djcrust

We are planning a 6-day honeymoon in mid-May 2007 and want to do half hiking and other activities and half (or one third) total indulgence.

Any advice on where to stay for our plan starting out in Cinque Terre and then ending up at a money-is-no-object luxury hotel in Portofino or another Amalfi Cost town? Is it a good idea to stay on Capri or just take a day trip? Thanks!

viking

Your geography seems mixed up. Capri/Amalfi coast is way to the south. Portofino is on Ligurian coast up north. CT is sort of middling north. I once spent a long, tiring day doing ferry/train from Capri to near Portofino.

So CT is convenient to Portofino area, but I think they are both too hothouse/overrun/precious/cartoonish for my taste. If you must go there, include Portovenere and Lerici just a boat hop to the south for more real charm and less hype.

I would say CT has the least enjoyable hiking - either horrendously overcrowded or precarious. The hiking on the penninsular park that Portofino is on is SUBLIME, although that town is a tiny superficial thing not quite up to it's reputation.

On the other hand the Amalfi coast is really classy, historic, but still overcrowded. You can lessen the crowds and find almost the best and most scenic hiking of all by staying on Capri. Heaven on the many cliffside hikes, heaven when the daytrippers leave, better less touristy food than CT or Luguria IMO, and about the best honeymoon spot imaginable with second and third nearby like Positano and Ravello).

MoonGirl

Second the vote for Capri as a place to find both good hiking and luxury hotels. Be sure to choose your hotel and a room with a good view, for days on which you just want to relax. There are many to choose from -- we recently spent a week at the Villa Brunella, where every room has its own private terrace facing the ocean and cliffs of Capri. Spectacular!

travelhorizons

There are some *great* luxury hotels on the Amalfi Coast. Hotel Santa Caterina in Amalfi, Hotel Caruso Ravello, and the Palazzo Sasso in Ravello are all Virtuoso properties, meaning they offer complimentary breakfasts, upgrades, and other amenities if you book through a Virtuoso agent. Any of these ... or quite a few more ... would give you the experience of pure indulgence you're looking for! If you have any more specific questions about the properties, or would like more ideas, say in Anacapri, just ask!

ira

Hi DJ,

The Sasso, in Ravello, is about as good as you are going to get for a "money-is-no-object luxury hotel".

You can hike the Pathway of the Gods.

Enjoy your honeymoon.

djcrust

Thanks for all the recommendations and Viking, thanks for the geography lesson...I am not that familiar with driving times and distances and I need to have a good look at a map -- good heads up!

I am definitely going to try to visit Capri based on the responses...thanks!

HonestAbe

I'm a big fan of the Cinque Terra, and would recommend Vernazza as your home base in that region. Quite a few vacation rentals.. you ask around once you get to town.

bobthenavigator

It is POSITANO not Portofino.

traveling

Hiking in Capri??? Tell me more! I spent a day there and although it was beautiful, felt it was very touristy and crowded. Felt like I saw enough in one day. What did I miss?

viking

About 5% of Capri is covered by shops, so why do folks who don't like that kind of thing hang out only there and later complain about it? I and others have pounded a hundred paragraphs about it here, and there are books, but I will recap some highlights.

AnaCapri end isn't my favorite since cars are allowed to menace the roads, but has a network of walking trails across Mt Solano - nicer to take down after a gondola up. There are other wild ones I haven't taken, but I will mention some paved walkways. One goes from the lower gondola station to just short of the lighthouse; a long way across varied terrain, but amazingly follows a flat (and straight) contour. Another is the loooooong staired path from the Swedish mansion down to the Marina Grande. One I haven't tried goes from town to the blue cave.

Capri end of island has endless suburban walks, like stretching out to that villa on the northeast, or up to Tiberians palace up east (with pretty park and overlooks just before). Too bad they have closed Krupps path going down, but find the one going up to something like belvedere/cannon? Best of all is the wild coast walk around the southeast quadrant, and some little known sidetrails. These have pleasant eateries here and there along the way, and aren't mobbed like CT and seem to have even better views.