Naples - deciding between Sorrento and driving Amalfi Coast or cruising the coast

[West Coast Gal]

Has anyone out there done both the Sorrento and driving Amalfi coast AND the Sorrento and cruising the Amalfi coast?  What are your thoughts on the two?

[rhiannon84]

I was in Sorrento 2 years ago. Definitely take a boat/ship rather than drive. The roads are narrow and windy and clogged and only in a few places do you get any views. If you’re at sea you see the incredible little villages and houses perched at the edges of cliffs, which you don’t see at all by land. If you have a choice of stops, I personally would recommend Positano over Amalfi (smaller, prettier, nicer beach) - but most definitely view by sea rather than road.

[euro cruiser]

Are you comparing two ship excursions, or looking at something else?

 

There are lots of DIY options as well, including ferries directly from Naples to the Amalfi Coast, or to Sorrento.

[West Coast Gal]

2 hours ago, euro cruiser said:

Are you comparing two ship excursions, or looking at something else?

 

There are lots of DIY options as well, including ferries directly from Naples to the Amalfi Coast, or to Sorrento.

Interesting, the above was a comparison of 2 ship excursions but you have made me want to do a little more research

 

[euro cruiser]

Just as an example, Alilauro runs ferries from Naples Beverello, which is adjacent to the cruise port, to Amalfi.  There is one that departs at 8:30 and arrives to Amalfi at 10:05.  The fare is 28 euro.

 

For comparison, if your ships arrives at 7 AM and you want to get going sooner, you could take the train from Naples to Salerno departing at 7:50 and arriving at 8:30.  If you run and are very luckly you might make the 8:40 ferry to Amalfi (arrives 9:15), but odds are you will have to wait for the next one, departing at 9:40 and arriving at 10:15.  This option is less expensive (1,40 euro metro to the Naples train station, 5,10 euro train fare, 10 euro ferry) but there are a lot of moving parts and considerably more stress.  After all that you'd arrive in Amalfi ten minutes after the direct ferry.

 

Alilauro:  Napoli > Amalfi - Amalfi > Napoli - alilauro

 

Travelmar Amalfi coast ferries:  Orari traghetti Travelmar - Traghetti veloci in Costiera Amalfitana

 

Trenitalia:  EN - Trenitalia

[West Coast Gal]

18 hours ago, euro cruiser said:

Just as an example, Alilauro runs ferries from Naples Beverello, which is adjacent to the cruise port, to Amalfi.  There is one that departs at 8:30 and arrives to Amalfi at 10:05.  The fare is 28 euro.

 

For comparison, if your ships arrives at 7 AM and you want to get going sooner, you could take the train from Naples to Salerno departing at 7:50 and arriving at 8:30.  If you run and are very luckly you might make the 8:40 ferry to Amalfi (arrives 9:15), but odds are you will have to wait for the next one, departing at 9:40 and arriving at 10:15.  This option is less expensive (1,40 euro metro to the Naples train station, 5,10 euro train fare, 10 euro ferry) but there are a lot of moving parts and considerably more stress.  After all that you'd arrive in Amalfi ten minutes after the direct ferry.

 

Alilauro:  Napoli > Amalfi - Amalfi > Napoli - alilauro

 

Travelmar Amalfi coast ferries:  Orari traghetti Travelmar - Traghetti veloci in Costiera Amalfitana

 

Trenitalia:  EN - Trenitalia

This is GREAT information, thank you so much for taking the time to share!