Amalfi Coast, Capri, Naples - First time in southern Italy
 

DH and I will celebrate our 65th birthdays in southern Italy in September 2016. I'm new to the forum, but have read many of your topics and trip reports in planning this trip. We are active and enjoy walking/hiking, historical sites, music, good food & wine and soaking in the places that we visit. We will use public transportation as from everything I've read here it is the smartest choice. We will fly in and out of Naples and this is the itinerary I have come up with:

Land in Naples - train to Salerno for 1st night
Day 2 - train to Paestum for most of the day, train back to Salerno, ferry to Amalfi (4 nights)
Day 3 - Ravello - (by bus) hope to include the evening concert @ Villa Rufolo
Day 4 - Positano (by ferry?) - guided walking tour?, Fornillo Beach?
Day 5 - Amalfi - Duomo, Paper Mill Museum, hike the Valle di Mullini or Valle Delle Ferrierre
Day 6 - Ferry to Capri (2 nights) - Gardens of Augustus, boat trip?
Day 7 - Anacapri - Mount Solaro, Villa San Michele & Church, Blue Grotto?
Day 8 - ferry to Naples (3 nights) - Archaeology Museum - PIZZA (lots of it)
Day 9 - Pompeii (train) & maybe Oplontis
Day 10 - Naples - historical center, Galleria Umberto, Castel Dell'Ovo - funicular to Certosa di S Martino?
Day 11 - 6 am flight out of Naples

Comments on Itinerary? Suggestions of things to do in these places other than mentioned? and,
1. is there luggage storage at the Salerno train station?
2. what are the transportation options after the evening concert in Ravello?
3. is there too much planned for the day we explore Naples?

Thanks for your consideration.
3.

If you get a hotel close to the ferry port in Salerno, your hotel will store your luggage for you.

Where are you basing yourselves on the Amalfi Coast? I'm unclear of that part.

You don't need a walking tour of Positano. It's tiny. The pathway to Fornillo is to your left as you get off the ferry. It hugs the coastline into a gorge and out again on to Fornillo Beach. There are a few stairs to climb on the way back to Positano - about 20 - but it is shady. Just pause and rest a bit.

The Paper Museum is right beside the beginning of the Valley of Iron (Ferriere) walk. They do guided tours that take about 15 minutes and you get to make your own paper. It's a quirky little museum and well worth a visit. The Valley walk is about a 3 hour round trip - no toilets so use the facilities at the museum - and if you fancy a swim, there is a waterfall with a beautiful pool and easy access off the main path. The ruins of the paper mills are haunting. You can go inside, just watch your step as there are holes in the floors of some of them but I find it amazing that these places are not roped off and admission charged.

You've chosen some nice things to do in Naples. The Certosa is out of this world. Just watch its closing day which is Wednesday. I would take a taxi up there as the Centrale funicular is quite a long walk away. Visit Castel Sant'Elmo if you have time - it's right alongside the Certosa. You can get back down to the historic centre by taking the Pedimentina staircase. The views all the way down are a panorama of Naples, Vesuvius and the bay.

Some info on the pedamentina stairs

http://www.napoliunplugged.com/salit...na-naples.html

Galleria Umberto will take 5 minutes to see - it's glass dome and mosaic floors are beautiful but it is quite small so a quick walk around won't take you long.

Not sure if you're interested in art but a few doors up is the Galleria di Palazzo Zevallos Stigliano and inside is Caravaggio's last painting - the Martyrdom of St. Ursula. The gallery has some beautiful Neapolitan art and is a very quiet and seldom visited. The palace itself is gorgeous.

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/italy/ca...llos-stigliano

There is a ton of stuff to see in Naples' historic centre - drop in to any church when they're open. Gesu Nuovo has this odd waffle-like exterior but inside is a gleaming baroque masterpiece - like walking inside a chandelier. The website Napoli Unplugged is a great resource for this stunning city.

http://www.napoliunplugged.com/

1. Yes, but it is not a locker, it is in the tourist office just inside the station.
2. For your return to Amalfi from Ravello, check bus schedules at http://www.sitasudtrasporti.it/orari
You may need to splash out on a taxi that night. I'd ask the hotel to arrange something.

looks like wonderful trip.

Thank you so much for your suggestions. They will definitely go on my schedule. We can hardly wait.

Wow, this is weird -- I could have sworn I responded to your questions before! But apparently not -- sorry. :-( So, belatedly:

Salerno itself has some amazing treasures, particularly in its Duomo and diocesan museum; you might not have time for them, but you might give it some thought! While in Paestum, consider visiting the museum -- its small enough to be seen in about an hour, and has some unique artifacts.

Given your particular plans, you actually might want to consider staying in Ravello itself. Ravello can certainly be inconvenient, but OMG, it is breathtaking! Might not work, but might be worth considering!

For my interests, 3 nights on the Amalfi Coast would have been sufficient, and 1 night on Capri was sufficient for my interests (including MOST of what you list -- I missed the Gardens of Augustus, but probably could have seen them if I had gotten there before late afternoon on the day I arrived). In contrast, I felt I seriously shortchanged Naples -- from what I now know, I would try to give that fascinating city at least 4 or 5 days.

Of course, it all depends on YOUR interests. I hope these comments help!

Thanks kja appreciate your thoughts

I think your itinerary is terrific! For a similar trip last May, I picked Amalfi for its historical interest and convenience for day trips and loved it. The physical beauty of the coast was a major lure and a factor in my choice of a hotel--a good view was essential. As this trip has aged in my mind, my overall feelings about Naples--loved the sights but, at the time, wasn't sure about the city--have grown increasingly positive. You'll likely have some time on Day 8 for sights in the historical center which will help Day 10. As Blueeyedcod mentioned re the Certosa being closed on Wednesdays, do check closing days for any place you really want to see e.g. the museum at Paestum is closed the first and third Mondays. I spent 3 nights each in Amalfi and Naples and would have enjoyed an extra night in both.

Thanks bon_voyage