best way to do Naples-Amalfi Coast
 

My husband and I are traveling to Italy in late April/early May -- first-timers. We're flying into Rome, planning to take the train to Naples where we'd stay a couple of nights, then head to the Amalfi Coast, Capri, etc. for two to three nights.

It sounds like we'd be crazy to rent a car. Should we stick with trains & buses? Can anyone provide general advice and/or specifics about how hard it is to get from place to place? Should we visit Pompei/Vesuvius while based in Naples, or try to go there on the way to Amalfi? Once in Amalfi should we stay in Sorrento and take buses to other towns?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Also have not booked hotels yet so would welcome suggestions.

Thank you!

I wouldn't advise staying in Naples. I've been through there 3 times and it's an ugly city with little to recommend it to tourists.

Go to the MANN (archeology museum) to see the stuff from Pompeii and Herculaneum, and then get out of there.

I'd suggest staying in Sorrento. Lovely little town, and well connected to everywhere. The metrorail runs from Sorrento to Naples, stops at Herculaneum, Pompeii, Torre A, for you to visit the sites. It has a nice shopping street that will keep you busy for hours, nice restaurants.

Well connected to buses to Positano, Amalfi, Ravello for additional sightseeing. The ferry to Capri leaves from the port.

IMHO, the best place to make base camp for sightseeing around the Amalfi Coast.

Have to agree that Sorrento is a lovely place to base in (although we have never stayed in Naples.) From Sorrento you can daytrip to Capri and do a Pompeii/Versuvius day. We stayed in Sorrento for three nights and also spent two nights in Positano. We had a car as we also visited other areas so I can't advise on how it is to get around without a car. But I can say the whole area is just incredibly beautiful----enjoy.

We were in Amalfi/ Pompei/ Vesuvius last week in our rental. Here is what we did (ask me specifics about something that interests you).

After our Tuscany and Umbria driving tour, we drove to the Amalfi Coast. We began our AC drive from Sorrento, stayed overnight in Amalfi (Hotel Lidomere, free street parking or 15E garage parking), instead of going all the way to Salerno before taking the A3 back to Pompei, we took the mountaneous route from Ravello to A3 autostrada. This route is loaded with orange, lemon and other meditarranean cultivation, and was almost as enjoyable as the AC drive.

We drove to Mt. Vesuvius, and stayed overnight at Pompei near the ruins (free parking). Next morning we did Pompei (as part of some promotion, the entry was free on that day); in the afternoon we drove to Rome, and returned our car there before exploring Rome for the next 3 days.

From Amalfi, you can take the boat to the Capri grotto; unfortunately during the time we were there the waters were too choppy for us to extend our stay at Amalfi).

Since we are a family of 4 (with 2 kids) the car worked out to be a very independent, convenient (even cheaper) option for travel - of course we stopped it at will wherever we thought was appropriate to catch a grand view of the coast or a waterfall. I would highly recommend a car instead of bus - if you can handle mountaneous routes.

Just a point of note - they have convex mirrors at the bends/ curves - once you are there, you will get a hang of using them - and may not find driving to be as challenging as some people may lead you to think.

Avoid having a car in cities like Naples/ Rome, or anywhere where you think you are going to spend several days. At 60-90E (including insurance), high parking fees (10-25E per day), it is just not worth to let the car sit doing nothing for you. You might consider doing Capri from Naples and then renting the car for the remainder.

Hi ax,

We spent 3 days in Naples and enjoyed it.

You can easily see Pompeii, Mt Vesuvius and Herculaneum from there. You can also visit Paestum as a daytrip, if you wish.

We stayed in Praiano on the Amalfi Coast.

You might find the Naples/AC part of my trip report helpful.

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34451044

((I))

You really DON'T need to rent a car for this itinerary if you would rather not.

You can more easily visit Pompei and Capri out of Naples.

You can visit Sorrento, Positano, Praiano, Amalfi, Ravello and Salerno whilst staying just about anywhere along the Amalfi Coast. Indeed, if you stay between Positano and Amalfi, you'll be equidistant from Sorrento and Salerno.

Just take the frequent and cheap SITA bus which travels hourly from Salerno to Amalfi, and (second bus) from Amalfi to Sorrento.

To give you an example of how cheap, consider that Salerno to Amalfi is 1.80 Euros, Amalfi to Positano or Positano to Sorrento is 1.30 Euros, and Amalfi to Sorrento is 2.40 Euros. (All fares per person, one way). Compare that to the high costs of renting and parking a car.

You may also be able to take ferry boats between Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi and Salerno, for not much more money.

From Naples to Amalfi, you can take the DIRECT SITA bus, or the frequent train to Salerno connecting to the bus to Amalfi.

From Naples to Positano, you can take the DIRECT SITA bus, or the frequent Circumvesuviana commuter train to Sorrento, connecting to the bus to Positano. The same Circumvesuviana train which goes to Pompei continues on to Sorrento.

You'll surely run out of time before you run out of things to see. There's enough to see in the City of Naples alone to occupy 4 or 5 days (believe me, I've done it). And, if you're bored, consider seeing the Palace of Caserta!!!!

www.trenitalia.com
www.vesuviana.it (Circumvesuviana line)
www.sita-on-line.it (SITA bus)
www.salernocity.com (Ferry boats)

CONTINUED:

There is also DIRECT hydrofoil service between Naples and both Positano and Amalfi, but it might not be running in late April.

www.metrodelmare.com (hydrofoil from Naples to Amalfi Coast)

THANK YOU All for your responses and helpful links. My head is spinning from reading all of the differing opinions & ideas. I'll come back with specific quesitons.

~ axeljen