Amalfi Coast anniversary trip!
 

Hi,
for our anniversary we are planning to visit the amalfi coast. unfortunately we do not have flexibility in our dates. we arrive at naples the 23rd of june midday and our plane leaves the 26th midday. we are aware that we have a short time. our plan:
upon arrival at naples, get to know what we can of the city that day and take the last ferry of the day to capri. spend that night in capri as well as the following day and night. the third day, we take a ferry to positano (get to know the town) and then take a ferry to amalfi. we plan to visit positano and amalfi that day.
we need recommendations on:
+In which town should we spend the nigth in the amalfi coast
+ do you consider it necessary to rent a car in amalfi to visit ravello? if not which transport would you recommend?
+If we rent a car, we can drive our last day from the amalfi coast to naples in order to get to the airport by noon.
+from where would it be easier to return to naples by car. Positano or Amalfi?

Thank you!!!

We loved the Amalfi coast for our 20th anniversary (10 years ago!) I would pick one location for 3 nights and enjoy .We stayed in Positano and loved it. We were picked up at the train station and driven there. I would pick one hotel NOT right above the beach as we did since people party late into the night. I would pick one higher up and away from the party scene. Capri is awesome. we stopped there for lunch on the ferry back to Naples and if you did the same it would allow you to at least see Capri.

Please enjoy 3 nights in one place. You can thank me later.

I agree - pick ONE hotel location and see the other towns from that base.

You absolutely do not want a rental car on the Amalfi Coast. Traffic is terrible and parking is scarce and expensive. You can easily catch a bus or a taxi up to Ravello from Amalfi.

For lunch we went to the little town above Positano by bus. That gave us a different vantage point. I believe my trip report is on Fodors. Positano is a strolling village, not something you want to rush!!! It's also super hilly… and romantic!

In summer getting to Naples for a noon plane from Amalfi or Positano could be a PIA. The buses on the coast road are incredibly slow and hte ferries do not run very frequently.

If yuo have to be at the airport by 9:30 or 10 (latest) you wold have to leave Amalfi or Positano very early unless you get a private car/driver (who will tell you what time he will pick you up based on current conditions - traffic, construction, accidents, etc.)

Just be aware that a fender bender on the cost road can easily hold up traffic for an hour or more in both directions.

Also agree to stick with one hotel - moving around is just really a waste of very limited time.

Agree about staying in one town, preferably Positano. In your situation, regarding getting back to Naples, I would hire a driver to take me. If you factor in the cost of a rental car and the attendant hassles, including the drive and dropping off the rental, a driver makes sense. It's been a while since I've done it, but I'm guessing the one-way charge is about 100 euros.

If you book a driver, book in advance and agree on the type of car. Our driver was booked a few days before and he showed up in a bus designed for 20+ people. Seemed silly for 2 but we had no choice at that point.

A private transfer from Positano-Naples cost us E120 last year. But of course we got stuck in some holiday parade, so lucky we left early. Even without a parade, I'd highly recommend giving yourself ample time for the trip. nytraveler-post above- is absolutely right about the coastal ride traffic in the summer months!

Also, just a FYI: Minivans/SUVS seem to be the car of choice for many of the private transfers, so it may not be possible at times to get a smaller car.

Lastly, I'm guessing the town that annealex mentions above for a wonderful lunch is Montepertuso. My favorite restaurant there is LA TAGLIATA. Some of the restaurants offer round trip transportation FREE to guests staying in Positano. Ask at your hotel's front desk.

if you want to see Naples [and who wouldn't?] I would suggest putting it at the end of the trip, which will also put you in the right place for flying home.

so I would suggest going straight to your chosen place on the Amalfi coast on arrival, enjoying your time there as others have said, and then on the day before you fly out, after a leisurely breakfast, travelling back to Naples, checking into a hotel, and spending the rest of the day there.

loads to see - these are all the ideas people came up with when I was going to Naples:

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...uld-you-do.cfm

in fact the only one we got to was the National Archeological museum plus the wonderful street that goes through the middle of Naples, called "Spaccanapoli" but I wish we'd had longer!

there is a bus that goes to the airport from the train station in the middle of Naples or you could just get a cab there in the morning.

Great idea from annhig. Will really maximize your time and give you a taste of two completely different destinations.

Thank you guys for all your thoughts. We will stay at Positano, any recommendations on where to stay?

If you stay a night in Naples, I recommend http://www.hotelpiazzabellini.com/en

We spent a few nights there in early April and it was a lovely hotel. We used it as a base to explore the area.

looks like a nice place, Debit. We must have walked right past it when we were walking from the archeological museum to the station in February, but it was raining so hard we missed a lot.

what was it like at night in that area?

It was a bit lively; small cafes etc. We aren't much nightlife people after out touring etc all day. Eat and collapse is our basic style!

Eat and collapse is our basic style!>>

same here, but DH tends to like a post-prandial stroll! [preferably involving a bar if we can find a nice one!] THat bit of Naples looked OK; on our way to the station however we found quite a few streets off from the main one that were completely unlit, and they worried me a bit!

Agreed, we walked to and from the train station several times. Some of the walk was ok and enjoyable, the streets closer to station, not so much. But that was during the day time. Seemed very safe in the Piazza Bellini area.

What is your budget? Thanks!

For a splurge last year in Naples, we stayed at Hotel Excelsior. . It's a waterfront hotel in a newly zoned pedestrian area, right next to the Castello D'Ovo. It has a gorgeous rooftop restaurant plus a bar overlooking the city, and is only about a 20 min. walk from the downtown area.

Which will the be the best route to reach positano from naples?
Train to Sorrento (75min) and bus to Positano (40min with normal traffic) or
Fast train to Salerno (35min) and ferry to Positano (70min)

thank you. Any advice on local authentic restaurants in positano?

other alternative could be Train to Sorrento (75min) and ferry to Positano (50min)

I hate the bus, so I would train to Salerno and ferry to Positano. You could ferry from Sorrento, but if you miss the 10:30 ferry, the next one to Positano is not until 3:00.

Hi MarkPu, how much it will be from naples to positano?
and how much from Sorrento to positano?

The driver I hired last year to take me from Naples airport to Positano charged 100 euro. His name is Sergio Rianna and I highly recommend him. You can email him at [email protected].

I will be hiring Sergio again this year when I visit in June.

I hate the bus, too. We always splurge for a private driver. Cost is in the E100-120 range from Naples-Positano.

Some of my fave restaurants in and around Positano: LO GUARACINO, BUCCA DI BACCO, IL CAPITANO, SARCENO D'ORO, and, in Montepertuso ( mountain village just above Positano) LA TAGLIATELLA.

Have a great time!

amazing how "amalficoastlover" has bothered join fodors just to post on this and several other threads about this nice and clean car etc.

yellow button pressed.

Agreed Annhig

thanks WWK for the restaurant recommendations and thank you everyone to share your knowledge with us.