Sorrento or Positano as home base???

We were in Sorrento for 4 nights and just used it as a convient place for staying and getting to and from each of our day trips. I was glad to have used Sorrento as home base, as there are lots of choices for accomodations & resturants. Capri, Amalfi coast, Positano, & Pompei were our day trips from Sorrento. After the fact...we should have done Pompei on our way back to Rome instead of a day trip from Sorrento.

"one day drive to naples/pompeii"In a few years on this forum, I can't recall anyone recommending driving to Naples, the traffic is notoriously bad there, even Italians avoid driving to Naples.

Stayed in Sorrento 4 nights in 2006 (here when Italy won the World Cup and it was so fun!) Would stay here again over Positano. Stayed at Hotel Settimo Cielo on Via Capo and had balcony and beautiful views over Bay of Naples. Parked our car at hotel and took train to Pompeii one day, hydrofoil to Capri, bus to Positano and boat back to Sorento. Sorrento has lots of restaurants and accommodations. Buon Viaggio!

I guess my travel agent reccommned that i drive to Naples from either sorrento/positano (home base) then spend afternoon in Pompeii. She didnt mention this as a crazy drive. I will ask her today. Thanks for the tip. I notice that alot of posts people dont mention having a car. It seems confusing to me to always have to take trains, buses, etc. what do you think of having a car the whole time?

Re your last post: "I notice that a lot of posts people dont mention having a car. It seems confusing to me to always have to take trains, buses, etc. What do you think of having a car the whole time?"The first time I went to Italy (that was before the Rick Steves Helpline), I just naturally assumed I'd do the same thing I do when I travel in the US: rent a car, of course. Being from the western US, I wasn't comfortable with all this train stuff!Having a car my whole first trip to Italy ended up being a big mistake, because it made my vacation more stressful and complicated than if I'd done what more experienced travelers to Italy do: take the train to areas well served by train. So, I learned an important lesson the hard way: Renting a car and driving in Italy is way different from renting a car here, Canada, Germany or other countries where it's easy to get places by car. Different in ways that are difficult to explain in the small space we have available here.Maybe you just have to go ahead and make the same mistake I did--have a car your whole Italy trip--before you understand why it will detract from the quality of your vacation experience rather than add to it. But I don't recommend that you learn the hard way--that's what we're trying to spare people by passing on, here, what we've learned, often by making those same mistakes.Many of us on this forum take trains in Italy, and only rent cars to explore the areas not well served by trains, which are basically only two areas that are not well served by trains: Tuscany/Umbria hilltowns and Sicily.

The most common response to this question are such because they are the best and make the most sense.

First: The Amalfi Coast and Naples area is no place for a car. There is a fast efficient train from Rome to Naples, and once there, multiple options for Bus, Rail, and Ferry travel, as well as taxis or private drivers. Once viewing the road conditions, traffic, and parking hassles, you will be glad not to have the burden of a car.

Second: Sorrento really does make the best home base. It is central, easy connections to Naples, Pompeii, The Amalfi Coast, and Capri. Added to that, Sorrento is just a good town to spend time in.

My preference for three days, Go right to Sorrento, You are tight on time, so day trip from there. You could hit the Museum and Pompeii on your way to Sorrento, then a day on the coast and a day at Capri.

Thanks for all of your posts. You are all so kind. I think what will we do is keep the car since we will have for week and maybe take trains/bus for pompeii. I did read somewhere that I can take a ferry from positano to capri. But I am returning car in sorrento so can do it there as well.

My granddaughter and I stayed in Sorrento the week before Easter, We used it as a base for Capri and Positano. We stayed at Il Nido, which I highly recommend. Check out their website, which even lists the menu. Il Nino is family owned and will go out of their way to assist you in making your stay memorable, as ours certainly was. My granddaughter, 19, is a "picky" eater and, much to my relief, found what she liked on their menu.

Stephanie- Being from Boston my first instinct on any vacation is about the rental car. However, I am confident that the Italy public transport system is a dream compared to the mess they call the MBTA in Boston. In our neck of the woods to the trains only stretch so far (downtown and suburban areas), are slow, infrequent and confusing. From all my research, this isn't the case. Imagine being able to go from Beverly-Boston-Cape Cod all in one day, on the train! This would probably take 10+ hours or impossible to do using our local services. Driving in Naples is probably way worse than Boston driving, which is some of the worst in this country!

We had a car in that area Easter Week. I liked having the car for portions of the trip because we got to see more. I would think it would really depend on the time of the year if I wanted to drive. No way would I want to drive in the summer when it's crowded. Easter week or off season is a different story.

We stayed in Priano which we loved. A hotel called Marghirita (spelling bad). There was a bus right in front of the hotel that took us to positano where we caught the ferry to capri. Spent the day and took the bus right back to the hotel. The next day we drove to Amalfi and Ravello. I didn't mind driving at all. Just be careful. To me the pain part is the parking but it all worked out and we saw more than if we had to wait for a bus. Just wouldn't want to do it when it's croweded. W

We did see Pompeii on our way back to Rome. That worked out pretty nice. Just leave enough time for traffic. The traffic back to Rome was heavy at the end of the weekend. But, it was a nice drive.

Stephanie: In 2006 We drove from Malpensa Air port North to Lake Garda, Venice, Ravenna, Tuscany, south to Amalfi coast and then back to Rome. If you are a good navigator you should have no problem. Two areas I would not drive into the city is Naples - we by passed that on the way to Sorrento. Getting the car back into central Rome was hairy. With only 3 days I would do as the others have suggested. Take the train to Sorrento (Il Nido have a shuttle to their hotel which is high up above Sorrento) It has the most beautiful view and sitting on the balcony eating dinner(they have a good restaurant) with wine was to die for. Their bus will take you down to the city early in the morning and at different times of the day will pick you up. No beaches to swim that I can remember, but a good area for train to Pompeii and ferries to Capri and Positano. My favorite was Positano- there are beaches there but not like ours - they are stones.
Have Fun

FYI, we're leaving in 2 weeks for our first trip to Italy, will drive to Pompeii for half day visit. Got helpful info about parking at the ruin (see earlier posting). Then drive straight back to Rome airport return rental car followed with 4 days Rome. Not interested in Naples. I prefer a car over trains (particularly rides requiring transfer). However, adopted the advice from the folks here and plan no driving in Venice, Florence or Rome.

I agree with you Julie. I will not be using rental in rome, venice or florence. But I have been sitting here racking my brain how I am going to visit naples in 1/2 day (where my grandmother is from etc.) then move on to positano. I feel like its going to be like the movie plains, trains and automobiles. I may find it that when I get to almalfi I leave the car and take a scooter or maybe train to pompeii but I just went to the viamicelin site and it takes the same amount of time to drive as the train. Of course there will be traffic. thanks for your post :)

Stephanie- you can take a ferry from Naples to Sorrento - so you could return your car there. Then take a train to pompeii and also another ferry to Positano or Capri

I guess after I toured Naples, I could drop off the car at train station and return it there. Then take a train to sorrento then bus to positano. Then the next day take bus to sorrento then train to pompeii. Just sounds like a lot :(

Melissa, you are so right about the Boston traffic; craziest in the USA.

Stephanie, Boston traffic is a PICNIC compared to Naples. Please do yourself a favor and do not drive there. I cannot overstate how confusing the streets are and how the drivers DO NOT pay attention to traffic rules. Be aware that parking a car in Italy can also be expensive, but it would be worth it to avoid the traffic in Naples.

The train station in Naples is not the place to park your car. The station is in the middle of the city, so you'd have to drive to it, and there is hardly any parking. All the parking around the station, if you could find it, is for residents. If you disobey the Italian traffic and parking laws, they will track you down through the rental car agency up to a year later and give you a 3-figure fine in Euros (I learned the hard way and paid mine last week).

That said, I don't want to discourage you from this wonderful part of Italy. I truly enjoyed Naples, and I think Sorrento & Positano are the top 3 most beautiful places on this earth. There is good public transportation from Rome to Naples to Sorrento to Positano, especially in warm weather. I found it convenient when I visited in February 2 years ago. In the US, we hear "public transportation" and think of something incovenient. In this part of Italy, it's not.

Have fun on your trip. You are going to love Italy!!!

Stephanie and Julie,

If you are dead set on renting a car in Italy be sure to get the full coverage insurance offered by the rental company, not just the coverage your credit card offers. This will be an added expense but worth it if you have your car vandalized or a fender bender. We have traveled in Europe frequently and have rented cars in England, Germany, Austria, and France but would not consider it in Italy unless we were needing one to tour Tuscany, Lake Como, or similar more remote areas. We have found the trains to be extremely easy to use, cost effective and safe. Changing trains is really not that complicated. Hiring a driver for the Amalfi Coast and a few tricky transfers is another option we have used. While more expensive than bus or train it is completely flexible and less costly than renting a car (Don't forget to add in tolls and parking fees). Plus, with a private driver you get a built-in local tour guide and you can enjoy the views instead of trying to figure out Italian road signs and streets that were often laid out for horse carts, pre-automobile. All who are discouraging you from renting a car are only doing so out of concern for you. Whatever you decide, have a wonderful adventure in Italy!
P.S. Consider changing your reservation to drop your car off before Naples. The Circumvesuviana is a direct local train from Naples to Sorrento. Then take bus or ferry or private car to Positano. Or stay in Sorrento and use that as your base.

Thanks for your advice. Would you please tell me how far a hired car would be for almalfi drive, pick up at sorreno train station to positano? I dont know where to search this and hwo much they cost.

Thanks :)

Go to the Sorrento and/or Positano forum on Tripadvisor, dozens of posts on car services in the area. The Sorrento forum also has a "sticky" on travel between Naples and Sorrento.

I have not looked at the sticky for a while but just in case it's not covered, do NOT take a taxi off the rank in Sorrento. They will charge you an arm and a leg, I speak from bitter experience! If a bus is not convenient either book a private transfer or if your hotel provides one, use their shuttle service.

Hello all,
I wanted to let you know that we are booking our stay in Positano today at the Marincanto. So beautiful! Being my first post, I remember reading about a "sticky" but not sure what that really is. Thanks for the tip on not taking a cab in sorrento. Wonder why they are so expensive there as opposed to other cities??

A "sticky" is a permanent post at the top of a Forum. It usually contains answers to frequently asked questions.

As to why the taxis are so expensive in Sorrento? I suspect it's because they can get away with it! There are lots of complaints, including from hoteliers but nothing gets done. We were charged 40 Euros for a 10 - 15 minute ride to our hotel just outside Sorrento, our hotelier was so horrified that she gave us 20 Euros cash out of the till. In contrast, the journey from Naples to Sorrento (about one hour and 15 minutes) usually costs us 80 Euros by private hire.