Amalfi Coast: Viator or on our own?
 

Hello,

My husband and I will be staying 3 nights in Naples in July (I know it is the worst month, but I'm a teacher so I don't really get a choice). We plan to spend one of our days in Southern Italy exploring the Amalfi Coast. I've been doing a lot of research on getting around the Amalfi Coast. It looks like using public transportation is possible. The other option is to book Viator's daily Amalfi Coast tour from Naples that includes Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi, and Ravello (with most of the time spent in Amalfi and Ravello).

I need help deciding which is best. We are doing a 17-day Europe trip (London, Barcelona, Naples, Rome) and most of it is all on our own, but this seems like a lot of city-hopping to do on our own in one-day. I wouldn't say that we are experienced with public transportation (although this is near the end of the trip, so we may be by then). Do any of you have experience doing Amalfi Coast in a day on your own with public transportation? Would you recommend a bus tour or is it easy enough to figure out on your own?

Perhaps you have reasons for staying in Naples, but my choice for a short stay would have been Sorrento which is more or less in the middle of your list of destinations. Whether you take a tour or go on your own is personal preference. The tour would not allow you to spend the majority of your time in Amalfi and Ravello, but it would take all of the stress out of the logistics.

If Amalfi and Ravello are your priority, you could train from Naples to Salerno (about 45 minutes) and take the bus (75 minutes) or ferry (35 minutes) to Amalfi, then bus or taxi to/from Ravello, and after that decide if you want to continue on the coast (bus and/or ferry) to Positano-Sorrento-Naples or retrace your path to Salerno-Naples. The above travel times don't include the connecting time. FWIW, I would find Amalfi-Ravello from Naples a full day.

My heart isn't set on Amalfi and Ravello. That is is just what I saw being the majority of the "free time" on the Viator tour since buses can't get into Positano easily. Coming from Naples, and doing the trip on your own - what would you do? I am also not opposed to just doing Sorrento and Positano or Sorrento, Positano, and Amalfi as they all seem to be in a geographic line. We are also carefully looking at budget. The Viator tour is about $100/person and includes lunch.

I found traveling in the area independently quite easy and agree with Jean's suggestion -- Train to Salerno, bus or ferry to Amalfi, bus or taxi to Ravello, bus or hike (if time permits) back to Amalfi, bus or ferry (if time permits) to Positano, bus or ferry back to Salerno, train back to Naples. If you choose to stay in Naples -- and I loved Naples! -- I wouldn't make a point of stopping in Sorrento. And I would put the majority of my time into Ravello and Amalfi; YMMV.

During July, the buses and ferries along the Amalfi Coast can be crowded, and that could present some challenges -- nothing insurmountable, just expect some delays and perhaps frustration in exchange for being able to move at your own pace.

Hope that helps!

Well IMO doing it on your own would be a bit arduous (and not sure how much of it you could actually complete). If you are for sure staying in Naples, the Viatour may be a good idea. There may be other options - you might want to check "Share a shore excursion in Italy" which is mostly for cruisers but could work for you. I think there is a HOHO bus out of Sorrento - it would not be hard to get to Sorrento on the Circumvnesia but doing that, then the HOHO would fill alot of time. Just wondering why you have chosen Naples over Sorrento.

Absolutely no way would I do a bus tour of the AC!

If your chosen viator tour is with a private driver, perhaps OK.
The views will be spectacular though July on the coastal roads will be slow and crowded.

I see viator offers some nice sight seeing tours by boat. That would be great!

Are you seeing Pompeii?

IMHO, it is a big, big mistake to stay in Naples if you want to see the Amalfi Coast. Stay in Sorrento or Salerno and you have many more options for tours and for doing it your self. Besides busses, cars and hired boats, there is good ferry service and views are also beautiful from the water, plus you have nice sea breezes with no sitting in traffic with fumes from other vehicles.

If seeing Pompeii, you could do that either on the way from Rome or on the return from Rome.

We chose Naples because of its convenience to the airport, train station, and cost. We will be flying in from Barcelona about noon on a Friday, spend the afternoon exploring Naples (probably seeing the archeological museum), then spend Saturday doing the Amalfi Coast tour, Sunday going to mass and then heading for a full day in Pompeii/hiking Mt. Vesuvius. We will be taking a train to Rome in the morning on Monday. We found a bed and breakfast in Naples that was highly rated through AirBnB for a great price.

We are not looking to "complete" the Amalfi Coast, but to get some time in to see it some of the hillside villages and drink some limoncello. We have 17 days in amazing, but incredibly busy cities, so we might even enjoy some down time on a beach if we do this on our own. I'm just worried about the public transportation being too much for us to figure out. Like I said, we don't use public transportation often. I've been to London and Paris and used their undergrounds and my husband and I used public transportation when visiting Chicago last year, but that's about it. We also don't speak Italian, and will be heavily relying on phrasebooks and knowledge of Spanish.

ETA: "are NOT looking to "complete" the Amalfi Coast"

You keep saying 'the Viator tour' . . . Do realize Viator doesn't 'do' any tours . . . ever. They don't own a bus nor employ a single guide/driver. They are simply a reseller of other companies' offerings..

You might want to consider going to Capri for the day - it has similar scenery and vibe IMO and it is much more compact! and easy to get to by ferry from Naples. Easy to do on your own! You could take a boat around the island - maybe do the blue grotto or maybe spend the time more on the island. A small bus takes you up to Anacapri and a chair lift from there is great for lovely views and possibly a hike back down to the town.

Yes, I do know that. I am just saying "Viator" because I found the tour on their website and haven't found a tour for that price just by searching.

Capri is an option, but I keep reading that it is so much more expensive and touristy (although I do realize that everything will be touristy is July).

Well on Capri the piazetta and nearby area certainly has some "chi-chi" shops and restaurants but if you get away from that area there are lovely gardens, residential areas and Anacapri. You could could easily do some fairly inexpensive exploring and a casual lunch. The ferry is not cheap but I'm thinking you could do your Capri adventure for about the same price as the Viatour and have a bit more freedom and space. I'm a big fan of gardens and free "walk-abouts" and the chairlift is quite fun and not expensive.

I was in the area with two friends (both teachers) in July two years ago. We spent five nights in Naples and three in Ravello. There is plenty to see and enjoy in Naples, even in the sweltering summer, so don't stress out about that. If it were me, with your limited time, I would consider Capri or even Procida (note: I haven't been to either), just because they are easier to get to from Naples and you could potentially play the whole day trip by ear. If you do choose the AC, I'd probably follow kja's advice above and train to Salerno, then ferry to Amalfi. See the church, have lunch, walk around. Taxi to Ravello--I walked down and up; up is quite a climb--see the gardens. Back to Amalfi and see Atrani as time permits.https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7371f72ab9.jpg

Walking to Atrani from Amalfi.

Thank you! This thread has been very helpful. It seems like The AC is very doable on our own so we have some time to decide between Amalfi and Capri. I am excited to see Naples as well. There seems to be more to do there than we will actually have time for between the archeology museums (we love museums), the underground tour, the Veiled Christ, and the Nativity shops.

Yes, Naples has a wealth of wonderful options -- no way to see all its treasures in just a few days! I'm sure you'll have some great experiences no matter what you choose.

I too like Naples. I would just prefer some lovely place on the coast, especially since the rest of your trip is all big cities.

Cost wise, if you do not go on your own, the extra cost of a tour of the AC might negate your savings on the B&B in Naples.

If you must stay in Naples, the suggestion by both Kja and Jean of the train to Salerno, then ferry up the Coast to Amalfi, etc. is excellent.

Having been to Capri twice on day trips. If I can't stay overnight, I would not go again, while the trip to Positano and Amalfi, I would happily do by boat or ferry again.

Keep in mind that Pompeii can be horribly hot in July, especially by mid-afternoon. You will need to carry lots of water and sunscreen. Hiking up Vesuvius will be hellish - hot, no shade, dusty, must carry water with you. I did it in April, felt it was not worth it then, would not even consider it in July! If you feel it is a must, get there as early as possible. Do it, then Pompeii. BTW, Herculaneum is wonderful. If I had a couple of extra hours, I would do that rather than Vesuvius.

You mentioned the veiled Christ in Naples. It really is unforgettable! A do not miss, IMHO.

@sassafrass Thank you for the advice about switching the hike with Pompeii. We are from California and average July temperatures are 105-110 Fareinheit. We are used to doing things in the heat so I'm not worried about it, but maybe a hike in the morning would be better.

Personally, I would go back to the Viator site and look for those boat trips mentioned above.

Just a comment on Pompeii.... You don't need to carry lots of water for Pompeii as there are fountains in several locations in the excavation where you can refill a bottle. Frankly, I'd drop the climb of Mt. Vesuvius, but if you go, yes, take lots of water.

You've already mentioned going to Sunday morning mass, after which, presumably, you'd return to the hotel to change clothes. If you didn't have a large-ish breakfast earlier, you'd probably want to eat lunch (or something) before heading out on a long day of sightseeing. Both Pompeii and Mt. Vesuvius each require a few hours. (We spent most of a day in Pompeii on our first visit.) If it's hot and humid, and you're outdoors the entire time, the whole day could be a misery. This is not like Palm Springs in July (if that's where you live).

All of the possible places to see are great. The problem could be transport. Some places are easy: Capri by ferry, Herculaneum, Pompeii, and Sorrento by Circumvesuviana. I would not relish crowded slow busses along the rest of the area, so would look for ferry or boat tours for the other locations.

Ok, here is what we are thinking:

Friday: Arrive in Naples around noon and check into B&B. Spend the afternoon walking around Naples and visiting the Archeological Museum (about a 10 minute walk from our B&B).
Saturday: Take the train to Salerno, ferry to Amalfi and explore Amalfi, Ravello, and Atrani on foot. Return to Naples via Salerno in the evening.
Sunday: Morning mass, change, and then take the Circumvesuviana to Pompeii. Spend several hours in Pompeii with the remainder of the afternoon and evening open for Vesuvius, more Naples exploration, or even Sorrento (we can leave it open and decide when we get there).
Monday: Train to Rome arriving at least in time for dinner and an evening night tour through our hostel at 7pm (hostel is 5 minutes walking from Termini)

Question: I've been seeing nice reviews and pictures of Castello Aragonese in Ischia. Would we have time for a half day visit on Monday before leaving for Rome, or is that just out of the question completely?