Amalfi Coast for Seniors
Feb 14th, 2008, 07:15 AM
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Amalfi Coast for Seniors
We are considering a trip to Rome and the Amalfi Coast and need some advice from Fodorites. We are in our 70s, one of us has knee problems, but are in relatively good health other than that. We have always gone independently in Europe, driving whereever.
In Rome, we would plan to stay in the city center, but are not sure what to do about the coast. Ideally we would rather leave the driving to others so we can enjoy the fabled scenery, but hiring a car/driver for two seems rather expensive given the current exchange rate. I have read there is good public transportation, but my husband is concerned about trying to juggle luggage and jump on a train, etc. Does anyone know of a service which would get us to the coast for a few days stay? Also, in which town would you suggest we stay which might have less hills/climbing to get around or to catch local transportation?
This will be a trip for our 50th anniversary, so I am looking for a relaxing trip.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
In Rome, we would plan to stay in the city center, but are not sure what to do about the coast. Ideally we would rather leave the driving to others so we can enjoy the fabled scenery, but hiring a car/driver for two seems rather expensive given the current exchange rate. I have read there is good public transportation, but my husband is concerned about trying to juggle luggage and jump on a train, etc. Does anyone know of a service which would get us to the coast for a few days stay? Also, in which town would you suggest we stay which might have less hills/climbing to get around or to catch local transportation?
This will be a trip for our 50th anniversary, so I am looking for a relaxing trip.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
Feb 14th, 2008, 07:29 AM
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How about something like this?
http://www.odyssey-tours.com/tours/naples3.asp
We did something similar and maybe they can extend your stay in sorrento.
http://www.odyssey-tours.com/tours/naples3.asp
We did something similar and maybe they can extend your stay in sorrento.
Feb 14th, 2008, 07:44 AM
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gottoday.com also has a trip to rome and sorrento
http://www.go-today.com/site_gtweb/v...=4%2F15%2F2008
http://www.go-today.com/site_gtweb/v...=4%2F15%2F2008
Feb 14th, 2008, 08:01 AM
#5
The Go-Today package uses the train which the OP wanted to avoid.
There is a bus (2 departures daily) from Rome Tibutina station to Sorrento (year round) or Positano (summer only). Cost is about 20E one way. Your luggage is stored under the bus. www.marozzivt.it
There is a bus (2 departures daily) from Rome Tibutina station to Sorrento (year round) or Positano (summer only). Cost is about 20E one way. Your luggage is stored under the bus. www.marozzivt.it
Feb 14th, 2008, 09:22 AM
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Happy 50th. We are doing a similar trip in May for our 45th!
Do not stay in Positano. it is all stairs.
Sorrento is nice, lots of shops and easy access to Pompeii.
For something really memorable, take the train to Salerno, taxi driver to Ravello. Ravello is a very old and gracious medieval town set on the cliff above Amalfi.
We are using Wagner Tours (have used them before for Ravello www.wagnertours.it).
As for the trains- pck light. it is easier to travel. there are porters to assist you with the luggage if you need it. Just take one lightweight carry on and a purse. For Italy you really do not need much in the way of clothes.
The other alternative is to book a day tour to the Amalfi coast and stay a few days and return with the company a few days later. There are a lot of companies that do such a daily tour - you can start here: http://italiatours.tourpackagers.com...x?affiliate=3; http://www.romeinsight.com/amalfifd.htm; http://www.tours-italy.com/rome-tran..._transfers.htm. Also grayline tours has some day trips.
Please feel free to contact me with any other questions.
Do not stay in Positano. it is all stairs.
Sorrento is nice, lots of shops and easy access to Pompeii.
For something really memorable, take the train to Salerno, taxi driver to Ravello. Ravello is a very old and gracious medieval town set on the cliff above Amalfi.
We are using Wagner Tours (have used them before for Ravello www.wagnertours.it).
As for the trains- pck light. it is easier to travel. there are porters to assist you with the luggage if you need it. Just take one lightweight carry on and a purse. For Italy you really do not need much in the way of clothes.
The other alternative is to book a day tour to the Amalfi coast and stay a few days and return with the company a few days later. There are a lot of companies that do such a daily tour - you can start here: http://italiatours.tourpackagers.com...x?affiliate=3; http://www.romeinsight.com/amalfifd.htm; http://www.tours-italy.com/rome-tran..._transfers.htm. Also grayline tours has some day trips.
Please feel free to contact me with any other questions.
Feb 14th, 2008, 09:33 AM
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The towns on the Amalfi coast are built into the side of a mountain - and although there is a small part on the water, most of the towns are very steep. Depending on your hotel you might have long climbs up to or down from the road with the bus (there is no train) to your hotel.
Sorrento is somewhat flatter and can be reached by train or bus. And from there you can take ferry to Capri and along the coast or bus along the coast road.
Sorrento is somewhat flatter and can be reached by train or bus. And from there you can take ferry to Capri and along the coast or bus along the coast road.
Feb 14th, 2008, 10:00 AM
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Would you consider an
Elderhostel?. The ones in Italy are wonderful. My husband and I (both "your" ages) always rent a car in Europe and drive independently. However, we HAVE participated in two Elderhostels, which far exceeded our expectations. One excellent one was based in Sienna Tuscany...the second one, even a little better based in Sorrento.
It was/is led by a very classy and pleasant New Zealand lady ,married to an Italian, who lives in Sorrento.
We stayed in a FOUR STAR hotel, had great food, and had day trips to the Amalfi Coast, Pompeii, Montecassini, Herculeneam, Isle of Capri, etc...and some lectures covering many subjects.
This Sorrento Elderhostel I did with a knee badly in need of replacement.(5 years ago). Have since had both done, and my husband had one replaced l0 months ago & walks 2 miles a day.
I know you would find a very nice
group of active people...ages 55 and up , mostly 65 and above (I would guess).....and have a pleasant time for your 50th
anniversary. There may be an Elderhostel that included both Rome and the Sorrento/Almalfi area!
I also feel sure there are 2 or 3 day tours out of Rome to the Amalfi coast. Just try putting the subject into "Google", perhaps.
Elderhostel?. The ones in Italy are wonderful. My husband and I (both "your" ages) always rent a car in Europe and drive independently. However, we HAVE participated in two Elderhostels, which far exceeded our expectations. One excellent one was based in Sienna Tuscany...the second one, even a little better based in Sorrento.
It was/is led by a very classy and pleasant New Zealand lady ,married to an Italian, who lives in Sorrento.
We stayed in a FOUR STAR hotel, had great food, and had day trips to the Amalfi Coast, Pompeii, Montecassini, Herculeneam, Isle of Capri, etc...and some lectures covering many subjects.
This Sorrento Elderhostel I did with a knee badly in need of replacement.(5 years ago). Have since had both done, and my husband had one replaced l0 months ago & walks 2 miles a day.
I know you would find a very nice
group of active people...ages 55 and up , mostly 65 and above (I would guess).....and have a pleasant time for your 50th
anniversary. There may be an Elderhostel that included both Rome and the Sorrento/Almalfi area!
I also feel sure there are 2 or 3 day tours out of Rome to the Amalfi coast. Just try putting the subject into "Google", perhaps.
Feb 16th, 2008, 04:12 AM
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Hi C,
>my husband is concerned about trying to juggle luggage and jump on a train, etc.
Don't bring so much luggage.
I think that the easiest way is for you to take the train from Rome to Salerno.
From there, take the ferry to Amalfi.
I think that that would make a good base for you to see the AC and Paestum.
How long on the AC?
From where will you be flying home?
>my husband is concerned about trying to juggle luggage and jump on a train, etc.
Don't bring so much luggage.
I think that the easiest way is for you to take the train from Rome to Salerno.
From there, take the ferry to Amalfi.
I think that that would make a good base for you to see the AC and Paestum.
How long on the AC?
From where will you be flying home?
Feb 16th, 2008, 04:13 AM
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PS
For Ferry schedules Positano – Amalfi - Salerno (P.zza della Concordia):
See http://tinyurl.com/3cbhkb
For Ferry schedules Positano – Amalfi - Salerno (P.zza della Concordia):
See http://tinyurl.com/3cbhkb
Feb 18th, 2008, 05:24 AM
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Dear Conlet --
Happy 50th Anniversary! We are planning a similar trip in October (Rome-Naples-Amalfi Coast) for our 25th anniversary and have invited my parents, who are celebrating their 50th anniversary this year, to join us. We fly in to Rome and immediately take the train to Naples, our base for 2 nights, so that we can visit the Museo Archeological Nazionale before touring Pompeii. Then we are hiring a touring company for a private, one-day tour to: take us from Naples to Pompeii, give us a comprehensive tour of the ruins, and drive us on to our hotel in Sorrento. We are leaning toward the lodging and tour company In Italy (www.initaly.com), but I will need to check some of the other tour sites suggested in this thread, as well. In Sorrento, we will rent a car, and my DH and I will doing all the driving along the Amalfi Coast. We are staying there for 4 nights, and will probably do a day trip by ferry to Capri, as well as driving tours to Positano, Amalfi, Ravello, and perhaps down to the Paestum Greek ruins. (My father is a tremendous history buff.) We will return the car in Sorrento and take the train back to Rome, staying there another 2 nights. (We have already had a week's vacation in Rome, so we do not feel as though we need as much time there.) My parents are staying on a while longer -- oh, to be retired! -- and may move on to Tuscany and Florence before returning to the States.
So my bottom-line suggestion is to choose a local base city -- perhaps Sorrento, since it is not as hilly as Positano or Ravello -- and take day trips from that city for your tours of the Amalfi Coast.
I would offer to come and drive those winding roads of the Amalfi Coast for you, if I weren't already committed to doing so with my parents! Have a fantastic time, and again, happy anniversary!
Happy 50th Anniversary! We are planning a similar trip in October (Rome-Naples-Amalfi Coast) for our 25th anniversary and have invited my parents, who are celebrating their 50th anniversary this year, to join us. We fly in to Rome and immediately take the train to Naples, our base for 2 nights, so that we can visit the Museo Archeological Nazionale before touring Pompeii. Then we are hiring a touring company for a private, one-day tour to: take us from Naples to Pompeii, give us a comprehensive tour of the ruins, and drive us on to our hotel in Sorrento. We are leaning toward the lodging and tour company In Italy (www.initaly.com), but I will need to check some of the other tour sites suggested in this thread, as well. In Sorrento, we will rent a car, and my DH and I will doing all the driving along the Amalfi Coast. We are staying there for 4 nights, and will probably do a day trip by ferry to Capri, as well as driving tours to Positano, Amalfi, Ravello, and perhaps down to the Paestum Greek ruins. (My father is a tremendous history buff.) We will return the car in Sorrento and take the train back to Rome, staying there another 2 nights. (We have already had a week's vacation in Rome, so we do not feel as though we need as much time there.) My parents are staying on a while longer -- oh, to be retired! -- and may move on to Tuscany and Florence before returning to the States.
So my bottom-line suggestion is to choose a local base city -- perhaps Sorrento, since it is not as hilly as Positano or Ravello -- and take day trips from that city for your tours of the Amalfi Coast.
I would offer to come and drive those winding roads of the Amalfi Coast for you, if I weren't already committed to doing so with my parents! Have a fantastic time, and again, happy anniversary!
Feb 18th, 2008, 03:13 PM
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Thank you so so much for all the geeat suggestions!
SkippyW - I contacted Odyssey and they can not do an extension although their trips do sound somewhat like what we are looking for. Which trip did you take with them and were you satisfied with lodging, food, etc.?
Thanks for the suggestions on "hilly" and less "hilly" towns - i do need to have knee replacement surgery but would rather not have it done this year.
Mweiner - I will check out your links. Thanks.
Mari5 - I will also check out Elderhostel - I know several who have taken great trips with them.
Ira - We are spending about 10 days in all (open at this point) which will include about 4-5 days in Rome. That part we will do on our own, staying somewhere central (I hope!) We will be using ff miles for travel - not yet booked, but still have quite a few options; probably do an open-jaw with Rome and Naples.
We do not normally take more than a suitcase per person and are considered light packers by our friends!
DrBlueCrab - (what an interesting name!) your trip sounds great. I am reconsidering driving - I have read so much about the horrors of driving the coast road that I forget it is really a short distance. We are used to driving in northeast cities which are not friendly to drivers and will be driving around San Francisco in April, so the traffic is not an issue. My husband vividly remembers driving from the Italian Riviera through Monaco to Nice some years back along the Corniche during which he never saw the scenery, so I was trying to ease the way. Our first preference would be to drive - have you done this before?
Again, my thanks to all - you have given me more to research, which is half the fun of traveling for us!
SkippyW - I contacted Odyssey and they can not do an extension although their trips do sound somewhat like what we are looking for. Which trip did you take with them and were you satisfied with lodging, food, etc.?
Thanks for the suggestions on "hilly" and less "hilly" towns - i do need to have knee replacement surgery but would rather not have it done this year.
Mweiner - I will check out your links. Thanks.
Mari5 - I will also check out Elderhostel - I know several who have taken great trips with them.
Ira - We are spending about 10 days in all (open at this point) which will include about 4-5 days in Rome. That part we will do on our own, staying somewhere central (I hope!) We will be using ff miles for travel - not yet booked, but still have quite a few options; probably do an open-jaw with Rome and Naples.
We do not normally take more than a suitcase per person and are considered light packers by our friends!
DrBlueCrab - (what an interesting name!) your trip sounds great. I am reconsidering driving - I have read so much about the horrors of driving the coast road that I forget it is really a short distance. We are used to driving in northeast cities which are not friendly to drivers and will be driving around San Francisco in April, so the traffic is not an issue. My husband vividly remembers driving from the Italian Riviera through Monaco to Nice some years back along the Corniche during which he never saw the scenery, so I was trying to ease the way. Our first preference would be to drive - have you done this before?
Again, my thanks to all - you have given me more to research, which is half the fun of traveling for us!
Feb 19th, 2008, 03:13 PM
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Dear Conlet --
We have not driven in Italy before at all; our visits have always been within city centers (Rome, Florence, Venice). But last November, my husband and I branched out into the brave new world of European car rentals and did a driving trip through Andalusia, Spain. Many of the roads there were dramatically twisty and mountainous, with amazing views. Of course, DH didn't get to enjoy the views much, because he was driving!
I personally really appreciated the freedom of staying as long as we wanted to in a town or park, eating where (and when) we wanted to, and not being walked around in a group. The downside was that we managed to get ourselves pretty lost a couple of times, and would get completely different directions from each person we asked!
I hope that, whether you decide to drive yourselves or to use a touring service, that you have a marvelous time.
We have not driven in Italy before at all; our visits have always been within city centers (Rome, Florence, Venice). But last November, my husband and I branched out into the brave new world of European car rentals and did a driving trip through Andalusia, Spain. Many of the roads there were dramatically twisty and mountainous, with amazing views. Of course, DH didn't get to enjoy the views much, because he was driving!
I personally really appreciated the freedom of staying as long as we wanted to in a town or park, eating where (and when) we wanted to, and not being walked around in a group. The downside was that we managed to get ourselves pretty lost a couple of times, and would get completely different directions from each person we asked!
I hope that, whether you decide to drive yourselves or to use a touring service, that you have a marvelous time.
Feb 19th, 2008, 04:35 PM
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We like to drive for the exact reasons you stated. We did a month long trip to France the year I retired which was just perfect, and have driven in much of western Europe over the years - in Italy as far south as Florence. We won't really want a car in Rome, but maybe on the AC...
Feb 20th, 2008, 07:54 AM
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We have been there with MIL and FIL (who was 80 at that time). As others have said, I strongly recommend staying right in the town of Amalfi. Amalfi is indeed flat - the only obstacles are the stairs in front of the fantastic cathedral. And Amalfi is very compact.
Avoid Positano - much climbing of steep streets.
Amalfi is a beautiful, historic town with a pretty market. There are several hotels of all levels (we stayed at Luna Convento which is 4 star).
From Amalfi, you can take buses or boats to other places (e.g. Capri).
Avoid Positano - much climbing of steep streets.
Amalfi is a beautiful, historic town with a pretty market. There are several hotels of all levels (we stayed at Luna Convento which is 4 star).
From Amalfi, you can take buses or boats to other places (e.g. Capri).
Feb 22nd, 2008, 12:48 AM
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We have been in Amalfi four times in the last four years and have had a car each time. Parking spaces are very hard to come by and very expensive. The parking can also be many blocks from your destination. Traffic can also be very heavy. Although we liked having a car, this year we will not have one due to the parking situation and use either public transportation, boats (nice way to get around) or just get a taxi.
