need help planning days in Naple, Pompeii,Sorrento,Capri, Amalfi Coast
 

between Sept 12 and 18th want to see Naples, Pompeii,Sorrento,Capri and Amalfi coast. Need help in deciding how many days to stay where & any hotel suggestions budget for $130 -$150 i know i might have to go over that in Capri and ok with that.

That's not enough days, I'm sorry to say.

We barely made it work in 12 days. 14-16 would have been about right.

Here's our trip report, loaded with details and pix:
http://www.onelittleworld.com/campania_1.html

Hope that helps!

You could stay in one place and visit all of these places as day trips.

On the other hand,

Naples, Pompeii, Sorrento can be logically grouped. Stay in Sorrento and train to Naples and Pompeii. Ferry to Capri from there.

Or stay in Positano and ferry to Capri and drive, taxi or bus to other towns on the AC.

Other posters will have to make suggestions but I'd just stay in Sorrento.

Probably the first question to ask is how are you getting around? Are you renting a car? If so Sorrento makes a good base for the area. 6 days is enough if you would like a quick look at the area. Boats leave for Capri from Sorrento and there are tour companies that do day trips of the amalfi coast which include Rovello.
As mentioned , whats your mode of transport?

will be using train and bus...but if you have any suggestions on transportation would appreciate it!!

mr_go ..i read & enjoyed your onelittleworld..thank you alot of good info

You certainly have enough time and can do it by train and bus.

Base yourself in Sorrento and take day trips as mentioned above.

Train to Naples and Pompeii (1 day each)
Ferry to Capri (1 day)
Bus to Amalfi and Positano (1 or 2 days)
Walk around Sorrento (1 day plus nights)

We just came back from a 13 day trip. During that time we spent 3 full days touring the Amalfi Coast. We flew into Rome and stayed 1 night. The next day we left Rome on the 3pm Euro star for Naples. We had a private transfer for 99 Euros to the Hotel Antiche Mura in Sorrento. Rick Steve’s tour book recommended it and so do I. This is a great hotel. The room, the staff, the breakfast and the location are great! The hotel is located in the center of the town and you can walk to everything quickly. If you stay farther out of town it takes awhile to walk into the center. The hotel is clean and has views of a garden, hotel gorge or pool. It is not located on the water front. Who needs that when you could take a short walk to the Foreigner’s Club (open to all tourists). This club is about a 5 minute walk from the hotel and you could have a meal and/or just a drink and enjoy their view of the bay of Naples. We went there every day after touring for a drink and one day for lunch. We stayed 4 nights and were able to see the following: day1 –Herculaneum, day2-Pompeii, Day3- hired a private driver for 7 hours and toured Positano, Amalfi, Ravelo, Praiano, and La Grotto dello Smeraldo. We hired the driver through the hotel. It was the highlight of our stay in Sorrento! If you can swing it, the cost was 35 Euro an hour (with a 4 hour minimum). We never made it to Capri, but the La Grotto dello Smeraldo gave us a small taste of what the blue grotto is like. Way the cost, the time factor and what you want to see before you go to Capri. Hope my information helps with your decisions and how many days you need to tour the area.

cambee makes a great point about hiring a driver for Amalfi Coast. It took FOREVER to take a bus from Sorrento to the town of Amalfi. On the hairpin turns, two opposing cars can pass on another, one car and one bus can pass BUT if 2 buses meet, one must back up to the closest pullover. During busy season, it can slow up things lots.

Can't wait to read about your experiences.

We noticed that the buses were packed in the late afternoon during our recent visit in April. The bus stops were also lined-up with people. We were glad we did not have to deal with the bus situation. Even with a private driver you are tired, but at least you could relax in a comfortabele car.

wow thanks for all this incredible information you have just planned my trip!!

cambee, we'll be based in Sorrento in August, and expect to do exactly as you did, spend 3 full days touring before flying down to Sicily. If you were pleased with the driver for the Amalfi Coast, could you please give us the name? Did the driver speak English as also act as something of a guide? Also, how much time would you suggest planning for the driver that day? I imagine that August is the high season, so the roads will be even more crowded than you experienced in April. Thanks.

We spent 6 days based in Sorrento last June, day tripping from there to every place on your list except Naples (we scratched a planned afternoon in Naples because the museum wasn't open, so just took the train back and forth to visit Ercolano). We had a car and driver for the day we did the Amalfi coast, and it took 8 hours start to finish, with stops at the Emerald Grotto (really cheesy tourist trap - don't do it unless it is a really hot day and you just want to cool off for 5 or 10 minutes), Positano, Amalfi and Ravello. From Sorrento you can also take a ferry directly to Positano with no problems, but that wouldn't be my first recommendation if you want to see other parts of the coast on the same day. Sorrento is a 30 minute train ride to Pompeii and a 25 minute ferry ride to Capri, so it is a good base for day tripping to those destinations. Just basing in Sorrento worked out well for us because we wanted to get to Pompeii and Capri easily, and it is a perfect jump off point for both of those. Next time I might split the time between Sorrento and Positano or someplace farther south, so that I could spend a little more time exploring the coast and make it down to Paestum, but for a trip with Pompeii and Capri on the "must do list" I think you would be very happy with Sorrento as a base.

EdEdwards, we booked our private driver through our hotel (Hotel Antiche Mura). Our driver’s name was Francesco. He spoke English and was our guide to the history and details about the places we stopped. Francesco is even very good at taking photos for you. He was extremely nice, very courteous, a careful driver and very informative. He drove us to each town (and any place we wanted to stop) and asked us how much time we would like to spend at each stop. He suggested 1 hour and that was plenty of time for us to walk around and see the sites. We spent 1 ½ hours in Ravello because we had lunch there. We spent a total of about 7 hours with Francesco. It was well worth it since we were tired by day’s end, even though we all are physically fit.The other plus was Francesco had a minivan which allowed us to have an even better view while touring since the vehicle sits up higher. We really enjoyed Francesco and had him the next day for our private transfer to Naples. The company that Francesco works for deals directly with hotels and travel agencies. I don’t remember the company’s name.

Thanks very much for the info, cambee. I think we'll try to replicate your tour, maybe even arrange the driver through your hotel, though we're staying at the Hotel Il Nido in the hills a bit. I suppose we probably should plan an extra hour for the trip, too, since I've heard that August is incredibly congested on that road. BTW -- do you really think it makes a major difference staying right in the heart of the town? The Il Nido has had great reviews, is inexpensive, and has a reliable shuttle service that drops people near the Mura every hour. My wife would like to stay there for the views.

EdEdwards, The Hotel Antiche Mura is only 1 block from the Piazza Tasso( the main Piazza where restaurants, and shopping are concentrated. Our hotel was maybe only a 5 minute walk to the train station (it could have been 5 or so blocks away). We never took a taxi even though we had a day of rain. The hotel is centrally located. If you are going to Pompeii, then you will need to get yourself to the train station. Walking is the quickest way to get around town. We did not need a view of the Bay of Naples, since we spent very little time in the room. As I mentioned in an earlier posting, we walked 5 minutes to the Foreigner’s Club ( a tourist information /bar/restaurant) and enjoyed the best view of the Bay of Naples from there outdoor dining terrace. We went there for drinks everyday and lunch one day. During the month of August take into consideration how long you may have to wait for a shuttle bus. Also find out where shuttles stop. I am including a link that is a website that shows the town of Sorrento. It also shows where all the hotels are located. The hotel you are looking at is not plotted on the map. It is noted under the hotel listings. I know I saw it during our tour with the private driver, but it must be outside the city limits. Only you can decide what is important in your trip. The view of the Bay of Naples, or if the convenient and flexibility of being able to get around town and out of town is.
http://www.sorrentotourism.com/eng/travelplanner.html
This website has a section for accommodations with maps. I suggest you contact the hotels directly for more details on where they are and what tours, room rates and other information you want to know.
Hope this helps you.

The Hotel Antiche Mura is a 4star htl.
If you are looking for a 3star hotel in the centre
eden, villa di sorrento or sorrento city
for drivers and specially trained guides I can enthusiastically recommend vesuviusvspompeii
sonia

Thanks for the info. We'd love to stay at the Antiche Mura, but I'd already checked it out and the price is more than double the Il Nido, for starters. Then the lesser hotels comparably priced to the Il Nido, in town, don't seem too special -- like the ones listed by soniastall, above. The reviews of the Il Nido in TripAdvisor rave about the place and about the owner, and say that the shuttle provides very good service. What we need to decide is whether what is (to me) an advantage -- the freedom of staying in the town and having easy walking to anywhere, anytime, outweighs the advantage (to my wife) of having a nice view and reputedly very pleasant management. I queried here because I thought I might get some additional info that might sway us one way or the other, though I'm sure either solution will be perfectly fine.

The website you posted is also helpful, cambee.

We've stayed at Il Nido twice and are firmly with your wife - so pleasant to be in the cool calm above town with the great views. Shuttle service is excellent.

Tour of the Ac - I would suggest you think about taking the ferry instead of a private driver if you don't want to do the bus - the driver being hugely expensive. You can get the metro del mare from Sorrento to Positano, stop for a while there, get back on to Amalfi, ride the bus just up to Ravello, walk down (not far and absolutely sublime in every regard) and then ferry back to Sorrento. Far more pleasant than being in a car and the views astonish.

Or I would recommend as ideal - bus to Positano (stops right outside the Il Nido and not too long a ride even in the summer); get off at the first Positano stop and walk down through town to the beach and ferry; ferry to Amafi; bus to Ravello and walk down; ferry back to Sorrento. Far more affordable than private driver, exquisite views from land and sea, you can control your own schedule.

So it sounds like you really liked the Il Nido, Texastrips, which is great to hear. As for the Amalfi Coast trip -- I'd read that the bus along the AC leaves from the train station in Sorrento, and can easily be full before it leaves there in the summers -- so is it the same bus that stops right outside the Il Nido? I'm wondering if we'd be able to get on without getting into line at the station, earlier.

For the alternative, with the ferry, are you suggesting going to Positano by ferry, then getting back onto a ferry to Amalfi? Then after taking the bus from Amalfi to Ravello, would we be walking back down to the town of Amalfi to catch the ferry back? This does sound like a very pleasant way of seeing the coast from a different perspective. Everyone raves about taking the AC drive, but I'd bet the view from the water must be at least as impressive.

EdEdwards i will be in Sorrento in Sept for 3 days also. it would be so great if you had time when you get back to post here how your 3 days went. it would be tremendous help in me planning out my 3 days....also all good reviews on il Nido there were no rooms available for me in Sept or i would have definatly stood at that hotel...have a great trip!!

We did really like the Il Nido - it's a typical, Italian, family run hotel; very clean, very friendly, nothing fancy, meets all your basic needs. Absolutely fantastic views from the room balconies and the main dining room balcony.

Catching the bus - if you took an early one (which you would want to anyway as there's a lot to do to do the AC in a day), I think you would be ok from the Il Nido - but you can ask the Il Nido staff what they think.

For ferry all the way - yes I did suggest ferry from Sorrento to Positano, (very nice around the headland close to Capri), then when you are ready to go on, jump back on a ferry to go to Amalfi.

The views from the coast road are lovely which is why I like the bus to Positano (plus it's a lovely walk down through town), but you get some of the same sense on the bus up to Ravello. The walk down from Ravello is extraordinary - one of the most memorable experiences of my life. Incredible views. (We walked down via Atrani to avoid any walking on the road - very straight forward; tourist office in Ravello has free hiking maps with the walk clearly marked.) Then yes bus or preferably ferry back from Amalfi to Sorrento.

Do all the buses from the AC towns -- like Amalfi -- hug the coast, or is there also an inland route?

That's a good question, Ed. The city bus we took from Sorrento to Amalfi hugged the coast. Other posters can let you know about inland busses. I'm sure they exist as the people who life there would need them, eh?

Bookmarking, thanks!

If the bus returning from the Amalfi Coast towns to Sorrento does not escape the crowded coast route, is there an inland train of some kind? As fun4all4 suggests, you'd think that there would be a faster inland route of some kind for non-tourists.

Hi Ed - There's no fast inland route back to Sorrento - the Amalfi Coast is backed by mountains.

There is a hydrofoil service between Amalfi/Positano and Sorrento in August. Otherwise bus (- or taxi) are your other options.

The coast is spectacular whether by road or by sea - so it's nice to do both.

http://tinyurl.com/3coedn
http://tinyurl.com/yo582h

Hope this helps ...

Steve

Ed,

Have you already made your hotel reservations? I tried Sunday to reserve at Il Nido for approximately the same time as you will be there and found that they have no availability for our dates.

We stayed at Il Nido a couple years ago and just loved it. Altho we did not spend a great deal iof time in our room, we really enjoyed the view when we were there and sitting on the little balcony drinking wine and nibbling on some cheese while watching the sunset was fabulous. The shuttle services is frequent and very convenient. I recommend taking the SITA bus from Sorrento early in the morning - it's the terminus, so the bus starts from there empty, sit on the right side of the bus (i.e. not the drivers side) for the incredible views, then get off in Positano or Amalfi, wherever, you like, but for the return trip, take the ferry back to Sorrento. It's a lovely end to the day, and seeing the Amalfi Coast from the sea is really nice.

mamcalice -- I already have the reservation, so we're set, fortunately.

hazel1 -- Are you saying that the the SITA bus starts from in front of the Il Nido, which would indeed be very convenient, or does it start from the train station, in which case we'd need to be at the train station very early to be sure we get the seats we want?

Thanks.

The SITA bus starts at the train station in Sorrento. It does stop in front of the Il Nido but may be full by that point.

We took the bus from the train station to be sure of getting a seat. Someone did get on our bus at Il Nido, but the bus was full and that person stood until someone got off a few stops later.

How early does one have to begin lining up for the SITA bus in order to get on -- much less get a coveted right sided seat? We're thinking the convenience might justify the huge expense of hiring a driver, if we can't be sure of seats on the bus.

Ed - In high season you really want to be at the stop 20-30 mins before departure time. Buy your tickets beforehand (- at the station shop) and
N.B. don't forget to VALIDATE them on boarding.

Steve

Check my answer to "Taxi" ( vs "driver ) for Amalfi Coast in August ? by EdEdwards.
The driver Giuseppe does tours to all the places you mentioned, and he would be able to make the best suggestions as to how to include all or some of the sights you want to see into 1 day or 2 or 3! He is easy to get along with, very fair and not "pushy", and is located in Sorrento which would be a good place for your base. Have a super trip. I'm envious.
Montanabrit