My husband and I and another couple, all in our 50's, are going in May to the Amalfi Coast. Can someone suggest an itinerary for us! Where to start the trip, where to stay (king beds preferred!), where to dine, unique experiences off the beaten path perhaps? Any advice is appreciated. We have been previously to Milan, Como, Rome, Florence, and Umbrian ciites, but it is the first trip to Italy for our friends. We are both celebrating 30th anniversaries and want it to be special...but not break the bank!

What is your price range? Do you plan to rent a car?

Well, we haven't actually "set" a price on accommodations...we will spend what is necessary to stay some place very nice...and we have heard that Amalfi is more costly than other Italy destinations...

And we would prefer not to rent a car...

Hi Die,

I don;t know what you consider "very nice", but we liked the www.lesirene.com in Praiano.

You might find my trip report helpful: Ira’s Trip Report (Italy 2003)
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...2&tid=34451044

With 2 couples I suggest an apartment for a week in Praiano or Positano. The best source is www.summerinitaly.com Contact them for help to narrow choices by price and location. Both towns are vertical so consider your legs.

Dieeat:if you click on my name you can find the report for our trip(on our own),last september to the amalfi coast.Lovely stay!!!!!
We are reaching our 60s and we were very comfortable walking and taking the public bus(SITA).Please, don't miss Ravello and Capri.Our base was Amalfi,and we were realy comfortable there.
We took a tour to Pompeii.
If you have any questions,I will be glad to answer.I desire a nice stay for you both and your friends...you are so young!!!!

You can get some very good apartment reviews for the Amalfi coast area (as well as all over Europe) from SlowTrav.com: http://www.slowtrav.com/

Also, if you go into their board (if you don't get enough answers here) you will get lots of very help advise: http://slowtalk.com/

We are thinking about staying 4 nights in an Amalfi hotel, and using that as our hub for enjoying the Coast. We hope not to rent a car. When we arrive at Naples, what is the best way to get from there to our hotel in Amalfi? Has anyone taken the ferry or by other boat? Is that the most scenic way to arrive? What transportation suggestions do you have for visiting the other towns...Positano, Ravello, Sorrento, etc., bus, train, taxi or private driver (sounds expensive). What interesting walks or "off the beaten path" adventures" would anyone like to share? Must appreciate your advice!!!

You may find this site helpful http://www.positano.com/en/how-to-arrive By road is the most scenic way to arrive and you would probably be wise in not hiring a car as the road is very winding, narrow and often congested. The Sita bus will transport you between the towns. I would also suggest staying at Positano rather than Amalfi. Positano has the WOW factor and while Amalfi has charm it is not as spectacular. Don't miss the Garden Restaurant in Ravello for sensational views, excellent seafood and a complimentary Limoncello!

Thank you, DownUnder...do others agree it is better to stay at Positano for 4 nights rather than the Santa Catarina in Amalfi for 4?

We too will be on the AC in May, 2010 for 2 weeks. We will be in raental apt. in Praiano for a week, but would suggest staying in Positano if you have good legs--it is vertical.

When we go we stay in Sorrento (technically on the Bay of Naples - not around the corner on the Amalfi coast). It's a larger town with a lot ore shops and restaurants, can be reached by train (there is none on the Amalfi coast) or ferry - and haas good access to Pompeii, Naples, Capri as well as the smaller towns down the coast.

We stay at the Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria which faces directly onto the bay (terrace and many rooms have balconies_ and is situated in it's own beautiful garden full of flowering shrubs and lemon trees - although the hotel grounds entrance is right on the main town square. The pool is also excellent. We have always gone in late May and gotten discounted rates - not sure about June.

Hmmm, that sounds like a good approach. We are going to be there around May 15 for 4 nights then to Capri for about 3 nights. Any info you can share with me about things to do and fun experiences you have had is appreciated!

If you are interested in walks, this site is extraordinarily helpful; it lists in detail the recommended pathways in the area and on the Sorrentine Peninsula. You can do these yourself or go with a guide:


http://www.giovis.com/hikesamal.htm

I wrote a report after my most recent visit to Amalfi and the coast; there is a lot of detail about food and restaurants. I will top it for you shortly, so look in the left-hand column.

We did our trip last May by trains/bus. We travelled by train from Rome to Salerno and bought our 3,00 bus ticket to Amalfi at the travel agency just outside the station. Luggage goes underneath in the bin. The roads are narrow, winding, lots of hairpin turns plus they allow passing and cars to park on the side of the road. We were so glad not to be driving. We stayed at Hotel Floridiana and it desrves it's rave reviews on Tripadvisor. We bought a 3 day transit pass for 15,00 each and this enabled us to visit many of the small towns in the area like Maiori, Minori and Atrani plus a one way trip on the open top bus to Ravello. Ravello is very pretty like Amalfi but the views are more spectacular due to the elevation. It was 6,00 to tour Villa Cimbrone Hotel, 5,00 for Villa Rufolo, both well worth the time and money. It is best to do Cimbrone first while you’re still fresh; a bit of a climb. Another day we took the ferry to Positano (6,00 each one way) It's very hilly and made us glad we picked Amalfi to stay in. There were beautiful views from the top of the town and caught the bus back to Amalfi. The return by bus was covered with our pass. I would recommend taking the bus from Amalfi to Positano, walking downhill through the town and then taking the ferry back to Amalfi.

There is the Hotel California right in Positano; it was the one filmed in Under the Tuscan Sun with Diane Lane. Check it out:
www.hotelcaliforniapositano.it or email Maria at: Albergo California <[email protected]> Tell her Jean H. sent you.
Som

Hi Dieeat, We will also be in Amalfi in May. We were considering staying in Positano, but after reading Ekscrunchy's trip report we decided to stay in Amalfi at Hotel Floridiana. We will be celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary. It sounds like there will be many Fodorites on the Amalfi Coast come May.
bxl

I just rented a two bedroom apartment in Positano at the Residence La Tavolozza. It is a bed and breakfast that gets very good ratings and they also have this apartment with sea view terraces that sounds perfect for the four of us. The price is 230 euros a night--they may have a week rate, also.

bxl4373: You will be delighted with your choice of both Amalfi and Hotel Floridiana. Not sure if you are also visiting Rome but, if you are, be sure to visit the rose garden which is only open in May, has free admission, and is far superior to Boboli Gardens in Florence. You will LOVE Amalfi.