Southern Italy

Eight to ten days would make for a great trip to Naples, the Amalfi coast, and perhaps one of the islands in the bay of Naples. It is not enough time to include Sicily.
Naples airport.

Sicily alone cries out for at least 2 weeks, and that's if you are prepared to rent a car. Eighteen days via public transportation wasn't long enough for me, and I didn't go to the Greek sites at Agrigento, Selinunte or Segesta, or to the Aeolian Islands.

I think there's plenty to do around Naples and Amalfi. If you had 12-14 days, I might suggest you consider including Puglia. That's a very interesting area, and you can get a pretty good look at it in less than a week.

I assume this isn't going to be a summer trip. Southern Italy is beastly hot at that time of year.

For that amount of time consider Sicily. Check the RS tour for itinerary ideas. Or as a previous poster suggested, the Naples and coastal areas. You can’t see both in that amount of time.

I just returned from an epic vacation in Southern Italy, beginning with 4 nights in Naples, 4 nights in Ischia, and then 3 nights in Sorrento, from where I traveled to other places. Naples is definitely amazing, and there are many things to do and see (and eat and drink, as well).

Ischia was a wonderful beach and spa vacation, and Sorrento was the jump off point for Pompeii and Mt. Vesuvius. We could have gone to Amalfi, Positano, Salerno, or Capri, but there wasn't time on this trip.

All our traveling was by public transport--train from Rome to Naples, metro and trains within the Naples area, ferries to Ischia and Sorrento, and buses while traveling across Ischia to beaches and spas. Easy and cheap to do.

I agree that Sicily probably would be a trip too far for such a short vacation period. Next time you come, spend a couple weeks on Sicily.

As others have said u really only have time for your interests in S Italy. Leave Sicily for another time, and it is fabulous for 2 weeks.
U may find an agriturismo in Paestum just south of amalfi coast. Ck with 4icks guidebks for suggestions.
Try not to cram too much in you will find how beautiful and interesting Sorrento area is. If seas are calm take a ferry ride to follow coastline, beautiful
and memorable.
Fly into to Naples will save u a lot of time. I have done that 2 x small airport close to Naples city.

Depending on your interests and # of nights, something like this might work for you.

Arrive Naples (NAP). Take this bus to Sorrento.
https://www.curreriviaggi.it/airport-shuttle/times-download

4 nights Sorrento.

Bus, ferry, Circumvesuvian timetables.
https://www.sorrentoinsider.com

Amalfi Coast villages.
https://travelaway.me/beautiful-places-amalfi-coast/

2-3 nights Ischia.
https://www.ischiareview.com/ischia-island-tours.html

(Or 1 night Capri, 2 nights Ischia.)

2 nights Naples.

Thank you for all your suggestions. It looks like we will have to make two trips to Italy.

Aww, Kristine, what a shame that is!

If you think you're finished after two trips, you'll be a rare tourist indeed.

Oh no! I’ll never be done after two trips. I will just break my original plan into two separate trips. There is to much to explore for me to ever be done traveling.

Save Sicily for a two to three week trip!