Going to Italy for first time. After Rome want to do the Amalfi Coast, i.e. Positano, etc. If we base in Positano for several days can we easily go to Capri, Sorrento, Pompeii on day trips? Any other helpful hints would be appreciated. Planning 1st 2 weeks in March.

Positano is a great place to stay and you can get to all those other places fairly easily . . . BUT, you should definitely check the ferry schedules b/c I'm not sure how often they run in March.

Obviously you have to take a ferry to get to Capri, but if you have a car, Sorrento and Pompeii are not far. There is also the SITA bus line, although it takes longer to get anywhere on the bus than it does by boat. But it's a very scenic route, either way.

Hi Patti,

Beginning of March is very iffy weather for the AC.

What is the rest of your 2 weeks?

with the exception of Pompeii these places are primarily summer resorts - great from May on - but March is not really the best ttime. The weather is definitly not good enough for the beach/water - and a lot of things may be either not yet open for the season - or on a reduced schedule (including the ferries to Capri).

We are starting in Rome and then were planning to do AMalfi Coast. Not water & beach as much as the cities. We wondered if we could stay in Positano and do Pompeii, Sorrento, day trip to Capri, and any other recommendations. Other thought was to base in Naples several days and do all those from there. We will be going to Sicily after that, planning to take the overnight ferry, spend one night there, and overnight ferry back. Is that reasonable and what is the ride like then, we have a seasick prone one among us? Any help is appreciated from anyone!!!

Patti - Positano or Sorrento are good bases for those day-trips. Sorrento's a little more convenient - but I'd choose Positano in preference anyway.

Steve

P.S. A day-trip to Sicily? You're not serious, are you?

Steve, thanks for the reply. Maybe I wasn't clear about Sicily. We plan to boat overnight to Sicily, stay one night on Sicily, and return on ferry overnight again. That's basically 2 days there. Is that not realistic or a good plan? One of us has Italian roots there necessitating the trip there. I'm concerned about the ferry trip. Thanks for the help.

Agree with Steve. Going to Sicily for an overnight while allowing you to visit a particular town or village where ancestors from will not provide you with much. It would be like someone saying they wanted to see America and staying overnight in Cleveland (no disrespect meant to our Cleveland friends). Sicily has much to offer and you might want to save for another time. Ferry should not be a big problem and if really prone to seasickness a patch or dramamine should take care of it.

Hi Patti,

I suggest that you stay in Naples for Pompeii (also see Herculaneum and climb Mt Vesuvius).

For a daytrip, take a ferry from Naples to Sorrento and on to Amalfi. Take the bus back to Sorrento and train to Naples.

Another daytrip could be ferry to Capri.

Alternatively, since you have to go to Sicily, spend your time there and see the AC on another trip when you can do it in better weather.

Did this exact trip last year. We based in Sorrento and hit Pompeii on the train down from Rome. You can check your luggage in the train station for a small fee and it is fairly safe. From Sorrento we did the ferry to Capri for a full day and loved it although the Grotto was closed due to high seas. Next day took the bus to Positano and Amalfi. It was all fairly easy. Naples is yukky and I would skip unless you are into the Museum in a big way. You have to transfer trains there so you can spend some time. Skip Sicily and do the extra 2 days in Florence which is the highlight of Italy IMO.

>Naples is yukky and I would skip unless you are into the Museum ...<

Well, I liked Naples.

I love Naples too. But I guess it is good not everyone enjoys the same places or they would really be packed.

I enjoy Milan too, and yet many do not.

I thought Naples was OK, but I'd take off on one of the above comparisons--why go to Cleveland when there are so many more spectacular places to visit?

Must agree with jillis -- Naples is yucky. We did almost identical itinerary as jillis and everything was great.

Sorry to butt in, but we are doing this same trip next week. Jillis, where in the train station do we go to leave our luggage so we can do the tour of Pompeii and Mt. Vesuvius on our way back to Naples from Sorrento?
Thanks!

ATLT - There's a left luggage store at the entrance to Pompei itself - a short walk from Pompei Scavi station.

I don't remember there being a facility at the station, but I may be wrong.

Hope this helps ...

Steve

I think you will enjoy Positano in March. No, it is not a beach location at that time of year, but I don't consider it a beach location in the summer either. You can usually catch the ferry in Sorrento for Capri, even if it isn't running in Positano. I would skip Capri anyway and spend more time in Sicily or Positano. Don't miss a day trip to Ravello. Have a great trip.