go to Ravello. But it’s an option.
Palazzo Abono and The Caruso in Ravello are both gorgeous properties but all sea view rooms are
$ 1000 plus . The two that come within my budget ate : Parsifal, and Villa Fraulo,
Out of the hotels that come within my price range which ones would you suggest ?
Based on your “ limited experience”, ;) , would you say that the first week of October is a good time to visit the AC ?
Thanks for your time and patience.
Really appreciate.
