Hi all, we are a family of four (62, 55, 18, 14) planning to visit Campania this August. Our route starts August 12th, from Naples airport, and the overnight stops are:
Salerno
Ravella
Amalfi
Positano
Sorrento
Capri
Sorrento
Pompei - Naples
Naples
Ischia
Ischia
Ischia
Ischia
Procido
Naples
We are into nature sights, cities (not much clubbing) and were advised to focus more on Ischia by our friends spending their vacations there.
Please advise if this itinerary looks reasonable.
Another question is - whether we will be able to smoothly make this route with public transportation? Normally we do drive rental car. This time we are advised that traffic in the area is terrible. Then what kind of public transportation is better to use on this journey - Are there ferries/ boats along the route - or trains along the coast? Please advise.
Salerno and Sorrento have train stations, but there is no railway along the Amalfi Coast, however there are bus and ferry options, including for example Positano to Sorrento ferries.
I think it's a good decision to not take a rental car. Travel very light - the weather will be hot and you'll need very little luggage. The less the better with so many transport hops.
A good (and easy) site to check your options is
https://www.rome2rio.com/map/Sorrento/Pompei-Scavi-Villa-dei-Misteri
I have shown Sorrento to Pompeii as an example. Previous discussions on here have said that there is a left-luggage facility at Pompei Scavi - Villa dei Misteri station. The site doesn't show it, but others on here have said there is also a ferry service Salerno > Amalfi.
It's good to become fairly familiar with the main Italian railway website - http://www.trenitalia.com/tcom-en - (and note that even in the English version you still need to use Italian city/station names - Firenze S.M.Novella and not Florence Railway Station, etc).
And other companies run services to Sorrento, Salerno, Pompeii, etc, with no Trenitalia alternatives in some cases. Buses run too, obviously.
Have you booked all your accommodation already?
You have FAR too many one night stops for me.
Most of these are tiny places,practically next to each other.Instead of packing up every day and changing accommodation (which will take a lot of time) I'd have a few bases.
I agree with #1 on the transport....don't rent a car.You can use ferries,buses and trains depending on budget and what is available for that destination.
August will be very busy.The road will be wall to wall traffic and very difficult to move from one place to another,so boat and train where possible makes sense.Even if the boat is more expensive.
Most of these are tiny places,practically next to each other.Instead of packing up every day and changing accommodation (which will take a lot of time) I'd have a few bases.
I take the point that many of these places are small, and fairly close to each other, but I remain a solid fan of the "road-trip" rather than "base-with-backtracking" style. I think it's better to pack your bag and leave Ravello (as an example) and head for Amalfi > Positano, and not come back. The traffic can be bad, so why triple the pain?
You could visit Capri and Procida as day-trips, but an overnight in such places can add hugely to an experience - you're not trying to hustle back home by 6:00 pm with all the other tourists.
And given your list of places, I'm not sure where bases can easily be planned. I remain more concerned about the status of your reservations for peak holiday times.
Personally,instead of spending 7 nights in 7 different (but similar)tiny places...I'd choose two.Spend a few days in one tiny village and a few days on one little island.
Then you can decide on possible day trips as and when.If you don't want to do it,or the traffic is too bad..stay where you are.Go on a boat trip,go to the beach,have a walk or just chill out.These are not places with any 'sights' to see.There is very little difference between one small Amalfi coast village and the next one.
A lot more relaxing and flexible than having booked accommodation which means you need to move every day,whether you like the place you are in or not.
Agree with Lucapal packing up each day takes time, checking in and checking out, finding your hotel all this eats into the short time you already have. Your other issue is in August many accommodations will be asking for a minimum duration stay.
Salerno
Ravello
Amalfi
Positano
Okay - I concede the points being made - you could have a good time with these four nights in Amalfi. Just get the early train from Naples to Salerno - timed with a ferry to Amalfi - and deal with the coast traffic - or do some long walks.
But keep the overnights on both Capri and Procida ... I think they'll be special.
Many thanks Jingili Lucapal and richiavo for all the points. We will not have a rental car and rely on (mostly ) ferries and trains, and will try and travel light.
I guess now I should hurry to make furhter reservations. We already have prelim agreements for Ischia but not for other destinations.
I agree that it is beneficial to cut the nubmer of one day stops but there are not too many options for that. After arrival to NAP at the midday, we move to Salerno - it takes some time, and then it is better to spend a night there before heading further to Amalfi. Before and after going to islands, it is also more comfortable I think to stay a day on the shore (resp Sorrento and Naples). For the moment, I see our overnight stops list as follows:
Salerno
Amalfi
Amalfi
Amalfi
Sorrento
Capri
Sorrento
Pompei - Naples
Naples
Ischia
Ischia
Ischia
Ischia
Procida
Naples
Please let me know if this now makes sense.
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