The perfect amalfi coast tour

[HUTCH 8]

NEED YOUR HELP!!!

3 weeks to our Greek cruise with the final port Naples

 

In port August 7th Wife's Birthday!!

Want to make sure day is special.

 

Will hire a private car.

We toured Pompeii last year great but do not want to visit again>

 

 

Please share with us a specia l vacation moment visting the coast for the first time!

 

Tell us what you have planned for your up coming cruiseif you have not been there

 

Sorrento,Positano Amalfi and Rivello is that to much?

 

Drop Sorrento?

 

What special resturant do you know or remember fondly ?

 

What should we not miss?

 

What if anything should we a void?

 

Any help to make this day special would be sincerly appreciated

[chipmaster]

When I researched all the towns sounded magical. To do all 4 without Pompeii is possibly but still make for longer day then say Ravello, Amalfi, and Positano. If I could pick one place for lunch ( didn't eat there but walked thru the place ) it would be in Ravello. THis place had views to die for, looked expensive too http://www.hotelgardenravello.it/eng/image.htm

 

I think logistically the challenge is that Ravello is at one end and thus for lunch how do you make that the middle of the day stop is a challenge. Amalfi had many cute places too but the views were neat but not as grand as what I saw in Ravello.

 

Good luck!

[Dowunder]

Sure stop at Sorrento, Positano and Amalfi, BUT for lunch it has got to be Ravello. While the Garden Restaurant is good with great views, for a special occasion I would go here

 

http://www.hotelcaruso.com/web/orav/orav_dining.jsp

[HUTCH 8]

Please keep the information coming!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[CRUISINJ&B]

Please keep the information coming!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

We were there the end of May. Definately lunch in Ravello! It is truly the most beautiful place on earth. Our driver, Francesco Marapesse, suggested we walk up to Villa Cimbrone. A very short walk. It is absolutely stunning. We enjoyed a glass of wine, on a shady quiet grassy area , with the most spectacular view.

[CintiPam]

Wow, I wonder what happened to my post yesterday evening regarding my birthday in June on the Amalfi coast? (Was it because I mentioned our guide's name and company??)

 

We were anchored in Amalfi and shared a private Amalfi Drive tour with two other couples from our roll call. The highlight of our day, besides the amazing views at every turn, was lunch in the small town of Pontone near Ravello, with another four couples from our cruise using the same private tour company but a different driver/guide, at the Trattoria l'Antico Borgo, with 10 appetizers, three pastas and three desserts. Then the guide/driver brought out a specially-made Italian-style birthday cake and asti champagne, which our tourmate who booked our day must have pre-arranged. With the great views, great company and superb food, it was a birthday I will not soon forget.

 

Oh, I almost forgot, the price per person for this amazing lunch was 20 Euros.

 

Enjoy your special day!

[gunther]

Hi Hutch -

my family and I we had a fantastic experience while in Italy.

We made a particular trip of Amalfi Coast with tour company

http://www.italydrivinguide.com

We have had a enchanting tour with that Company above all around positano and the rest of Amalfi Coast -

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

NEED YOUR HELP!!!

3 weeks to our Greek cruise with the final port Naples

 

In port August 7th Wife's Birthday!!

Want to make sure day is special.

 

Will hire a private car.

We toured Pompeii last year great but do not want to visit again>

 

 

Please share with us a specia l vacation moment visting the coast for the first time!

 

Tell us what you have planned for your up coming cruiseif you have not been there

 

Sorrento,Positano Amalfi and Rivello is that to much?

 

Drop Sorrento?

 

What special resturant do you know or remember fondly ?

 

What should we not miss?

 

What if anything should we a void?

 

Any help to make this day special would be sincerly appreciated

[bettee]

We just got back and used AP Tours. Our driver was amazing. He knew what the traffic issues of the day were and because of a celebration going on in one of the towns advised how to best spend the day. He also advised to hydrofoil back to the ship to save time. They really know what they are doing to make your experience a great one.

[MELCH]

who was your guide?

 

thanks for the info!!

[MELCH]

thanks

[janoma]

bettee - glad to hear another good recommendation for AP as we are booked with them in September. Did you do the combo with Pompeii?

My one concern with them was that, as compared to the rave reviews for romeinlimo, I wasn't sure the "driver" would be much of a "guide"...(not meaning a licensed one but just one that was able to spout history as we're driving by). Let me know if you felt yours was informative. This is the only "packaged" tour we're doing on this whole cruise, so I want to make sure it's terrific. And thanks for the clarification that it's the hydrofoil you take back b/c we are doing the same thing but wasn't sure as it just said "ferry" and that appears to be a rather loose term. Dying for details....

[robbinsca]

We just had the most fantastic day with a guide from RomeinLimo. He was so much fun. His name was Raffaelo and he made the day perfect. We have been to Naples 3 times now, and think Positano, Sorrento and Amalfi are gorgeous towns. Without going to Pompeii, you really could have a perfect day along the Amalfi Coast.

 

Have a blast! This is my favorite stop on a Mediterranean cruise.:)

 

We had Raffaelo last month and were very pleased with him. It was a challenging day, with a strike at Pompeii in the morning, and another around the port in the evening. He kept in touch with his company by phone and changed the itinerary for the day so we were inconvenienced as little as possible........but we barely made it back to the ship on time.

 

I liked Sorrento, it had a cute little touristy area. The lunch was OK, but I couldn't highly recommend it. Positano was pretty, but not my favorite place on the trip. Stay away from the shops on the cliff before you go into the village itself, the prices were really high....but the fruit stand was very tasty! We never went to Ravello.

[janoma]

Oh dear! I hadn't thought about strikes at Pompeii! Trains, yes...Pompeii, no. How often does that happen!? Does that mean we're good for our September trip?

[robbinsca]

I got the impression that strikes were just a part of life there. Naples has 30% + unemployment, and the workers want to get a better life. The tour guides aren't really forgiving of them because it affects their business.

 

Our driver was sweating about getting us back to the ship on time. I would imagine it probably would have cost him his job..........but they really did a great job of anticipating what was going on and overcoming it........and now we have a great story to tell!

[RHayes8793]

There are two options that are both great-In Pontone, the secret family restaurant that all of us are sworn to not divulge, but your driver will know it. Several course meal for less than 20 euros including wine and limoncello. A look down the valley to the sea. In Ravello, the Hotel Garden which we went to also. The best Buffalo Mozzarello my wife has ever had. We have several framed photos from that place. From Ravello, you can over the back side of the mountain without revisiting the Amalfi Coast. The best bet is to spend a week on the Amalfi, which we did,a year after our first cruise visit there. Our favorite place in the world. We stayed in Praiano between Positano and Amalfi.

[CintiPam]

There are two options that are both great-In Pontone, the secret family restaurant that all of us are sworn to not divulge, but your driver will know it. Several course meal for less than 20 euros including wine and limoncello. A look down the valley to the sea.

 

Yes, we got the secrecy story as well from our guide last month, and then when I got back to the ship, I saw that it was listed in my Rick Steves' 2009 Italy guidebook!

 

Anyway, great food (maybe 10 appetizers, three pastas and three desserts plus unlimited wine and limoncello) for a great price, with the bonus of a birthday cake and champagne for me arranged by the wonderful private tour companions met on our rollcall.

 

A wonderful day on the Amalfi coast.

[bugonacruise]

bettee - glad to hear another good recommendation for AP as we are booked with them in September. Did you do the combo with Pompeii?

My one concern with them was that, as compared to the rave reviews for romeinlimo, I wasn't sure the "driver" would be much of a "guide"...(not meaning a licensed one but just one that was able to spout history as we're driving by). Let me know if you felt yours was informative. This is the only "packaged" tour we're doing on this whole cruise, so I want to make sure it's terrific. And thanks for the clarification that it's the hydrofoil you take back b/c we are doing the same thing but wasn't sure as it just said "ferry" and that appears to be a rather loose term. Dying for details....

 

 

Janoma, don't worry about strikes in pompeii if it does happen it is only in the morning and you will just do the tour the other way round, ending with Pompeii. This happened to us and looking back it did not ruin the day at all.

WOULD be very worried about a company getting people to the ship just in the nick of time - robbinsca thread. AP got us to the ship an hour before departure.

The drivers at APTours are very informative and will talk non-stop all day covering all points of interest to the way they cook there pasta to Italian history. You will have a super day.

[dreamzcometrue]

We also used Francesco Marapesse, he was wonderful!!

[Tesla]

NEED YOUR HELP!!!

3 weeks to our Greek cruise with the final port Naples

 

In port August 7th Wife's Birthday!!

Want to make sure day is special.

 

Will hire a private car.

We toured Pompeii last year great but do not want to visit again>

 

 

Please share with us a specia l vacation moment visting the coast for the first time!

 

Tell us what you have planned for your up coming cruiseif you have not been there

 

Sorrento,Positano Amalfi and Rivello is that to much?

 

Drop Sorrento?

 

What special resturant do you know or remember fondly ?

 

What should we not miss?

 

What if anything should we a void?

 

Any help to make this day special would be sincerly appreciated

 

we're also trying to nail down an itinerary for our upcoming trip to Italy.

[melbur]

We also used Francesco Marapesse, he was wonderful!!

 

How can I reach this Francesco? We are in Naples in October and wish to do Amalfi also. Thanks for info

[MiladyD]

We used Amalfi Drive with Fabrizio for our tour, www.amalfi-drive.com. He was waiting when we docked and took us on the most beautiful tour. We went to Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi and Ravello. We had lunch on the way to Ravello from Amalfi at a lovely restaurant that overlooked the coast. The pizza is truly the best that I've ever had.

 

We got back with enough time to have an espresso with him and meet his other drivers. We were very very pleased with the service and the tour.