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Naples & Amalfi Coast Itinerary critique please

Naples & Amalfi Coast Itinerary critique please

Old Jul 20th, 2015, 04:05 AM
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Naples & Amalfi Coast Itinerary critique please

I have read many of the threads and trip reports and have devised the following itinerary for 13.5 days/14 nights in Naples & Amalfi Coast. Traveling last 2 weeks in June 2016 with 2 adults and 12 yr old daughter. We will rent a car and like to take day trips to see historical sites, pretty villages, beaches, etc. We like to hike and see nature but also museums, castles, etc. Basically open to anything and even though many towns in AC are close by we don't mind changing hotels a few times for a different experience. I am not sure how we are getting to the area yet but that will come but I believe we can get to Sorrento mid-day on our first day.

2.5 days/3 nights Sorrento (day trip to Vesuvius & Herculaneum)
2 nights Capri
2 nights Positano
4 nights Amalfi (separate day trips to Paestum and Pompeii)
3 nights Naples

I am contemplating removing 1 day from Amalfi and adding it to Naples as we do like cities and there seems a lot to do in Naples (culture, markets, etc.). Thank you for your help.
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Old Jul 20th, 2015, 04:17 AM
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You can do just as well using 3 hotels and not 5. And, I would not drive at all that time of year. See Pompeii and Vesuvius from Naples not Amalfi.
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Old Jul 20th, 2015, 04:20 AM
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A day trip from Amalfi to Pompeii would be VERY onerous - you would have to take the usually very mobbed SITA bus to Sorrento and the local train from there - a real trek.

Once beyond Sorrento you should look at using ferries - much more pleasant and you can get a seat instead of standing - but do watch the schedule since they don't run that often.
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Old Jul 20th, 2015, 04:24 AM
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Sorry - if you do decide to rent a car be sure that your hotels have parking (many don't). And what would you do with it when you go to Capri (you can;t bring it with you.)
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Old Jul 20th, 2015, 05:06 AM
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For the logistics of Paestum, it would be better to stay in Salerno rather than Sorrento, which you can easily reach your first day (if you are landing in Rome airport). Up to you whether you want to rent a car in Salerno to visit Pompei and Paestum (I suggest visiting a mozzerella maker near Paestum as well). However, if you can also visit these places fairly easily using public transportation from Salerno.

After Salerno, you could reach Capri by ferry, or you could go next to the Amalfi towns by ferry, bus or taxi. If you have a car, you could drive from Salerno to the Amalfi towns, and then drop off the car in Sorrento to take a ferry to Capri.

Even with a car, it is not easy to visit both Vesuvius and Pompei in the same day, especially in June, when it is likely to be very hot in both places in the afternoon. So I would suggest nicking one day off the Amalfi coast (5 nights instead of 6) and adding a day/night to Naples so it is possible to visit Vesuvius in the morning.

Personally, I would probably skip renting a car for this itinerary, and rather than have hotel rooms in both Amalfi town and Positano, I would rent an apartment with a terrace and pool in just one of them. Amalfi is a bit better situation if you want to include Ravello as a day trip. I think it is possible that Positano is better situated if you want to hike the Path of the Gods -- but I could be wrong about that.

So here is how I (personally) would do your wish list

Arr Rome, head to Salerno
While in Salerno, do a morning trip to Pompei, a separate day trip to Paestum and a mozzerella maker
Taxi to Amalfi apartment
Day trips and hikes to nearby towns
Ferry to Capri
Ferry to Naples
While in Naples, visit Vesuvius in the morning
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Old Jul 20th, 2015, 06:08 PM
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Should be a great trip!

"Sorrento (day trip to Vesuvius & Herculaneum)"

I agree with others -- visit both from Naples. Or from Salerno [see the comments about Pompeii].

You might consider skipping Sorrento -- I believe that it is more of a pleasant base from which to see the region, rather than a destination in and of itself. I could be mistaken....

"Amalfi (separate day trips to Paestum and Pompeii)"

As others note, Pompeii is also better visited from Naples or Salerno than from Amalfi.

And I agree that Salerno is the best base for magnificent Paestum -- and I thought Salerno a vastly underrated city. It seems that many guidebooks (still) do not cover Salerno, so do a search of this Board for more information and then consider whether spending a night or two there might work for you.

"We will rent a car"

Your choice, of course, but I'm very glad I relied on public transportation while in this part of the world. As nytraveler and sandralist suggest, a car will NOT serve you well in most of the places you plan to visit, and could even prove to be an incumbrance.

"I am contemplating ... adding [time] to Naples as we do like cities and there seems a lot to do in Naples (culture, markets, etc.)"

Absolutely! Naples is a city with an incredible wealth of options, IMO, and well worth more time -- and I think your itinerary has room to allow more time there.


IMO, sandralist has given you a viable alternative. My only quibbles are minor: You might consider taking either a ferry or a bus, rather than a taxi, from Salerno to Amalfi. Since you aren't averse to changing hotels with some frequency, it might be nice to spend some nights in both Amalfi and Positano, but ONLY if it suits your purposes better than cutting back on changes in hotels. And I think the option sandralist presents could be reversed if it suits your needs better. For that decision, you'll need to check opening hours on the days you will be in the area.

Hope that helps!
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Old Jul 20th, 2015, 10:55 PM
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I would base in Amalfi OR Positano and stay there for the week. From our B&B which was on the road from Amalfi to Ravello we did day trips by car to Pompeii and Paestum. Admittedly after driving again in this area last year, a tour might be better. Traffic especially with bikers and motorcycles has become a hazardous sport. You can take the ferry from Capri to Amalfi. Ferries also run from Amalfi to Positano and Salerno. They are very pleasant.
You can do the walk of gods from Amalfi, taking the bus to Bomerano and starting there. You will wind up in the tiny Nocelle and from there can bus or (long walk) down to Positano and take the ferry back to Amalfi.
I am not impressed with Salerno which I have visited several times and find drab although it also makes a nice ferry ride from Amalfi. There is a Sita bus which runs between Sorrento, Positano, and Amalfi. If you can possibly avoid it, do so. It's winding, late, hot, and crowded.
Sorrento has the most fun shopping, your daughter will have fun in the old historical alley that has lots of shops.
This is my favorite area of the world and I hope you enjoy it.
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