We're planning a honeymoon from late September through early October in the Amalfi Coast region, and are getting a bit of a late start. We are looking for lots of relaxation, great views, good food, probably a pool for my pool-loving fiance, and good access to interesting cultural/historical things to see once we get our strength back. A few questions:
1) Do you suggest we fly into Rome or Naples?
2) Does anyone know if the hydrofoil will still run to Positano in late September?
3) We're thinking of staying in Positano the whole time, and using it as a home base from which to do lots of day trips. Is this a good idea? Should we try to stay anywhere else on the trip? Amalfi? Capri? Ravello?
4) Hotels - We're looking for a relatively luxurious place, but don't want to spend more than $400 night. Le Sirenuse is of course booked, as is the San Pietro. We were thinking of staying either at the Case Albertina or the Hotel Poseidon. Any thoughts on either of these places or others?

Thanks for your help!

There are a few clues that this is not your first trip to Europe (not even your first trip to Italy?) - - and that keeping to a tight budget is not high on your list of priorities.

Nevertheless, if you were my own daughter, I would emphasize that finding an affordable flight to Italy - - unless perhaps you are starting out IN Europe - - is something that needs your IMMEDIATE consideration. Assuming that you are starting in North America, the spread of air fares could be from the $700-900 to $1400-2400 - - per person, in COACH.

Unless that makes no difference to you, I would start there. The travel from Rome to Positano is not so bad. Still, if you find that the best air fare is through Paris or London or wherever, and they connect you smoothly onward to Naples, that might indeed be a good plan.

I have no personal experiuence with the kind of hotel you are seeking on the amalfi coast, but recommend that you work on that ASAP also, using www.venere.com or www.karenbrown.com as two starting points.

Whatever your choices, congratulations on your new life in marriage, and, as always...

Best wishes,

Rex

If your only destination is the Amalfi coast, I would fly into Naples. That way you won't be as exhausted when you get to your final destination. About hotels, Poseidon is a good choice as well as Villa Franca, Punta Regina and Miramare. The important thing is to get a room with a great view; it adds to the romance and confirms your reason for traveling to that part of the world. You say you want luxury so, although Casa Albertina is a fantastic small inn with personalized service, I wouldn't put it in the category of 'luxury'. Book at any of the above mentioned hotels and you will be happy. From Positano, you can take day trips to Ravello, Amalfi, Capri, etc. If you want a change of scenery though, 2-3 nights in Capri would be fun. It's more commercial feeling than Positano, with luxury boutiques and nightlife and has some gorgeous small hotels in your price range like Villa Brunella (get a suite with sea view) or Casa Morgano. Enjoy!

The Villa Franca is a wonderful hotel and much more moderately priced than Le Sirenuse or San Pietro. Make sure to get a room in the main hotel and a full water view. The roof top pool is lovely and breakfast is served on the terrace overlooking the sea. Flying into Naples would be most convenient, but if the air fare is much better into Rome, the trip to Positano is not bad. I would definitely stay in Positano and make day trips to the other villages and Capri.

My wife and I went to Sorrento in May of 2002 and visited Capri while we were there. I would love to return to the Amalfi coast, but would not stay in either of these locations. Capri was beautiful but frustratingly packed with tons of tourists, not exactly what I envision as a private and enjoyable honeymoon. Sorrento was also tourist mania. If I were you, I'd spend my time in the quieter towns of Positano, Amalfi, and Ravello with possibly a single trip to Capri just to say you've been there.

I can't recommend a hotel unfortunately. As I said, we stayed in Sorrento.

Regardless, congratulations and enjoy Italy.

Wow!, great post. I'd been trying to figure out where to spend 2 nites in late May on the Amalfi coast. From the pics & details I think I'll take the Hotel San Pietro. It's just what I've been looking for (has anyone stayed here recently?) As I'm not planning on having a car, would I be able to get here easily on public transportation from Sorrento/Naples?

Hi mauld,

From Naples you can get to Positano by
Circumvesuviana to Sorrento/SITA bus to Positano (about 15E) OR
a private limo (about 90E).

Hi kkf,

Have you considered the Onda Verde in Praiano?

http://www.ondaverde.it/praianoi.htm

Thanks to everyone for their great recommendations. I checked out the Villa Franca but they only had partial view rooms available. I went ahead and book a mini-suite at the Hotel Poseidon. The room has a rooftop terrace with a sea view, and it sounds like it will be lovely.

Has anyone ever stayed in that room? It sounds like it's unusual to have the terrace on the rooftop, but we're sort of intrigued by it.

Any good restaurant recommendations out there for Positano or the surrounding towns?

kkf,

In Positano try Da Vincenzo. It's about 50 yards before you reach the Hotel Poseidon on Positano's one way street thru town, Via Pasitea. Great little trattoria with great food.

Also at the beachfront, try Chez Black for some great antipasta before diner while you sit back and people-watch. Be sure to order some wonderful white wine from Ischia.

Still on the beachfront and around the walkway (Via Positanesi d'America) go to Lo' Guarracino (our favorite) for a romantic dinner on their balcony, which hangs over the Met. Be sure to be there to watch the sunset. It has a wood fired oven for the freshest pizza by Pietro, or enjoy a great seafood dish like their mussels marinara. Mama, daughter and son waite the tables while Papa cooks the wonderful dishes you'll love.

There are plently of good restaurants in Positano, but if you want something different go to Montepertuso, which is a little village about 1000ft above Positano and try Il Ritrovo, La Tagliata (great grilled meat)or Donna Rosa. The Poseidon can make arrangements for you and in most cases the restaurant will send a van for you.

Have a wonderful honeymoon and great trip!

Glad I read this post since I'm planning a trip to Positano next year.
Better make sure I book my reservations far enough in advance so I get the hotel I really want. I hate to be disappointed.... Have a great honeymoon!

We just got back from the Amalfi Coast ( 2nd time) three weeks ago. Having done it both ways, London-Naples-Positano and Rome-Positano, I have to disagree with the other posters, and suggest that you fly into Rome. The reason is that it's nearly impossible to make a decent enough connection out of London to warrant an extra flight, and sometimes there can be considerable intra-Europe air delays. Yes, Rome is a hike from Positano ( about three hours drive if you're lucky with traffic), but I'd rather be on the ground, then hassling with a transfer probably between Heathrow and Gatwick or Stansted, then still have a 1 and a half hour drive to do after landing in Naples.

As for hotels, the Hotel Poseidon is one of my all-time favorites. We stayed in a jr. suite with a huge terrace two years ago, and returned this summer just to visit since we were based in Sorrento. The hotel has great service, unbelievable food, and magic views from the restaurant terrace! It's a great choice. I would not bother basing elsewhere since it will just mean more packing and unpacking. Besides, Amalfi just isn't nearly as beautiful IMO, as Positano, and has even less of a beach.

I don't know if the hydrofoil to Capri will be running in late September. It sometimes doesn't run during the summer, too, because of choppy water conditions, but you can always take a SITA bus to Sorrento and get a ferry or hydrofoil to Capri from there. Sorrento, without traffic, is about a half hour drive. With traffic, it can be an hour or more, but I think by late September, that should be less of a problem than it was for us in July. In the summer there's also a boat that runs between Positano and Amalfi, but again, I don't know it's schedule for September.

I would also recommend taking a daytrip to Pompeii. You could either go to Sorrento and take the train to Pompeii, or hire a driver to take you there from Positano, but that obviously runs into $$.

I second the recommendations for the incredible restaurants, IL RITROVO and DONNA ROSA in Montpertuso. If you're feeling adventurous, you can hike back to Positano ( if you're in Montpertuso for lunch) by following a trail that begins at the church in the main square. One restaurant to miss which is often widely praised in guidebooks, is DA ADOLPHO. You may see their well-known BIG RED BOAT waiting to pick up unsuspecting tourists at the dock in Positano. Believe me, this is a total tourist trap except for the lovely boat ride. Unless you love eating surrounded by wall to wall bodies on a scruffy mosquito-infested beach, I'd skip this. It was the pits.

If you decide you need a driver, just post again. We have used the same driver both times, who is based in Sorrento, and I can't recommend him enough.

Buon viaggio!

For Mauld,

Unless you like stuffy places, and don't care about being within walking distance of town ( Positano) I would not recommend San Pietro. In that price range, Sirenuse would be a much better choice, and puts you right in the heart of Positano.

Good luck!

We started our honeymoon in Positano too. We stayed in Palazzo Murat. No pool, but we rented a little boat every day and went swimming off-shore to avoid the rocky beach. The hotel was nice and the little outdoor restaurant was very good. Have fun.

Hi,

Just wish to put in a plug for safety. If you rent a boat to go swimming, bring along some twine (1/8 - 1/4 is OK) and tie one end to the boat and one end around your ankle.

If not well anchored, boats drift away.

What great responses! Thank you so much.

Weadles - So far our best bet on a flight has been on Air France through Paris and straight to Naples. Have you had any experience with their flights?
Also, I would love the info. for your driver. We're not sure how we're going to get to Positano yet, but the driver option is definitely a strong possibility.

Thanks again!

kkf,

Air France is not my favorite carrier for a lot of reasons ( cramped seating, dirty planes, indifferent crew every time we've taken them) but if that's your only choice, just hope for the best.

The driver's name is: Giovanni Gargiulo. He can be reached via e-mail at: tourofitaly. com or on his cell phone at: 3387306575. I got his name from this forum three years ago, and couldn't be more delighted. He worked in the States for 29 years, then returned to Sorrento to start this business. He drives air conditioned Mercedes and/or a new minivan, and is charming, hysterically funny, and totally reliable. I always think of him as Archie Bunker gone Italian. He does pickups from FCO in Rome or at the airport in Naples, and will drive ( as far as I can tell)almost anywhere in Italy--even Sicily! He's really great.

Have a wonderful time, and if there's anything else, just post again. This board has great info to offer.

Hi, Weadles...I'm thinking of using the driver you suggested for a Sorrento to Naples drive. How is his pricing?

Weadles, thanks. Since I won't have a car, I'd rather be in the center of things--so Le Sirenuse may be a better choice. I'm not looking for something stuffy, just somewhere with a beautiful view etc! So I'm quickly writing down all suggestions & looking them up on the web sites. I didn't realize how isolated San Pietro was.

By350,
I would check directly with Giovanni. I think his prices work out to about $75/hour.