Sierradawn53

My husband and I will have 8 days, including travel time, in Italy middle of June. We were hoping to split the time between Positano and Tuscany. Is this doable? If it is, what is the best way to get to one place to another?

yorkshire

I wouldn't do it, because I could pick a million places near each of those destinations that I feel would better maximize my time and fill eight days without a lot of travel time in between. But we all have to pick the things we most want to see, and you could technically do both with eight days. You will have to be very selective (you have one tiny coastal village and one large region full of places to see), and I would definitely only do it if you can fly into Florence or Pisa and out of Naples.
Transport will depend on where you select in Tuscany.
I'll just say once more--you could easily fill eight days in the Amalfi coast region and certainly in Tuscany (which also has pretty coastal villages), so I would consider doing either-or.

alandavid

Depends on your travel style.
Positano is easier without a car. Tuscany is easier with one.
Planning to just plunk down in one place and relax? Stick with trains when possible, then bus/taxi when it's not.
Want to really explore? Rent a car for the Tuscany portion of your trip.
Positano is tougher to reach. Train to Sorrento or Salerno, then car service from there. Ferry is an option, but save that for when you're without luggage & just sight-seeing.

Sierradawn53

If we decided to split the trip up, we could fly into Florence. We would rent a car to explore for a couple of days. Where would be the best area to stay if we wanted to explore wineries and the countryside? I would then hopefully be able to drop off our rental car and take a train to get to Positano. Would we take a train to Naples and rent a car to Positano? We could fly home from Naples. If yall wouldn't go to Tuscany as its further away is there somewhere else yall would spend your time?

TDudette

8 Days means you lose a day getting there,
7 Days left. Getting settled in first hotel, get car = 1/2 day,
6.5 Days left. Travel and getting settled settled in 2nd venue = 1/2 day
6 days left. Travel to airport for home = at least 1/2 day,
5.5 days left.

Others can refine/refute my times above, but I humbly suggest choosing one venue for the most relaxing trip.

OTOH, make Florence your first base on Day 7, and take a guided for the area on Day 6.
Then train to Naples, hire a driver to Positano (and back to Naples airport).

yorkshire

I would either spend eight days distributed among Naples, the Amalfi Coast, and one of the islands (there are three), or you could spend all eight nights in Sorrento and do day trips. Take note that the Amafi Coast is booking up fast--if forums are any indication, it will be even more crowded than last summer, when they had to add driving restrictions (it's not a place for a car). You might want to peruse an accommodation site before going any further.

If you fly into Florence or Pisa, I would shake off the jetlag in one of those cities or a nearby town on bus or train line, then rent the car (so as to avoid driving windy roads on no sleep) and explore rural Tuscany. Chianti and Val d'Orcia are popular for a reason, but you can get what you are after anywhere in Tuscany really.
https://www.discovertuscany.com/
https://www.visittuscany.com/en/

Sassafrass

Tough question. First, if your eight days includes travel days, pin this down more precisely to exactly how many full days will you have “on the ground.” That is what you have to work with. Even one day more or less could change your options. Do not count arrival or departure days. Splitting the trip between Tuscany and the Amalfi Coast will eat up most of one day for travel between them. That is always a problem when trying to include the Amalfi Coast with other places from Rome to the North. It is actually easy to combine Rome and Florence or Venice and Florence. Naples and the AC is different logistically.

Tuscany is lovely countryside with many towns and small villages of old stones, steps and flowers, which you could explore, including walking or biking the walled small cities. There is also Florence, simply a world class mecca of Renaissance art and architecture. Look at links already posted and google pictures. Town centers will be super busy and crowded, but a few minutes walk usually gives you quieter places to enjoy and a car gives you real freedom. Several days with a car in Tuscany would be a dream trip for many.

The Amalfi Coast is spectacular sea and landscape with towns growing up and out of seaside cliffs. Views are breathtaking. Again, google pictures. Forget a car. Ferries are perfect, with the trips to and from places all part of the experience. There are also busses and personal guides for hire. There is a lot to see, like the archeological sites of Pompeii, Herculaneum and Paestum. Islands like Capri rise out of the water and offer old towns with lots of shopping on top of rock, with grottoes below. There are major museums in Naples. Food is fabulous.

In Tuscany, there is always another village we want to see or museum or church not to miss. On one very short, three day trip, we saw a lot in Florence, walked in Pisa, San G, Siena, and a couple of other places. It felt terribly rushed! Now, we often just stop for a day or two between other places and see only one place.

On the Amalfi Coast, from the first trip there, we tended to chill more, lingering on the balcony or terrace of our room or hotel. It is hard to get motivated to leave a perfect spot. Views of the water and towns are equally beautiful, so we don’t rush from one place to another. We get on a ferry, thinking to stop in several places and end up staying on, eating, relaxing.

So, the exact amount of time will dictate plans. Also, How do you picture your vacation?

Sierradawn53

Our vacation style varies. We like a good mix of activities paired with lazily sipping a drink and soaking in an experience. We are a pretty active couple. We love good food! Instead of Tuscany, would it be easier to fly into Rome, spend a couple days there before heading on to Positano?

TDudette

Rome for a couple of days would work. There are one-day tours to Florence from Rome (a long day but you'd get the highlights).