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Rome, Amalfi Coast and Sicily

Went off to Rome in September. Had a fine time, saw all the sites. Weather was good, but it was very warm and humid.
Here are some points--
--Took taxis all over the place because it was the best way to get around, especially if you can't walk that great like me.
--Stayed at Hotel Rosetta on Via Cavour. Decent hotel and room, but lots of stairs and no elevator. Only a few blocks from the Colosseum and the Forums. Some good restaurants in the neighborhood. Can have a nice evening walk from there to Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps.
--The Pantheon now costs $5 to get in; one line for cash and another for credit card.
--I brought long pants and a long-sleeved shirt because I always read they would be needed for the dress code to get into St. Peter's and the Sistine Chapel. Turned out I was the only one. Everyone was wearing shorts and short-sleeved shirts. Women weren't bare-shouldered but wore shorts, or short dresses, and short-sleeved blouses. So a dress code doesn't happen or not enforced. Of course, you always want to dress decently.

Amalfi Coast--
What can I say about this. Not the best experience. Summer haze smothered the coastline and the beautiful scenery, so nothing to see there. Positano and Amalfi Town, unfortunately, are now world-class tourist traps. When you have tens of thousands of people crammed into small towns built for no more than a few thousand, it's not a good experience. Shops abound everywhere (mostly for women), with only a few people shopping inside them. Tourists just wander around looking at things, trying to find the charms of each town that are now too hard to find. On a hot, humid day in September, after an hour, I just wanted to get out of there. I took the boat ride down the coast instead of the bus or taxi. Though the coast road may be interesting, the views are covered up by the haze, but on the boat, you can see the coastline and all the towns along the way. The ferry is comfortable and not too expensive. To have a better time here, only go there in April or May. That's what Rick Steves does. The haze shouldn't be as bad and the crowds smaller. Any other time is basically a waste.

Sicily-- I spent four days here and it wasn't enough. Stayed in Palermo and Taormina. Rome Went down to Agrigento to see the Greek ruins on a hot and humid day. But I could only brush over the main sites, not enough time to really get into it. Driving around wasn't too bad. If you rent a car and use its GPS, don't simply take the route it chooses. Check other routes that may end up being faster. Again, just like everywhere in southern Italy, come in the spring for cooler weather.

Safe travels.
Tom

Posted by
5623 posts

Tom, we were in Sorrento / AC in May this year. Same experience in Positano and Amalfi town- just too crowded for comfort, so just didn't seem charming. Shoulder season has disappeared. We had unseasonal rain, so it was three days before we could even see the base of Vesuvius.
One and done for us.
The area is a victim of its Instagram success.
Wishing you great travels in the future!

Posted by
4597 posts

Again, just like everywhere in southern Italy, come in the spring for
cooler weather.

Tom, shush yourself. Don't tell people to come earlier, that's when I like to go. I want it all to myself.

Posted by
7821 posts

I was also at the Amalfi Coast in September, and although crowded, the skies were completely clear. I have some gorgeous photos of us from one of the main gardens in Ravello where my daughter & I were the only ones in that section for 20 minutes - very memorable!

We did like staying in Salerno, too.

Posted by
748 posts

Tom, thanks for a nice report and especially your honesty about Sorrento and the Amalfi coast.Dad and I dud a day trip bt bus down the coast from Naples. We went because dad's golf buddies loved Sorrento and ' he had to see it'.
He was so disappointed...said it was just souvenir shops. He did enjoy the drive though.
I read so many posts here raving about Sorrento and the coast and I don't get it. I did visit this area 30 years ago and it was lovely. Now it's just stores. IMHO, I would not go again and would not recommend it.Heresy

Posted by
573 posts

Was in Amalfi Coast in early October. Although I had clear skies and beautiful views, I have to agree that it was over crowded. Glad I went but probably won't go back or if I do it will be in Spring time to try and avoid the crowds (which I had hoped to avoid in October).

Posted by
755 posts

I have been to the AC many times starting in 2007, always in the “shoulder seasons” which sadly, no longer exist. The last visit was in April 2022 and it was as the OP described, although there was no haze. Way too many people and way too much commercial development. It all changed when the cruise ships started arriving and all the little towns lost their individual charm and became greedy tourist traps. Very sad to see.

Posted by
1155 posts

We were in Positano in late March/early April this year and although it was not very crowded, there are some drawbacks to this time of year. It was too chilly for the beach, the flowers were not quite blooming in all their glory, and some things were not open yet.

BUT - I'd still choose this time of year over the hoards of people any day (sorry, Allan, to let the secret out). I think in the past shops didn't open until after Easter, but with the season stretching out, nearly everything was open or opened while we were there (we left on April 2).

Regardless of when you choose to go, I think the weather can be a crapshoot. I follow Nicky "Positano" on Instagram and have seen some wild weather pics that didn't match what you'd expect! We expected rain and chill but had glorious sunshine most of the time we were there. I think before and after was a monsoon!

Posted by
5623 posts

@celeste, yes, we experienced the "monsoon" this past year 2023 in Mid-May. Conditions were definitely not ideal.
Happy travels to all!