My sister and I are planning a trip to the Amalfi Coast in the middle of July and have already booked the hotels for each city, but now have a logistic issue (aside from the amount of luggage we are planning on taking with us, as we are not light packers!!). Below is our itinerary, but we are concerned w/ the travel time from each city as well as trying to squeeze too much into our trip (this is her first time to Italy, so of course she wants to do it all, whereas I have been several times--but never to the Amalfi Coast):

**Day 6 is where we are running into issues--it clearly makes sense to travel from Sorrento to Capri (day trip), then to Positano at night, but I do not want to explore Capri w/ our luggage (unless anyone is aware of a secure place to store luggage). I would also rather not travel (if this is even an option via ferry) from Sorrento to Positano, drop off luggage, then find a ferry back to Capri, then back to Positano**

Day 1: arrival in Rome
Day 2: all day in Rome
Day 3: AM train from Rome to Naples / night: Naples
Day 4: day trip from Naples to Pompeii / night: Naples
Day 5: AM Naples to Sorrento (ferry/hydrofoil) / night: Sorrento
Day 6: day trip from Sorrento to Capri (ferry/hydrofoil) / night: Positano
Day 7: all day in Positano / night: ferry/hydrofoil to Amalfi
Day 8: midday train from Amalfi to Naples / night: Naples
Day 9: depart Naples - home

Can you please help us? I am slightly concerned w/ the amount of luggage that we are going to bring, I'm sure it is going to be difficult to do this via train and ferry/hydrofoil travel. Would you recommend a private driver? I have also read that you will need to buy roundtrip ferry tickets to Capri in advance, especially in the summer months. Can we buy all of our ferry tickets before we leave the U.S.? Thanks in advance for all of your suggestions!

- I HEART to travel

How are you getting to Positano? If you are returning to Sorrento via ferry from Capri, maybe your hotel in Sorrento would be willing to store your bags for the day and allow you to pick them up on your way to Positano. I'm not a light packer either, so I sympathize.

Ideally, we wanted to take a ferry from Sorrento to Capri, then another ferry from Capri to Positano. I'd rather not go back to Sorrento for our bags, but it may make sense to do a day trip from Sorrento to Capri via ferry, then ferry from Sorrento to Positano.

It will be a wonderful trip for you both, but please tell me: Why are you bringing so much luggage? May I suggest you spend the weeks between now and your departure carefully reconsidering what you're planning to take with you - and winnowing it down. For 9 days you should easily be able to travel with a small wheeled carry on, which would make your life 'on the road' so much easier. I know, I know - it's the 'many pairs of shoes' and the 'outfits for every occasion,' etc.

But honestly, where you're going, you will need one pair of sturdy walking shoes for daytime and a good sturdy pair of flats for evening and that's all. A couple pair of chinos or capris or skirts for day (your pick - mix and match according to your individual style), a nice pair of black pants for evening, and a handful of tops, plus a light jacket should do it for you.

I note you already have your hotels so maybe it's too late to make changes, but here's a suggestion to make it easier for you - have a driver meet you at the tracks when you arrive in Naples and take you straight to Sorrento. Pompeii and Naples are both easy day trips from Sorrento. Actually, it would also give you the opportunity to visit Capri for a day without worrying about what to do with your luggage.

And you probably already know this, but there is no train from Amalfi to Naples. You will have to bus or boat to Sorrento or Salerno to catch a train to Naples. If you have lots of money and lots of luggage, you might consider a car and driver for this transfer also.

How about switching your day trips? Instead of going to Pompeii from Naples, you could day trip to Capri from Naples, then day trip from Sorrento to Pompeii. That way you could leave your luggage in Sorrento and pick it up on your return from Pompeii and go on to Positano.

I also like the idea above of basing yourself in Sorrento for the four nights and going into Naples from there.

I also have a tendency to overpack, but have improved greatly. It will be hot in Rome and the Amalfi coast so bring lightweight clothes that you can wash out a night. You really won't need too many different outfits. We did a similar trip at that same time of year.

I agree with CW. Much easier to switch your day-trips - that resolves the luggage issue.

Steve

You might also think about doing your stay in the opposite direction and stay in fewer places:

Day 1: arrival in Rome
Day 2: all day in Rome
Day 3: AM train from Rome to Salerno; SITA bus or ferry to Amalfi; explore Amalfi &/or see Ravello / night: Amalfi
Day 4: day trip from Amalfi to Positano / night: Amalfi
Day 5: day trip from Amalfi to Capri / night: Amalfi
Day 6: Amalfi by SITA bus or ferry to Sorrento; explore Sorrento / night: Sorrento
Day 7: day trip to Pompeii by Circumvesuviana train
Day 8: midday Circumvesuviana train from Sorrento to Naples (see archeological museum, etc... / night: Naples
Day 9: depart Naples - home

I've read that there is luggage storage in Capri, near the port.

I think you are jumping around too much.

Do you really want to spend 3 nights out of 8 in Naples when your stated goal is to see the Amalfi Coast?

Meant to add that, for summer and for 9 days, one small wheeled carry on should be plenty.

First, these aren;t cities - several of them are small towns. Second they're way too close together to do all that moving around - esp if yuo have a lot of luggage. I woud pick two (2) places to stay - one of them being Capri - which is magical at night after the crowds leave. You can esily get to all of the other places from one center on the mainland - sorento or amalfi - and just travel by bus or ferry each day - insted of hauling all your belongigs with you.

the way you have the trip organized half yuor time will be wasted moving from oneplace to another.

Sorry - meant tow places after Rome - obviously that needs to be separate.