stay in Positano or move about?
 

My husband and will spend 9 days to on the Amalfi Coast in early May. First time visitors. Should we stay in Positano and do day trips or stay a couple of nights each in other places like Sorrento, Amalfi etc. we are mid 50's and just want to have a great time, with the least amount of hassle. Any advice gratefully appreciated. Any recommended accommodation in Positano also gratefully accepted...not the most expensive but not budget either. Something quaint and cosy would be lovely.

Thank you.

Hi Irenen - Distances between places on the Amalfi Coast are so short that I never think it's worth changing hotel - too much hassle.

If you wish to stay in more than one place I'd choose Positano + Capri - maybe 6 nights and 2/3.

You can visit most places from Positano by public transport and/or ferry.

Hope this helps ...

Steve

I completely agree with Steve.

Vincenzo

OTOH, although I know Steve ius the expert on transport links, IME Positano is quite an inconvenient base if you want to do lots of daytripping. Not all the direct ferries/hydrofoils run there outwith the peak summer season. And getting a bus involves either climbing up to the main road or getting a very small, very hot minibus, to get to the main bus stop. Amalfi is much better for getting about - I'd stay there if I wanted to do day trips. I only stay in Positano when I'm planning to do nothing but lie on the beach/by the pool for a week.

I agree with Steve, too.
However, definitely check out the boat/hydrofoil schedule for early May in Positano. It could be quite aggravating getting around if the boats don't run often enough.

By the way, Positano is my favorite town on the coast because it's so charming and beautiful. I'm not a big fan of Amalfi, which I think is grittier, (some people say "realer") than Positano.

The hotel I like most in Positano is the 4-star Hotel Poseidon,a small family-run place just uphill from the more famous Le Sirenuse. It has lovely, simply decorated rooms (for the most part-although the jr.suites are certainly the best!) with gorgeous views over town, and excellent (!) food and service. I'd like to go there right now.... SIGH...

A cheaper alternative would be Albergo Miramare. There are plenty of other options, too, I'm just blanking on them right now.

Hi I,

>want to have a great time, with the least amount of hassle.

Then why would you want to keep changing hotels?

Sorrento is a good base if your main interests are Naples, Mt Vesuvius and Pompeii.

Otherwise, I suggest www.lesirene.com in Praiano.

You might find my trip report helpful:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34451044

Ira’s Italy Photos
Praiano http://tinyurl.com/ygbows
http://www.ofoto.com/I.jsp?c=11knfe8...0&y=1tkcm7

Positano
http://www.ofoto.com/I.jsp?c=11knfe8...1&y=x6te72

Naples
http://www.ofoto.com/I.jsp?c=11knfe8...&y=-28lwh4

((I))

You might also want to consider Floridiana in Amalfi - the reviews on tripadviser are nothing short of sensational, it appears to be reasonably priced, and the owner, Agnese, has been wonderful to deal with both on the web and on the telephone.

As usual, an abundance of useful information. Thanks to all. My first inclination was to stay put in Positano and pretend we live in Italy, with day trips here and there. But well meaning friends have made me question our judgment about whether to do this or move around. I will digest this information and show my husband your tips.

Any other hotel recommendations in Positano still welcome, especially if they are not too high up the hill.

Il Bacca di Bucco is another very popular Positano hotel, not uphill.

If you don't want to spend the entire 9 days in Positano, you could split your time between Positano and Capri, or Positano, Capri, and Sorrento.

Bear in mind, though, that the lower down the hill, the longer the climb to the bus stop.

One other thought - I adored Ravello. Although I agree that it's easy to move around along the coastal towns for day trips, it is harder to get up to Ravello. It might be worth staying in Positano for a week and then moving up to Ravello for a couple of days. Just a thought!

It's easy to get to Ravello from Amalfi- short bus or taxi ride. Personally I regretted staying a few days there and wished I'd just visited it as a day trip - it's very small and quiet, and we found it quite cold (in June).

Hopefully the boats will be running on or close to summer schedule when you go. That way it won't matter if you stay "downhill" in Positano, since you won't need to rely on buses to get to Sorrento, Capri, or Amalfi.

Re getting uphill in Positano.

The SITA bus stop is on the main road at the top of town.

The Orange bus stops at the docks and at the SITA stop.

((I))

'The Orange bus stops at the docks'

Are you sure, Ira? I've never seen it get that close ;)

Steve

No, the nearest it gets is the piazetta - no vehicle can get down any further. Presonally I find the Orange bus so hot & overcrowded it's less unpleasant to walk.

The Hydrofoil to Naples doesn't start until early July so not sure about the rest.

We spent a week at Flavio Gioia in Positano and were very pleased with the location and the accomodations. It's right across the piazza from the Church and a very short walk to the beach.

The beach at Positano is not your typical sandy beach - it's composed of pebbles and very difficult to walk on - great for sunbathing in the chairs though.

And we took the boat to Capri one day - the boat to Amalfi another day - and hired a driver for a trip to Pompeii - all were great!