Sorrento & Amalifi Coast Drive
A driving tour of the Amalfi Coast is typically a full day (9.5 hour) event. You pass Mt. Vesuvius and the cliffs and villages of the Sorrento Peninsula, visit the town of Sorrento, Positano (known hang-out of artists and writers), and then visit Amalfi. In the latter, you'll see Moorish architecture, the Piazza del Duomo, and the 13th century Cathedral of St. Andrew (in which this disciple was reportedly entombed). Lunch is typically included in the price of this tour.
Price: Adults expect to pay around $145.
Booking Advice: These tours are generally regarded as easy on a person physically. Cruise line prices appear to be quite competitive, especially since these include lunch in the bargain. That said, you may still want to review excursions offered by online third party vendors native to the area.
Amalfi Coast & Pompeii Scavi
These full day (9.5 hour) coach tours visit Pompeii Scavi (the ruins) from Salerno before lunch, then go on a scenic drive along the Amalfi coast, where you'll visit the town of Amalfi with its Piazza del Duomo and the 13th century Cathedral of St. Andrew (where this disciple is reportedly entombed). The cost of lunch is typically included in these tours.
Price: Adults expect to pay from $160 to $345 through the cruise lines.
Booking Advice: Because of the walking, including steep inclines, at Pompeii Scavi, this tour is considered to be physically strenuous. If you just want to see the ruins and have a nice lunch at a trattoria, you may want to consider touring with your own small group of friends. Admission to Pompeii Scavi for one adult is (based upon our most recent research) 11 Euros, and commuter trains from Naples take about 30 minutes to get to nearby Pompei. From the train station in Pompei, Pompeii Scavi is within reasonable walking distance for most people, although we would not recommend that walk (or this tour) for anyone using a wheelchair or with ambulatory challenges. You may also want to bear in mind the fact that combination tours give you around two hours to explore the ruins, and it really is possible to spend many more hours at this very famous archaeological wonder. Based on our experience, Pompeii Scavi is certainly within walking distance to some wonderful trattorias in Pompei that are reasonably priced.
Castle, Cheese Tasting, & Salerno Historical Centre
You're going to see some lovely country as you go to the castle on Mount Bonadies. There, you'll gather information about mozzarella and have opportunity to taste that cheese before going to the Salerno Historical Centre, and you'll also get the chance to see St. Michael Cathedral (circa 13th century). This cathedral has Roman tombs, this saint's relics, and gothic artifacts.
Price: Adults expect to pay around $57.
Booking Advice: Because of the walking involved, this tour is rated as moderate in terms of physical exercise. It may be helpful to know that St. Michael Cathedral is an active church, so this is a dress code, and on Saturdays and Sundays during mass, only a few touring people will be permitted into the sanctuary at a time.
Exclusive Tours of Pompeii, Sorrento, and Positano
En route to Positano, you'll see some amazing countryside including Mt. Vesuvius. Positano is a gathering place for artists and writers, and you'll have some time for strolling and shopping both here and in Sorrento. You'll also have lunch in quaint, romantic Sorrento, whose sirens -according to legend- tried to lure Ulysses to the rocks. You'll spend much of the afternoon at Pompeii Scavi. This once great city, destroyed by the Mt. Vesuvius Volcano in 79 AD, is one of the most famous archaeological discoveries in the world, and you can see how cleverly and beautifully it was designed among the ruins of houses and city buildings.
Price: Adults expect to pay around $345.
Booking Advice: Because of the walking involved throughout (but especially at Pompeii Scavi), this tour is rated as moderate in terms of physical exertion. Again, we suggest that you may want to explore your options for “do it yourself” small group tours because admission to Pompeii Scavi is about 11 Euros, and finding a nice lunch in Pompei (just a few blocks' walk) is quite possible.
Boat Tours of the Amalfi Coast
Last for a full day (8.5 to 9.5 hours), these tours take a decided scenic route by boat, and you'll see the Dolomitic Cliffs and lovely panoramas on land and at sea. Depending on the tour you choose, you'll see Sorrento and Amalfi, or Amalfi and then (by coach) Pompeii.
Price: Adults expect to pay from $144 to $157, depending upon tour agenda.
Booking Advice: These tours to Amalfi and Sorrento are rated as easy on the body, but excursions including Pompeii Scavi are considered to be physically strenous because of the walking and stair climbing involved.