The Amalfi Drive in Naples

[BillnMiriam]

We are taking an eastern Mediterranean cruise on the Celebrity Soltice in July 2009. We are considering two excursions for the Capri/Naples region. We want to do the Amalfi Coast. One excursion is done by motor coach and the other by motor boat along the coast. Does anyone want to offer any recommendations. Thanks, Miriam

[Grandpaul]

As far as a tour of the Amalfi Coast and the surrounding area I would strongly recommend using Romeinlimo.com. We used them last October and couldn't have been happier. Very nice vehicles and thr drivers we had were top notch. We hooked up with a couple people from our Roll Call for our particular cruise and saved a few Euros and made a couple good friends. They are quick to respond to any questions and will fill up your day with some great sights. We had 8 people in our vehicle which is a lot better than a bus because of the quick loading and unloading and we were able to get into areas where a bus wouldn't fit.

[Cruise Junky]

I think doing it by motor boat would be pretty cool

[TomTN]

We are taking an eastern Mediterranean cruise on the Celebrity Soltice in July 2009. We are considering two excursions for the Capri/Naples region. We want to do the Amalfi Coast. One excursion is done by motor coach and the other by motor boat along the coast. Does anyone want to offer any recommendations. Thanks, Miriam

 

You might want to search the "Western Med" section of CC.

Several excellent guides/drivers. You can get a group together through your "roll call" also on CC. Save money, and customize your days activities.

We used "drive amalfi", and drove along the coast. had lunch at a small restaurant with unbelievable views, and finished the day touring Pompeii.

 

The search should lead you in the right direction.

[Grandpaul]

I thought Pompeii was amazing. They supplied us with a tour guide and i was stunned by the place.

[sail7seas]

Pompeii is incredible. Don't miss a chance to tour it.

We think the ride along Amalfi Drive so special I'd much rather do it on land than in a motorboat.

 

By all means, visit Capri though. So beautiful.

If you have time to do a tour that includes a ride down Amalfi coast, Capri (perhaps Blue Grotto is they still permit rides through it), Sorrento and Pompeii. Long day but Oh the things you will see.

 

[RetiredMustang]

Quick answer -- take me with you, and you will have an Italian-speaking guide to take you to everything sail7seas outlined, but it will take a while! :D

 

To do all that in one day would indeed be very tiring, and given the traffic and other conditions, I wouldn't recommend trying to do it all unless it was on a tour offered by the ship -- seeing the ship sailing without you would be a dreadful way to end a beautiful day in southern Italy!

 

Seriously, I lived in the Naples region for years, and have been all those places Sail mentioned. The area of Sorrento, Capri and the Amalfi Coast is among the most beautiful patches of real estate on this fair green planet -- to my mind, the Amalfi drive surpasses the Grand Corniche in southern France/Monaco. Were it me, I would concentrate on one area, and would probably spend the day on Capri, including the chairlift ride to the top of Monte Solaro from the town of Anacapri. But, if you have never seen Pompei, it would be hard not to go, and the Amalfi Coast is enchanted, so I would be torn to choose!

 

But, your question was more limited -- Amalfi Drive via road in a motorcoach or via boat. I've driven the drive in a car (once at night, yikes!) and in a coach, and while I've not seen the Amalfi coast from the sea, I have seen the Sorrento area and Capri via boat. Both are great, but different in perspective. If I had to lean one way or the other, I would probably take the coach because it likely is faster and more feasible for stopping at various places, although you may find yourself clutching your head and hearing your heart pound as the coach maneuvers around impossible curves, above sheer cliffs :D.

 

BTW, there is another grotto, the Emerald Grotto (Grotta Smeralda) along the Amalfi drive that, while not in the class of the stunning Blue Grotto on Capri, is still pretty and worth a visit.

 

Whichever way you choose, you will have a magical day.

 

Now, I want to go back, tomorrow!

 

Dave

[Devil Dog]

Hey retired mustang is that USMC Mustang? I am also a Retired Mustang USMC my Member number is 762. Semper Fidelis

[John Bull]

Hi BillnMiriam,

I see that like me you're pretty new to this site. As KT88 has said, there's stacks of info & suggestions on the Western Med forum. Just go to the bottom of the page to "forum jump".

Still discovering some of the wonders of the site myself.

As for Naples, I'd go under my own steam by ferry or fast-ferry to Sorrento or Capri, then bus or ferry along the Amalfi coast, then up to Ravello by bus, then back to Sorrento for the Circumvesuvius train back to Naples, stopping off at Pompeii or Herculaneum (Ercolano) on the way. Cheaper, more varied, & more fun than ship's excursion. Doing it this way round avoids getting stranded & missing your sailing. Just make sure you're back on-board in good time - its a long walk to your next port-of-call! But its all there on the Med forum.

Have a great cruise

John Bull

[okgirl]

We took a private coach with a CC group and I would do it again in a heartbeat. If you take the boat you won't get to see all the neat little villages and stuff along the way.

[RetiredMustang]

Hey retired mustang is that USMC Mustang? I am also a Retired Mustang USMC my Member number is 762. Semper Fidelis

 

Hey Devil Dog,

 

Sorry for the delayed response, but I've been on a business trip -- Nope, I'm a squid Mustang. (For others, that means I am a retired Navy guy who started out as an enlisted man and then became an officer.)

 

But, I have been adopted as an honorary Marine by the Devil Dogs I once commanded at a small joint outfit -- a true honor. Semper Fi! (If you find yourself on the HAL forum, you may want to say hey to Copper 10-8.)

 

Dave

LCDR, USN (Ret.)

[navybankerteacher]

The magic of the Amalfi Coast is in the small towns which line it, hopefully you would make a couple of stops and not just whiz through -in any case, you would not get much of the flavor from a boat. Pompeii should not be missed - if there were only time for one, I'd suggest Pompeii. Capri, while famous, would be a third choice after Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast.

[tteettimes]

email Angelo---he is the very best tour guide there.

he lives in Sorrento---he knows all the area----------he'll pick you at 8AM at the ship---he'll be waiting there with a sign with your name on it

he is a very handsome nice Italian man---my wife tried to take him home with us http://www.angelodriver.com

 

Angelo Stinca is his name we toure Sorrento down to Positano over to Amalfi and up the mountain to Ravello where we had lunch at a beautiful restaurant with spectacular views------then back by the mountain road right by Mt Vesuvius------Spectacular----------believe me----Angelo is your answer;)

 

or try http://www.slowtrav.com/cl/detail.asp?l=1999

[chipmaster]

We are taking an eastern Mediterranean cruise on the Celebrity Soltice in July 2009. We are considering two excursions for the Capri/Naples region. We want to do the Amalfi Coast. One excursion is done by motor coach and the other by motor boat along the coast. Does anyone want to offer any recommendations. Thanks, Miriam

 

Get a group of 4-6 and hire a private guide/car. The cost will be equal to cheaper then any of the ship sponsored excursion and the experience will be far better.

 

It will be a busy day but very very very worthwhile to make it a busy day!

 

In the morning you could visit Pompeii for an hour or two. It will be hot in July, do Pompeii in the AM. Get off the ship as early as you can, something you can do with private tours and get to Pompeiii at opening. You'll beat the heat, and the tour bus crowds and you'll be very happy to be exiting as those masses of people arrive to crowd in. Many of the things there like the baths and house are small and its something to see early versus crowd into them with a long line of hot and seaty tour groups.

 

Then do the drive to Amalfi. The views are spectacular from the narrow roads, something you won't get sitting in a bus with 40-60 of your new found cruiser tour friends. You'll be able to travel faster, stop in more place in a small vehicle. The views really are better from the cliffs and if you do a boat you really can't stop in places like Ravello which has views to die for.

 

As another poster mentioned Romeinlimo is very good and we used them here. DOn't need to select them as they are maybe more expensive but don't do the ship cruise tours if you want the most from this port!

 

Happy planning.

[Devil Dog]

Thanks for getting back to me Dave. as you and I know it's a small world when your a traveller. I have run into lots of great Veterans when I attend the shipboard get together for Vets. we have a couple Navy guys in our Marine Corps Mustang Association. These are men who served as enlisted in the Marines and received a commission in the Navy later. The highest ranking is Adm. Borda ( deceased) he was at one time CNO. We also have a Chaplain who is currently with the Marines in Iraq. He was also an enlisted man in the Corps before being a commissioned Chaplain. I served with the Navy in a few different positions. I am a retired aviation Logistics Officer and I went to the Naval Supply school in Athens GA. I hope we sail together some time in the future.

[risasol]

we have 3 teen boys and romeinlimo is advising climbing Vesuvius then Pompei and ride to Sorrento...but my wife wants to skip vesuvius and get to Positano (which would inclue emerald grott) ...any thoughts?

[Linky41]

We are taking an eastern Mediterranean cruise on the Celebrity Soltice in July 2009. We are considering two excursions for the Capri/Naples region. We want to do the Amalfi Coast. One excursion is done by motor coach and the other by motor boat along the coast. Does anyone want to offer any recommendations. Thanks, Miriam

Please let us know which you choose and your opionions. We are on the Equinox in Oct and will stop in Naples/Capri.

[chipmaster]

we have 3 teen boys and romeinlimo is advising climbing Vesuvius then Pompei and ride to Sorrento...but my wife wants to skip vesuvius and get to Positano (which would inclue emerald grott) ...any thoughts?

 

U should know your boys best, physical activity like a climb to a view is nice, but it really isn't a long hike but a drive then at the top a short hike from what I read. If it is summer it will be hot both at Pompeii and Vesuvius. Your money would be better spent leveraging the drivers to do Pompeii as early in the morning as you can ( avoid the crowds and heat that show up after 10am ). Then drive to Amafli and on to Ravello. My kids ( 7, 12, 14 ) all enjoyed the views, drive, lunch. Yes its a long day in the car/van but the views and cute cities nestled into the hills are spectacular.

 

Good luck planning