Hi all, my wife and I (38, reasonably adventurous, big design and food travellers, love the sun/beach) are staying in Ischia for 5 days until May 30 this year. We've got a flight out of Rome booked on the 8th of June but no solid plans just yet of what to do in between.

I've promised my wife Positano, so it looks like we'll stay at least a couple of nights in Nocelle to scratch that itch. If possible we try to stay clear of the big tourist hangouts, though that can be difficult I've heard on the Amalfi coast. I've heard Nocelle is quiet, albeit a little challenging with getting to the beach. Part of coming to the coast is to try and get a nice, relaxed coastal adventure, with plenty of restaurant time. The first half of our trip is Rome and around Le Marche (mostly driving through countryside).

I'm looking for other suggestions either between Ischia and Nocelle, or after Nocelle on the way back to Rome? I haven't booked in Nocelle yet, so I'm flexible for that entire time (about 10 days) after Ischia. We don't have a car for this leg, so will be reliant on trains/buses/taxis.

Have guidebooks not given you any ideas? My difficulty would be figuring out what to skip!

Good luck!

Welks
Curious...did you decide where to go?

Naples? Not your small backwater but a very unique and intriguing city - been four times and always loved its old-world look of lauandry-strung narrow lanes redolent of an Italy I first visited centuries ago but gone from most cities...trains are great and buses and ferries in season along Amalfi - book Naples or Salerno to Rome train tickets as early as possible for neat discounts - Acquista il biglietto con le nostre offerte - Trenitalia or www.italotreno.it/en for online booking (same trains running on same tracks servcing same stations - both classes are discounted and at time first classes folks say may be nearly as cheap as 2nd classes. www.seat61.com has adroit didactic advice on booking your own discounted tickets - general info about Italian trains - also BETS-European Rail Experts and www.ricksteves.com. Sorrento can make a utilitarian base from which to hop by train to nearby Pompeii ruins and to ascend Mt Vesuvius by bus + foot -not your dreamy Amalfi town but a good stop on way from Amalfi proper to Naples and Rome.