Sorrento or Positano? And Capri or the Amalfi Coast?

From the helm

Sorrento or Positano? There's no wrong answer, only the one that suits your trip. Our tours leave from both, and we love them both: Sorrento for its everyday life and its views across the bay, Positano for the way it tumbles down to the sea. Here is an honest look at each, and at the question that usually follows: Capri or the Amalfi Coast for your day at sea?

Sorrento: a real town on the cliffs

Sorrento is a proper town, with a life of its own. It stands on a high terrace of tufa cliffs above the Bay of Naples, with Vesuvius across the water, and its centre is level and easy to explore on foot: Piazza Tasso, the lanes of the old town, limoncello in the shop windows and hotels and restaurants for every taste.

It's also a wonderfully practical base. The Circumvesuviana, the local train to Naples, starts here and stops for Pompeii on the way, while ferries and hydrofoils cross from the harbour of Marina Piccola to Capri and Naples. Strictly speaking, Sorrento isn't on the Amalfi Coast at all: it faces the Bay of Naples, and the Amalfi Coast proper lies on the other side of the peninsula.

Positano: the vertical village

Positano is the postcard come to life. Pastel houses are stacked up a steep mountainside, the majolica dome of Santa Maria Assunta shines near the bottom, and Spiaggia Grande, the main beach, lies at its feet, with Fornillo a short walk along the cliff path. Smaller and more intimate than Sorrento, it's made for long lunches by the sea, for honeymoons and for photographs at every turn.

Steps are part of the deal: lanes and stairways climb from the beach towards the road, and every stroll has an uphill half. Getting around takes more planning, too: there is no railway, the coast road is narrow, winding and often busy, and parking is scarce, though in season, from April to October, ferries link Positano with Sorrento, Amalfi and Capri. Once you're there, you'll hardly want to leave. To see the village at its finest, read our guide to Positano by boat.

Sorrento or Positano: how to choose

• Choose Sorrento if you want a lively, walkable town with trains and ferries on the doorstep: ideal for families and for day trips to Pompeii, Naples and Capri.
• Choose Positano if you dream of a view that fills the window, a beach at the bottom of the lane and a village made for two, and you don't mind the steps.
• Can't decide? Split your stay between the two.

Either way, you won't miss the sea: we run private days from both, usually from Marina Piccola in Sorrento and, on request, from the Spiaggia Grande pier in Positano. Staying in Sorrento doesn't mean missing Positano: our Amalfi Coast day stops there for an hour or two ashore. Staying in Positano doesn't mean missing Capri: the island day can start from the pier right below the village. Wherever you sleep, the whole coast is a boat ride away.

Wherever you sleep, the whole coast is a boat ride away.

Capri or the Amalfi Coast?

Next question: where to spend your day at sea? Both are full private days of about seven hours, from Sorrento or Positano, and both are beautiful. So don't choose by the calendar or the clock: choose by what you love.

• Choose Capri if you love rocks rising from the sea, grottoes, swims in clear, deep water and a taste of island life. We circle the island: the Faraglioni, the Green and White grottoes, the Natural Arch, the Punta Carena lighthouse, and the Blue Grotto when the sea and the queues allow, though entry is never guaranteed. Then come two to four hours ashore at Marina Grande, with the funicular up to the Piazzetta.
• Choose the Amalfi Coast if you love villages, colour and a coastline that changes at every headland. The day brings you Positano, with time ashore, Praiano, the fjord of Furore and Amalfi, plus the Emerald Grotto when the sea allows and swim stops along the way.

Or both, in one long day

Only one day on the water? Our Amalfi Coast & Capri day combines the two: Capri's great sights from the sea and time ashore on the island, plus a stretch of the Amalfi Coast with Positano seen from the water. You see more places and spend a little less time in each, so if your trip allows two days at sea, give each its own. Whatever you choose, your skipper reads the sea, shapes the route in real time and will always tell you honestly what's possible.

Planning your boat day from Sorrento or Positano

We're on the water from April to October, and every tour is private: a boat for your group only, with a local skipper and fuel included. Choose the Capri boat tour, the Amalfi Coast tour or the Amalfi Coast & Capri day; staying in Positano, see our boat tours from Positano. For the details, read our complete guides to the Capri boat tour and the Amalfi Coast boat tour. Not sure yet? Tell us what you love, and we'll suggest the right day.

Frequently asked questions

Is Sorrento or Positano better for a first visit?

Both are lovely: it depends on your trip. Sorrento is a lively, walkable town with trains and ferries for Pompeii, Naples and Capri, while Positano is smaller and more romantic, with a beach at its feet and plenty of steps.

Can you take a private boat tour from both Sorrento and Positano?

Yes. Our private full days usually leave from Marina Piccola in Sorrento and, on request, from the Spiaggia Grande pier in Positano: Capri, the Amalfi Coast or both in one day.

Capri or the Amalfi Coast: which should I choose for one day?

Choose Capri for the Faraglioni, the sea grottoes and a few hours on the island; choose the Amalfi Coast for Positano, the fjord of Furore, Amalfi and the Emerald Grotto when the sea allows. Not sure? Tell us what you love and we'll suggest the right day.

Can you see Capri and the Amalfi Coast in one day?

Yes: our Amalfi Coast and Capri tour combines both in one long private day. You see more places but spend less time in each, so if you have two days at sea, give each its own.