Positano or Amalfi?

[Fishboy1947]

I want to book a tour from Naples for 5, including our 3 20 year old grandchildren on their first trip to Europe.
 

The tour I am looking at includes Pompeii, Sorrento and Positano. But I may have the option of selecting Pompeii, Amalfi and possibly Ravello instead.
 

When I toured the Amalfi coast in a heavy rain, Amalfi was my favorite stop. I missed the best views and stops along the drive because of the rain and fog.  
 

I’d appreciate input of what to choose.

[CruiserBruce]

Book a private tour, with a company like the wonderful Rome in Limo. Big thread just down the board on them.

[dani negreanu]

 

Ravello for us was the highlight of our tour. Very few tours include Ravello.

[mskaufman]

If you've already been to Amalfi, why not give Positano a shot

 

Med Cruise 22 (shutterfly.com)

 

 

[euro cruiser]

Are you looking to please everyone?  How are the kids feeling about Pompei?  If it's not a highlight for them, perhaps allowing them to choose the location along the coast will balance the day for them.

[cruisemom42]

3 hours ago, Fishboy1947 said:

The tour I am looking at includes Pompeii, Sorrento and Positano. But I may have the option of selecting Pompeii, Amalfi and possibly Ravello instead.

 

Look carefully at the map below. Amalfi and Ravello are further south (e.g., further away) than Sorrento and Positano. (And Ravello involves a slow, climbing drive upwards.....)  If you want to try to combine these two towns with Pompeii, you're really going to short-change yourself in Pompeii unless you're taking a longer tour than standard.

 

I'm just back from a cruise where we did a private tour of 8.5 hours that included Positano, Amalfi and Ravello (our choice to do the "classic" Amalfi Coast trio).  Despite the 8.5 hour tour, despite it being October, despite only taking the "scenic drive" one way, I felt that we barely had enough time. I don't remember the exact timings but I would say we had less than 1 hour in each town. We did have a nice sit-down lunch as we agreed that was a part of the "experience" for us.

 

If you want to see ANYTHING of Pompeii, you need to spend a good 2 hours there.  I would talk seriously with your tour provider about timings if they indicate they can take you to Pompeii, Amalfi and Ravello.

 

[Fishboy1947]

I don’t know from personal experience, but Google Maps shows about 10 minutes longer to Amalfi than Positano from either Naples or Pompeii.  Plus they would go to Sorrento first before Positano

 

Would our drive be more scenic to Positano or to Amalfi? Looks like Positano.

 

Which towns are preferred for a visit?  I only remember expensive clothing shops in Positano. 

 

I’m finding it hard to get much input from the grandkids, but they had positive reactions to Pompeii

[euro cruiser]

2 hours ago, Fishboy1947 said:

I don’t know from personal experience, but Google Maps shows about 10 minutes longer to Amalfi than Positano from either Naples or Pompeii.

 ...laughing up her sleeve she said ...

 

I don't care when you go there, unless you are going by helicopter there is no way that you can get from Positano to Amalfi in ten minutes.  Absolutely no way.

 

It's about 16 km/10 miles between Positano and Amalfi but the one-lane-each-direction, winding road that is way oversubscribed with cars and buses means that even in the middle of the night, or just after dawn, the best you can do is about 20 - 25 minutes.  In the middle of the day, in season, it's more like 45 mintes.

[Ine]

A few weeks ago we had a tour to the Amalfi coast. We had a nice stop in Positano but  later after waiting a long time on a traffic mess on the 2 lane road to Amalfi we had to change this. Traffic was in a complete stop for a long time Our driver turned and brought us to Sorrento instead. It seems the road is often a big problem when you have to be back in time for your ship. 

[Hlitner]

The OP asks a good question.  We have vacationed (twice) on the Amalfi Coast and been there on numerous cruises.  For us, Positano and Ravello would be our favorite two cities with Amalfi a distant third place.   But we always warn folks, taking a tour or excursion to Positano, that bus tours (such as cruise line excursions) cannot go down into Positano.  Those bus tours will usually stop along the Amalfi Drive (where you are overlooking Positano) and let folks look down on the town (and take some photos).  If you are on a small group tour (car or van) you can go into Positano (there is only one road that leads down into the town).  

 

Ine talks about traffic on the "Amalfi Drive" which is an interesting 2 lane road (from Sorrento all the way past Amalfi).  We have driven this road a few times and traffic can truly be a nightmare, especially during the busy summer tourist season.  But the views are spectacular, and it can be good fun :).  The problem is that there are a few tight turns where the two large tour buses cannot get past each other.  This causes a standoff and there are usually a few locals who jump into action directing traffic, getting some folks to back up, pull over, etc.  The bus drivers are amazing, and we have often watched them slide past each other within inches.  It is all part of the "charm" of this area :).  I should mention that there is another route from Ravello, that can get buses, cars back towards Naples (the last time we took that road we had to deal with a mudslide).  

 

By the way, driving the Amalfi Drive is not nearly as dangerous as many would believe.  When you are sitting high up on a tour bus there are places that are scary and you think, "we are going to go over the cliff."  But when in a car you sit much lower and there are excellent guard rails.  Folks also seem to drive sanely on this road which is helpful.

 

Hank

 

 

[mapleleaves]

If you visit Pompeii I don't see that it's possible to visit Ravello as well as 2 towns.  As a matter of fact, most tours that advertise " pompeii and the Amalfi Coast", usually visit Sorrento then stop at the Positano OVERLOOK but don't actually go into the town.

My experience was the same as Cruisemom's, but we had 9 hrs!  We visited Positano, Amalfi and Ravello (where we had a sit down lunch). Instead of returning via the coastal route we took a road around the back of Vesuvius. 

I should add that we took the ferry from Positano to Amalfi where we met up with the driver again. ( I had been to Cinque Terre and thought the views from the sea were better than from the land. So true!)

As for which town I enjoyed the most ....  Ravello was #1,  it was smaller, with way fewer people and spectacular views from Villa Ruffolo, Positano #2 then Amalfi.. 2 in our party liked Amailfi the best. So you just never know what feeling you will get from a location.

 

I think the only way for you to see Ravello AND Pompeii would be to drive to Ravello first. Do Pompeii at the end. Your driver can leave you and you can return via train or bus.

 

[IslandGirl2006]

I’m looking for private tour recommendations for a day trip to Positano, Ravello, and Almafi. Thanks. 

[CruiserBruce]

18 minutes ago, IslandGirl2006 said:

I’m looking for private tour recommendations for a day trip to Positano, Ravello, and Almafi. Thanks. 

Post #2 in this thread.

[Fishboy1947]

14 hours ago, IslandGirl2006 said:

I’m looking for private tour recommendations for a day trip to Positano, Ravello, and Almafi. Thanks. 

Italytours.eu is also highly recommended. I did that tour in October and was very happy with them