Sorrento vs Positano

Sorrento is a better location for getting to other places for day trips, than Positano

Depends on what you want to do and where your departure airport is.

I wouldn't split. It DOES depend on what you want to do. You can get to all the places you mention from either, it is just easier and perhaps less expensive to get to Pompeii (and don't forget Herculaneum while there) from Sorrento. Positano IS the Amalfi Coast, so if you want that experience stay in Positano. You can hire a car and driver to take you to Pompeii if you want. Boat to Capri, and Amalfi too, and visit Ravello.

I personally prefer Positano over Sorrento. Have a great trip.

I'm in the Sorrento camp as it has more transport options and, because it's bigger, offers more to do. Positano worked for us as for 1/2 a day or so but it's pretty small and it's just easier to get around to some other places - Naples, Herculaneum, Pompeii - from Sorrento. Also, the ferries can't dock in Positano if the seas are too rough so buses can be the only transport option on a very windy or stormy day. That's aside from private drivers, that is, if you have the budget for those.

You mention that you have 5 nights to spend in the region "before flying home"? Where are you flying from, Rome or Naples? In either case, you may want to spend your last night closer to the airport if your flight is in the morning. That's almost a definite if your flight is from Rome.

Otherwise, I'd only split your 5 days if you were interested in staying on Capri for a couple of nights.

BTW, what month is your trip?

Take into account that it's a long way from either to an airport, especially Positano. You may need to spend your last night near your departure airport.

I would split it up. Positano is so beautiful in the early evening over a cocktail, then watching it turn into evening. The day trippers have gone, it's easy to meander the shops. During the day, you can go to the beach, it's lovely there too. I know it's a hassle to move between towns, but I think you gain so much by spending a couple nights in Positano. I would go there first for 2 nights, then go to Sorrento. Once in Sorrento, you can be close to your sightseeing.

You did not give the month of the year. That affects prices, availability, and crowding in both towns. Do you have any limits on mobility? (Positano has hundreds of steps. Sorrento is mostly flat.) Both those towns book up six months in advance.

As much as I like Florence, I wonder about 7 days. Will you take some daytrips? I ask because it says something about your travel style, which affects the answer to your question. We spent five nights in Sorrento specifically because it's a good transit location. Otherwise, it's a bit of a purpose-built postwar resort city, although with a nice view. No beaches except the public one within earshot of the ferry docks. Stone beaches, mostly, in Positano.

The point about the last night is important. Many people fail to plan for the poor access to Rome from Positano.

As much as I like Florence, I wonder about 7 days. Will you take some
daytrips? I ask because it says something about your travel style,
which affects the answer to your question. We spent five nights in
Sorrento specifically because it's a good transit location. Otherwise,
it's a bit of a purpose-built postwar resort city, although with a
nice view. No beaches except the public one within earshot of the
ferry docks. Stone beaches, mostly, in Positano.

Tim's right. We did 5 nights at an apartment in Florence two years ago March--our 2nd trip there--and were kind of champing at the bit to leave by about the 4th day. In contrast, this last February we rented an apartment in Rome for 6 nights (our 2nd time there as well), and could've easily done another week.

The difference? I've thought about it, and I think it's because one of our goals is to assimilate--within reason of course--and staying in Florence, within walking distance to the Mercato Centrale, Il Duomo, the Uffizi, Accademia, etc. required us to be smack dab in the middle of tourist central. Not much chance of assimilating there, really.

While we stayed in Rome looking out over the Campo de' Fiori fruit market--which technically is somewhat touristy--we found that you didn't have to walk far at all to experience the real Rome, which consists of normal native folks doing business with other Romans, and tourists are treated the same way. We really grooved on that. Loved talking it up a little with the guy at the tabacchi shop every morning that made my caffe pick-me-up.

RE: Sorrento, Positano, both---depends, like Tim says, on the time of year. In high season, I might say neither, stay in Salerno and daytrip it to the peninsula. We stayed 5 nights in Sorrento after our Rome apartment, also because of the ease of getting around, and it was OK, but the weather was not good either. Food's great, if that means anything.

Enjoy your planning!

Thanks to everyone for your help! As far as Tim and Jay's comments and questions go, we are getting to Florence on the 22nd of September and flying home to Phoenix on October 4th. Two years ago, we stayed in Florence for 4 nights and loved it - on the third day I was looking for an apartment and a job! - so we are using it for a home base and taking day trips to Cinque Terre and Siena for sure and perhaps adding a trip to Lucca and Pisa. If anyone has any thoughts on those choices, or others please let me know.

Right now, after hearing what everyone says, I am thinking we will stay 5 nights in Sorrento and use it as a home base from which we can visit the Amalfi coast, Capri, and perhaps Pompeii. If we fall in love with the Amalfi coast, we can always come back and stay for a few days another year.
We have not booked flights yet, but if we do that, we will get a private transfer to the Naples airport, and fly from there.

I like Positano better, as it is more quaint and Romantic IMO. However Sorrento is logistically more convenient for day trips to Naples, Pompeii, Ercolano if you don't have a car. Capri is just as easily reachable fromPositano as there are boats going from Positano. Obviously Amalfi and the rest of the AC is more convenient from Positano.

With 7 days in Florence, there are several day trips you can take. The Cinque Terre are kind of far for a day trip from Florence. I'm not sure I'd go there since you are already going to the similar Amalfi area. But if you do, there is an early high speed FrecciaBianca train which departs from Firenze Campo di Marte station (instead of S.M.Novella, at 7:30ish. It gets you to La Spezia in 90 min. Check Trenitalia website. If you want to stop in Pisa for a quick visit to the tower, do so on the way back from Cinque Terre. Pisa can be enjoyed in the evenings too. At the CT you need daylight. The last train from Pisa to Florence leaves at about 10:30pm.

Two years ago, we stayed in Florence for 4 nights and loved it - on
the third day I was looking for an apartment and a job!

LOL, I know exactly what you mean!!! You'll find plenty to do, especially if you do some day hops.

I kinda think as well that the CT is a stretch for a day trip plus it's one of those places which takes a stay overnight to best experience, IMHO. When the day-tripping hordes go away, it's a different animal at night. Same for the early mornings before they all descend.

How you do it depends on your interests of course, but 5 nights is enough to justify dividing your time between the two. It's not like these places are interminably far from each other, but to enjoy each area it helps to base on the appropriate side of the peninsula. If you're traveling when the ferries are running that will help tremendously and I advise you to use them whenever you can. Capri makes for an excellent morning-afternoon stopover between Sorrento and Positano. With early ferry, it was plenty of time to enjoy the island. On the Amalfi coast side, I'd highly recommend a day trip to Ravello. I felt like Positano and Ravello were real highlights. I agree with other posters, your exit strategy may impact your decision making here. I wouldn't describe transportation here to be especially unreliable, but would also hate to have anything remotely like a tight connection for an international flight.

I like Sorrento much more than Positano. Sorrento is mostly flat with lots of fun, interesting things to do. It is charming and beautiful. Been there twice for a week each time and always hate leaving. Positano is small, on a very steep hillside and is mainly tourist shops and places to eat, that's it. Much harder to get most places from Positano, very easy from Sorrento.

This is an opinion question so here is mine:
We have stayed multiple nights in each place

Positano is prettier, it has more of a postcard view. It is also more expensive and harder to get around if you do not care for stairs. It is a very unique small area that you can walk most every inch of during a couple day stay. Logistics can be a little challenging hotels are either close to the water or the road but cannot be both and stairs separate them, parking is rare. It is not a transportation hub at all, more of a stop in the middle. Big waves will cause boats not to dock.
Size wise it is a very tiny village. Depending on the time of year can be very crowded and harder to distribute the crowds because of it's small size.

Sorrento is much better for logistics, mainly because it is a transport hub, you can reach it and go elsewhere easily. It is much larger, no where near as walkable or as pretty but it still has beautiful vistas that are some ways more dramatic ; at least on the cliffs above the town that overlook the sea. Everything is bigger, roads are much larger so the town is not as enjoyable to stroll in and marvel at the small details and little nooks that Positano has. The dock is a deep water dock, boats will be coming and going unless a serious storm at sea, not just waves. It is still beautiful and does have pedestrianized areas as well.
Size wise it is a true town, not a village but not a city either.

We preferred Positano more and when we return to the AC we will stay in Positano and not Sorrento, though I would go in a shoulder season (spring or fall not summer). I just prefer in Italy small towns that are very pedestrian focused, well kept and ok with them being touristy.
That said Sorrento worked out well for our plans and allowed us to see things that would have been more of a challenge or just not fit in with our schedule if we stayed in Positano like Pompeii and Capri which you mention.
So splitting your time with both locations is not a terrible idea for you either.