morgannalefey

I hope this initial post isn't too long, but I want to make sure I provide enough detail so helping me is a bit easier. My husband and I have been traveling for a long time, though this trip to the Amalfi coast is our second overseas (we're American). Our first was just this year. We intend to do a lot more traveling over the years, and many areas of Italy are on "the list". So there's no urgency to cram a lot of sight seeing into a short period.

When we imagine a trip like this the first thing we imagine is leisurely times either sitting at, or driving/walking/riding along, the coast. Not far behind that is restaurant visits. I guess a third priority is to do things that will let us say, when we return, that we experienced a bit of the local culture. Whether that's visiting touristy things (museums, ruins, wine tastings, local festivals, farmer's markets, shopping areas, or whatever people do in the area) or just getting to absorb the language and people.

As for crowds/cost, certainly cost is a factor... crowds as well, though I think there's a big difference between how bad a crowded time is when you're at a museum or a Six Flags, versus in a town. So we're trying to be flexible about when/where we go and our natural tendency towards crowd avoidance (we usually tend to travel in the low or shoulder season for this reason).

I'm having problems narrowing down on the following issues:
1. WHEN to go. I was first thinking around May 17-25 (we're planning on staying around 7 nights or so) because it appears that's just before most of the high season prices kick in. But a little further research implies that beach activities or swimming during that time wouldn't be especially comfortable/warm. So now I'm trying to figure out if I'm wrong about that, or if it'd be ok to swim in June. If we head into June, what sorts of price increases am I facing? Some of the places for lodging that I'm looking at are a good 30% higher starting the end of May. Some are even more, but there must be bargains out there. So I'm looking for thoughtful answers as to -when- to go. To avoid crowds and as much of the tourist price gouging as possible, while still ensuring that we've got a warm, sunny trip and at least a chance to swim in different sea.

2. WHERE to go! I keep waffling about specific villages/towns to focus on. A place like Positano is going to have more people visiting it. That has tradeoffs. It is handier for things like public transport and transfers because of it, but that also means, well, more people and probably higher prices due to popularity. I've been looking at other places, like Maori and Minori, or Atrani, or Praiano, but then I start getting a little muddled. I'm not sure which are going to give me what I'm hoping for here. I'm happy to focus on just one locale, and then we'll take ferries or buses to visit other places (or even walking around is nice, too). But we don't want to go to such a small town that there's only, say, one dining choice, or one hotel that's worth staying at. Trying to balance that against more choices, but more people...

I was just hoping you might be able to help me with narrowing in on various disparate facts that might help us with the decision making process.

Thank you all in advance for your time and effort in helping me.

bardo1

morgannalefy,

Where are you from? The beaches in the Amalfi Coast area are not impressive (or even sandy). The beaches in the US are much better for either swimming or walking along the sand. Just a thought.

The real attraction of the Amalfi Coast is the towns that line it. It think it is wise to base yourself in a "larger" town (they are still VERY small - even the biggest towns like Amalfi or Positano have a population of only 4000 or so). Otherwise, you may end up going some small village's only good restaurant repeatedly. It is very easy to get to all the towns along the coast by bus or ferry (ferries are especially nice for great views of the coastline and the towns).

Other advice:

If you havn't experienced the joy that is Naples, consider staying there 2-4 nights while you're in the area (and adding 2-4 nights to your overall stay). Naples is wonderful, charming, has lots offer, and is sadly often overlooked or given short shrift by tourists visiting this part of Italy.

Also consider an overnight on Capri on on your way to or from your hotel on the Coast. It can easily be visited by Ferry as a day trip (less than 1 hour one-way), but deserves a little bit more time, IMHO.

I think May 17-25 (or possible a few extra days) would be a perfect time to go. Bring your swim suit too, the water should be OK at least some days.

bobthenavigator

For only a week, I would pick one location and consider an apartment for best value. Go to www.summerinitaly.com for a wide range of choices.
We were there this year at the same time in May and had great weather, but it is not really a " beach" destination. I would pick Positano and day trip by boat, bus, and private driver from there. Try to fly into Naples for easier access to the coast.

bobthenavigator

Heer is my photo gallery from this year--we stayed in Praiano.

http://www.slowphotos.com/photo/show...y.php?cat=4481

artsbabe

On our first trip to that region, we stayed for 3 nights in Amalfi and 5 nights in Sorrento. (I know that Sorrento is not on the Amalfi coast.) We took a day trip to Positano and were glad we stayed in Amalfi, which just seemed more charming to us. Staying in Sorrento enabled us to visit Pompeii, Naples, Capri, Herculaneum, and Oplontis. Capri is easy enough to do from Amalfi or Positano, of course, but if seeing any of these other world-class sites is on your list, then think about splitting your time between the Amalfi coast and Sorrento (or Naples).

nytraveler

Much of the Amalfi coast is a cliff down to the water. "Beaches" are usualy pebbles - not sand, are noften small and narow and often located inthe center of town. Although seaside I really don;t consider them beach resorts like you would findin FL or the Carib.

That said we have been in late May a couple of times and everyone was in the hotel pool - and it certainly wsn;t too cold to go into the sea (but I'm used to the north atlantic, not FL where you feel like a lobster cooking in the water). But few beaches are pleasant. We went for sights (toured Capri, visitied Pompeii and drove the coast road and visited several cute little towns).

morgannalefey

Well, we used to live in Southeast Alaska and we've been to many parts of the Maine Coast, so I know a bit from non-sandy beaches. I might have oversold the idea of "beaches". I have been looking at photos and I know it's not like the sandy beach in Ogunquit or anything. I was thinking "warm enough to swim in a sea other than the Atlantic or Pacific" which are all I know at this point. You've all answered my questions on that regard.

BobTN: I've been looking at rentals like that and my primary concern tends to be services availability. But we are seriously considering this option.

Also, spending nights in other locations, or adding some time at the end to spend in Naples (making it easier to catch the flight home) are things that have been floating around. It's reassuring to hear these ideas from folks who have been here so we can calibrate our thinking.

I'm thinking if we'd want more than one day in Capri, it might be cheaper to take the ferry there two days in a row than uprooting and staying in a place there. Is there some aspect of visiting Capri that would make that more awkward or difficult? To be honest, I haven't reviewed all the places we might like to visit, I've been trying to focus on where to set up "home base". I think I'm becoming more sold on the idea of Positano. Though I am a little bit concerned because we are very much -not- night life sorts of people, and I had the impression (perhaps entirely mistaken) that Positano had most of the nightlife in the area (I worried that would make it seem more, well, hectic or bustling or something ). Please forgive my small-townishness. I'm a small town girl and I live out in the country in rural Vermont in the middle of six acres of forest. Friday night in Burlington (Vermont's largest city) is a little too hectic for me sometimes.

All your thoughts and suggestions have been so helpful, I again appreciate your time spent in responding. I'd love to hear more opinions if you have them.

chazzarelli

What services do you need? You mentioned you are concerned about renting an apartment for a week, but you'll have plenty of towels, a place to cook, a place to shower and a place to sleep. That should be about all you need. You may even have a washer/dryer in the apartment.

Most times you will only find yourself in the hotel/apartment at night as you'll be out exploring throught the day. Sure your not going to have room service, but that exclusion of service saves you money. If you don't feel like going out to eat somewhere, you can purchase some stuff at a local market to make your own lunches/dinner.

I would stick to one place though. Splitting up your time requires a check-in/out day at each location which cuts into your time there. You can easily go up to Naples for a day from the AC.

Also, I wouldn't worry about Positano being a big problem being from VT. I'm from NH and although I've lived in big cities - the places on the AC are not big towns by any means. I also know Burlington and Positano is not going to be busy like that either. Sure there will be people out and lots of tourists and traffic, but thats because there are only a few roads in the town to navigate, and they are all small. As long as you are not driving, I wouldn't worry about it at all.

You can find boats to take you over to Capri and tour you around the island, drop you off around lunch time, let you explore for the afternoon and then get back on the boat and head back to the AC for 50 Euro. You can even find places to rent your own boat relatively cheap as well.

DougP

Just want to mention about driving. You may have heard about horrendous traffic, and that is true in the summer. We drove much of the Amalfi coast May 9 -16 and the traffic was not unreasonable, at least not bumper to bumper. If you enjoy the freeedom of a car the time frame that you are going makes it an okay choice. Of course Naples and the Isle of Capri are totally different!

Lifeman

I would always base in Positano. It is small, like the rest of the AC "towns" although they are little more than villages. It has probably the best selection of hotels and restaurants and is the most spectacularly situated of the towns, clinging to the side of the cliff as it tumbles down towards the sea.

It is best placed for trips along the AC to the East or for trips to Pompeii etc.

Whether you will be able to swim either in the sea or pool depends entirely on the weather next year. Who know? Sometimes it will be OK in May, sometimes not and obviously the later you go, the better. The prices start to rise steeply once the European schools take their summer breaks, mostly towards the end of June/start of July.

It won't be over crowded at that time of the year and the roads will be very "doable". That has a knock on effect for room availability and restaurant tables.

zeppole

You needn't worry that any place you go on the Amalfi coast will lack a variety of restaurants.

If you want to do things more than potter around tourist shops and gaze at beautiful views and eat in tourist restaurants, basing in Positano or Amalfi will really put you behind the 8-ball unless you are willing to pay for private car transfers. There are public bus options but many of them don't reach places of interest without several changes, and take hours. If you are interested in doing things like visiting a mozzerella producer, you can't use public transportation.

I'm not suggesting you should include a lot of cultural sightseeing. When I have gone to that area, I have done nothing but stay on my private terrace and read and swim and eat. But once you are one the Amalfi coast, you are geographically located in an area with one thin coastal road that stretches for miles and miles, with a few towns strung along it, all of which do nothing but cater to an affluent lounge-chair tourist trade. They vary in size, but not much in what they sell or serve as food. Each promotes a little specialty -- a special pastry, a grotto, what have you. Think Cape Cod -- it's not exact -- but imagine if a European traveled to Cape Cod with the idea of spending a week so he or she would be sure not to miss traveling between all the towns to explore them, plus a trip to Martha's Vinyard. I don't know about you, but I think I would tell them that the point of Cape Cod is more about relaxation, and while it can be mildly interesting to head over to this town instead of that, it's not a huge wow.

So once you are on the Amalfi coast, that's life, plus a boat trip to Capri, unless you want to throw chunks of money getting off the coast during the day to see sights of major cultural interest and which also have local character. The prettiness of Positano and Capri are enough that most people could care less that the towns are totally service towns for tourism. Again, imagine a European going to Provincetown hoping to soak up the ambience of American whaling town.

Personally, were it me? (And it's not me, It's you.) The most enjoyment I would get in that area in May would be to go to someplace closer to Salerno, and have a car rental. I would use the car to see places like Pompeii, Paestum, other historic towns outside the Amalfi. In May, I might even drive the car to some locations on the Amalfi coast, depending on crowds and my appetite for twisty roads. Otherwise I'd take the ferries. I'd use the car to head inland sometimes, to see a local culture not flattened by foreign tourism.

If I didn't do that, and based in the Amalfi instead, I would bring a book and relax, and potter if I felt like it, or go out and stay on Capri and do the same.

zeppole

PS: You can occasionally find threads on Fodor's where people have stayed around Cilento, or in Cetera, or Maiori, or Vietri sul Mare, which is the area I was referring to, in the vicinity of Salerno, which has ferries to Positano and Capri, plus a car rental office and a train station.

ira

Hi Morg,

>beach activities or swimming during that time wouldn't be especially comfortable/warm.<

A: Why travel thousands of miles to go to a beach?
B: With the exception of Positano, the "beaches" are mostly rocks and stones, not sand.

Have you considered going in Sept-Oct? Prices go down then.

See details of our visit at Ira’s Trip Report (Italy 2003)
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...2&tid=34451044

ekscrunchy

I agree that, given your first post above, you might be better off choosing a base away from the main towns of Positano, etc. The Amalfi Coast around the village of Cetara is a totally different animal than the stretch that you always hear about here and elsewhere. Cetara, for example, is the quintessential Italian fishing village--probably what Positano looked like decades ago..if you are interested in food, that is the town to visit, although the hotel pickings are slim.

Having stayed in several towns on various trips, I think I would look towards the eastern end of the coast on my next trip..

You do not state a budget, so I will take a leap here--is this the kind of place that might appeal to you?

http://www.maisonraphael.it/welcome_gb.htm


Another things to keep in mind when you get advice here is to take into account the tastes and ages of people offering said advice. There are people who have been to this area several times but have not ventured beyond the typical tourist track towns of Positano, Amalfi, Ravello, etc. I would be interested to learn how many have actually walked the streets of Minori, Maiori, Vietri, let along Agerola, Pogerola, Scala, and the like.. So while you will hear on and on about Positano, Praiano, Amalfi (the latter gets misguidedly bashed here by people who have visited only on brief daytrips) you will not hear much about some of the other coastal and inland villages and towns. This is not because they are not worth visiting, but because very few people on this forum have actually had the time or the interest to deviate from the well-trodden trail..

ekscrunchy

I am also a swimmer and I can certainly understand wanting to splash around or do laps. There are a number of sandy beaches in the area, although they will not have the white, fine sand of the Caribbean.

Maiori, for example, has a long, sandy beach but, as I pointed out above, most posters here have never ventured there.

http://www.nrgtravel.com/images/Syn/...iori_Beach.jpg

Atrani also has a good beach:

http://image05.webshots.com/5/3/29/6...0cXRnjr_ph.jpg

Amalfi, too, has a good beach.

Most beach-goers rent chairs from the local concession...



More than the quality of sand, the issue you have to consider is jellyfish, which have increased in numbers in the last few years and can make swimming unpleasant, if not impossible.



The water was too cold for me to swim during the first part of May a few years back. June should be all right unless you need temps over 80.

Each hotel has different price categories. June and September are shoulder season in many hotels. Do not expect to see any drastically reduced prices until the last week of September. I think your thought of June is a good one, as long as the jellyfish stay away!

isabel

I just came back from the Amalfi Coast. I'm in the process of writing a trip report and sorting through my thousands of photos but will be posting a report in the next few weeks. We spent eight nights in Sorrento and I would do that again in a flash. The town itself really grew on me - not as visually striking as Positano but much more of a "real" town. Lots of hotel and restaurant options, shopping. Quite a lot of "beach" options. Lots of little windy narrow street, small fishing marina (in addition to the "port" where the ferries leave from). And the best transport connections. We did the Amalfi Coast by bus one day splitting our time between Positano and Amalfi. Another day we did it by boat (which was way more fun) and did Ravello, WALKED down to Atrani and Amalfi. One day we did Capri - by a small boat excursion the hotel offered - way, way more fun than the enclosed ferry that most people use to get there (from either Sorrento or Positano or Amalfi). We also spent a day in Pompeii, another in Naples. Had a great time.

I know this goes against what a lot of people on this forum think, but of all the places we went Positano was our least favorite. Visually very striking, especially from the water. But full of high priced ladies clothing stores and higher end restaurants. Sorrento really is a small town, but if I were to stay in one of the really little towns on the Amalfi coast, it would be Amalfi over Positano.

morgannalefey

Ooo ekscrunchy, that hotel looks just like what I was thinking. Awesome pricing, too (though we could afford a bit more if necessary). The -only- problem, and yes, I'm a little bit embarrassed to admit this, but it doesn't have internet access advertised. That actually is an issue because going away for over a week without internet access is incredibly painful and hard for us. We don't spend days online, but being able to check up once in the evening makes it =so= much better for us when we get back. Way less stress, all that.

Another question I had was this:
There's a ferry service from Naples to various points along the AC. I emailed them and they don't start running until June (metro del mare, it was called). Is that the only ferry running from Naples to the area? Or are there other companies I could look for that would take us along the sea instead of arranging a private transfer from Naples?

TPAYT

bobthenavigator-----great photos. Makes me want to look into going there.

morgannalefey

You know, the idea of staying somewhere other than "at the beach" makes a lot of sense. I'm looking at farm holidays now, that are a bit further inland, so we can get down to the sea, but really be immersed in something more uniquely Italian.

Three places I've found so far (I know these aren't all on the Amalfi Coast, but they're close):
http://www.astapiana.com/
http://www.agriturismogalatea.com/in...guaNew=Inglese
http://www.agriturismoagerola.com/english.htm

ekscrunchy

Morgan: I am away from my notes for a few days, but I do remember this place as getting good reports, even if it is in the more touristed area of the AC. Give me some time and I will come up with other suggestions. I love the idea of a farm holiday in that region.


http://www.amalfiholidays.eu/en/index.html



I know that there is ferry service running before June. We were there in late April two years ago and the ferries were up and running, but it is possible that you might have to go Naples-Capri and Capri to the AC. Hopefully someone else here an give more detailed information.