That's helpful to know about Ravello - it seems so beautiful with the gardens, but a bit pricier too. May be best as a day trip.

The more I read, the more concerned I become about using the buses. It seems that while they do come every hour, they're often full and don't stop requiring another hours wait.

Have you guys experienced that? Could be reviewers exaggerating - but seems a pretty consistent issue.

At this point - I'm trying to decide between:

Montepertuso - beautiful views and actually on the Amalfi coast, but we'll have to take a once-an-hour bus down to Positano, then switch to the once-an-hour coastal bus to move around. At B&B Mamma Rosa or L'Uliveto.

or

Sorrento - stay in one place for all five nights - and just do day-trips via ferry/bus, knowing we'd only get a taste of the coast. If so, which area of Sorrento would you recommend we stay in?

I'm going cross-eyed from all the options - thank you for the help!

. If so, which area of Sorrento would you recommend we stay in?

Sorrento has relatively few hotels with sea views I think so search for a high-rise on that does overlook the sea - from the town's center itself you cannot see the sea, si?

We actually enjoyed Sorrento very much but it was near the end of May, weather was gorgeous, we had an upgrade to a fantastic room in our hotel with a view to die for, and we basically just hung out.

I am not too crazy about the town itself. Very touristy and def not as charming as Positano or Amalfi.

Re your bus question, I may be wrong but I believe the Amalfi coast isn't in full swing until at least mid-May. ??

It seems a shame to miss Pompeii but given the purpose of your trip and the short time you have...seems like you have enough to do without making the trip there.

We have stayed twice in Amalfi and loved it. I agree with dreamon, sometimes the smaller hotels are not showing any availability until the new year.

There are lots of restaurant choices in Amalfi. Just to start you off, I would recommend Marina Grande in Amalfi. In Atrani, which is about 15 minutes easy walk, is A Paranza, fantastic seafood and fresh pasta.

haha - I see!

PalenQ - is there a specific neighborhood you would recommend we focus the search for Sorrento?

Sounds like you think that might be a better way to go than Montepertuso...? Or am I needlessly worrying about the transportation issue?

In Sorrento, we stayed at the Bristol, but probably out of your range. Great views out that way, although about a km walk into town.

Just a heads up, when Booking.com says You just missed the last room at this hotel, go to the website of the hotel, and they often still have rooms that they haven't handed off to a booking company.

I don't think you need to worry that much about the buses filling up in April.

In Sorrento there are several hotels along the cliff edge with great views of the Gulf of Naples. If these hotels are not in the center, they're very very close.

We were there in mid-May last year for a week, staying in Positano. On one occasion (leaving Sorrento for Positano) the bus was too crowded and we had to wait for the next one. That was the only time we didn't get on but occasionally we had to stand (which is not very comfortable). We also used the ferries which are more comfortable. I recommend using both because you get an entirely different view of the coast. We also caught a couple of buses early morning and early evening (7pm-ish) and they were not full at all. I think in April, there would be less demand than we experienced.

If your purpose is to explore the coast, then I would not stay in Montepertuso. It's lovely and if you want to be lazy then a good choice but not so much if you want to move easily up and down the coast.

booking.com is showing a very good range of properties in Amalfi for well under 100euro a night in the last week in April. Suspect Positano would be the same. In my view location is more important than hotel amenities (and the ones I'm seeing online look very nice anyway and have high ratings). airbnb would be another site worth checking. I'd choose your town based on where you want to be and what you want to do: not what the hotel is like (unless you plan to hang around the hotel all day).

What time does your flight arrive in Naples? The last shuttle bus from the airport to Sorrento seems to be 7:30, but I'm not sure they have spring schedule listed (can't book past end of Feb.).

If you are planning to take a taxi from the airport or Naples (I would put any Naples stay at the end, not the beginning), you might as well take it onto your final destination on the coast. The price won't be much more as there are set rates from Naples to various towns on the coast.

thanks all for this great insight on the buses - I'm hoping the last weekend of April won't be quite so crowded.

@sundriedtopepo - thanks for that tip about not putting listing with booking - I managed to find one that way!

@kybourbon - our flight arrives to Naples airport at 10:05pm. I'm afraid that will be too late for any public transport to Sorrento or Positano.

I'm looking at staying either one night or two in Naples (considering the first day we'd do Pompeii or Capri) then the last 3 nights in Positano/Montepertuso.

Or stay the first night, then ferry to Sorrento to enjoy the day and second night in Sorrento before heading to Positano/Montepertuso? If I transfer there our first night it seems I'd be looking at a minimum of 95 euros.

The late night flight was a bad choice in hindsight

Thoughts?

I'm hoping the last weekend of April won't be quite so crowded.>

week before and after Easter can be very hectic and weekends - may be hard to start a booking say on Saturday instead of Friday.

Note sure when Easter is.

My recommendation, for what little it's worth: Assuming you can get back to Naples in plenty of time for your departure:
- 2 or 3 nights in Naples, one after your later arrival, one after a day in Pompeii, one after a day visiting the Archeological Museum and other treasures in Naples;
- next day: ferry to Capri and overnight there -- it is much more pleasant after day trippers leave
- nest day: ferry to Amalfi, stay there for whatever time you have left, visiting Ravello and Positano and whatever else you can fit into your time.

Just an option....

@PalenQ - good point about Easter - I avoided that weekend for that reason. We'll be there two weeks after Easter, so hopefully things will be lively but not too hectic or shut down.

@kja - thanks for the ideas. Staying a night on Capri is a great idea!

Thanks for all the great insight everyone. We've booked a B&B in Montepertuso - with about a half hour (vertical) walk down to Positano and the bus. We're going to stay there the last three nights of our trip, and use it more as a relaxing bit. Hopefully get over to Amalfi/Ravello one day, Positano another, and hike the Path of the Gods another. Do-able?

Last question (actually, I cant promise that!) - Would it be feasible to do either of the below? You should know, I've spent a full day at Pompeii, and my fiance could go either way, so I haven't given it priority as an option. That said - I've never been to Vesuvius - is that something to choose over Sorrento or Capri?

Night 1 - Stay in Naples
Day 2/Night 2 - Naples to Capri Ferry, spend day/night in Capri
Day 3 - Capri to Positano - is this possible by ferry?

or

Night 1 - Stay in Naples
Day 2/Night 2 - Naples to Sorrento ferry, spend day/night in Sorrento
Day 3 - Sorrento to Postiano by bus or ferry - any preference?

Thank you again all - I've been putting extra pressure on myself to plan something exceptionally special/relaxing as this is our honeymoon. But all this advice has helped me feel confident in our decision!

Hi LorRan, this link helped me with options for transportation in the Amalfi, Naples, Sorrento region.

http://www.sorrento-online.com/english/orari.htm

Not sure if someone above has given you this link yet. The schedule of the hydrofoils might factor in to your decision above.

Here's one more Naples centered

http://www.timeout.com/naples/featur...ting-to-naples

and

http://www.naplesbayferry.com/en/index

Have you checked Airbnb? It has many options for less than $150 for April.

<<Thanks for all the great insight everyone. We've booked a B&B in Montepertuso - with about a half hour (vertical) walk down to Positano and the bus. We're going to stay there the last three nights of our trip, and use it more as a relaxing bit. Hopefully get over to Amalfi/Ravello one day, Positano another, and hike the Path of the Gods another. Do-able? >>

Yes, that is doable...for Path of the Gods just take the path over to Nocelle and on to Bomerano from there. Amazing views.

Just walk your way down the switchback road down to the top of Positano and continue working your way down to the beach. The view from Franco's Bar or the bar at Le Sirenuse are incredible and worth a stop in the evening for a cocktail. Le Tre Sorrelle on the beach was pretty good for dinner.

There's also a pathway (stairs really) from Montepertuso down to Positano.

Yes, there is a stairway down but the road brings you closer into the town. Having walked up all 1600 steps, I would hate walking down all those steps, or at least my knees would hate me doing that to them!

yes going down on the knees or legs can be strenuous also.