travel to Sorrento or CT area from Rome?

It is coin flip. My coin would land on Amalfi coast. Public transit is available for both areas. The Amalifi probably has more up and down walking. Good for the diet and the leg muscles.

My choice would be Sorrento. I do luv the Cinque Terre but Sorrento
is a great medium sized town with plenty of shopping, restaurants,
a transportation hub to Naples & Capri & Positino by boat, Amalfi coast
by bus, train to Pompei. Great little walking town with killer views as it
sits on a cliff overlooking the water. Great medium priced hotel is the
Hotel Mignon a few minutes from the center of the old town and a short
walk to train & bus station. No car needed!

Thank you so much for the input. Those are the type of things I wanted to know as far as accessibility to other areas and make sure not having a car will not be too bad.
So if you have three days based in Sorrento how would you spread that out in the area?

Day 1) SITA bus to Positano (45 min)

Day 2) Circumvesuviana train to Pompei (50 min)

Day 3) Circumvesuviana train to Naples (1 hr)--visit Archeological Museum and eat Napolitan pizza

All transport from the Sorrento bus/train station just east of Piazza Tasso.

Enjoy your planning!

" not having a car be a big problem to visit..." I would say exactly Opposite! Having a car in Rome, Sorrento, CT is useless and a thorn in your backside. By all means get rid of that pesky rental vehicle.

it's good to know that in Sorrento area we would not need a car to get a good feel for the area.

Travel at the end of July will likely be busy, hot and crowded in either location. In addition to being peak tourist season, many Italians also take holidays in August.

A few thoughts.....

While there is public transportation in the south (Amalfi Coast), it's not as well developed as in the north. For example, your only options from Sorrento to Positano will be bus, taxi or boat. There is a commuter train (Circumvesuviana) from Naples to Sorrento, however it has a bit of a reputation as a haven for pickpockets and scammers, so you'll have to be vigilant. On that route, you could also use the Campania Express which is intended more for tourists.

I would not recommend using a rental car in the Amalfi Coast area at that time of year. In addition to the usual caveats (having an IDP, avoiding ZTL areas), the traffic will likely be heavy along narrow winding roads in some parts.

The Cinque Terre is easier to access as it has good and frequent train connections from Rome. There are also frequent trains that travel through the five towns. However, it will also be busy there in July / August, especially on days when there are cruise ships in the area.

Whichever location you choose, I'd suggest getting some accommodations booked NOW. Many places will already be booked full so it could take some work to find something. If you need suggestions for accommodations, check the RS Italy guidebook, or post another note here as some of the group may have suggestions.

Which area to choose will probably depend on what you're most interested in. If you want to see Pompeii, Ercolano, Vesuvius or other sites in the south, then the Amalfi Coast will be a good choice. If you'd rather have a more relaxing time doing some hiking, exploring Liguria and enjoying some great Pesto in the area where it was invented, then the Cinque Terre will be a good choice.

Good luck!

Thank you Ken for your suggestions. Appreciate the tips about transportation also.

I'm in agreement for the Amalfi Coast. Sorrento makes a good transportation base. If you want to see Pompeii, do it early in the morning, then head to Naples for the archeological museum.

For ferry and bus schedules.

http://www.positano.com