Sorrento and Amalfi Coast
 

I'm looking for some advice on our week long stay to the Amalfi coast and area. We will be arriving to Naples by plane from Rome after a long flight from Canada. We were thinking of taking the train to Sorrento for 3 nights so that we could tour Pompeii and Capri and then move on to Positano for 4 nights to tour the Amalfi coast. Or should we stay 1 night in Naples on arrival. Any recommendations on accommodations that are moderately priced?

We will be traveling in July - lots of tourists!

Have you considered spending a few nights in Naples? You could visit Pompeii and the wonderful archeological museum in Naples (with its artifacts from Pompeii) and maybe a bit more of that magnificent and vibrant city, then take a ferry to Capri and spend a night (it is much more magical after day-trippers leave) and then take a ferry to Positano or elsewhere on the Amalfi Coast.

What exact amount is moderate? And how many people is "we", what bed configuration do you need?

Yes Naples could be a possibility. Would you recommend Naples over Sorrento? In terms of hotels, it's just for 2 of us and I'm looking to spend no more than 120 a night.

$120/nt in Sorrento in high season? I'll be interested in seeing if there are any recommendations in that price category.

It doesn't have to be Sorrento. I may consider Airbnb as well over staying at a hotel.

In that category or just above it: http://ilnido.it

It is 5 kms outside Sorrento, but there is a shuttle (although I didn't find the times that convenient), plus the Amalfi Coast bus stops right outside. Great views, good food, clean and comfortable (although it's been a few years since I was there, check later reviews).

Click on my name for my South Italy TR.

We did a week in Sorrento area, two years ago. Stayed in Sant'Agnello, about a 20 minute walk downhill to Sorrento town. We were able to get to Pompeii,Naples, and Capri easily from there. We stayed at Hotel Corallo, in late July, and I don't know if it'd be in your price range. (We bought a package)

I do wish we had more time to spend in Naples, as we only spent an afternoon. (It was very hot, and we opted for two beach days instead of touring) Would love to have seen the Archeological museum. So, upon landing, you could stay in Napoli for a day or two, then move on to Sorrento. (We drove directly from the airport to St. Agnello)

I agree with kja's suggestion. Since you will be spending time in Positano, Naples would make a nice change of pace. Also hotels would be cheaper than in Sorrento.

I rent an apartment in Casa Caldiero in Positano and love it.

According to its website, the Hotel Mignon Meublè, where I stayed in May 2015, offers a "small" room for two people for €89/night. The Mignon is very well located on a pedestrian street just off the Corso Umberto in the heart of Sorrento.

Correction: The Hotel Mignon is located on a small street off the Corso Italia.

A few years ago we stayed in Sorrento at the Hotel Savoia. I just checked July 2017 and they are close to your price range. Big breakfast is included.

http://www.savoia-hotel.com/en/

From Sorrento we spent one day Pompeii and Herculaneum, one day Naples, and one day Capri. Trip report available by clicking my screen name.

I've stayed at this hotel twice (www.ulissedeluxe.com/). It's just over your price range but I think it's quite a reasonable price for high season in that area. The third time I was in Sorrento I decided to try somewhere else and preferred the Ulisse so I'll be going back there next time.

There are advantages to staying a night or two in Naples and also Positano or Amalfi. But I've preferred to just base the whole time in Sorrento and do day trips.

While Naples is very interesting and worth at least a day trip, it is a large city and a kind of 'gritty' one at that. If that's what you are looking for it would be a good idea, but if you are not so sure perhaps day tripping from Sorrento would make more sense.

And Positano and Amalfi are of course 'must sees' but the 'getting there' is a big part of the experience, and I think more enjoyable without the schlepping of luggage, so I prefer to base in Sorrento and do those as day trips - perhaps the bus one way and the boat the other.

I've spent a week or so on three different trips to the area and based in Sorrento each time. Maybe next time I'll base in Amalfi but there really is a lot to be said for Sorrento itself, and it is the 'best' base for Pompeii, Naples, Capri, Amalfi, Positano, Ischia, etc.

Here's one of my trip reports - http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ast-puglia.cfm

As isabel noted, your choice about whether to stay in Naples might depend on your preferences. I found Naples fascinating, energetic, dynamic, full of amazing things to see and experience -- and yes, gritty. I loved that city; others find it off-putting. Your call.

I haven't been to Sorrento, and so can't comment. I'm not much of a "base" person -- I'd rather move on than backtrack, see different places under different lights, etc. Many people prefer to plan around bases.

No bad choices here, IMO -- just very different and possibly difficult ones!

Great...thanks for all your feedback. Hotel Mignon has great reviews and I will check out the others as well. I may consider staying the whole time in Sorrento and do day trips from there. Thank you to all of you again.

kja - interesting to think about the value of one nighters vs a base. As I said on the other thread (the one about northern Spain) I totally agree with you that backtracking makes no sense a lot of the time and I don't understand why some people seem so against one and two night stays. But then there are other times when I do like a base rather than moving around a lot and the Sorrento/Amalfi Coast area is one of those. I think partly depends on the transportation options but also where do you want to spend the nights. In some cases it's nice to overnight in lots of different places to experience them in the evening, and also when the 'day trippers' are gone. Other cases that's not as important.

@ isabel -- I agree that there are pros and cons on either side of the base vs. move-on decision. When I visited the area, I started with a few days in Naples, moved on to Capri for just one night, spent a few nights in Ravello, and then on to Salerno for a night. That worked very well for me; it would be a nightmare for many. Viva la difference!