Which town is the best base on the Amalfi Coast?

POSITANO!!! Sorrento? Vietri sul Mare? Tough choice.. 🙂

Agerola (a large municipality) was my base camp. Located in the hills, it's also the starting point for the Path of the Gods. Halfway between Positano and Amalfi, Ravello.

Sorrento was never part of the Amalfi Coast. Still, it can be a good gateway to explore the coastline: Positano is quite close, and Sorrento is very well connected from Naples.

Hi We're leaving in a week and after Naples, we're stopping for one night in Sorrento, then 4 nights in Ravello.

Hi,

Leaving early from Naples by train to Sorrento. Spend the day in Sorrento and then take the bus to settle in Amalfi, a central spot with lots of bus connections, but it’s not exactly cheap...

I never claimed that Sorrento was on the Amalfi Coast, but that it could be a base town... :)

We spent a few days on the Amalfi Coast in early May—it was already crowded. I chose Amalfi as our base and didn’t regret it. We had an apartment overlooking the port and bus station—right in the heart of town, with the cathedral just steps away.



From there, we took the bus for a day trip to Ravello, a must-visit for its stunning sites and breathtaking views.



Another day, we took a boat to Positano—and wow, the crowds were brutal. Struggling to move through the packed alleys, struggling to take photos without some influencer striking a pose and changing outfits. You even have to pay to access the prettiest viewpoints. We saw it, and we won’t be going back.





In Amalfi, there’s a beautiful cathedral and lovely hiking trails... lots of great restaurants and Amalfi lemons—huge and not too sour—perfect for sorbet or in many dishes. They’re everywhere: on the dishes, linens, limoncello... and the limoncello spritz (you could even overindulge since you’re only getting around on foot ;)).











To get to Amalfi, public transport is *highly* recommended: take the Circumvesuviana train to Sorrento, then the bus along the winding cliffside road. That’s what we did on the way there, with a stop to visit the ruins of Pompeii. On the way back, we took a boat to Naples, then the bus from the port to the airport. Happy travels!

Wow! Thanks for the photos and the summary... I was expecting Amalfi to be a bit grayer, wetter, and definitely less crowded! Did you have any issues leaving your luggage at the Pompeii train station during your visit to the site?

Hi, it must have been really beautiful, but I'm worried about ending up in the fog in November, and I read that there's no transportation available on those dates

A great tip! Have a good trip

In November, the days are very short and the weather is unpredictable. I’d recommend deciding at the last minute based on the forecast. For luggage, there are lockers at the entrance to the Pompeii site, but since I was worried they’d be full, I booked through a specialized site (maybe Nannibag?) that offered lockers at a campsite just 50 meters from the station and entrance.

I travel to Italy quite often—it’s very close to Haute-Savoie—but this was my first trip to Naples and the Amalfi Coast. It was shocking to see all those buildings in the historic district where we were staying, covered in graffiti up to two meters high, and all those palaces crumbling next to so many sumptuous churches. The neighborhood was surprisingly lively, with a huge selection of takeaway dishes, pastries, and ice cream—all excellent quality at ridiculously low prices. I was used to gilded wooden Baroque sculptures in Portugal or France, but in Naples, they’re made of multicolored marble! The contrasts in Naples are striking.

I really appreciate your comments. The temperature is making me hesitate about the Coast—I’m keeping my fingers crossed. Do you remember the name of your hotel and/or neighborhood? If the weather isn’t kind, we’ll head to the other side toward Puglia instead. :-))

thanks, you too!

Weather hasn't been great lately... What did you all end up doing?