re: Plans for Italy 2025

You are right.
Have transferelax pick you up at the Naples airport or train station.

Friend,

Naples is the second best pizza city in the world. The last time we were in Italy, we traveled from Rome to Pompeii by train, which took a little over two hours. During a splendid tour of the ruins Mother met a lovely couple from Paris who had driven there We joined them for a hike up Vesuvius, which took an hour round trip.

The gentle hike gave me ample opportunity to convince our new friends to join us for a tour of Sapori Vesuviani farm. The tour of their tomatoes was exceptional and we sampled throughout. A San Marzano on the vine is the best tomato you will ever taste.

After the tomato tour, we said our goodbyes at the city center. Then we walked the bustling streets of Naples to sample some of the world’s best pizza. Pizzas there, even those named on best world pizzeria lists, is remarkably cheap, averaging $5/pizza. On evening one, we shared twelve pizzas from twelve different pizzerias. A short walk down Via Tribunali will give you the highest concentration of world class pizzerias in the world. Even Greenwich Village does not come close.

Although Mother objected, we spent the night at Starita’s B&B. What a fascinating stay that was! Antonio Starita, teacher of so many great pizzaiolos, including the Father of American Neapolitans, Roberto Caporusci, came to table after I asked the waiter in my broken Italian if he would. After he learned that I had taken a class on pizza making from Caporusci, he asked me to join him in the kitchen. The challenge was this: each of us would make a pizza and Mother would do a blind taste test.

As much as I wish I could say I won, an amateur is not besting an artist. Mother chose Antonio’s pizza, but she said mine was still great. As a parting gift, he left a signed pizza peel with reception. Uncle was thrilled and he still displays it proudly in his office.

The next day we tried another six pizzerias in Naples before traveling to eat in several acclaimed pizzerias in nearby Caserta, including the incredible I Masanielli. The only way we got in was through Antonio, who phoned the owner and made sure we got a table.

Naples and its environs are definitely worth at least a day, at least if you are a fan of pizza.

Yours,
TulaneLSU

Cost of transfer from Naples to Positano.

We went about 10 years ago. For two people it was about 90 euros, 100 with tip. Pretty reasonable.

And that’s why this is the best forum on TD. Really appreciate the information. Some well traveled folks in here.

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TulaneLSU

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Glad to hear from you friend and thanks for the details Really enjoyed reading about your time in Naples and now I’m craving pizza. . Haven’t seen you post in a while and was beginning to worry about ya. Take care.

Yeah I’m almost certainly gonna do trains. Another variable we have going on is that my sons girlfriend is coming on the trip with us and I’m already a little iffy about that bc I feel like i need to be extra careful with someone else’s child in Europe. Not that I think anything would happen but i promised her parents I’d keep her safe and not put her in harms way.

I agree.
I have been on several extended tours of Italy and two of my favorites are when we spent a week at a villa in the Tuscan countryside with a rental car. One time we did Florence as day trips from the villa which was about 20 miles south, but the best was the time we stayed a week in the villa then three days in Florence then took the train to Venice.

There are many charming hill towns to explore in Tuscany although this may not do the OP much good if he is looking for stops on the drive south.

But here is one that does fit the bill -
Assisi.

Have any of you ever tried Praiano as a base for Amalfi coast. ? We are looking into that area and also Furore instead of Positano. Flights were a bit more than we’d anticipated and are considering moving our accommodation to something where we can get a little more bang for our buck than Positano. I can get an entire villa in Praiano with insane views and private hot tub /pool (2700 sq feet) for what I’d be paying for a 900 sq foot spot that’s not nearly as nice in Positano. Trying to weigh the options over nicer place vs convenience. Any help appreciated. Thanks again.

Yeah I don’t mind smaller as far as towns/villages go. I am mainly concerned with being able to get around. Praiano looks super close to Positano. Like 5km or so but I wonder if they have any ferry access or if the buses to get to Positano would be a mess in high season.

I have but there aren’t many accommodations in Amalfi that we like and they’re costly there almost as bad as Positano. Push comes to shove I’ll bite the bullet and pay more but if getting around from somewhere like Praiano or furore wouldn’t be a huge pain in the arse I would much rather get a much nicer place for the same or less $.

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Naples other than by car.

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Ferry. When we went to Capri it was through the ferry system that services the Amalfi Coast.