where to base for Pompeii, Paestum, Herculaneum, and Amalfi Coast last two weeks of April?

We spent 2 weeks in Sorrento in late April/early May in 2023 and loved it. Here's my Trip Report if it helps. https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/trip-report-2-weeks-of-day-trips-from-sorrento
Transportation in the region is chaotic, confusing and unreliable, even in April, so the less you can move around with luggage the better. Personally, when we go back we'll likely spend a few days in Capri, we both enjoyed it far more than anything we saw along the Amalfi Coast. Sorrento has plenty of restaurants to keep you happy every evening.

If we were to stay on the Amalfi Coast we'd likely choose Amalfi Town just because it is the primary transportation hub along the AC.

Consider splitting your time between Salerno and Sorrento.
Don’t skip Paestum- easy train from Salerno
Visit Pompeii, Ercolano, etc from Sorrento

From Salerno use the ferry to visit AC towns
End in Salerno as there is a direct fast train to Rome

There are a lot of threads here discussing Salerno - less expensive, less touristy, less crowded, great food, lovely waterfront, etc

Paestum is so far from Sorrento that you will need to change hotels, or stay in Salerno, which has less convenient/fast transport than Sorrento. However, Salerno is less touristy, if a medium sized city.

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/sorrento-amalfi-coast-best-way-to-see-them

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/amalfi-coast-for-5-days-where-to-set-base-from

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/amalfi-coast-for-7-nights-itinerary-help

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/trip-report-2-weeks-of-day-trips-from-sorrento

Thanks everyone, this is good info to start planning. Wil be back for more I'm sure:)

We just got back from 17 days in Italy. We stayed in Salerno for 4 nights and did day trips to Pompeii and Paestum by train and to Amalfi by bus. We also spent a few hours in Vietri sul Mare, taking the bus there and the train back. I really liked Salerno for it's convenience, great restaurants and generally lower prices because it's not just a tourist town. We didn't have enough time to explore the city itself, next time!

Trenitalia regional train to Pompeii was easy and convenient. There's a 10-15 minute walk from the station to the entrance. I liked Pompeii but next time would definitely hire a guide, it's pretty overwhelming to do on your own and the signage isn't great. We did do the Rick Steve's audio walking tour, but in reverse, which I don't recommend (we came in the entrance closest to the amphitheater, rather than near the forum).

Regional train to Paestum was also very easy, there's a half mile walk from the station to the park but it's straight and flat. Paestum was incredible. You can do it by yourself because the signs are very informative. I wished we had more time to visit a buffalo farm nearby but had a nice lunch La Bottega del Gusto, across from the entrance near the temple of Athena.

We took the bus from Salerno to Amalfi on a Saturday in late October. We heeded advice on this forum to walk to the beginning of the bus line, there's one stop before the train station about 10 minutes away. We got a seat on the bus (picked the wrong side, should have sat on the left side going out). By the time the bus got to the train station only about a quarter of the people waiting there got on, all standing - the rest had to wait for the next bus. I think it was more crowded because the ferry was cancelled due to weather conditions. All 4 days we were there (Oct 24-27) the ferry was cancelled, and the weather seemed ok. They base it on wind and sea conditions, I'm sure. The bus ride in both directions was an adventure. On the way to Amalfi, the back door wouldn't close and we sat for 15 minutes at the last stop before Amalfi while they worked on it. On the way back, the bus spent 15 minutes going forward and backward a few feet at a time, trying to get around another bus (the crowd broke into applause when we finally made it).

The bus/train R/T to Vietri sul Mare on a Sunday afternoon/evening was much easier. It's the same bus, but by the afternoon, the crowds heading toward the Amalfi Coast are much smaller, we got a seat easily from the train station. The train ride back was fast and uneventful.

Our original plan was to spend 2 nights in Amalfi, 2 nights in Salerno. I'm really glad we decided to base all 4 nights in Salerno. I was surprised at how crowded the town of Amalfi was on a Saturday in late October. We aren't big shoppers, so just browsed a little, grabbed lunch and walked straight up from the city center on the main road and found a path that ended up being a nice hike in the woods with pretty good views and aways from the crowds (La Passagiata La Selva). I'm sure if we did our homework we would have found more extensive walking/hiking options.

I mind switching hotels less than spending 3 plus hours a day commuting. I have stayed in Sorrento and we liked it. On that trip we visited Pompeii and the Amalfi cities. I have also stayed in Salerno--now that's an underrated city. When we stayed in Salerno we used it for Paestum, Salerno itself and some of the smaller Amalfi Coast cities.

If I wanted to stay on the Amalfi coast, I'd stay in Amalfi town.

Have you been to Naples? IMO, another underrated city.

If you haven't stayed in Naples, I'd recommend staying there a few nights to visit the city, Herculaneum and the Naples Archaeology Museum. Then I'd stay in Sorrento for Pompeii, to see Sorrento and perhaps Positano. From there, I'd stay in Salerno to visit Salerno, some of the more southern Amalfi coast cities and Paestum. Salerno is pretty well connected to both Paestum and the Amalfi Coast cities by bus. We stayed in a very nice Salerno hotel (had included breakfast) on the main tourist street that was by the train/bus station.

Please don't stay in Sorrento and visit Paestum.

I'd also see Pompeii from Naples. There are also good hotels in the town of Pompeii, which has some great restaurants as well..

If you want a less touristed town to stay in, consider Cetara. There's one main street that feels, and looks, like what the coastal towns must have been 50 years ago. Small port area with beach. It's considered the food capital of the AC, and quite close to Salerno, and Vietri and, therefore, easy to reach Paestum. If food is really a big interest, I would tell you not to miss it, even if you go only for a meal. There are several excellent restaurants but the one I always return to is AQUAPAZZA.

Another vote for Salerno - it is perfect for seeing everything on your list except Herculaneum.
Decent access to Pompeii, best access to Paestum and the AC by either ferry or bus. The AC ferries should be running by the second half of April and I think the AC is best seen from the water.

Naples is about 45 minutes away by train for day trips and the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli which you didn't mention but should not miss. From Salerno you would need to head through Naples to get to Herculaneum which will probably make it a bit more than an hour. If you do Pompeii I would definitely do Paestum over Herculaneum if you are only going to do one. Paestum has standing Greek temples and an excellent museum - hopefully the second floor of Roman artifacts will be open. Herculaneum is worth seeing and more "intimate" than Pompeii but Paestum is just a different beast.

I would split some time between Salerno and Sorrento if you want a more resorty stay or Naples if you want a more urban experience. If you want completely off-piste suggestion maybe some time in Caserta as a third option.

Despite being a port town Salerno has excellent sea and land based options in restaurants. Go on a hunt for the murals in town for a local experience. Check out the trails from upper Vietri Sul Mare and The Path of Lemons for hiking opportunities.

Have a great trip,
=Tod

To check-off the interest you mentioned: Pompeii, Paestum, Herculaneum, Amalfi Coast and scenic place I would do the following:

I would spend three nights in Salerno and visit Paestum from there.

Then spend three nights in Amalfi and visit Ravello, Positano, Atrani, etc. from Amalfi. You need to be based in the AC to get a full picture of the AC. A day trip that spends three or four hours in the middle of the day split among three towns doesn’t cut it.

Then spend three nights in Capri. You mentioned you want a scenic place, well, Capri is it. Similarly to the AC, a day trip to Capri doesn’t cut it.

Then spend three nights in Naples and visit Pompeii and Herculaneum from there.

Thank you Marco, this looks like a fantastic itinerary. We want to go to Salerno first (to make it our long travel day after landing in Rome at 9 am on Sunday) and then make our way to A/C, Sorrento, possibly Capri. We hadn't planned on staying in Naples, but doing day trips from Sorrento to Pompeii, Herc and NAMM, though this may be too much back and forth as I know we couldn't do all three sights in one day. We have to be in Rome on the evening of May 1st for our flight the next day. Pompeii but it is closed on May 1st for the holiday. Thoughts?

Well, it looks like you have a consensus, since most of us said the same thing as Marco. Essentially using Salerno to cover the places to the south and Naples/Sorrento to cover your sites to the north. I think you will find the public transportation into the Amalfi Coast from Salerno better than from Sorrento.

Jules, could you expand on your comment about the transportation into the A/C better than from Sorrento? We do plan on staying 3 nights in Amalfi and visiting Positano from there.

Jules, could you expand on your comment about the transportation into
the A/C better than from Sorrento?

Pretty sure he means transportation from Salerno to AC towns is much easier/quicker than from Sorrento

Thank you Christine,

We found many more bus options from Salerno than from Sorrento. Buses to and from Sorrento to Amalfi were always packed.

I'd like to hear opinions on NAMM. Is it essential to see it? Would seeing it before Pompeii give greater appreciation for Pompeii?

Usually recommended to see before Pompeii
But after is fine if that works better

We just did a day trip to Pompeii from Salerno last month and didn't think it was too far. Trenitalia regional train. If you decide to limit your Naples stay or can't fit in Pompeii from either Naples or Sorrento, that's another possibility.
We went to the Archeology museum in Naples in 2022, the day after we went to Herculaneum, it's definitely worth seeing, not sure if it matters before or after.

Thank you for this, we have just been discussing going to Pompeii from Salerno. It might be a good option for us

Im suprised naples isnt the winner here. Its maybe 45 minutes to pompeii. Like a half hr to Herculaneum. Just over an hr to paestum and a half hr to Baiae. Im planning to see the same sites at roughly the same time. Naples area has a LOT to see. Im also heading up to Capua to see the amphitheater. Its also a lot easier to get to rome. Amalfi is a quick train or ferry away as well. And that whole coast can be an absolute tourist hellscape lately, especially amalfi itself.

Amalfi is a quick train or ferry away as well.

There are no trains to Amalfi.

I really liked Naples, more than I ever thought. We didn't get to the archaeology museum until a couple years after we went to Pompeii, but visited the day before we went to Herculaneum. I don't think the order really matters. In regards to base for some of these sites, in Salerno we had a wonderful hotel right in the middle of what we wanted to see across the street from the train and bus station. In Naples, I think it'd be fine to stay by Centrale, but we really liked our hotel location by Piazza Bellini and the archaeology museum. Piazza Bellini was maybe 20 minutes from Centrale, so there is the time it takes to get to the train station. So for visiting everything but Herculaneum, if you are not going to stay by Naples Centrale, I'd give the edge to staying in Salerno. Of course, the day we went to Herculaneum there was a metro strike so we had to walk back to Piazza Bellini.

pencil stealer, I appreciate your thoughts on Naples, but I can only take big cities in small doses. And as far as the coast I know it can be busy and touristy and hot, so we have chosen the last 2 weeks of April in hopes of avoiding most of the chaos that comes from visiting from May - October.

We hadn't planned on staying in Naples, but doing day trips from Sorrento to Pompeii, Herc and NAMM

I’ve stayed in both, one right after the other, and I recommend Naples. It has a chaotic, gritty vibe that’s kind of unique and great to experience. In addition to the Archaeological Museum, Naples has several attractions well worth visiting, such as the Chiesa del Gesu, the Naples Duomo, the Sansevero Chapel, and the Capodimonte Museum. With a three-night stay and two day trips, you would run out of time before seeing everything Naples has to offer.

Thank you for this, we have just been discussing going to Pompeii from
Salerno. It might be a good option for us.

I don't think it's been mentioned but Trenitalia from Salerno will take you to the Pompei-town station, which is followed by a 1/2 - 3/4 mile walk to the Pompei Anfiteatro entrance. Not that bad if it's a nice day--you get to walk through the charming town and then to the closest entrance. If you want to arrive at the Porta Marina entrance, you'd have to take Trenitalia from Salerno to Napoli Centrale station, then walk either upstairs or downstairs (can't remember!) to take the Circumvesuviana commuter train to the Pompei Scavi station, which is very near the Porta Marina entrance. In my opinion...not worth it.

Two weeks is a luxury in that area. I guess I'd agree with others in that I'd split the lodging--a week in Salerno (look at Hotel Plaza directly across from the Salerno Centrale station), and then a week on the A.C itself, which does not include Sorrento, which is a fine place to stay (with tremendous restaurants, best on the peninsula), but not on the A.C. But to hike and navigate the coast, you had better be on it. We've never actually stayed on the A.C...have stayed twice in Salerno, once in Sorrento.

But...if I were going to stay there, with reports from people I know that have visited, I would not stay in Positano, or probably even Amalfi-town--too busy--and look at little towns like Minori, Maiori, Cetara or even Vietri sul Mare. Just remember, we were on the A.C. in Ravello and Minori this year in mid-April, and it was very, very busy on a Friday, almost to gridlock stage. Whether that busyness was because of Jubilee this year I can't say. But if you don't like crowds, you may be better off basing in Salerno the whole time at Hotel Plaza--around 100 Euro/night, and that includes a nice breakfast. We did 4 nights there and could have stayed there a lot longer--so convenient. And Salerno is just a nice place to come home to each night after a day of touring.