stay in Sorrento or Positano

Kim - The Amalfi Coast is beyond Rome from Florence. If you're traveling by train, you'll go through Rome to get Naples and then Sorrento.

Sorrento would be a better base from which to see Pompeii and Positano. You can take the train back from Sorrento to Pompeii (You'll pass Pompeii and Herculaneum on the train from Naples to Sorrento) and you can take the SITA bus to Positano.

Hope this helps.

Sorrento is a great detour before heading to Rome. I did the same exact thing in October. Went from Florence to Sorrento before going to Rome. Well worth it. Stay in Sorrento. If you want to see Pompeii it would be foolish to stay in Positano because you would have to take a 45 minute bus ride to Sorrento and then hop on the train to Pompeii. It is not worth it. Stay in Sorrento.

You should be based in Sorrento. It is an easier stay, there will be more types and numbers of accommodations to choose from, and everyplace that you may want to visit is a short distance from Sorrento. It makes a great hub. It is very difficult to find parking in Positano, if you intend to rent a car at some point. Train service does not encompass the Amalfi Coast. You will have to train to Sorrento or Salerno and drive, bus, or hire a driver from there. Or as an alternative, you could take the ferry. I stayed in Amalfi two years ago and ended up wishing I had stayed in Sorrento instead.

Thanks for the great advice. You all echoed my thoughts but I had to convince my husband (who has italian coworkers from that area) which was the more practical choice.