silvermist3

Hi!

We are a couple in our mid 20's from NYC looking to do a 10 day (possibly 2 weeks) trip in May. We mainly want to see breathtaking sights, eat tasty authentic Italian food with views, take scenic walks on cliffs etc. without feeling rushed with too many early morning daytrips.

I thought 10 days would be great for the Amalfi Coast but many itineraries I looked up seem to say that the area is too small...?

Questions:
1. What is an ideal itinerary/length to see Naples (just to check it out, get pizza , Pompeii, Capri, and the Amalfi Coast? Don't need to see Rome/Florence etc. again on this trip.

2. With 10 days-2 weeks, could we add Sicily into the mix? How far is it by ferry/train?

3. How is the weather/popularity in May? Is early May better or closer to June?

4. Any recommendations for a cliffside view room with balcony for under $250/night in Positano?

Thanks!

raincitygirl

I am planning a two week trip to the Amalfi Coast for September and I think you can fill up ten days there easily without adding Sicily.

There's lots to see in Naples, there's Pompeii and Herculaneum, the islands: Ischia, Capri, Procida, plus lots of towns on the actual Amalfi to explore. If you like hiking there are many hikes to do, there are cooking classes, you can stay at an agriturismo for a few days, ten days will pass very quickly.

And then there's the prospect of just taking some days to relax.

Michael

You may want to read my trip reports, last years on Naples and the previous year on Sicily; click on my name to find them. I think that you are short changing Naples, particularly if it is only the pizza that interests you. On the other hand, with only ten days for the entire trip, I think that extending it to Sicily would be short changing Sicily. Why not add Rome to your trip rather than Sicily?

Sassafrass

You could very easily spend 10 days on the AC. Many people don't have time to see much of it. Don't forget Positano, Paestum and Ravello on the AC?

You could visit a lot of the AC in five days, but the other five are not enough for Sicily. So, you could visit only Sicily for 10 days, or all of the AC with 10 days. If you have two weeks however, you could do both, but give a bit more time to Sicily because it takes longer to get around - 5 days AC, 8 days Sicily could work.

jelopez33

Hi Silvermist:
In 2009 we spent a full week in the Amalfi Coast(and we didn`t visit Paestum,Napoli or Herculanum); for us, it is obvious that you can spent 10 days enjoying the AC and Napoli etc.If you like, you can read my report at:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...1-to-oct-3.cfm
or by clicking on my name; obviously, skyp the Paris and Rome weeks.
No doubts you will enjoy this paradise!!!!

zeppole

This is really so subjective. I could -- and have -- spent 10 days in Naples, with day trips to Pompei, Vesuvius, etc, -- and am looking forward to returning to see what I still couldn't squeeze in, but I have very deep interests in history and art, plus the food in Naples is just out of this world -- and cheap!

I once split a two-week trip between Sicily and the Amafli coast. I had a car, and I saw only selected parts of the island. I can't wait to return and see more, including the islands. The food is wonderful, the culture is fascinating, the sights are very worthwhile.

By contrast, I would never return to the touristy Amalfi or Ravello and 3 days was enough for me, although I didn't take time to hike. If you want to hike for a major chunk of time, then obviously you don't want to rush through, and Sicily is not really a hiking paradise. (It will already be quite hot in May if that's a consderation.)

Unless you are prepared for an intense urban experience and intense Italian experience, Naples and Palermo -- which are like Rome Squared -- may not float your boat. If you want an Italian-themed idyll, the Amalfi coast is more set up for that, and maybe you could just dip into Palermo for food.

By the way, if you spend a lot of time on the Amalfi, you don't have to do a lot of day trips. Some people run themselves ragged booking ferries and lining up for buses, but if you find a nice apartment with a terrace, you can enjoy the essence of the beauty of the place more deeply. It has always seemed rather silly to me to bounce about from Ravello to Positano to Sorrento so you can look at a different cliff, pine tree and cloud.

isabel

We spent 8 days in Sorrento with day trips to Napoli, Pompeii, Capri, Amalfi, Positano, Ravello - we loved it and thought eight days was perfect and were very glad we based in Sorrento and did day trips. Lots of people prefer to spend a few days there and then move hotels to Amalfi or Positano. We felt the 'getting there' from Sorrento to the smaller towns on the AC was part the fun. A couple of days we did a little hiking and could have done more so ten days would not be too much. The villages of Amalfi and especially Positano and Capri are quite touristy but there are lots of places in the area that are much less so. Here's my trip report: http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...rful-weeks.cfm

A different year we did Sicily and spent 11 days and thought that was a good amount of time. I think a week is about a minimum for either Sicily or Amalfi Coast/ Bay of Naples area. So if you have a full two weeks you could do a week in each, but I certainly wouldn't worry about getting bored with 10 days in either of them.