We stayed in both Positano and Capri ten years ago at the end of September with two days in Capri and two days in Napoli. Two days in Capri was enough but it is nice being on the island in the evening when the crowds leave. We took a day trip to Amalfi via ferry and then a bus up to Ravello. Ravello was a place I’d like to stay next time. The high speed ferry is quick, 30 minutes from Positano to Capri, the hotel handled the luggage. Same with Positano.
If you fly into Napoli and you’re going to stay along the Amalfi coast, you can stop off at Pompeii on the way. Obviously, this depends on arrival time and degree of jet lag. We were offered this option on arrival, but didn’t take the driver up on it. I wish we had, but the wife suffers from jet lag. Note the car was prearranged with the hotel.
Naples is a different place. Lots of crime apparently so the wife didn’t want to explore much.
Thanks Tom, and others for the continued input. We will be taking the train from Rome to Salerno and then ferry to Positano. About nailed down a place in Positano for our base, so that decision is set. Will day trip to Capri and maybe Revello to scout for next time.
Thanks.
In Positano, La Sponda is a pretty nice restaurant. expensive, at one time considered the most expensive restaurant in Italy. If so Italian restaurant prices are cheap compared to French 3 stars.
Da Gemma in Amalfi was another good place, but not really expensive.
Dennis,
If you have some free time in Salerno and want to see some local beer, check out BAI.
Agreed re: avoid having a car. Whilst it is possible, you’ll be nearing peak season, where in addition to the hair-raising routes, the coastal road can become a logjam of cars. The Sita buses are excellent (and the sound of their horns will stay with you long after the holiday - as does the sound of the church/chapel bells as one triggers the next and so on, as you trace the sound along the hillside.
As you’ve decided on Positano, I’ll put in a a good word for the bus trip up to Montepertuso (the bus leaves from outside Bar Internazionale where you can buy the tickets). Take the bus up, have a stroll around up there (and maybe eat lunch there), then stroll down the steep but surprisingly short walk to Positano, that gives you the feeling of being perched directly above it. No need for directions as you can see your destination for most of the walk - and if all else fails, navigating downhill will be the right option.
Rather than Ravello, which would be a bus to Amalfi, to connect with the small and often crowded Ravello / Scala buses, I’d choose a day trip to Capri instead, as you’re already near the ferries. If you want something else, then Amalfi is worth consideration for an easy day trip, or Herculaneum for a Roman fix on a hot day, or if it’s a cooler day, then Pompeii (which can be very tough work on a stinking hot day).
Nice. Not on my radar at all. Thanks.
Great info. Thanks, Ian!
Yep, getting the bus can be tough. The Italians don’t queue like the Brits. We learned quick. The Capri furnicular can be tough to get on too. Taxi might be a better more expensive option.
Well we’re back and I want to thank many on this board and share some of my thoughts on the trip.
We started in Rome and stayed three nights in an AirBnB near Campo de Fiori. This was a great decision and I’d recommend anyone going to Rome to choose this area as it is walking distance from almost everything. And boy did we walk a lot.
We hit the Vatican on the first afternoon. I am in awe of the place. St. Peter’s Basilica is enormous and simply remarkable.
On the walk home we loaded up at Campo de Fiori for fresh fruit, eggs, etc. We didn’t cook anything beyond some eggs in the morning.
First night we ate at Ditirambo, a recco from this board and it was excellent and well priced. A 2012 Brovia Barbera D’Alba – Sori del Drago was a good start.
Day two took us to see the Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, and Piazza Popolo. We took the short hike up to the Terrazza del Pincio where the views of the city are terrific.
Dinner at Le Mani in Pasta (in Trastevere) was just average though a plate of langoustines and rigatoni was a highlight. Wine was utterly forgettable.
Next day we visited the Colosseum and Palatine Hill with a guide. The Ancient Romans were impressive in their ability to engineer and build. A shame the later days of Rome re-cycled much of the materials used in the structures.
Dinner was at La Teverna dei Fori Imperiali. An oven roasted port shank hit the spot as I took a night off from pasta. Solid food and a Taurasi Radici Mastroberardino washed it done nicely.
Day three took us to the Borghese Museum at Villa Borghese. The marble sculptures were out of this world and the frescos amazing. So many beautiful things assembled in one place.
That night we ate at Hostaria Costanza. A terrific Cerreto Dolcetto was the highlight of the meal. I would not recommend this restaurant at all. VERY generic. Underwhelming.
The next day we hit the road to Pompeii. I wasn’t really sure what to expect but found myself amazed by the place. The small and large theaters are not to be missed.
Over the hills we went and checked into Hotel Eden Roc which was a very nice place and good value. Dinner down by the beach was a non-event and could have been from anywhere.
While in the Amalfi area we drove to the town of Amalfi, stopped by the Smeralda Grotto, checked out Ravello and prayed each time we approached a corner. Driving in the off season is pretty nutty. I can’t imagine what it would be like when those twisty roads are congested.
Not to be missed is the ‘Path of the Gods’ trail. Beautiful views down to the water. Really quite stunning. The natural beauty rivals the western national parks of the U.S.
We took a ferry to Capri the next day and I would not do it again. The Blue Grotto was open for the first time of the season and frankly I think it is an easy pass. $16/pp to be rowed into the grotto for 5 minutes. Pretty, yes. Over-priced and touristy, definitely. The town of Anacapri is another easy pass. If I were to try again I would be more inclined to take a boat tour around the island to really appreciate the natural beauty.
The downside of visiting the Amalfi coast in March was that the ferries were not running along the southern coast so hopping from town to town by boat was not an option and I suspect we missed some really amazing scenery based simply on the views to and from Capri from Sorrento. The trade-off was the lack of crowds.
On our way back to the airport we had our final meal at Al Ceppo in Rome. This is an old school restaurant with a generally older clientele but the food was really top notch. Our waiter was terrific and a half bottle of 2015 Ettore Germano Serralunga D’Alba Barolo was a perfect way to end the trip.
Thanks to the many thoughts are recommendations from this board. They definitely helped me to organize.
Walt,
Thanks for this excellent report! We are doing a very similar trip in June (teens included!), with a bit of Tuscany tucked in between, and your thoughts are quite helpful! We are also Staying in Campo de Fiori, which seemed like a good home base.
Path of the Gods was tentatively on my list, but sounds like we must do. Glad you had a good time! Thanks.
Sounds like a good trip. I love Amalfi (my fiance and I met there 7 years ago). IMHO the time to go is May. Enough Ferry service to make it doable. I would never drive on that road. The Ferry was canceled once and we had to take the bus instead and that was enough for me. Hopefully never again in a car/bus. The ferry ride is an event in and of itself for me with the vistas.
Quitter! 
Driving Amalfi is a life experience not to be missed. LOL Add it to the list with the west shore of Lake Garda.
Driving in Naples is insane, probably the only place where I said “never again”. At a huge intersection with traffic in gridlock, I saw people driving down the train tracks. Awesome.
Must’ve been light traffic if no one was driving on the sidewalks.
I’m not sure which was worse for us (wife and I). Was it the harrowing taxi ride from the Naples ferry port to the airport? Or the bus ride from Amalfi to Ravello when the 2 buses traveling in opposite directions (one was ours) tried to go past each other on a curve?
I wouldn’t want to repeat either one (but I’d sure like to be there once again).