Amalfi Coast
 

I'm planning my first trip to the Amafi Coast this May, and I need a little advice on my itinerary:

Day 1: Travel from Rome to Sorrento
Take in the sites.

Day 2: Visit Pompeii. Return to Sorrento

Day 3: Visit Positano & Ravello? Return to Sorrento.

Day 4: Visit Vesusvius. Return to Sorrento.

Day 5: Visit Capri. Spend the night

Day 6: Return to Naples.

Does this sound reasonable?

Can anyone recommend a good inexpensive hotel in Sorrento & Capri?

Lastly, can anyone recommend a good travel agent on the West Coast?

Thanks.

Are you driving are taking the train?
The last of three trips to the Amalfi was entirely by train and bus and it was much easier than car. I trained to Naples and taxied (be careful. make sure cab uses meter) to the dock for the hydrafoil to Capri.
Once on Capri the busses leave from the dock for Anacapri.Motels are usually less here but not on the water.
The next day I ferried to Positano and walked up to the main road and caught town bus to hotel. The tobbaci is where you buy ticket and its at base of town.
The next day I bussed to Amalfi and Ravello for the day. Be sure to visit the top of Ravello, what a view.
The next day we took the SETA bus to Sorrento. You catch the bus at the top of Positano and again the tickets are available at the bar ot tobbaci. The ride is breathtaking at the bus leaves you off in the center of town. The busses return every hour to Positano so its easy to get back and forth. The following day we took the bus back to Sorrento and the train to Pompeii.
We always returned to Positano for the evening because it is soooo beautiful
On the following morning we trained it back to Naples.
In Positano I always stay at the Casa Guadagno, via Fornillo, 22 (tel 87 50 42)It has about the best price in town, spotless rooms, beautifully tiled floors and sublime views. Ask for a room on he top floors with a terrace. You will not be sorry.
Again, the train, busses and taxis are easy and the people very friendly. English is spoken at the casa and all bus drivers are very helpful and speak english.
Have fun

To each his own, but I'd base in Sorrento. On your Vesuvius day, if there are clouds, you may opt to explore the area west of Sorrento by the town's bus system. Frankly, unless you're a volcano nut, I think this would make for a more interesting day.

Bear in mind that the ferries do not operate if the water is very choppy/wavy. You might want a back-up plan in the event you can't get to/from Capri or can't make the crossings at the particular times you planned.

I would only comment that you could probably do Pompei and Vesuvius on the same day, and then have another day to spend elsewhere. I took a bus tour from Sorrento that took us to both sites on the same day. I can't remember how much time we had in Pompei, probably an hour or two; it was enough for me, though many people like to spend three or four hours there. Then the bus took us to Vesuvius. It parked about 500 meters from the summit/caldera, and we walked/hiked the rest of the way. I enjoyed it, but I can't really see a reason for spending more than the time it takes to get to the top, look into the caldera, hear a talk from one of the guides, and then head back down. I'm not necessarily suggesting you take a tour, but I think however you get to the sites, you will not need much time for Vesuvius and so you could do it on the same day as Pompei.

Hi Veronique,

I suggest that you spend two days in Naples, visit Pompeii and Vesuvius, then go on to Sorrento.

hey my brother in law and I are travel9ing to the same region from Rome on may , if you are interested get in contact with us, we will drive down there and have been researching for good and inexpensive hotels.