My wife and I going to meet our daughter studying in university in Europe. Planning 3-4 nights in Rome with our daughter followed by 3-4 nights just my wife and I. For the latter part we are thinking of going to Amalfi coast, before returning to Rome for our return flight. Is this enough time in Rome and enough time in Amalfi coast? With the distance to Amalfi, does it make sense to go somewhere else closer to Rome? We've already been to Florence. If Amalfi makes sense, what is the best way to get there? I've seen some take multiple trains, others train/ferry, other car rental.

Thanks in advance!

Time of year makes a difference, particularly for the Amalfi Coast. When are you going?

Four nights gives you three full days, plus maybe another half day when you arrive. In Rome, it's enough to see a few of the most popular sites. Of course, you could spend much longer and still only scratch the surface. The same really applies to the Amalfi Coast. If you want something a little closer and a lot easier to get to, consider Naples. Train from Rome is only 1-1/4 hour, and there is a lot to see there, not to mention fantastic pizza!

Your plan sounds great! 3-4 nights in Rome and the Amalfi Coast is a good amount of time. For Amalfi, renting a car or taking a train to Naples, then a ferry or bus is a good option. If you want somewhere closer, Tivoli near Rome is also nice!

Yes, time of year is important. For example, lodging rates and availability in the Amalfi Coast area fluctuate a lot throughout the year.

Do you mean the town of Amalfi or the area of the Amalfi Coast? That makes a difference, too, in terms of what's possible in a short-ish stay of 4 nights or a very short stay if only 3 nights. What do you hope to see/do while you're there? I like Amalfi more than Positano, and others prefer Positano. But if you want to wander/explore the larger area (Pompeii, Naples, Capri), Sorrento is a very pleasant compromise with access to everything by ferry, bus and/or train. No advantage or need for a rented car. Naples is a big, bustling, very Italian city with a LOT to see, but it may not be the atmosphere you're seeking after Rome.

If your trip is in high-season summer, you should finalize your dates for the second destination and look for lodging ASAP.

FWIW, we spent a lovely long weekend at Lago Albano in the Castelli Romani area. We stayed in Castel Gandolfo because of the train service from Rome (less than an hour). We enjoyed the area so much we returned on another trip, rented a car, and explored several of the small towns. It would be a very different destination than the Amalfi Coast. Much more lowkey, more to see and IMO better food.

We will be going last week of March/first week of April. I know this is early, start of season for Amalfi coast and not ideal for beach, but maybe less crowded and still charming. Concerns about visiting at this time?

You may find that some places have not fully opened yet in late March - early April. Restaurants may still be closed as may some hotels and shops. Some ferry lines won't be operating until Mid-April. But worth checking obviously.

The AC is pretty, but other than beach, boating and maybe some hiking (LOTS of steps), there is not a lot "to do." The villages are really quite small. Some of the more popular towns do have a lot of shops catering to tourists - and well, they all generally sell the same things as the shop next door.

So, if you go, base somewhere where you have plenty of options. Personally, I'd opt for Sorrento. It's not on the AC (Bay of Naples) but the town has a large enough local population that it doesn't "shut down" quite as much as the other villages. Another option on the opposite end, but on the AC is Salerno. Bigger than the other AC towns with enough local presence.

Either would allow train connections to Naples, Pompeii, etc. You can always bus to AC villages on a day trip from either one as well. There might be some ferries running to Ischia and Capri from Sorrento.

Really it depends on the trip you want for where you spend it and how.

I'd spend the entire time in Rome.

Agree.

Agree!

If you want a more laid-back experience, stay in Amalfi, see more of the AC by water, & spend a day by taking a taxi up to Ravello, visit a Villa, & hike back down, I'd hire a car/taxi to get you there from the Naples train station.
Sorrento if you plan to do more, (especially Pompeii/Capri). Easy to take the local Circumvesuviana train to Sorrento, just go down a level after getting off the train in Naples.

Just FYI, Amalfi Coast ferry service before mid-April will be still off-season reduced, so traveling around by ferry will require some planning and could be a bit chilly. Also, ferries can be cancelled if seas are rough.

Agree with this for such a short trip. There is so much to see and do in Rome.

I would spend half the time in Rome and half in Amalfi Coast.

I would take a train from Rome to Salerno, then a taxi or ferry boat to the towns you want to see.

You and your wife could have a lovely time up in Ravello, enjoying the views, the gardens, life on the piazza, Ravello Music Festival, depending on when you go.

We've driven the AC 3-4 times but prefer to take ferries or the big blue SITA buses or a taxi. Amalfi is the transportation hub; it and Positano get extremely busy much of the year, certainly in summer. Maori and Midori are smaller towns (between Salerno and Ravello/Amalfi) and Atrani is, I think, close to Amalfi.

Many here on Fodors prefer Sorrento, and there's good transportation from Rome and Naples. We've been there but prefer Ravello, but it isn't a bad hub for an AC visit.

If you like the idea of Ravello, look at La Casa di Vania and La Dolce Vita Ravello.

The suggestion to stay in Rome the entire time is, of course, a good idea, especially if you're thinking of only three nights for the Amalfi Coast. You would really only have two, because you would need to be back in Rome the night before your flight home. That's a lot of travel for such a short stay. And there is so much to see in Rome.

Visiting the Amalfi area means taking the time to get there from Rome plus the time overhead of changing lodging, than adding the reverse to get back to Rome for the end of the vacation unless you change plans and fly out of Naples. The Amalfi area will not be at its peak of touring interest due to the season, while Rome is always Rome (Eternal City, I hear).

Stay in Rome.