Naples & the Amalfi Coast Travel Guide
Where to Stay on the Bay of Naples
The base decision that shapes the whole trip — the case for Naples, Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi and Ravello, which neighbourhoods to choose, how seasons change the answer, and how to split your nights.
On most Italian trips, choosing a hotel is about neighbourhoods. On the Bay of Naples, it is about geography. The region's highlights are spread around a large bay and along a steep peninsula, connected by trains, buses and ferries of varying reliability, and where you sleep decides how long you spend in transit. The good news is that the choice is simple once you know what each base does well.
Naples: for the city, the museums and the ruins. Naples is the region's transport hub and its cultural heart. From here, Pompeii and Herculaneum are a short ride on the Circumvesuviana, Vesuvius is an easy excursion, ferries run all year to Capri, Ischia and Procida, and high-speed trains reach Rome in about an hour. Hotels are generally better value than on the coast, restaurants are cheaper and more authentic, and the evenings are lively all year. The downside is intensity: noise, traffic and a gritty edge that some travellers love and others find tiring. Stay at least two nights if you want to see the city properly.
Choosing a Naples neighbourhood. The Lungomare and Santa Lucia waterfront is the classic choice: grand hotels facing the bay and Vesuvius, the calmest and most open part of the centre, close to Piazza del Plebiscito and the Capri ferries. The Grand Hotel Vesuvio is the landmark here. Chiaia, just west, is elegant and residential, with boutiques, cafés and the Villa Comunale gardens; on the hillside above it, Grand Hotel Parker's offers the best panorama in the city. The historic centre (the area around Spaccanapoli and Via dei Tribunali) puts you inside the action, among churches, pizzerias and street life, with small hotels and guesthouses in old palazzi; it is noisy and atmospheric. Near Porta Capuana and the central station, Palazzo Caracciolo offers a historic palace and good value with Pompeii trains on the doorstep, in a busier, less polished area. Vomero, on the hill, is calm and residential, with funiculars down to the centre.
Sorrento: the practical hub. Sorrento sits on a cliff at the tip of the bay, and it is the region's best all-rounder. The Circumvesuviana runs to Pompeii, Herculaneum and Naples; SITA buses run along the Amalfi Coast all year; and ferries cross to Capri all year and to Naples. The town is pleasant, walkable and geared to visitors, with plenty of restaurants and a good range of hotels at every price. It has fewer beaches than you might expect and less drama than Positano, and in summer it is busy with tour groups, but as a base for seeing everything it is hard to beat. The Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria is its grand dame, with gardens and a lift to the port; the Hilton Sorrento Palace is the family-friendly, facilities-rich choice above the town.
Positano: the dream. Positano is the most photogenic town on the coast, and staying here is the fantasy many travellers come for: waking to the view, swimming at the Spiaggia Grande, dining by candlelight above the sea. It is vertical, so expect steps everywhere; it is expensive, especially in July and August; and it is very seasonal, with most hotels, including Le Sirenuse, closed in winter. Getting to Pompeii or Naples takes time. Stay here for romance and the sea, not for sightseeing efficiency.
Amalfi: the connected coast town. Amalfi is the coast's transport hub, with buses to Ravello, Positano, Sorrento and Salerno and, in season, ferries in every direction. It has a lively piazza, a magnificent cathedral and life all year. It is busy by day with visitors arriving by bus and boat, calmer in the evening. Hotels range from simple to grand; the Anantara Convento di Amalfi, a former monastery on the cliff with a lift to town, combines drama with convenience.
Ravello: the quiet retreat. Ravello sits above Amalfi, removed from the beach and the crowds, with gardens, villas and views. It suits couples and travellers seeking peace, especially during the summer music festival. You will need buses or drivers to get anywhere, and the beach is a bus ride down the hill.
How to split your nights. For a first visit of five to seven nights, two or three nights in Naples followed by two to four nights on the coast works best: city and ruins first, then the sea. Choose Sorrento for maximum convenience or Positano, Amalfi or Ravello for maximum atmosphere. For a shorter trip of three or four nights, pick one base: Naples for culture and value, Sorrento for a balance. Avoid trying to see the whole region from Positano or Ravello; the transfers will eat your days.
How the season changes the answer. From April to October, everything is open and ferries make the coast easy. From November to March, the calculation flips: many coast hotels close, ferries stop, the Blue Grotto is often shut, and Naples becomes the obvious base, with Sorrento as a quieter alternative. Winter also brings the lowest prices and the most local atmosphere. In July and August, book well ahead everywhere, and consider a hotel with a pool or beach access; the heat is serious.
Price points. Naples offers the best value, with good four-star hotels in historic buildings at prices well below the coast. Sorrento covers every budget. Positano and Ravello are at the top of the market, with even simple hotels priced high in summer. Amalfi sits in between. Whatever your budget, a view is worth paying for on the coast; in Naples, location matters more than the view.