A Week in Positano

[Pauline]

I am now thinking we won't rent a car, but will get a car service from Naples to Positano, then take buses around the Amalfi Coast. I changed my mind after doing Google Street View on the main road through Positano. Our vacation rental comes with a parking spot, but for a small car only and there are four of us the first week.

The week we are with our friends we will spend half the time in Positano, I think. With a day trip to Capri, by ferry. Maybe a day in Pompeii - but we could do bus to Sorrento and then train to Pompeii.

When we were in Sorrento, 15 years ago, we had a car for half the time and did not use it much.

Plus @BryanS has been warning me about driving out of Naples in another thread.

 

[Roz]

Pauline, I think that's the right decision -- not to have the car. We were in Sorrento once for a week and our rental car was a total waste of money. This was 12 years ago in November, and the traffic was horrendous even then. I can only imagine that it's much worse now. We only drove once, to Paestum, but that was because it was raining that day on the Amalfi Coast, and it was actually pretty nice in Paestum. You have been there, haven't you? Someone in our B&B rented a car in Sorrento for a day trip to Paestum, and we thought afterward that was the smart way to do it.

 

[Pauline]

It looks like the ferries from Positano to Capri and to Amalfi do not start until June 1 and we are there the first two weeks of May. NLG Ferry Schedule 2016

This may influence my decision. We would take the bus to Sorrento and the ferry from there, or drive to Sorrento.

I emailed Summer in Italy to find out about the parking space. How big it is, where it is and how easy is it to access. The villa we are renting is off the main road that goes into Positano from the Coast Road, but it looks like it is down a pedestrian walkway.

 

[Pauline]

We only drove once, to Paestum, but that was because it was raining that day on the Amalfi Coast, and it was actually pretty nice in Paestum. You have been there, haven't you?

Yes! We visited last April when we stayed in Basilicata visiting Valerie and Bryan. We all went. I had long wanted to see Paestum and I was not disappointed!

 

[Valerie]

http://issuu.com/nlgmagazine/docs/programmazioneturistica2016/4?e=16743991/32724612

Try this for the timetable to Capri. The ferry does run in May!
And this line has timetables too, for the coast as well: http://www.coopsantandrea.com/it/servizidilinea/servizi.asp

 

[Valerie]

Getting out of Naples with the car probably wouldn't be "too" bad, you'd basically be driving through the area of those Ferrante books! But might want to consider realistically how often you'd use it on the Amalfi Coast, if it is really worthwhile for the cost and having it sit much of the time? With the buses and ferries, plus water taxis, I think you might be covered, unless you have other outings further afield planned.

 

[Pauline]

Try this for the timetable to Capri. The ferry does run in May!

THANK YOU!! I went as far as page two and saw that schedule started in June - but the next page showed a different schedule. That is a relief - I was counting on using ferries from Positano.

 

[Pauline]

Getting out of Naples with the car probably wouldn't be "too" bad, you'd basically be driving through the area of those Ferrante books! But might want to consider realistically how often you'd use it on the Amalfi Coast, if it is really worthwhile for the cost and having it sit much of the time? With the buses and ferries, plus water taxis, I think you might be covered, unless you have other outings further afield planned.

You just want us to not have a car so that you can park in the spot when you come to visit!

I am still gathering data and opinions on the car option. One thing I like about having a car is that after two nights at a hotel in Naples, we can pick up the car Saturday morning and stop a few places before arriving for the 4pm check in time. Otherwise we have to store our luggage at the hotel, then go and get it before meeting our friends at 2pm at the train station, then all take a car service to Positano.

I also want to explore the Sorrento Peninsula and I think car works best there. We liked that area the last time. Also to drive up some of the roads in the hills behind the coast.

I still have to figure out where in Naples the Ferrante novel takes place so we can visit while we are there. I will start a new thread (or there may be one already).

 

[Pauline]

It looks like there is one ferry a day from Positano to Capri with the NLG Ferries and it costs 36.90Euro (I hope that is a return fare). Or you can take a mini-cruise with the Coop. Sant'Andrea ferry, one a day. (There are two more ferries each day with NLG in the summer months.)

For Amalfi there are more ferries, but the last one back is 15:00. We could go out on the ferry and back on the bus.

NLG Ferries
9:15 Positano - Capri / 17:15 Capri - Positano
36.90Euro return?

Coop. Sant' Andrea
Positano - Amalfi 10:00, 12:00, 13:30, 15:30
Amalfi - Positano 9:20, 10:30, 12:30, 15:00
8 Euro each way, Service 01 April - 31 October

Capri Cruise
Positano h 9,00 a.m.– Capri h 10,10 a.m.
Boarding from Capri Marina Piccola at 4,30 p.m...
return to Positano h 5.30
A panoramic trip of the Island and its marvels, visit to Faraglioni, Grotta Bianca and Grotta Verde, disembarking at Marina Piccola, plenty of free time to visit Capri. No service on Thursdays and Sundays. BOOKING COMPULSORY
Tickets: € 35,00 p.p. + 1,50 Landing fee

 

[Anne]

Love the sound of this trip.

Re Capri: during our week in Naples last year, we took the ferry to Capri one day. Once there, we took a convertible taxi to Anacapri (we shared with a couple who were also waiting for a taxi so the cost wasn't bad.) From Anacapri, we rode the chair lift up to the summit of Monte Solare, then hiked down, stopping at the Hermitage of Cetrella along the way (stunning view of the Faraglioni rocks from there). One of those days that will linger in the heart for a very long time. Highly recommend that hike.

 

[ellen]

While on Capri do walk up to Villa Jovis, the walk is nice and the destination is well worth it. When you are ready to leave follow the rural route back, through the woods. We did this in the off season and never saw another soul, which was only a little creepy when we discovered spent shotgun shells along the path in the woods. (We never heard any gun fire.) There are spectacular views over the water along the path ... and it's interesting to wonder what Tiberius's guests must have been thinking as they ascended to his villa along this path. One wrong step and ...

 

[Pauline]

... From Anacapri, we rode the chair lift up to the summit of Monte Solare, then hiked down, stopping at the Hermitage of Cetrella along the way (stunning view of the Faraglioni rocks from there).

Thanks for posting the Capri photos! Capri Day Trip

That chair lift looks a bit scary - and you don't have someone beside you to cling on to.

 

[Anne]

That chair lift looks a bit scary - and you don't have someone beside you to cling on to.

It is disconcerting at first - especially since the bar across the front of the chair doesn't lock into place, it just rests there. But honestly, it's quite tame. It doesn't move too fast and runs fairly close to the ground. (My mom would say the same thing, and she's very nervous of heights.)

 

[Kathy (Trekcapri)]

Hi Pauline, I agree with Anne. It really wasn't that bad. Even when I used to ski a lot, I'd always have butterflys when taking the lift up (not because of the heights, but the fear of not timing myself with the approaching chair and the thought of it breaking and me falling). But although it is a single chair, everything was fine and the ride up was fun. As Anne mentioned it's not that high off the ground. The ride is long and it was an enjoyable ride once I got over the initial butterflies. The views are fabulous. I didn't research the hikes down like Anne did so rode it back down. It sounds like a wonderful hike.

 

[Valerie]

You just want us to not have a car so that you can park in the spot when you come to visit!

Ha, you're on to my game! Actually, I'll probably take the train to Salerno and then the ferry over, but will see as it gets closer and Bryan knows how much time he can get off.

The day trip cruise to Capri sounds like a good deal, actually. Once you're there, you'll also find private water taxis that will take you along the coast. And several restaurants have their own boats to pick you up and take you back to/from their cove locations, which is pretty fun!

 

[Valerie]

The area of Naples from the Ferrante books is not an area you want to go walking around as a tourist! I drove through it once with a local who said it was not a good neighborhood (not that he needed to say it, as it was clear enough from the ambiance!)

 

[Pauline]

The area of Naples from the Ferrante books is not an area you want to go walking around as a tourist! I drove through it once with a local who said it was not a good neighborhood (not that he needed to say it, as it was clear enough from the ambiance!)

How about the piazza where they had the shoe store - I can go there at least? Thanks for the advice - I won't bother seeking out her neighborhood. Maybe instead we will go to the Archaeological Museum.

 

[Pauline]

I have a thread going about the Ferrante novels and I copied these two previous posts to that thread so I can find this info easily.

 

[Sharon J]

I have some advice for traveling on the buses along the Amalfi Coast. I have seen many people having problems with motion sickness, including myself. The buses travel quite fast and are forced to stop and start quite often because of the traffic. There are also lots of curves. I love traveling by bus while there, BUT, I now always take a Bonine before the trip. During our last stay, I actually gave a lady one of my tablets for the trip back. Another time, a couple asked the bus driver to let them off half way up the hill to Ravello, because the wife was really sick. Also, occasionally they can be very crowded and you are forced to stand, which can make it worse for those of us with this problem. Just a little advice, truly not trying to scare anyone from this wonderful way to travel while there.

 

[Pauline]

We decided to rent a car and reading your post makes me glad we did. I get motion sickness and I hate being on crowded buses. We will take it slow with the car and stop frequently. We drove there once 15 years ago and I remember it was not as freaky as I thought it would be.