jennyh323

Hi everyone,

My fiance and I are planning a trip to Italy for our honeymoon during the last week of March in 2015 or early April. Below is our proposed itinerary:

Day 1-3 Rome
Day 4 Naples
Day 5 Day trip to Pompeii (back to Naples at night)
Day 6 Sorrento & Capri
Day 7 Amalfi Coast
Day 8 Amalfi Coast
Day 9 Fly out of Naples

We need help planning our south Italy portion of the trip. Are the days listed a good length of time to spend in each area? Should we explore other parts?

Thanks!!!

yorkshire

I suggest you go straight from Rome to the Amalfi coast. It requires a bit more travel that first day, but you will most likely need to stay in Naples the night before your departure--unless you have a very late departure time (otherwise I do not recommend having to get from the AC to the airport in a morning). If you go to the AC first, note you can take a train to Salerno instead.
There is no need to overnight in Sorrento in addition to the AC if you stick with your plan to visit Pompeii from Naples. Note that a lot of people visit Pompeii on the way to or from the AC. Then you can choose one base.
I do not understand day 6. You should probably leave the Capri day trip up to chance--weather can be uncooperative at that time of year.

nytraveler

Sorry but I think March is to early for the Amalfi coast. It's off season and many places (hotels and restaurants) will be closed, ferries are either not running or on a very limited schedule and if seas are rough you may not be able to get to Capri (and the Blue Grotto is unavailable unless the sea is perfectly flat). To me, a beach resort in off season can be romantic - if that's what you want - but you must understand it's not summer - no pool or beach.

I think it's fine to head there for Naples, the Archeo museum and Pompeii - but not the beach towns.

We have been to the area several times and love it - but we usually go end of May for good weather but not the worst of the crowds yet. Usually hotels are opening pools then.

jennyh323

Thanks yorkshire! Do you suggest the following? We added Sorrento and Capri for transportation purpose. Since it seems like to get to the Amalfi Coast from Rome, you need to stop at Naples and Sorrento.

Day 1-3 Rome
Day 4 Amalfi Coast
Day 5 Amalfi Coast (train to Salerno)
Day 6 Amalfi Coast
Day 7 Day trip to Pompeii (back to Naples at night)
Day 8 Naples
Day 9 Fly out of Naples

yorkshire

nytraveler makes excellent points more effectively than I did with my Capri comment. jenny, can you clarify what you are expecting from the AC? If it is just the scenery and perhaps some hiking, then it should be okay provided you don't get rained out (though that can also be romantic ...). I would definitely shoot for April, and also look at typical seasonal weather at wunderground.com

yorkshire

Yes that looks better (I understand you meant getting to the AC via Salerno on day 4), but do follow up about the info posted above about the weather and season. I think enough would be open that Amalfi or Positano would not feel lifeless in April, but March may be cutting it close.
I like that you have given a whole day to Naples--if you care about seeing Pompeii, you probably want to see the treasures removed from Pompeii that are housed in the archaeological museum at the very least. Naples is fun!

jennyh323

Thanks nytravler! I didn't even think about the beach not being open late March/early April. I think we are ok not lounging by pool or beach. yorkshire recommended Salerno. Should we dedicate a day to it?

yorkshire

I just meant you can change trains in Salerno (to get to Amalfi, Positano, or nearby) instead of Naples, as it can be more convenient. Though I certainly enjoyed passing through Salerno (and had a good lunch there), I would not dedicate one of your precious days there.

nytraveler

There are NO TRAINS on the AMalfi coast.

You can take a local train from Naples to Sorrento - after that transit is by bus or cab. Or you can take the train south of the AC to Salerno - but from there you have to go north by bus or cab.

We always have a rental car - but our Sorrento hotel has private parking (very few hotels do) and it doesn't look like you will have a car.

I would lay out specifically what you want to see and do in each place and then decide if it makes sense to be there based on your requirements (what will you do on the AC if you get 2 days of chilly rain?)

yorkshire

of course--I meant change from train to bus, but should have worded more carefully without knowledge that OP has read that far yet.

jennyh323

Thanks everyone! I'll narrow down AC a bit more and report back.

socaltraveler

I would seriously rethink late March/early April on the Amalfi Coast. It is far more of a seasonal destination than you may realize, and a honeymoon in the rain could be no fun. Problem is you really cannot plan the weather. I think you might find many small inns and restaurants not yet open for the season yet as well. My 2 cents.

WWK

I agree with the posts above. At that time of year, you might be better off staying in the cities instead of going to the coast. Any chance you can move your trip to May or early June? Then you will see the Amalfi Coast at its best!