Amalfi coast - where to stay and travel tips please

[catwomando]

Hello hive mind.

We are planning a trip in may to Rome and Amalfi coast and grateful for any real-life experience and suggestions that you can share.

We will spend 4 days in Rome then get the high-speed train from Rome to Amalfi. We need to find somewhere lovely to stay on the Amalfi coast. Ideally in walking distance of lovely restaurants, and poss with a pool (if hot enough?).

Can anyone recommend towns/ villages to stay in please? - there seem to be a few options!

I'll be watching the Stanley Tucci programmes to get some ideas too.

I've always wanted to go to Italy and to see Pompei so this is very, very exciting

thanks everyone.

No advice for hotels etc but if you can I'd fit in a trip to Herculaneum as well as Pompei. It's in the town of Ercolano (don't stay there it's a bit rough and ready) but as an historical site it's better than Pompei! Pompei was hit by rocks and dust, destroying much of it whereas Herculaneum was covered in mud and so more survives intact. Plus less people!
If you go to Pompei, give it a full day and take lots of water with you. It gets hot and very little shade.

I've just got back from the Amalfi coast.
We stayed in Sorrento. Good train links to Naples, Pompeii, vesuvius Ercolano. Would recommend a boat trip from Sorrento along the coast stopping at Positano and Amalfi for a cpl hours each. It's the best way to see the coast.
I would also recommend ercolano as it is better preserved , quieter and much smaller.
Sorrento is a lovely town
Enjoy!

Following with interest. I literally was about to post a similar thread. We are planning to book a villa around Sorrento / the Amalfi coast for 10 days or so then spend a few days in Rome. So it's good to hear about the train links and places to visit.

Sorry to hijack your thread OP!

For me, the best place to eat is the Locanda Costa Diva in Praiano. They also have rooms. It depends whether you want something lively or you are looking for peace and quiet further inland. You could also stay in Capri for a couple of nights.

I would not stay in Sorrento as it is full of (nice) middle aged Brits abroad which isn't too glamourous to me!

The best thing is staying at Casa Angelina for their breakfast and views and eating out at these amazing restaurants along the coast.

@catwomando
Try and get hold of the Mary Beard book on Pompeii. It’s a bit dry but it will be invaluable for your visit. I liked the idea of a one way traffic system in the city!

You must visit Herculaneum. We also visited the amphitheatre of Capua and Caserta palace. The steaming volcanic area at Solfatara is interesting too. Plus Capri for a day. Positano, Amalfi and Ravello are all great places to stay.

There’s a train line that goes from Sorrento to Naples and stops at Pompei/ Vesuvius. It’s very frequent. We stayed at one of the smaller towns near one of the train stations. We booked day trips from Sorrento to different places along the Amalfi coast.
If you get chance try the chair lift to the top of Capri!

www.sorrentoreview.com/santagnello.html
This is the area where we stayed, we decided against car hire as the roads can be a bit difficult.

Highly recommend Maiori - not as touristy but stunning and sooo close to Almalfi, positano etc.
Restaurants and people amazing. Where the Italians seemed to holiday. It was magical.