My husband and I are going to the Amalfi Coast for about a week to *relax* in May of 2002 (after spending about a week in Rome). We are wondering if we should make our base Positano, Ravello or Sorrento. Comments about which town you like better and WHY would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

That's a tough one, although we ruled out Sorrento because of it's size and "port" nature. <BR> <BR>I guess it depends on your idea of relaxing. If you want to spend time on the beach, choose Positano (we did). However, Ravello is heavenly. I think we will probably stay there on our next trip and drive down to the beach if the spirit moves us. I can't begin to tell you how beautiful Ravello is, but Positano is definitely not so shabby either. Tough choice.

Hi Daria <BR>We stayed in Positano at the Hotel Buca de Bacco right by the beach (excellent sea food restaurant) We only passed through Sorrento on the bus but I wasn't terribly impressed by what I saw. We took a boat trip from Positano to Amalfi then took the bus which climbs up to Ravello. It was out of this world- the views from Villa Rufolo Gardens were magnificent. I'd stay in Ravello for a peaceful relaxing holiday. <BR>Meg

If you want to *relax* I guess I would stay in Ravello. I got married there last October and we stayed in Maiori. We ended up going to Ravello almost everyday! and not because of the wedding. It was such a nice break from the hectic driving I was doing all the time. When I picked up a guest in Naples, I would immediately take them to Ravello to get them in the mood. I think it is the most beautifu place in the world. But for shopping, restaurants, and nightlife.......I would say Positano......There are other town that are great bases too! We liked Maiori because it was more of a "regular" town, not a tourist town. We could get our groceries at a grocery store, wine etc very easily. Just email me with any questions, etc. I would love to help! Carey

Thanks for your comments! Keep them coming.

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If you really want to relax in a lovely setting go to the "Onda Verde" hotel in <BR>Praiano which is located between Positano and Amalfi. This place is great but you need to come by car. <BR>The URL for the Onda Verde is: <BR>http://www.ondaverde.it/hotelim.htm

onda verde is wonderful, but sita busses are convenient and dependable. is you ask, the driver will stop at the onda verde door (rather, elevator). priano is five or so miles from both amalfi and positano. enjoy.

Dear Daria, <BR> <BR>My husband and I spent a week in Rome last May and then three days in Ravello - we thought it was the perfect antidote to Rome (which we loved, but were pretty exhausted from sightseeing by the time we got to the Amalfi Coast). <BR> <BR>We stayed at Villa Cimbrone (about which I've posted before), and it was beautiful. Ravello is perfect for relaxing and strolling around - very quiet. There are a lot of concerts in the evenings (the main tourist website for Ravello lists the musical events, in case you'd like to check beforehand). We particularly liked Villa Cimbrone for peace and quiet because it's about a ten-minute hike from the town square. It was my favorite trip ever! <BR> <BR>As I mentioned in another post, we also drove into Positano for the day - I didn't like it at all, but suspect I would have liked it more if we'd been staying there. It seemed awfully crowded after Ravello. But there were certainly a lot more restaurants and shops, if you are interested in that. <BR> <BR>Have a great trip!

I have this same problem. I've read posts on here that say Positano is touristy. We want something quiet, but we love food and need to be able to go to some nice restaurants. Also, we want to do some sight seeing in the area so we want to be in a good location. Help!

I am glad you brought this to the top because I actually still don't know what to do about this! We have pretty much ruled out Sorrento, but I can't decide between Ravello and Positano. Does anyone know of any good books that describe these places in detail?

Please don't rule out Sorrento. It would be my first choice (having been to all 4 places; Sorrento, Positano, Ravello and Amalfi) My reasons are many. Sorrento is a great spot from which to see all of the places in the vicinity; the Amalfi Coast, Capri, Pompeii and Paestum. Stay at a hotel on the hill above the town. My favorite is the Grand Hotel Aminta www.aminta.it You can lounge around the hotel (the service is great), sit by the pool, enjoy the specatcular views, eat on the deck overlooking the bay, or take the bus that they provide you for going in and out of the town itself. The town of Sorrento IS a port but it's by no means a Genoa or a Naples. It's small and charming. The shops are great, the restaurants choices are good as well (be sure to go to Caruso's for your splurge). At least do yourself the favor of looking at the Aminta's website. If you're not intrigued you can throw my 2 cents into the Trevi Fountain.

Hi Daria, <BR> <BR>IMO, the best thing about Positano is the view of it you see while driving along the Amalfi Drive. It looks spectacular, all those little white houses built into the hillside. But once you get into the town, it's all geared to tourism--the 5* hotels are glitzy and gorgeous, there are dozens of clothing boutiques, there are clubs and bars and restaurants and a tiny pebble beach. I don't find anything charming about Positano itself, but if you want to luxuriate in a beautiful hotel with wonderful views then Positano would be the place. I am a Ravello-lover. Ravello is in the verdant hills above the Mediterranean, it has several lush and beautiful villas and gardens open to the public, it has lots of walking paths, and the views are unbelievable. There are exceptional hotels in Ravello, too. Clearly, I prefer Ravello and would recommend it highly.

Dear 2cents. we are going to It. in Nov. DVR to FRK to Rom.then by train to Naples and plan to overnight, Looking for sugst. to stay and base out of Sorrento,if possible please advise on hotels trains our time line is in rome on 08Nov and wheels up on14Nov. tks. anxious to hear from you Len.

Positano/Ravello info <BR>Daria: Fodor's travel guide "Naples and the Amalfi Coast" devotes about a dozen pages to P. and another 7-8 to R. Totally agree w. Carol's observations about P.--it is a very picturesque village tumbling down into the sea scenery wise, but very touristy in all other respects. For peace and quiet, R. is far better. But better still are the hotels b/w the villages, e.g. Hotel Tritone near Praiano as well as Onda Verde. We deliberately visited several hotels when we were on the A. Coast last June to get a closer look, and Tritone (where we stayed) has the better views by far. O. Verde is down near the water while T. is perched literally at the top of a cliff. But you really ought to have a car if you want to stay at either of these. <BR>We also considered Sorrento as an operating base, but couldn't get reservations, and after visiting there felt lucky we hadn't--very crowded, lots of traffic, and wonderful views, but not as spectacular as the A. Coast. <BR>Have posted extensively (including hotel experiences) on our recent visit to A. Coast--see "Rome/Amalfi Coast/South..." below (Aug. 7, 9:20) <BR>The nice thing about your situation is that no matter where you decide to stay, you will have a memorble trip. Enjoy! <BR>

Thanks everyone! This is helpful. <BR> <BR>Is Sorrento touristy like Positano? And, those of you who say Positano is touristy: Is it touristy compared to Venice or Florence? (Both of which I love even though they have tourists, I guess because they have enough of their own character that they are not overun by tourists.) <BR> <BR>Also, if we stayed someplace removed like Ravello, how long would it take us to drive to someplace like Positano for dinner? Is that doable?

My favorite Amalfi Coast town is Positano, and I would love to stay there, but it's inconvenient for the sightseeing we want to do on our next trip. Also, since it's set on a steep hill, you can't walk through the town, which we like to do in the evenings--you have to climb. There are some very expensive, lovely hotels here. Parts of this very charming small town are commercial/touristy, but many parts are not. The small dock area at the bottom of the town has most of the restaurants, and the small shops line the streets about a third to half-way up, if I remember correctly. But there's a lot more to the town above and around that area, and we found it to be quiet and peaceful. The coastal road runs well above the town, and there's no through traffic. Ravello isn't much of a town, but the views are incredible. If you just want to go somewhere and sit, this would be the place. You can easily sit for days, sipping the beverage of your choice, and looking at the views spread out beneath you without wanting to move. Actually, I think the traveling time would discourage anyone from venturing out too much. Ravello was our furthest trip down the coast from Sorrento, where we were staying, and it was quite a trip by bus. It takes a long time to get from one town to the next because of the hills and the small, winding roads. For example, my recollection is that the bus ride from Amalfi (which has a number of restaurants) to Ravello took about 25 minutes. Also, having driven in New York City and Paris without much problem, I was surprised to find that the prospect of driving the Amalfi Coast terrified me. Wouldn't recommend driving there. The public transportation is good, and seemed safer. The roads are small, the buses are large, and actually forced oncoming traffic to back up (not an easy task when there's nowhere to go) in order for the bus to pass. For all those reasons, we will again stay in Sorrento when we return. Sorrento is much larger than either Positano or Ravello, but its old town is nice. As mentioned previously, we enjoy going out for an evening walk and the passegiata is alive and well in Sorrento. The dock area is down from the old town. Also, it's very easy access from Sorrento to other destinations by boat (Capri, Naples, etc.). Can't imagine going to the Amalfi Coast and not seeing the sights, at least the first time. So, while Sorrento is the least charming of the three towns you mentioned, it is nice enough that we'd be happy staying there. But it all depends on what you want to do while there. If you just want to sit, go to Ravello (which also has a couple of luxe hotels). If you don't want to go to Naples or Pompeii, or walk in the evenings, I'd recommend Positano. If you want to do some sightseeing, would recommend Sorrento. Whichever you pick, you'll love the area. Enjoy!

To Karin: Absolutely agree, we just loved Sorrento, were there in late April 2000. Loved the old town, the streams of people out walking until late in the evening, loved our hotel The Excelsior Vittoria, all the little shops were great, and found the best gelato shop in all of Italy. Loved the views of the Bay. Went to Ravello, and while it was beautiful and serene, I was glad I was staying in Sorrento. There is a reason why there is that song!

After a week in Rome, and the goal is to relax in the Amalfi area (et al). <BR> <BR>Sorrento is super for buying a handcrafted music box from the creator/artist/craft shop - or alternatively - an antique music box. But Sorrento is a 'fringe area' <BR> <BR>Positano is a cliff hanging little town with a one circular bus transport system with a crummy beach and a lot, lot, lot of tourists; but has good access (twice daily) to Capri. Not a relaxing place for us. <BR> <BR>Ravello is high up in the sky, good entertainment for a very small spot in the road and wonderful views. No beach and you must travel to get anywhere. <BR> <BR>Visit all of the above. <BR> <BR>Amalfi is in the center of the Amalfi Coast with easy access to all of the above plus the Southern end of the Coast - Salerno, Vietre Su Mare . . . and farther afield Paesteum. <BR> <BR>Where would I stay for a relaxing week? . . . Paestum!!!! Great beaches, great food, low hotels, low cost. May is the ideal month. <BR> <BR>Sorry Amalfi lovers, a bit South has a vote.

Here is another vote for Sorrento. First off, all of the amalfi and Sorentina are touristy. That goes without saying. <BR> <BR>We visited Ravello for an and I got the feeling that it is adept at separating you from your money without giving you an authentic experience. It is beautiful, breathtakingly so, and after the hordes of tourists left maybe quiet. But it did not feel real to me. <BR> <BR>We did not go to Positano, but it clearly is a resort. Very pretty but being on the Amalfi is geographically limiting. Even with great buses, the travel times are huge between various destinations. <BR> <BR>Sorrento is a touristy port town. It is very loud with scooters everywhere along corso Itlaia. But there are a lot of places to stay in the old town where it is much quieter. We loved the old center, Davide's for gelato and the Frulatto stand right across from Davides for incredible fruit smoothies. We had one of the best seafood meals of our lives at La Vela Bianca in Marina Piccolo. We didn't even make it to Marina Grande, which is the old funky fishing port. <BR> <BR>The best part of sorrento is its access to the amazing sights of the area via the Circumvesuviana. You hop on the train (think subway) and in a short while you are at Pompei, Herculano, or Villa Poppea at Oplontis. These were some of the greatest destinations we have ever been to. They would have been a real hardship to visit from Ravello. And one of the highlights of the trip were the granites of orange and lemon at teh tourist trap stands just outside og Pompei. The fresh grapefruit juice and orange juice, from basketball sized sorrento fruit was a close second in the refreshment game. The Frescos, especially at Villa dei Mysteries and those at Oplontis are stunning. <BR> <BR>And the Museo Arceologico in Napoli is a must. Be sure to take the English language tour which admits you to the secret collection (thats all the pornographic stuff from Pompei) as well as gives you a taste of the Mosaics and paintings from Pompei and Erculano. You can also have some of the greatest pizza of your life at Ciro a Santa Brigida. <BR> <BR>Finally, you have to go to Paestum for the most amazing Greek temples in the world (our guide guaranteed us of that fact!). A must see trip. along the way, stop for some mozzarella di bufala in its zone of production. The best shops all belong to an association sporting a symbol "ABC". Stop in and have them make you a prosciutto and mozarella sandwich. <BR> <BR>Ravello is certainly quieter and prettier, but without half the fun of Sorrento in my opinion. Sorrento is real, earthy, juicy and pungent. It is a slice of real life with lots to do. Ravello is a sort of museum, too refined for my taste. In fact, we will be back in Sorrento the first week of May in 2002. We will probably bus to Ravello for a day! We hope to see you there!!!!!