FrankGia

You would not recommend Alitalia but rather Lufthansa or Air France, right? Also, do I have to arrange for transportation from Naples airport to Capri before trip or just get a taxi to port then onto an aliscafi without prearrangements? Once on Capri there are taxis and/or do some of hotels have transportation? Sorry for all of inquiries but as a first timer I want to cover all bases.

Ann1

Alitalia used to be an excellent airline. In recent years it went down so much and they lost a lot of business. Literally zero customer service, etc. It was horrible. Horror stories you wouldn't believe. AirOne took over and the last time I flew them was when the volcano closed down northern Europe and Air France put us on Alitalia from Rome to Boston. I carried on my luggage so I didn't have that problem. I don't have any complaints about that flight but history keeps me from flying them again. Just an expample: The volcano trip was around Easter with a lot of tourism. The Alitalia flight I took would have gone 1/2 full. Even though so many people were transferred to our flight, there were still empty seats.

Lufthansa, Air France, United, etc are good.

When you get to the airport in Naples just get a taxi. There is a flat rate to the port so make sure that's what you're charged. No prearrangement necessary.

IMO you are better off staying on the AC and take a day trip to Capri. You can take an aliscafo to Sorrento or Positano...or even easier, if you choose to stay on the AC, your hotel can arrange for you to be picked up at the airport and driven directly to the hotel. By the time you pay for the taxi to the port and the aliscafo and the trip to the hotel, you will pay the same or less. You also don't have to stay in Naples the night before the flight or train.

Capri does have taxis and buses. If you decide to stay in Capri, ask your hotel which is the best way to go.

Not to confuse you more, but if you stay in Sorrento, you can take the circumvesuviana train to Napoli Centrale and change to a train to Rome.

This is a good site to watch for strikes:
http://www.summerinitaly.com/planning/strike.asp

Dayle

Frank,

IMO, nothing in the world could make me visit Capri as a daytrip in July! You will be just 2 of the hoards and hoards of daytrippers and you will miss the magic of Capri in the evenings (when all the day trippers have left).

I visited in mid-Sept and stayed 2 nts in Anacapri. Even then, I thought is was horribly overcrowded with visitors (and yes, I know I was one) and didn't enjoy the island. The best parts for me were the 2 hour small boat tour around the island (lovely, perfect weather) and a hike out to Villa Jovis all by myself.

The worst parts were standing in a huge line to get a ticket for the funiculare up to Capri town from Marina Grande. Ugh. And dodging the two storey high baggage carts rolling thru the narrow streets once you are up there (from all the tour groups).

Honestly, if you do go to Capri in July - stay there for 2-3 nts, or don't bother.

FrankGia

Thanks Dayle,

I think I have decided that we will fly into Naples stay in Positano for three nights (probably Hotel Marincanto). From there we will hopefully take ferry to Capri and stay for probably two nights. I am looking at La Minerva, La scalinatella, caesar augustus, and capri tibero palace). We will then head to Rome via train. I have only started looking at Rome hotels but like Inn at spanish steps and villa spalletti travelli. Any thoughts on these choices?

Mimar

How do you plan to get from Naples airport to Positano? It's not perfectly straightforward. You could get a hire car to meet your plane and drive you directly to your hotel in Positano. (You don't want to rent a car and drive on the Amalfi coast, especially not in high summer.)

You could taxi to the port and take a boat to Positano. But departures to Positano are less frequent than those to Capri. And, when you arrive in Positano, you must lug your luggage up a steep hill from the water. However, there are porters.

You can taxi to the train station, take a train to Salerno and the bus or a boat back up the coast. Or take the Circumvesuviana commuter train to Sorrento and a bus on to Positano.

There are boats between Positano and Capri in the summer.

mamcalice

Having been to both Positano and Capri, I would choose Capri in a "New York minute". And I agree, it is a little crazy as a day trip when all of the other daytrippers are there. We spent 3 days and nights there in September and wished we had more time to stay. There is lots to do and doing nothing is very relaxing. To me a day is plenty for Positano. It is not as easy to take day trips from Positano as from Sorrento. If you are planning to go, for example, to Pompeii, the trip is much easier from Sorrento.

Ann1

No matter where you go in July and especially August on the AC/Capri/Ischia you will have hoards of people.

Dayle

Frank,

One very important tip - if you do go via boat from Positano to Capri - make sure your hotel makes a reservation for you as far in advance as possible. These boats/ferries are always full and you don't want to end up waiting hours for the next one!

One interesting and easy thing to see in Anacapri is Chiesa Sant Michele. Incredible tile floor tells the story of the Garden of Eden. Nice, short visit.

FrankGia

Thanks. The place I was looking at for positano will arrange for a car service from Naples airport so we don't have to be burdened with the details. I will make sure reservation is made far in advance for ferry to Capri

FrankGia

Mamcalice where did younstay in Capri?