Amalfi Coast or Capri

[kissmeyoufool]

Going on a med cruise in 2014 but I am a planner while im in Naples should I try to tour the Amalfi coast area or go to the Island of Capri and why. Also any other things we should not miss while we are there I do have Rome In Limo booked but I told them we will fill them in later as to what we want to see and do Thanks Cruise Critic Friends:)

[kuldalai]

Why not take Ships Shore excursion to Capri & Anacapri . Includes return jetfoil ferry from Napoli to Marina Grande at Capri, and all transport on the island.

[goose30]

Tour on your own. Do not take a ship tour. Doing it on your own gives you much more freedom and is usually cheaper in the long run.

 

Do the Coast. I have done both. Capri is nothing but hype. Doing the coast you can stop at Pompeii and many small towns along te way and even stop for lunch in the mountains if you like.

[Mulege]

Amalfi coast with lunch in Positano is my vote. We got stuck in Capri due to the ferry service getting interrupted. Aas another post said, Capri is over rated.

[cannockfrodo]

If you can fit it in and it's easily done independently may I suggest a trip to Herculaneum. You can do it in 2/3 hours and is as impressive as Pompeii but in a different way.

[D4]

Amalfi coast with lunch in Positano is my vote. We got stuck in Capri due to the ferry service getting interrupted. Aas another post said, Capri is over rated.

 

Would you mind telling us more about getting stuck on Capri? For how long? Did it cause you to miss your ship? Thanks

[WAPilot]

Amalfi coast with lunch in Positano is my vote. We got stuck in Capri due to the ferry service getting interrupted. Aas another post said, Capri is over rated.

 

Could not agree more after our recent trip to Positano via Sorrento.

Lunch in the garden restaurant in the Hotel Palazzo Murat was an absolute delight.

[GenevieveTravels]

The Amalfi Coast is stunning. I'd pick this option. The views are not to be missed. The traffic can be nuts, though, so I'd hire a driver or go with a ship shore excursion.

[paul929207]

We took a ship tour from Sorento to Capri a couple of years ago. It was probably the worst ship tour we have taken. Take a private tour of the beautiful Amalfi coast. Do Not take the ship tour there. The big buses cannot get into Positano.

[Hlitner]

Hmmmm...where to start since we disagree with a few of the other posts. Regarding Capri....it is such a "hype"ed place that DW and I keep returning there everytime we vacation on the Amalfi Coast. IMHO it is worthy of a day...and besides just strolling around Capri Town and enjoying a nice lunch we love taking a bus up to Anacapri where we get the chair lift to the top of Mt Solaro (the views are spectacular). As to the Amalfi Coast, it is a wonderful region (which is why we have spent several vacations there) but we do not ever recommend that first-time visitors do it on their own. The best way to see the coast would be on a small private tour (no more then a van size group) and the worst way would be on a large bus tour. The reason is that tour buses (such as used by most cruise line excursions) are not permitted to enter into Positano. Traffic on its one main road is restricted to cars (and vans). Taking a private tour that includes both a visit to Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast is a decent option for a long day. As to the Amafli Coast...you would ideally want a tour that let you walk around Positano, Amalfi, and Ravello.

 

Regarding doing the Amalfi Coast "on your own"...this generally means renting a car and driving yourself. The actual driving is not a big problem....but parking around or in Positano is a major issue. And parking in Amalfi can also be problematic as there is only one large paid parking area (along the water) which can often be full on busy summer days.

 

Hank

[24butterfly]

When are you going? If it's in the summer, it (Capri)will be extremely crowded. Not that it's not worth seeing, but I'd pick the Amalfi Coast, having done all of the above several times (on our own.) The Amalfi coast, u start out very early in the a.m., and can visit Amalfi, Ravello and Positano. The bad thing about it is that that early in the morning, the towns aren't awake yet. I'd see about a tour service and let them do the driving and worry about you....

 

Capri is nice (when it's not crowded), u take the funicular up from the ferry, there's a small square there, where everyone hangs out it, Blue Grotto( over-hyped, but a tourist rip-off necessity), or take the bus off to the right to Anacapri and do the chairlift which goes over properties and lots of grapevines. You can also see Goeta's (I know I spelled that wrong) giant mosaic laden floor. That's what there is to do in Capri....

[mskaufman]

We were in Naples both last year and this year. Both times we asked the same question you are asking and both times we chose the Amalfi coast. Last year by water from Salerno to Amalfi and this year we did the Amalfi drive. No regrets either time.

[mskaufman]

We were in Naples both last year and this year. Both times we asked the same question you are asking and both times we chose the Amalfi coast. Last year by water from Salerno to Amalfi and this year we did the Amalfi drive. No regrets either time.

 

Here is a link to last year's pictures. I do not have this year's posted yet.

 

http://markandkareneurope2012.shutterfly.com/pictures/973

[cruisemom42]

Of the two, I'd choose Capri. I'm not big on sitting in a car most of the day looking at coastline and pretty towns.

 

I've been to Naples several times by cruise ship and stayed a week in Sorrento. Both Capri and the Amalfi Coast rank near the bottom of my choices of what to do in this area. Last fall I finally went to Capri and it was nice, mostly because of focusing on the Roman villas there (and having a stellar private guide).

 

I still haven't "done" the Amalfi coast.

[MaddieEms]

Thanks for posting this question OP. We were wondering the same. We did the drive to Positano this time during our June Med cruise and Positano was lovely. We were sad that we only had an hour there and would LOVE to go back (in fact, we're planning next year's trip).

 

I second the suggestion about having lunch in Positano at the Hotel Palazzo Murat. We would have dined there but our driver cut our time short :mad: I posted a review explaining why in a different thread. Also, I don't think you'd really have enough time for all 3 of those places.

 

Here are some pics of the Hotel Palazzo Murat dining area and some of Positano. Just lovely...

 

 

Hotel Palazzo Murat

 

 

 

Some Positano pics

 

 

[Annhawthorne]

We plan on touring privately with blue grotto tours to Capri. Will let you know how it works out.

[cynalan]

Having done both Capril and Amalfi there is absolutely no question which one I would recommend... Amalfi all the way. The drip to Positano has to be one of the most scenic and beautiful drives I've ever done. Capri is lovely, but it is really just a number of hotels and shops on an island. If you've been to Santorini or Mykonos, you pretty much know what to expect.

[kissmeyoufool]

that you all for the wonderful advise I really wanted to see the Amalfi coast and surrounding areas we do have RIL booked for the day not going until Oct 2014 but im a planner Thanks :) Anyone else have pictures they want to share I would love to see them