first time italy, first time by myself
 

Hi,
I'm going to Italy for 2 weeks in July and it will be my first time there and the first solo trip. I'm staying in venice for 4 nights, then the Amalfi Coast for 5, then Rome for 5. I'm not sure which city on the Amalfi Coast would be better. So far I have reserved The Villa Rosa in Positano ($170 e) but can change it. Please give any advise, it would be much appreciated.
Thanks,
Michele

Hi W,

How are you getting from Venice to Positano?

((I))

i will fly

I'd stay in Sorento if I were you. You can get from there to more places on the Amalfi coast. I think Positano is rather isolated. I loved Sorento, easy to get to from Naples (take the little Circumsuviano train).. you can visit Pompeii and other Roman ruins, and take a bus down the Amalfi coast, and a boat over to Capri.. Just my 2 cents worth.

I did this same trip by myself and decided to base in Sorento b/c of everything that I had read about the convenience of it. While everywhere on the Amalfi coast is gorgeous, I have say to say that I wasn't a big fan of Sorento.

continuing...
(sorry, posted too soon)

I found Sorento to be simply a town of hotels and pottery shops. I think convenience is the main reason to stay there - I was mostly going out of Sorento. You can get around to other places from Positano just as easily. But getting there is more complex.

I loved Positano. Yes, it's not as convenient to the commuter train...and it's a schlep on the bus or ferry from Sorento b/c the commuter rail ends there. But it's so much more charming and unless you are going to be spending a lot of time in Pompeii or Herculaneum, that may not be an issue.

You can easily take a ferry from Positano and get around to other places on the coast and the islands.

When I did this trip, I had come from Rome and decided to stash my suitcase at the train station there - Termini has a great luggage repository for a daily rate. I threw 5 days of clothes, etc. in an overnight bag so that I wouldn't be carting a suitcase all over the Amalfi. It worked great.

If you want more charm, stay in Positano. Not sure where you're flying into, but if it's Naples, perhaps you can check-out Pompeii on the way down and you have that out of the way and then just head to Positano for the rest of your stay. Or spend a night in Sorento on the way down if that works best logistically and the rest in Positano.

The bus ride btwn Sorento and Positano is amazing and worth doing just for the experience. The buses can get very crowded - especially in summer, I understand. I also used the ferries alot.

That's great that others have like Sorento - it just wasn't for me.