Help with tours

We are on the Soujourn out of Monte Carlo on August 22. We are two couples and prefer private tours to the ship's excursions. (Not crazy about the specific tours anyway) Can anyone recommend a private driver/guide from the following ports?

Ile-Rousse, Corsica

Santa Margherita Ligure

Golfo Aranci , Sardinia

Amalfi, Italy

Also for those who have done this itinerary, do you recommend Cinque Terre out of Santa Margherita over other tour destinations?

Thanks so much!!

You might have better luck going to the Ports of Call board. Go to Italy and there should be threads on your specific ports. If not, start one.

In Santa Margherits Ligure I would hop on the bus to Portofino and have lunch at The Hotel Slendido

But don't expect the hotel Slendido (sic) to offer diet dishes--instead you will find Splendid items on the menu!

Or try Chuffley Bar at Splendido del Mare which is on the water in Portofino and right amongst the "action".

As to Cinque Terra or Santa Margherita I would be going to the former ahead of Portofino which is about 6 km away by road and 20 mins by ferry. Only because CT is a more unique and much larger destination. Portofino you can do by ferry from Santa Margherita and walk back if you wish. Portofino is very pretty but touristy. CT is visually interesting and can be accessed by a combination of train and ferry. And it will need the full day. It's a good place to stay in one of the villages and do day trips/ walks etc.

SM itself is a very nice town, but I would add one of the others rather than just spend time there..

In Amalfi, we booked Rome In Limo who took us up the coast, then to Pompeii where they arranged a private tour. Then on to Sorrento for lunch and Positano. It's not one of their official tours, but they will customize.

In Amalfi, take a cab (very expensive, about 40 Euros each way for the 20 minute drive) or the sightseeing bus (http://www.sorrento.city-sightseeing.it/mappa_amalfi.pdf) up to Ravello for excellent views of the coast from Villa Rufolo (and the quintessential photo of the cypress) as well as some decent shopping. There is also a public SITA bus but it is horribly overcrowded - we were there last month and there were at least 200 people hanging around the Amalfi main bus stop waiting for buses to Positano, Sorrento, Ravello and Salerno - total chaos. While Amalfi is teeming with tourists everywhere you look, Ravello has breathing room and it is a bit cooler.

You can also consider taking a taxi from Amalfi to Positano for a nice meal and then take a boat back to Amalfi (http://www.positano.com/en/ferry-schedule?from=positano&to=amalfi). We enjoyed lunch at Chez Black in Positano, but there are countless other restaurants to choose from. Just remember Positano is quite vertical and taxis can only go about 2/3 of the way down the hill. The walk back up in the heat should be considered.

From Santa Margherita stick to Portofino as it is so much closer. Save Cinque Terre for a cruise when you're calling at Portovenere or La Spezia.

Thank you all for your responses. Anyone take the ship's tours at these ports?

Thank you all for your responses. Anyone take the ship's tours at these ports?

MarciAnn-

we took several of the tours in this itinerary this past May.

In Ile Rousse we took the tour to Calvi. Afterwards, we stayed in Ile Rousse and walked around on our own for a little while.

In Porto Aranci we took the tour to Porto Cervo and the Costa Esmeralda. We were offered an additional little train trip of Porto Cervo when we got there and we took it. It was really worthy it to see the beautiful villas and the town. They said that they might include the little train in later excursions.

In Santa Margherita we took the boat tour to Camogli, San Fruttuoso (no stop, just a slow sail by) and Portofino. I replied to you in the Italy board that you can take a ferry on your own for this one. We also spent a couple of hours in Santa Margherita and had a fabulous late lunch of trofie al pesto. (Can't remember the name of the restaurant.) We have stayed in Cinque Terre before so we had no interest in going back.

In other ports we either made our own arrangements or rented a car.

We enjoyed all the tours, especially since SB limits the number to 20-24 persons. So, no crowding. All the guides were very good and it was easier than making our own arrangements in those ports.