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Your Thoughts Please - Ravello as AC Home Base?

Three family members and I (all adults) will be on Rick’s BOI 17 days Sept/Oct 2019. We’ve already booked a pre tour night in Milan. Now we are looking into the Amalfi Coast for 3 nights post tour. And then a return to Rome for our last night before flying home.

Goal for AC is to wind down, relax a bit and stay in one place for 3 nights while still getting in a bit of sightseeing. But we definitely don’t want to be running ourselves ragged. So far we are leaning towards Pompeii and possibly Capri. Neither are cast in concrete. We are not night clubbers. One of our party is an avid photographer.

With those in mind, we were originally thinking possibly train from Rome to Naples with Sorrento chosen as home base. Maybe hit Pompeii on the way from Rome (I’ve read about the baggage storage options) to Sorrento. I’m over simplifying the various transportation options just to give you the big picture.

But I also have availability confirmed for Mamma Agata in Ravello if I pull the trigger soon, so I started to turn things around. That’s a pricey option and pretty much eats up the better part of a day, so it’s a commitment for sure. Reviews are outstanding and it would be my 70th birthday present. In this scenario, Train Rome to Salerno. Transport to Ravello and stay there as our base? Day trip to Pompeii if we even choose that - possibly with driver or tour company. Ravello puts us right in the middle of the AC to other towns.

For those of you who have “been there, done that”, does this seem like a workable itinerary?

Posted by
11174 posts

Sorrento is the better choice as a transportation hub,

By sometime in Oct., when you will be there I suspect traffic on the Coast road will move a bit better than the 'parade pace' it did when I was there in July. So getting from Ravello to other day trip destinations will be less grim ( i.e time consuming).

We went to Sorrento after our Best of Italy tour, as Pompeii was a 'must do' for us, before heading to visit ancestral villages.
We found Sorrento charming and we had to make do with just 2 nights there. Sadly, could not fit in Capri.

Posted by
4105 posts

This depends on what day your cooking class is in Ravello.

Day 1. Rome-Naples-Pompeii-Sorrento should work fine as long as you get an early start.

Day 2. Ferry, Sorrento-Amalfi. 10:30. 1 hour. Bus from Sorrento is around 1:30 but allows an earlier start.
Bus Amalfi-Ravello 12:15. 30 minutes.
Return to Sorrento by bus.

Day 3. Ferry Sorrento-Capri 20-30min.

Day 4. Return to Rome for flight home.

Ferry bus timetables.

https://www.positano.com

Edit: if you intend to take the last ferry from Capri, make sure you purchase that ticket and your departure from Sorrento at least the day before.

Posted by
5 posts

Thanks for input.

Our cooking class would have to be Day 3. Next morning check out of hotel and head back to Rome. Which made departure out of Salerno seem better IF we home based in Ravello.

Posted by
11153 posts

Ravenna is flat, a big plus on the AC. It is a photographer’s dream ! You can access it without driving on the AC winding highway too.

Posted by
1090 posts

That sounds like perfection and the definition of relaxation. We did the same. Mama Agata’s and Ravello are simply heaven. See if you can stay in Villa San Cosma. 😊😊

Posted by
877 posts

Three nights is not much time, and your sightseeing goals are a bit in conflict. If you’re goals are Pompeii and Capri, then stay in Sorrento those three nights and relax. If you’re set on this cooking class, I’d stay on the Amalfi coast (though not necessarily in Ravello itself) and forget about Pompeii. Ravello is awesome, but you’re a 20 min bus ride to anywhere else. Still, considering that class is basically a day, if you spent three nights in Ravello just relaxing then it works.

You could also consider staying in Sorrento, and arranging a private driver to take you to Ravello for the class. Pretty sure they’ll take you over the peninsula rather than around the coast road. If the class itself is an expensive splurge, then maybe just splurge a little more for the convenience of a driver.

Posted by
2047 posts

Mama Agata’s is a truly memorable experience. We stayed at Giuliana’s View B&B about a 500 meters walk from the class I highly recommend the b&b, but mainly if you have a car since it’s so isolated. It’s perched in a hillside with spectacular views. Also homemade baked goods for breakfast.

Posted by
4105 posts

I have to agree, Ravello is the perfect place for views and photography. You could reach Capri with a short ferry ride from Amalfi. The major problem would be doing your day to Pompeii. Which if it's not that important could be done on your way back to Rome. Salerno-Pompei then taxi to the Pompeii Scavi site where you'd check your luggage. (Note the spelling) Then take the Circumvesuvian to Naples to catch your train to Rome.

Posted by
1090 posts

We easily did Pompeii as a day trip from Ravello in our rental car. We were all stressed out based on many comments on this site, but it was so easy. We had planned an entire day for it and were back in Ravello by 2 pm when we went there. If you were going in July I might be more concerned about the drives, but given it will be October, you will be fine. We had a rental car the entire time and had no issues.

Posted by
5 posts

I thank everyone who responded so far. I agree Sorrento seems the logical choice given the transportation options. But Ravello does look sweet. I am one of a group of four to make the ultimate decision. I’m confident there will be a decision that pleases us all. I think it will be difficult to make a bad choice as there are way too many good ones to choose from.

It will be a magnificent trip, I have no doubt.