If you were able to choose only one town to visit along the Amalfi Coast, which one would it be and why? Sorrento or Positano?<BR><BR>Thanks for the info,<BR>Rod

To visit the town, definitely Positano. But if you are looking for a base from which to explore the entire area, then I'd choose Sorrento.

Can you please tell me why Sorrento. We are planning to stay in Positano for 4 days and do day trips to Capri and Pompeii. I athought it would be nicer to be by the sea in Positano. Do you think it's a mistake? We are not planning on renting a car. Instead we were going to take buses, hdrofoils and trains. Thanks

While we were in Positano for four days, there were no boats to Capri. We took a boat to Amalfi one day and got stranded when the winds kicked up and they canceled the boats back to Positano. We acted like animals waiting for the overfilled busses. After not being able to squeeze into two or three in a row we finally pushed and shoved our way onto one to stand up packed like sardines all the way back to Positano. Public transportaion is not easy from Positano. It is quite easy from Sorrento, especially to Capri and to Pompeii.<BR>We actually had a car in Positano, but thought it would be fun to take the boat to Amalfi. Others will disagree, but I say if you are staying in Positano, get a car. We had no problem driving the coast road.<BR>If you want to swim in the sea, then yes, Positano offers that. And although many find Sorrento too touristy, there are a couple of lovely hotels facing the bay of Naples that are quite spectacular. And I found several restaurants in Sorrento that were wonderful.<BR>I guess if you only have four days to spend and you are traveling off to Pompeii for a day and to Capri for a day, you really aren't relaxing in Positano, which is what it is best for.<BR>My other comment would be to never do a day trip to Capri (especially if it is busy season), but I've labored that point enough on here. If you want to stay in Positano, I'd certainly cut the day trip to Capri.

This is easy -- Positano. Positano is magical: charming, intimate, dramatic. Sorrento is much bigger, less jewel-like. The setting of Positano, an ampitheatre-like slope slanting down into the Gulf of Salerno, is more dramatic and attractive than the siting of Sorrento on the Gulf of Naples. Moreover, my sense is that the hostelries of Sorrento are characterized by a kind of "faded elegance." In Positano, you get elegance and/or charm, but without the "faded" touches.<BR><BR>And I'm not sure I entirely agree with the idea that Sorrento makes a better base for exploring the area. The key question is: what do you want to visit and see? My wife and I spent a week in Positano on our honeymoon and used it as a base for exploring the entire area. Obviously, if you want to go to Amalfi, Ravello, Salerno, or the Greek temples at Paestum, I think you're better off being in Positano. If you want to get to Naples, the volcanic area west of Naples, Pompeii, or Herculaneum, then being in Sorrento rather than Positano may shave off 30 minutes from your commuting time. In my book, that wouldn't be worth it. Boats run to Capri from both Positano and Sorrento, so that's a draw. There are probably boats to Ischia from Sorrento, which there aren't from Positano. <BR><BR>I think my rule of thumb was that every 15 miles you planned to drive along the Amalfi coast road can easily take up to an hour of driving time. If you leave early in the morning, before the huge motorcoaches are on the road, you'll do better. Once you get stuck behind a mammoth motorcoach, however, you might as well give up on your schedule and just enjoy the scenery. <BR><BR>By the way, if you decide to buy an inlaid music box in Salerno, don't buy them at the places on the main square where all the tourist buses stop. There's a street that leads west off the square, I think, and off it on the left (a few years back) was a shop owned by three English-speaking sisters who sold wonderful music boxes for half the price of their competitors on the main square.

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I am planning a trip to the Amalfi coast next summer with my family. I am looking for information on renting an apartment (with air conditioning) in Positano. If anyone knows of any good real estate companies on the Amalfi coast, please send information.<BR>Thank you. Also where would you stay if you were looking to be by a nice beach?<BR>

Patrick, <BR>Your comments were extremely helpful, as I too am planning a trip to the Amalfi coast. Were there any hotels that you particularly liked in Positano? Also, how do Positano and Amalfi compare in terms of being "touristy"? Thank you!

Positano is truly built into the hillside, and you must go up or down everywhere you go! That being said, we loved the Hotel Villa Rosa, which is charming, nicely furnished, very reasonably priced, friendly, and the best part is the spectacular view of the sea and mountains from your private terrace, where you will be served breakfast every morning.<BR><BR>Amalfi is not so hilly. Both Positano and Amalfi are full of tourists.

Positano, obviously !