Positano & Ravello DIY from Naples

[newyorker88]

Our ship will dock in Port of Naples in November from 12 noon to 7pm and we'd like to do Positano and Ravello, is this doable for this time frame? I've read that there are ferries that runs Naples to Positano, does anyone know their website and whether they run after October. Thanks!

[aquilegia]

Ferries from Naples to Positano only run in the summer season. The easiest way to do the Amalfi coast, if you don't want an organised tour, is to use a private hire firm. You'll find plenty of recommendations on these pages. Most cruise ships dock earlier than yours. Hopefully someone else who has had similar time constraints will be able to tell you how much you will be able to do in the time available.

[euro cruiser]

Our ship will dock in Port of Naples in November from 12 noon to 7pm and we'd like to do Positano and Ravello, is this doable for this time frame? I've read that there are ferries that runs Naples to Positano, does anyone know their website and whether they run after October. Thanks!

This wouldn't be possible even during the high season, which ends in September for the most part. For one thing, you really don't have enough time. Even a high speed ferry from Naples to Positano would take at least an hour and a half each way. Second, they don't run all that frequently, so your limited time frame probably wouldn't fit. Third, Positano is not on the water, so you'd need to figure out how to get from the nearest ferry port Ravello.

 

Here's the web site for the ferries: www.metrodelmare.net

[aquilegia]

Third, Positano is not on the water, so you'd need to figure out how to get from the nearest ferry port Ravello.

 

Here's the web site for the ferries: www.metrodelmare.net

 

I'm afraid you've got this the wrong way round. Positano most certainly is on the water, I've been to and from there on the ferry while on a land based holiday in Amalfi. No ferries run from Ravello on the other hand, it's slightly inland.

[euro cruiser]

LOL - idiot typo. Even though the rest of the sentence (and the rest of the post) makes it clear that Positano is on the water and Ravello is not, it's still just dumb. Thanks for pointing it out, so it hopefully doesn't confuse others. :o

[newyorker88]

thanks for the info, taking all the above into account, is it still doable to do just Portofino? We've been to Portofino with an organized tour to the Amalfi Coast a few years back, this time we'd like to diy. Need advice on public transportation.

[Susan-M]

thanks for the info, taking all the above into account, is it still doable to do just Portofino? We've been to Portofino with an organized tour to the Amalfi Coast a few years back, this time we'd like to diy. Need advice on public transportation.

 

I think you meant Positano. Here's a map with driving directions ... driving is doable (see my P.S.), but I think via public transportation it is going to take longer than you have time for, considering that you'll want to be back at the ship by about 6 p.m.

 

Have you been to Sorrento? You can get there in an hour on the train and spend a few hours there before heading back to Naples.

 

p.s. I wouldn't recommend driving it on your own ... but perhaps with a private driver.

 

Rick Steves Italy guidebook has good info on this area ... here's a link to a summary that might give you some ideas.

[euro cruiser]

Yikes, it's catching! I think you meant can you get to Positano from Naples and back in one afternoon.

 

Sadly, no. Your only realistic options are as Susan suggests.

 

By public transit you'd need to take the Circumvesuviana train for a little over an hour (from Napoli Porta Nolana to Sorrento), then the Sita bus (from Sorrento to Positano) for just under an hour, plus the time between the two.

 

Because of your arrival time, the best case would be to catch the 12:39 train (and that's a strech, it assumes you can get off the boat within minutes of noon), arriving in Sorrento at 1:47. (See Circumvesuviana schedule here: http://www.vesuviana.it/web/en)

 

The next bus to Positano doesn't leave until 2:05, and arrives in Positano at 2:45. Going back you'd need to be on a bus at 3:15. Obviously not worth it. (See SITA bus schedule here: http://www.sitabus.it/sitabus/campania/orarioCAMPANIA/QUADROXIV.pdf)

 

If you were to do this, you would need a Unicocampania U5 ticket, which costs Euro 6,70 for the day. (See Unicocampania here: http://www.unicocampania.it/index.php?lang=en&center=inside&colonna=biglietti&action=1)

[newyorker88]

thanks, I meant Positano instead of Portofino, sorry for the confusion, folks. I went with an organized tour to southern Italy a few years back, visiting Naples, Capri, Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi & the coast. So this time, we thought we could do Positano again or perhaps Ravello if possible, however it doesn't seem to be feasible based on the advices I get here. So any suggestions what to do around Naples?

[euro cruiser]

Based on your list, it looks like you want a waterfront community. You could go back to Capri easily enough, or try something new and go to Ischia. There are boats throughout the day and it takes about an hour to get to the island from Naples Beverello. Read more about the island here: http://www.ischia.org/ischia/index.php?lang=en

[euro cruiser]

Check out this place on Ischia - easy to get to from Naples, and gorgeous! http://www.giardiniposeidon.it/uk/index.html

 

You certainly won't be fighting hoards of other cruise passengers to get there.