In March I returned from 10 days in Tuscany where I took trains and buses between towns. Would like to do that on the Amalfi Coast when I return first wk. in Dec. Visited there 2 yrs. ago with my Italian friends from Rende driving. This time I'll fly into Rome and take the bus or train to Naples/Sorrento.
Probably stay at the Hotel Eden/Sorrento where I stayed previously (great view of the water from terrace and good location). Have only 4 days to see Capri, Positano, Amalfi, Ravello before returning to Rome to fly home. Should I stay 1/2 way along the route maybe in Praiano and use the bus and boat? Will the boats be running then? The bus surely won't be crowded either? Any suggestions?

Well - a beach resort in December doesn;t really appeal to me. Many hotels and restaurants are shut down since it's out of season and ferry service is either stopped or extremely limited. (If water is rough -as it can be that time of year - they cancel service to Capri - and you can;t get on or off.) In addition to chilly weather you will also have very short days.

If you want to do Naples and Pompeii it makes sense. But to spend a lot of time on the coast in non-beach weather - and knowing you may not have any ferry service - I would choose another time of year.

Amalfi Coast is not a beach resort. There are no nice sandy beaches there anyways.

But nytraveler is right about weather and the no ferry running along the coast. So, you have to use the buses unless you're driving.

When my parents and I went just before new year, we find most restaurants open, at least in Sorrento and Amalfi. The smaller towns probably not.

You have to decide. Are you willing to risk the weather in order to go when it's less crowded?

Being from Florida, balmy breezes and beach bathing are not my motivation for going to the Amalfi Coast. Seeing the sights (I was there last in March and it was cold) without the heat and the crowds sounds wonderful.

The Amalfi coast is known for having pretty good weather all year long. I believe Sorrento has long been a British winter resort. It certainly will never be cold!

I totally agree about the joys of off season travel!

We last visited the AC in January a few years ago and the weather was sunny and beautiful - a light sweater during the day at most. Although the crowds were gone, there were still plenty of us tourists around. The coast road was very drivable at that time of year too.