Sorrento / Almafi Coast
 

I would like to visit Sorrento and Almafi Coast in September with my partner (we're middle aged lol). I will be flying into Naples for 10 days. Can you recommend an itinerary, best places to stay, places to visit, etc. Ideally would like to spend 5 days Sorrento and then move to Almafi Coast. Am unsure of towns to stay in in Almafi area. Also I have read on other forums that people recommend staying in Positano rather than Sorrento? Would appreciate your comments.

First, do you have 10 days on the ground, or does that include travel days?
I was middle aged the first time I went to the AC and felt I had died and gone to heaven. I have returned to the area several times and still love it. I hope you do too. When we are there, we do not rush around with a schedule. We make a list of what we would like to do, then relax and decide each morning how we will spend the day.

Many people do not care for Sorrento, but I like it a lot. However, I think that is because we stay at one of the hotels up on Via Capo where there are fantastic views of the Bay of Naples and Vesuvius. Sorrento is very convenient for visiting Pompeii and Capri.

I like Naples a lot too. It is a bit gritty, but vibrant and interesting, with some great museums

Positano has lots of steps. Amalfi is flatter. Either would be nice, depends on your hotel.

I have not done it, but many people like to hike in the area.

Other things to see. Ravello, Herculaneum, Paestum.

Sorrento is a great base for visiting the Almalfi Coast. You can do day trips to Capri, Naples, and small towns along Amalfi Coast. I loved Positano too and if I visit again that’s where I will stay.

We stayed in Massa Lubrense Hotel Delfino which offered a shuttle to Sorrento. We also hired a private driver to view Amalfi Coast.

Which ever you decide it’s very beautiful and I too visited at middle age. Enjoy!

A good guidebook will prove immensely useful to you -- the cost will be nominal in comparison to the cost of your trip, you will have a wealth of information at your fingertips, and you will have answers to questions you don't even know to ask! For that area, I found Fodor's, Frommer's, and the Rough Guide particularly useful.

If you are willing to spend part of your trip in Naples, you might consider splitting your time between Naples and Amalfi / Positano. As Sassafrass notes, Naples is vibrant and dynamic and, yes, a bit gritty; it has a wealth of stunning museums and churches and interesting neighborhoods; and it is a great base for Pompeii and Herculaneum. And if you see those places from Naples, then actually staying on the Amalfi Coast, e.g., in Amalfi or Positano, makes sense for the rest of your time.

If you aren't willing to stay in Naples, then Sorrento makes a good base for both the Amalfi Coast and Naples / Pompeii / Herculaneum. Or you might consider Salerno, which also has great access to those areas and also to Paestum and is, IMO, a greatly undervalued city.

Hope that helps!

I would rate Sorrento as the best base to explore the area - day excursions to Positano, Amalfi/Ravello and Capri, using either bus or ferry.
With your 10 day time window, you might consider 3/4 nights on Ischia, accessible by ferry from Naples and you can see Naples on the day you transit onward to Sorrento.
A few nights on Capri is another option, if the cost of accommodation is not a concern.
If you like walking, there are plenty of hikes on both the Amalfi Coast and Capri.
Using the Circumvesuviana train from Sorrento, both Herculaneum and Vesuvius can be combined in a day outing.
Sorrento itself is a big enough town to offer a wide range of dining options in the evenings.