nkm1

My husband and I are planning a day trip to Amalfi from our B&B in Naples in July. The cheapest trip (by ferry because the SITA bus times were about the same and looked horrendous to try and ride on a Saturday in July) is as follows:

Train Naples to Salerno: 8:45-9:21
Ferry to Amalfi: 10:40-11:20

Ferry to Salerno: 16:15-16:50
Train Salerno to Naples: 17:37-18:10

That only gives us a little under 5 hours. We want to spend the day in Amalfi and Ravello (and if time, walk to Atrani). Is this enough time? We don't really have specific things we want to do once we get there. For quite a bit more money, we could extend our time out another hour, but I'm not sure if an extra $80 is worth it for one hour.

PalenQ

You have so little time it seems but you could bus up to Ravello - just for the views and an old town atmosphere- not much to linger over here or in Amalfi IME - just the gorgeous coast. Anyway book your train tickets ASAP at Acquista il biglietto con le nostre offerte - Trenitalia for discounted fares over walk-up - you could probably take a later train back if you took the world-famous Amalfi buses back to Salerno perhaps. www.seat61.com has great insights on booking own discounted tickets (non-changeable from specific train) - general rail info www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

Is it worth it? Who can say?

nkm1

Another question:

On July 15 we will be going to Pompeii in the morning and then taking a hydrofoil out to Ishia for our last night in Campania.

The next day, our train to Rome departs from Napoli Central at 3:05 pm. My options for taking a hydrofoil back to Naples are either 10:15, arriving back at 11:15, giving us very little time on Ischia in the morning, and lots of time in Naples again before our train. Our other option is a hydrofoil leaving Ishia at 1pm and arriving back in Naples at 2pm giving us an hour and 5 minutes to get ourselves to the train station and on the train. I like this option better because we will have a bit more time to walk around Ischia or hang out at the beach. However, 1 hour to get on the train scares me. Is it too risky?

StCirq

Seems to me an hour and 5 minutes would be sufficient, but a lot depends on how confident you are about traveling - knowledge of train stations and protocol, ability to have a plan B, language, etc.

You seem to have built in a fair amount of travel stress in this itinerary, oddly enough in a very laid-back part of the world. Why?

nkm1

There is just SO much to see in Campania region and I did not realize it until I'd already made the decision to stay just 3 nights. I'm also crazy when it comes to planning (as in...I spend a outrageous amount of time researching and thinking in the planning process) and explore multiple options before deciding on one. I'm a teacher and this is my spring break so I've taken this opportunity to really work on narrowing down what I want.

After seeing there is not much time to split between Amalfi and Ravello I'm now considering just taking the ferry from Sorrento to Positano and just spending the whole day in Positano. I appreciate these forums because people are very realistic and have helped a lot with me sorting through my thoughts and narrowing down what will and will not work.

ToujoursVoyager

The two nights that you have in Naples... would you prefer to move them to either Positano, Amalfi or Ravello?

nkm1

No...I got a great AirBnB at a great price. Our itinerary is:

-Friday: fly into Naples in the early afternoon (from Barcelona), check in, and walk the few blocks to the Archeology Museum and spend the remainder of the afternoon there. Get some pizza for dinner in Naples.
Saturday: Amalfi Coast. I don't feel the overwhelming need to see Positano, Amalfi, and Ravello. Originally I was going to train to Salerno, ferry to Amalfi and then back again, but I think it would be a bit less rushed to take the circumvesuviana to Sorrento and train to Positano and back again. I'd rather spend a good chunk of time on just one town instead of trying to see them all.
Sunday: Get to Pompeii as close to opening as possible to beat the heat and have enough time to get out to Ischia. We are staying in the monastery on Castello Aroganese. Basically, I got it for 120 euro and I just couldn't resist cancelling my last night in Naples and opting for Ischia instead.
Monday: train to Rome leaves at 3:05.

I realize Sorrento could have been a better base but since I was going into and out of Naples, and got better lodging there for cheaper, I decided to stay there. Sorrento was significantly more expensive in July.

ETA: messed up days

Sassafrass

You can take the circumvesuviana to Sorrento, but there is no train from there to Positano. You would take either the bus or the ferry from Sorrento. Going to Amalfi via Salerno or Positano via Sorrento, either way will be time consuming.

I have no idea how much your train tickets cost from Naples to Rome, but are you making a flight connection or something in Rome? If not, why rush that day? This is stress that can easily be eliminated. What does it hurt if you arrive in Rome at 7:00? Take a late train to Rome. A mid-afternoon train doesn't add anything special to your visits. You get to Rome too late for indoor things. Might as well not stress and just get there in time for a nice evening walk and dinner.

kja

Of course there are things to do in Ravello and Amalfi! IMO, whether 5 hours is enough depends on what, exactly, you want to see and do, at what pace, and with what level of attention to the time. If you are willing to keep a close eye on the time, I’d go straight to Amalfi and then leave ASAP by bus for Ravello. Once there, stop in the Duomo briefly for its beautiful ambos, then visit the gardens of the Villa Rufolo OR the gardens of the Villa Cibrone. I can’t imagine that you would have time for both, but I could be wrong. Then back to Amalfi by bus (I don’t think you’d have time to walk) and visit the Duomo and its cloisters.

Good luck!

jamikins

Have you considered what you would do if the ferries don’t run the day you need to leave? We were there once and no ferries were running to the islands due to rough seas...

isabel

Agree with jamikins about the ferries not running. That happened to us a few years ago - in July - and it was a sunny day. However, it doesn't happen all that often but what happens if you don't get to Rome the day you plan? If it just means you loose one day in Rome I'd still do it, but if you were planning to fly out the next day then I wouldn't risk it.

Re the 3:05 train to Rome. You will probably make that if you get the later ferry but if you miss it, you are only out the cost of the train tickets (I'm presuming you are pre-paying this ticket) There will be several more trains later that day to Rome. I have sometimes waited till I got to the train station to buy tickets from Naples to Rome to find the next train sold out, but there are so many that it just meant waiting a few hours till I could get one. On the other hand, unless you plan to go to a spa, or one of the beaches on other sides of the island (which you wouldn't have time for in either case), there is not all that much in Ischia town. If you get there mid afternoon the day before you may be content with catching the earlier ferry. The castle was certainly the highlight of Ischia for us.

I think 5 hours would be OK in Amalfi. Walking to Atrani doesn't take long and Amalfi is not all that large. You would probably have time to take the bus up to Ravello as well. If you end up wanting more than 5 hours you could always take a bus back to Sorrento and from there the train to Naples. Ferry schedules are rather limited, but the bus runs more frequently and later. In fact, I might do that anyway - stay longer in Amalfi/Ravello/Atrani and take the bus back. Yes they can be crowded but if you get on line early enough you get a seat and the views are amazing from the bus. Depending on how the day goes you could even plan on stopping in Positano for an hour or so and then continuing on the bus to Sorrento.

I would try to have enough 'plan B's so that you don't have to stress. Just check to know the latest bus time.

Here's my photos of the area (includes Ischia) : Zenfolio | Isabel's_View | Amalfi Coast

neckervd

" For quite a bit more money, we could extend our time out another hour, but I'm not sure if an extra $80 is worth it for one hour."

I just cannot understand this sentence. In high season, Salerno - Amalfi hydrofoils run every 30-60 minutes until until 6pm and the price is always the same (8 EUR/pax/OW).
Orari aliscafi e traghetti da Salerno a Amalfi

Sue_xx_yy

Look, I know about sticking to budgets, but this is one time you should really consider a 'splurge' and book, if you still can, a hotel in Sorrento. It doesn't have to be sea view, after all. This isn't really a splurge, it is a way of making sure you get your money's worth for time spent, and to reduce stress. Ravello has a fantastic view, not to be missed. And then there's Pompeii. Personally I would skip the museum in Naples - not because the museum isn't worth seeing, but because it's an 'outlier' in terms of geography from the rest of your interests in and getting in and out of a big city just takes that much more time.

**edit: I see you want your last night to be on an island. Any way you can rearrange this? e.g., stay in Pompeii.

e.g fly to Naples, (Fri) get down to Pompeii hotel. If you have time to kill, see a bit of Sorrento.
Sat: day trip to Ischia from Pompeii.
Sun: day trip to Ravello etc.
Mon: leave bags at hotel, see Pompeii in the morning, then take train back to Rome.

PalenQ

Ah but that great price comes with a great cost - in terms of time to get to Pompeii and Amalfi - all much quicker and easier from Sorrento and getting to ferries there is simpler too. Naples is a great city but not wanting to see anything there but a museum - change to Sorrento if possible.

Sassafrass

I hope you are reading every single bit of the advice people are giving you. I have stayed in Naples, Sorrento and near Pompeii, so some experience with all.

Spending an extra $80.00 for an extra hour is a consideration, but spending more on a hotel is not?

Cancelling one night of the the "bargain priced" BnB in Naples to rush to Ischia the last night seems a good plan, but Cancelling to spend the first night in Sorrento, or Salerno is not?

You did research, but I think you did make rushed decisions like the BnB in Naples after all, and have made last minute ones like Ischia that create stress.

There are a number of options if you can, or are willing to, make changes and to give up something.

I have not been, and definitely think it is kind of crazy with your limited time, but I do rather like the idea of Ischia. However, there is no way I would do it the last night with even the slightest possibility of cancelled ferries, etc. or end up with hours to kill in Naples with luggage to stow. It would be too much travel to combine it with the same day on the AC.

Therefore, to do it with reasonable comfort, I would skip staying in Naples and do this.

Friday, Arrive in Naples. Go straight to port and catch ferry to Ischia. Enjoy the late afternoon and evening.
Sat. Enjoy Ischia, stay several hours, get a mid-afternoon ferry to Naples, train to Sorrento (or Salerno)
Sun. Tour AC by ferry from Sorrento (or Salerno). This is super easy from the port in Sorrento, have not done it from Salerno, but others can say. It gives you a whole day on the AC.
Mon. Train to Pompeii (also super easy from Sorrento), stash luggage at station. Tour Pompeii, train to Naples and catch train to Rome.

It would be rushed, but on Sat, if you got to Naples by mid-afternoon, you might even get to a museum for a couple of hours and even grab some pizza before heading to Sorrento. I might do it for the museum, not for the pizza, but nice thing is, you would not be tied to a schedule and could play that by ear.

nkm1

Thank you for your advice. This has been helpful. Luckily, I've got a bit time to think about it.

nkm1

Alright - I talked to my husband and we agreed Sorrento is probably the better option so I cancelled the B&B and found one in Sorrento. The itinerary will have to stay the same with Ischia on the last day, but if we get stranded for another night then it will be alright....not a bad place to be stranded, and our Vatican reservations are not until the end of the Rome stay.

Thank you for your help and reasoning with me.

iris1745

Make sure you take the ferry to the coast of Amalfi.

The view from the water looking in at the towns is spectular.

kja

I think sassafrass has given you a very workable option.

May we ask why Ischia must be your last day? No need to answer, but it really does complicate your plan....

Sassafrass

Get other's opinions on Salerno versus Sorrento. I am familiar with Sorrento, not Salerno, but it might be favored as less touristy.

Ischia last is still not as easy.
Will you be getting up Sunday and seeing Pompeii on your way to Ischia?

This is not even a suggestion, just throwing out an idea. It will be hot, but you could visit Pompeii on Friday, on your way to Sorrento. It wouldn't be a long visit, two or three hours, but probably enough, and right on the way.