Diana

HELP! We are travelling to the Italian coast and intended on spending 2 nights in Positano and 2 in Capri. However, I am concerned that it will involve too much travelling with luggage to get to the different locations given that we want to do day trips to Pompeii and Herculeum too. Is is too much hassle travelling between the 2 or should we spend the 4 nights in Positano as our home base? Any suggestions?

richard j vicek

Good evening, Diana Might suggest using Sorrento ( it has some very excellant hotels) and using it as your <BR>hub for day trips to Positano, Capri, <BR>Pompeii and Herculeum. The railroad <BR>leaving Sorrento to Naples, stops at <BR>Pompeii and there is very good bus <BR>service from Sorrento to Salerno with <BR>stops at all the Amalfi towns. <BR>See <BR>www.uniplan.it/sita/orari.html. <BR>www.starnet.it/italy/amalficoast. <BR>www.starnet.it/italy/positano <BR>www.marketplace.it/pompeionline/ <BR>www.italiaonweb.com/sorrento/ <BR>www.caprionline.com/ <BR>www.capri.it/ <BR>www.uniplan.it/ruins/ <BR>www.vesuviana.it/ <BR>www.starnet.it/onda_verde/orari_traghetti.htm.. <BR>Good surfing, Richard of LaGrange Park, Il..

John G

I wouldn't dream of going to the Amalfi Coast and not stop in Capri. What, are you crazy? Go stay on Capri, at Quisisana, and have a good time shopping and eating like a pig. Love ya, mean it. Ciao, John G.

mel

Diana, I think your instincts are correct - you will find the travelling a lot of hassle. My boyfriend & I have just come back from the Amalfi coast. We spent 2 days (with friends) in Naples, day trip to Capri, ferry to Ischia for 2 nights, then ferry to Sorrento then bus to Amalfi where we stayed 3 nights, visiting Positano one day, and then back to Naples for 2 nights and onto Rome for one night before flying home. One of the most difficult things in the holiday was struggling with bags, we had one wheeled suitcase and one holdall shoulder bag - they were heavy after a few minutes and sometimes - like in Sorrento - there wasn't a taxi to be found and we had to climb up all these steps to get to the bus station in time for our connection. <BR> <BR>Secondly, we wasted a lot of time queuing for tickets, waiting for trains/ ferries/ buses and then the time spent travelling. Added to that is that nothing is sorted quickly in Italy! We have said that the next time, 1) we'll PACK LESS & LIGHTER - I've promised to leave my blowdryer behind as I never end up using it, instead putting my hair up or in a ponytail! and 2) we'll base ourselves in Amalfi (it's 16 kilometres from Positano) and do day trips from there. Naples is 1 hr 50 mins by bus, Positano is 15 minutes by boat (longer by bus), Sorrento 1/2 hour by boat (bus is 1 hr), Capri is 1/2 hour or so by hydrofoil, etc. If you want to base yourself in Positano, there's not as many transportation options as in Sorrento for example, only one hydrofoil a day out and back to Capri, but if you plan it in advance you should be able to work around that. I agree with Richard, though personally don't care for Sorrento, although others do, it's full of package tours, no beach - just hotel bathing platforms, although the shopping is good. It does have the best transportation - buses, trains, boats, espcially if you're going to Pompeii & Herculaneum - they will take about 1/2 hour from Sorrento by train. <BR> <BR>We only spent a day in Capri, and really enjoyed it especially as we took fellow posters' advice and avoided the piazza and shopping (ridiculous crush - and the prices!), instead taking a couple of wonderful walks around the the island, up to Anacapri, etc. <BR> <BR>Best advice - pack a small day backpack for the day trips - great for carrying water/camera/sweater/food/travel book/ language book etc. And if you buy a lot like I did, you can fill it up and use it as your carry on bag on the plane home!

Ali

Diana, <BR> <BR>We took the ferry from Positano to Capri this summer. It couldn't have been easier. A man on a little scooter-truck came to our hotel for our bags (about $5 per bag, I think), we walked down to the dock where he was waiting for us, bought tickets right there (no line, no hassle) and boarded the ferry. Upon arrival on Capri, we hopped in a taxi. Very simple.

linda

Hi Diana, myself and 2 other friends just got back from Italy. <BR>We had rented a car and spent 3 nights in Positano and 2 nights in Capri. <BR>there were no hassels involved. We drove from Positano to Sorrento and parked our car arounf the corner from the ferry. We got our tickets and were aboard the hyrofoil within 1 hour af arriving into town. I think you should see Capri especially in the early morning and evening when the crowds have thinned out. Our first day in Capri we walked some of the trails and after the last ferry left (6:30 p.m.) we walked around the Piazza. We did some shopping early the next day when it was more calm and then again in the afternoon went to our terrace for a late lunch and some down time. <BR>We did a day trip to Pompeii from Positano, we went via bus to Sorrento then took the train to Pompeii, couldn't have been any easier. <BR>With only 4 nights you might want to do 3 in Positano and 1 in Capri, but I wouldn't suggest using Sorrento as a base, the other places were smaller and more relaxed. <BR>Ciao and enjoy.

Myer

Use Sorrento as a jump off spot. Good transportation. Nice town. <BR>