My wife and I are thinking about going to Sorrento, that's what other friends have recommended. Does Positano have more to offer than Sorrento (as far as scenic beauty, beach, tourist interests, and access to ruins/Pompeii. Do you have any info about the Villa Maria hotel in Sorrento. A good place to stay? <BR><BR>Thanks<BR>RON

Ron,<BR><BR>I just stayed in Sorrento in March. Accessibility to Naples and Pompeii is better at Sorrento. Positano might be more relaxing and scenic for you though, just more inaccessible. Sorry I don't know anything about the hotel. Restaurants in Sorrento, I know many!

Thanks, Amy<BR><BR>Can you go to Naples by boat from Sorrento and vice versa? Also, did you enjoy your stay in Sorrento? One last thing, what restaurants would you recommend?<BR><BR>Thanks again

Sorrento to Naples by frequent hydrofoil or by even more frequent (and cheaper)Circumvesuviana commuter train (departures every 30 minutes from 4:30 a.m.). The train also stops at Pompei Scavi.

pOSSITANO IS FAR MORE BEAUTIFULAND PICTUYRESQUE THAN sORRENTO WHICH IS LARGE AND CONGESTED. sIRENEUSE AND SAN PIETRO ARE HOTELS OF CHOICE.

I agree, go for Positano with a sidetrip to Capri. Stay at the Hotel Marincato...gorgeous

Sorrento is the far better transportation hub and has a great evening passeeegata.<BR>But if you're looking for the good life, it's Positano hands down - the San Pietro is spectactular.

Ron...<BR><BR>I did enjoy staying in Sorrento. It was very convenient for everything we did, day trip to Capri, day trip to Pompeii, train to Rome (via Naples), day trip of the coast. Two restaurants we enjoyed in particular were La Lanterna and L'Antica Trattoria. Lanterna is pretty average price but the food was good for our first night there and a great atmosphere. L'Antica Trattoria is expensive, but it was an exquisite, long but savory meal, and the service was unbelievable. Both are listed in the restaurant guides here on Fodors. As an aside, I would recommend not buying pottery/ceramics in Sorrento. I found much better quality for the price in Anacapri. I also agree with Billy...the passagiata at night was great in Sorrento. They shut down the main streets and everyone just ambles around. Don't forget Davide's gelateria too...it was sublime.

Amy,<BR><BR>Thanks for your info. It is a big help.<BR><BR>Do you have a suggestion on a particular train pass that we should purchase. We are looking to travel from Naples, Rome, and Florence with a few day trips to Bologna and Pompeii. What is the best pass for the best price?

Ron: You have do make some careful calculations to determine whether you save much at all by purchasing one of the Italian rail passes:<BR><BR>1. Kilometric Ticket (3,000 kilometres over 60 days: can be used by up to 5 people traveling together)<BR>2. Flexipass (personal use, limited time)<BR>3. Traditional Rail Pass (personal use, limited time)<BR>With the additional supplements to be paid for IC and ES trains (Kilometric Ticket), or the need to purchase a seat reservation (Flexipass and Traditional Pass) you may determine that the savings is not worth the hassle, compared to simply purchasing point-to-point tickets (at which time you make your seat reservation). The Flexipass and Traditional Pass make more sense when taking long trips over short periods of time (for example, Milan to Sicily and back on ES/IC trains). The Kilometric ticket loses is lustre when you take lots of IC and ES trains (since you have to pay the supplement)

thanks for the train pass info.

Ron<BR>Just got back and did a lot of the same train trips you'll do. You don't need a train pass. It's cheaper and just as easy to buy point to point when you get there. Buy them a day or two ahead at the train station from a computer or a ticket agent, or in any travel agency (a little easier since they usually speak better English). Pompeii and Sorrento are on the Circumvesuviana which isn't covered by a pass and it's very cheap.<BR>I enjoyed Sorrento, and the transportation convenience is great. Lots of great boat trips--to Naples, Capri, Ischia. I liked Viela Blanca restaurant near Marina Piccolo.

To give you a starting point for cost comparisons, the 3,000 kilometer train pass (Kilometric Ticket) costs 180.76 Euros in first and 116.72 in second class. It is valid for two months (from date of first usage), or 20 trips, whichever comes first. It can be used by up to 5 people traveling together (even if not related by marriage or blood). Children under age 12 are computed at half the kilometer distances. You still have to pay extra for seat reservations (3 Euros per seat per train) and suppplements for IC and ES trains. Unused kilometers are forfeited. The Italian Rail Pass and Flexipass cannot be purchased in Italy, only abroad. Go into the www.trenitalia.com site and look up the point to point fares for individual trips. You'll find that the passes are probably not worthwhile for your itinerary. The Circumvesuviana Rail from Naples to Pompei and Sorrento is dirt cheap and, as Frank notes, is not covered by the passes.

We've just spent 5 nights in Sorrento. I agree with some of the others that it is a great base for exploring the area, i.e. Capri and Pompeii. However even in mid-season (May) it took a long time to get down the Amalfi coast in the local buses. People don't seem to queue for the buses but just rush for them which can be irritating if you've been waiting for a while. Positano is lovely and you can take boats to Amalfi and Capri. But if you're into Roman ruins, you'd kick yourself not getting to Pompeii which is amazing. So I guess it's a question of what interests you. We stayed at the Hotel La Tonnarella in Sorrento (Room # 4 is a must) which is very quiet and has spectacular views over the Bay of Naples. Probably the best view from a hotel window I've ever seen!! And Sorrento is lively and colourful. Thumbs up to the 2 restaurants mentioned further up.