Need Help Planning Amalfi Coast Trip
Jul 19th, 2007, 05:08 AM
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Need Help Planning Amalfi Coast Trip
We're planning to fly into Rome, stay overnight, and drive down to the Amalfi coast for 3 nights. Sounds like Sorrento is the recommended place to stay. Is that right? Any itinerary suggestions? We're with our 3 kids (13,11,7). Hotel suggestions?
Jul 19th, 2007, 05:20 AM
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Sorrento has a better nightlife, more shopping and dining options, and all the locals fill the streets for a evening passeggiata. Very enjoyable. Plus you have a good amount of hotels to select from.
Jul 19th, 2007, 08:29 AM
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Check Tripadvisor.com for hotel/B&B's in Sorrento and VRBO (Vacation Rentals By Owner) for apartments. IMO, Sorrento makes an ideal base to explore this region. You do NOT need a car, and driving the famous Amalfi coast road (from Amalfi to Vietri, for example) will give even the bravest souls a heart attack. From Sorrento, you can visit Pompeii (by train - recommend hiring a guide at Pompeii), Capri and Positano by ferry or just enjoy the ambiance of Sorrento itself.
Jul 20th, 2007, 02:36 PM
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Thanks. I'm checking the hotels. Do you think we're better off with or without a car. I figured that being 5 of us, it's probably cheaper to rent a car than keep taking public transportation. Does that make sense?
Jul 21st, 2007, 10:26 AM
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Well if you stay at either of those 2 hotels, your in the heart of town and don't need a car. It depends what else you plan on doing. You can take a ferry or hydrofoil over to Capri, or to Napoli. If your going to do the amalfi coast you can easily catch a bus from Sorrento, or hire private driver or taxi service. Coming from Roma you can just take the train via Napoli to Sorrento.
But when I think of a family of 5, a midsize rental is probably going to be easier, plus you can stop along the way to see Pompeii and or Montecassino.
But when I think of a family of 5, a midsize rental is probably going to be easier, plus you can stop along the way to see Pompeii and or Montecassino.
Jul 29th, 2007, 12:45 PM
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We just returned from a trip. I'm working on a trip report right now that's titled Normandy...Greece with Middle School Boys. I haven't posted the report on Amalfi yet but will in the next two days. We stayed in Hotel Poseidon in Positano and loved loved loved it. We took a Caprese boat tour all the way around Capri one day and then up to Anacapri and it was the highlight of our whole trip. Sorrento would have been easier to base out of but we so enjoyed staying in Positano. Our kids are ages 14 and 11.
Jul 29th, 2007, 04:38 PM
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zorrosf -
Sorry - I'm not the bravest soul and driving the Amalfi Drive is no big deal at all. (Negotiating traffic in New York is often more difficult - and Rome is definitely scarier.)
It's true that it can be incredibly irritating in summer, since traffic is so slow. And you can have a lot of trouble finding a place to park in July/August. But unless you're a very nervous driver there's nothing frightening about the drive.
(The road is carved into the side of a cliff but there's a very substantial stone wall between the road and the drop-off. I can;t imagine how you wold ever get a car over or through it. A bigger risk is scraping your passenger side mirror if you drive on the northbound lane.)
Sorry - I'm not the bravest soul and driving the Amalfi Drive is no big deal at all. (Negotiating traffic in New York is often more difficult - and Rome is definitely scarier.)
It's true that it can be incredibly irritating in summer, since traffic is so slow. And you can have a lot of trouble finding a place to park in July/August. But unless you're a very nervous driver there's nothing frightening about the drive.
(The road is carved into the side of a cliff but there's a very substantial stone wall between the road and the drop-off. I can;t imagine how you wold ever get a car over or through it. A bigger risk is scraping your passenger side mirror if you drive on the northbound lane.)
Jul 29th, 2007, 05:15 PM
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ranlee, do you plan to drop your car at Sorrento or park it? If you plan to park it in Sorrento or on the Amalfi coast, make sure your hotel has parking and take the coast of parking into consideration. I agree with Sorrento as a base if you're planning to go to Pompeii or Herculaneum. Otherwise, you may prefer staying on the Amalfi coast itself. However, Sorrento, perched on a cliff overlooking the Gulf of Naples is not so bad itself.
Jul 29th, 2007, 05:24 PM
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I love Sorrento and would definitely stay there. As for a car: it may seem obvious with 5 but in the area it may be impractical. Parking will be difficult and you can easily and inexpensively take buses, trains and boats. Take a bus ride down the Amalfi Coast and stop to see Positano, Amalfi and Ravello for a day trip. Take a boat to Capri for a day. And the Circumvesuviana train will easily take you to Pompeii. Have fun!
Jul 29th, 2007, 05:39 PM
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I am not sure where we're staying but many of the hotels include parking. The hotels I've checked out have very mixed reviews. Any recommendations in Sorrento or elsewhere (ie:Capri...).
Thanks.
Thanks.
Jul 29th, 2007, 05:49 PM
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ranlee,
What is your budget? Two four-stars that I'd recommend are: Bellevue Syrene, and The Hotel Tramontano, both of which are within easy walking distance of the old town and Piazza Tasso.
And yes, as much as I love Positano (which is much more charming and beautiful than Sorrento), if I were going with kids, I'd pick Sorrento instead. Positano is a city of stairs, and my kids quickly tired of the climb back and forth to town. Also, Positano caters more to the honeymoon/couples crowd than to families. But if you ever get a week to travel solo with your husband, make a reservation for one of the jr. suites at The Hotel Poseidon. For me, that hotel defines "Heaven on Earth."
What is your budget? Two four-stars that I'd recommend are: Bellevue Syrene, and The Hotel Tramontano, both of which are within easy walking distance of the old town and Piazza Tasso.
And yes, as much as I love Positano (which is much more charming and beautiful than Sorrento), if I were going with kids, I'd pick Sorrento instead. Positano is a city of stairs, and my kids quickly tired of the climb back and forth to town. Also, Positano caters more to the honeymoon/couples crowd than to families. But if you ever get a week to travel solo with your husband, make a reservation for one of the jr. suites at The Hotel Poseidon. For me, that hotel defines "Heaven on Earth."
Jul 29th, 2007, 05:50 PM
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Hi ranlee,
We are a family of five (kids 19, 16, 13) and stayed in Sorrento at Rota Suites. Admittedly in winter so prices probably cheaper but I can't recommend this place highly enough. Has parking, walking to Piazza Tasso and the harbour. We drove from Rome to Sorrento. We took train to Pompeii and did a day trip to Capri which we all loved. We also drove the Amalfi coast which is not in any shape or form scary. We had more trouble with the traffic getting into Sorrento than anything -but not scary just a little irritating.
We are a family of five (kids 19, 16, 13) and stayed in Sorrento at Rota Suites. Admittedly in winter so prices probably cheaper but I can't recommend this place highly enough. Has parking, walking to Piazza Tasso and the harbour. We drove from Rome to Sorrento. We took train to Pompeii and did a day trip to Capri which we all loved. We also drove the Amalfi coast which is not in any shape or form scary. We had more trouble with the traffic getting into Sorrento than anything -but not scary just a little irritating.
