wanderer1

We will be staying in Capri and Positano for 10 days (3 days in Capri and one week in Poistano) in May, and on our list to see are:

Amalfi
Ravello
Pompeii
Herculaneum
Paestum

I've read several guide books, and see that we can take ferries from Positano to Amalfi, then a bus to Ravello. Can Amalfi and Ravello be done comfortably (without rushing, allowing time for strolling and lunching and shopping) in one day?

We haven't decided which we are going to go to for the ancient site - Pompeii, Herculaneum or Paestum and alot depends on the travel time. Someone told me although it may look like a short-ish trip on the map, in reality it might be 3 hours each way travel time.

Can we get to any of these by ferry? Or partly by ferry? We'd prefer to travel via the water wherever we can, just because we like it.

Also would like to know if Sorrento, Salerno and Vietri warrant a visit. I want to go to Vietri for the ceramics. Are the prices/selection that much better than other places on the coast to warrant the trip and again, I can't quite figure out how we would get there. It looks like we could ferry to Amalfi, then maybe take a bus?

Any help would be appreciated.

kybourbon

Unless you are taking a taxi or limo, you will have to go to Sorrento to catch the train to Pompeii or Herculaneum. Pasteum is in the opposite direction so you can't combine it with Pompeii and Herculaneum.

Zerlina

Pompeii and Herculaneum are Roman towns; Paestum is Greek temples. Not really comparable, to my mind.

Jean

You would go first to Salerno to get to Paestum, and Paestum is farther in distance from Positano than Pompeii. As Kybourbon pointed out, you would go first to Sorrento to get to Pompeii and Herculaneum.

As you seem to be interested in ancient ruins, you should visit the archeology museum in Naples.

To me, because I'm innately curious, every town "warrants a visit." But whether you spend time exploring Salerno and Sorrento depends on how much time you want to spend away from Positano.

ms_go

From Positano to Pompeii, take the SITA bus to Meta (not Sorrento), and then the Circumvesuviana to Pompeii Scavi. I recall it taking a little over an hour: ~40 on the bus and ~25 minutes on the train. On the return, take the Circumvesuviana to Sorrento, then either a bus or ferry back to Positano (Circumvesuviana terminus and bus are at the same location; to take the ferry you'd need to make your way down to the dock).

CRAZY4TRAVEL

Amalfi and Ravello can be done in one day for sure. The bus to Ravello can be very crowded. The bus is the smaller variety but we managed to get the first one. People weren't exactly orderly...when the bus came it wasn't pretty!

Ravello is lovely and if the weather is nice you should try to plan to stay for lunch. There are some spectacular views of the whole coast line from the Villa Cimbrone.
http://www.villacimbrone.com/en/ristorante.php

Amalfi is not that large and can be covered in a couple of hours.

wanderer1

Thanks all. Yes, I realize that Paestum is in the opposite direction than Pompeii and is Greek rather than Roman ruins.

And it's my husband who is mainly interested, although a half day I can handle.

For Paestum, from Salerno, what is the best way to get there? Is there a bus? What are we talking for time from Positano? (total time to Paestum)?

Some people have mentioned they hired a driver. How expensive is that? Is that a better way to go?

Dayle

I wanderer,

I went to Paestum from Praiano in Sept using public transportation. I should have researched a more time efficent way to go, but here is what I did:

Tried for the SITA bus from Praiano to Amalfi, but the one scheduled for (I think) 8:30 never showed. One came at 9:15, so I took that to Amalfi. Took the boat from Amalfi to Salerno, walked to the train stationa and took the train to Paestum. Walked from the station to the ruins, long walk.

One way, it took me about 2.5 hours.

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: you cannot buy a return ticket at the Paestum train station! You must buy the ticket at the bar in Paestum.

Not realizing this provided me with a very interesting and semi-charming experience with the local train station agent. Which is another story for another time...

Surfergirl

From Positano, you can get to Amalfi, Salerno, Capri, and Naples all by ferry, but you need to check that the waters aren't too rough, or they sometimes drop one or more of the scheduled ferry rides (a complete bummer!). From Sorrento, it's a short train ride to Pompeii and Sorrento is a short train ride from Naples.

If you're going to be staying in Positano, you would also take the crazy bus ride up to Montepertuso (or catch a free cab if you go up to one of the restaurants up there -- ask your hotel and they'll make arrangements).

Have a great time -- we did the same thing a few years ago, and it was a blast! But mind the train strikes!

Steve_James

Hi Wanderer - Paestum is best by train, not bus, from Salerno.

Aim for the 09.42 or 12.27 train from Salerno.
http://www.trenitalia.it/en/index.html

From Paestum station it's a 10 mins walk to the temples.
(Cross the road from the station and follow the lane through the archway ...)

Hope this helps ...

Steve

ekscrunchy

I have not been to Vietri in many years but I can tell you that the town was teeming with ceramic workshops. I bought a set of dishes there, had them shipped back to the US, and use them today..

I, too, want to visit Vietri and plan on combining it with a visit to Paestum and Cetara; we plan to hire a driver for this, though. (Will be based in Amalfi)

There is a ferry to Agropoli from Positano and from there one can probbly get a taxi to the ruins, but the service will not be operating in May, unfortunately.

wanderer1

Surfergirl - You don't mention Sorrento on your list.

I was under the impression we could get from Positano to Sorrento via ferry, no?

Anyone have any idea how expensive it is to hire a driver, and does anyone have recommendations?

Also, can anyone give me estimated ETAs for Positano to Pompeii and Positano to Paestum? My doctor told me it took him 3 hours each way Positano to Paestum! Does this seem right?

Can one do Pompeii and Herculaneum in one day?

cynstalker

I'm interested too - thanks wanderer1 for starting this.

Zerlina

Positano to Salerno by boat takes 50 to 70 minutes. The train from Salerno to Paestum takes about 35 minutes, but you cannot expect to hop on a train the minute you walk into the train station.

Metro del Mare runs hydrofoils from Positano to Sorrento, but as someone has already pointed out, you then have to get up from the dock to the train station whereas the bus goes directly to the train station.

It's possible to visit Pompeii and Herculaneum the same day, but I don't know why anyone would want to.

There are quite a few recommendations here for driver services. Two that I can recall are Renato Cuomo and Francesco Marapese.

ira

Hi W,

We did a daytrip to Paestum from Praiano, via Positano.

We took the ferry to Salerno. The docks are about 3 blocks from the train station.

From there take the train to Paestum and return.

Take the SITA bus back to Positano, as the ferry will probably be closed for the day.

You can take the ferry from Positano to Sorrento, Capri, Amalfi and Naples.

Two that I can recommend are Renato Cuomo and Francesco Marapese.
www.cuomonet.it
www.francescomarrapese.com/

ekscrunchy

Ira,

Did you use both of these drivers and if so, which one do you recommend more highly?

I am also curious as to the cost of a full-day excursion on the A/C, as we have not yet settled the issue of whether or not we are going to rent a car..

Steve_James

Wanderer/Ekscruchy - The going rate for a driver on the Amalfi Coast is typically about €150 for a half-day, €300 for a full day.

The following limo companies have all been recommended here:

- Positano-based

www.positanocarservice.com
www.flaviogioia.com
www.limocarservice.net
www.benvenutolimos.com (Praiano)

- Sorrento-based

www.tourofitaly.com
www.francescomarrapese.com
www.cuomonet.it
www.seesorrento.com
www.sorrento.it


Paestum by bus from Positano is 3 hrs+ each way
As Zerlina says, it's best to go by ferry (- 70 mins) to Salerno, then train (- 35 mins).

Trains unfortunately are infrequent on this route - so it needs careful planning around timetables.

As mentioned above, aim for the 09.42 or 12.27 train from Salerno. There is nothing in between
http://www.trenitalia.it/en/index.html#

The alternative is bus from Salerno to Paestum - but this takes approx 1 hr (- not a very attractive ride).
For timetables see:

http://www.borsaturismo.com/2007/ENG...no_paestum.htm

Hope this helps ...

Steve

ekscrunchy

Steve: Yes, it helps! You are always helpful!

Now here is another question for you: We are planning a trip for the last week in April/first few days in May. should I be writing to the recommended drivers now?

Also, would you happen to know if Pompeii and Paestum would be open on May 1? What kind of closings should we plan for on that date?

Zerlina

>>Also, would you happen to know if Pompeii and Paestum would be open on May 1? What kind of closings should we plan for on that date?<<

There are three days in the year when pretty well everything (except restaurants) is closed in Italy; May 1 is one of them. The other two are January 1 and December 25.

Since May 1, 2008, is a Thursday, I would expect that every Italian and his uncle will make a long weekend of it and that roads, boats and trains will be crowded.

ira

Hi ek,

>Did you use both of these drivers and if so, which one do you recommend more highly?

We did use Cuomo. He recommended Francesco, in case he wasn't available.