Visiting the Amalfi Coast late September

Couple of thoughts. Things are winding down by the time you will be there.

The beach is actually composed of pebbles, not sand, so don't expect a sandy beach.

The coast is quite steep in most places so when ambling around on a walk you might run into hilly country.

There are lots of places to eat and drink in Positano, and, Sorrento, which you might check out instead of staying on the coast.

Positano is popular, as is Priano (smaller). Ravello is a very beautiful location but it is up on the hills and not on the coast.

I think Sorrento is the best as a base town. Easy to get to Capri, Amalfi coast, Pompeii, Naples. Positano has a sandy beach.

Another option would be Salerno. We arrived in Rome, and after a 4 day stay, took the Frecciarossa train to Salerno (direct non stop train). Salerno is a transportation hub on the Amalfi Coast, and you can access trains, buses and ferries. Taking a ferry up the coast and stopping at Amalfi and Ravello (a local bus ride up from Amalfi) and Positano provides beautiful views of the coast from the water. Salerno also has a lovely shoreline walk called the Lungomar. It has a real Italian flavor every evening as young and old stroll through town. There is an old town that is particularly charming. We stayed in a small B and B close to old town and even had our own private terrace off the bedroom! (Salerno Centro B and B---stay in the Positano room!)

The Greek ruins in Paestum are an easy train ride south. The SITA buses leaving from Salerno will probably not be as crowded as ones leaving Sorrento. Should you want to go to Pompeii, you can take a train. You will have to walk a bit to get to the scavi. You can also take a train to Naples from Salerno. The only downside I can see would be getting to Capri. It is a distance, but after reading about how commercial Capri is, you may decide to skip it and concentrate on the coastal villages. Don't miss Ravello!!

Have a wonderful time!!

Sorrento is the best base imo. As others have mentioned beachtime is difficult as beach is usually rocky.
As u are off season planing try to get a hotel room with ocean views. It should be better priced in fall.

I'm with Barb. I really liked Salerno, and it has a large sandy beach. The town nearly level, easy to walk to/from the historic center to the beach, the train/bus station, and the ferry pier. Not quite the same in Sorrento, with the center perched high above the sea.

There is a nice sandy beach in Positano.

Based on your interests I’d recommend staying in either Amalfi of Positano, leaning towards Positano. I’d say Positano is the prettier, more romantic choice between the two. Amalfi is a little larger, and might be a little lively at night. Amalfi’s big advantage is that it is THE transportation hub on the coast. You can easily get a bus or ferry to pretty much anywhere (ferry schedule may be winding down that time of year.) So, if you just want relax I’d say Positano. If you want to explore the coast more, I’d say Amalfi.

I think Sorrento is only a good choice if you’re using it as a base to see Pompeii/Naples, which you did not mention.

And also Capri.

I strongly recommend staying in just one town, and use the ferries to get around--but check they will still be running. We spent 4 nights in Positano, with day trips to Amalfi, Ravello, and Capri. We had a car because our friend is willing to drive and did a great job, but we didn't use it to get around the Amalfi Coast, only to get there from Rome.

I'm going to agree with Barb and Chani. Train to Salerno from Rome. It can be a real timesaver.
I wouldn't however stay in Salerno, while it has a nice old town, it's still a town of 120,000.

You have to decide if you want to stay in Amalfi or Positano.

Positano, while beautiful with great views and some wonderful restaurants, can be extremely crowded. There's also the many, many steps to climb. Shopping is a sport here.

Amalfi is not as picturesque, but is the transportation hub of the area, making day trips easier. Ravello is 30 minutes by bus, Positano 20 minutes by ferry. Making rest of the southern coast (Minori, Maiori, Vietri sul Mare) easier to reach.

Ferry and bus schedules
https://www.positano.com

If you do have an interest in Pompeii, there's
A bus trip from both towns.
https://www.positano.com/en/c/sunland-travel

Since you're headed back to Naples, and if you would like to include this, check to see if they would let you take your luggage, which you can check at the entrance then continue to Naples on the Circumvesuvian, 35 minutes, when you're finished exploring the site.

I think it depends how often you like to relocate. Some like to have one base, and for that reason will like staying in Sorrento. However, I don't mind relocating even for one night, because often I really like to explore a town early in the morning or the evening. I also like to stay in the prettiest towns, and for that reason I will never choose Sorrento or Salerno.

I really like Positano and Capri. Ravello is spectacular and I loved my time there. I did do the trail Ravello to Amalfi (via Praiano) with a 5 and 2 years old, and it was not that hard. It was mostly steps down. I prefer to experience the Amalfi Coast from different locations, but we also really travel light and switching does not bother me and suit my purposes. Capri has some, in my opinion, some of the best hiking trails. Check capri.net for ideas.

Amalfi is lively, and I prefered it to Praiano.

So to answer your question, I would pick 2 bases: Capri and Positano or Amalfi. Or you can do Ravello and Positano or Amalfi.

You are in luck if you like beaches and music. Festa del Pesce (Festival of Fish) is the last Saturday night of September every year on Fornillo beach in Positano. The entire town comes alive with festivities. (I copied this)

We were there a year and half ago. They had a great band right on the beach. Much of the fish is fried but it was a time to experience a fun festival. Fornillo beach is not the main beach in Positano, if you are facing the town there is a walkway to the right which takes you to Fornillo Beach. You can go through the tunnel or around on the walkway. Really cool. There are bars set up on Fornillo beach and you can arrive early and eat at one of these or have drinks and appetizers as we did. Music was great. Oh, I think I already said that.

Have fun!

Gloria