Naples Bay rounds out any trip to Italy with an antipasto misto of travel thrills. Serene Sorrento, south of Naples, is a great home base and the gateway to the much-drooled-over Amalfi Coast. From the jet-setting island of Capri to the stunning Amalfi towns, from ancient Pompeii to even more ancient Paestum, this is Italy's coast with the most.
Naples
What to see: Naples offers a fascinating collection of museums, churches, and eclectic architecture. Start with the Archaeological Museum, explore a few streets, and celebrate your survival with pizza!
Historical Fact: Twenty-five hundred years ago, Naples or Neapolis ("new city") was a thriving Greek commercial center. Two centuries ago, it was the capital of its own kingdom — a "Paris of the south."
Interesting Fact: Naples is Italy in the extreme — its best (birthplace of pizza and Sophia Loren) and its worst (home of the Camorra, Naples' "family" of organized crime).
Sorrento
Geography: Sorrento is wedged on a ledge between the mountains and the Mediterranean and is an attractive resort of 20,000 residents. It's as well-located for regional sightseeing as it is a pleasant place to stay and stroll.
What to see: Spritzed by lemon and olive groves, this gateway to the Amalfi Coast has an unspoiled old quarter, a lively main shopping street, a spectacular cliffside setting, and easy public transportation.
Amalfi Coast
Geography: The Amalfi Coast offers one of the world's great bus rides: The coastal trip from Sorrento to Salerno will leave your mouth open and your film exposed. You'll gain respect for the Italian engineers who built the road — and even more respect for the bus drivers who drive it.
Fun Fact: There is a sheer 500-foot drop to the Mediterranean.
Where to sit on the bus: Gasp from the right side of the bus as you head toward Salerno, and the left on the way back to Sorrento.
Interesting Fact: Traffic is so heavy that in the summer local cars are allowed to drive only every other day: even-numbered license plates one day, odd the next.
Positano
Geography: Positano is an easy day trip from Sorrento. Specializing in scenery and sand, the town of Positano hangs halfway between Sorrento and Amalfi town on the most spectacular stretch of the coast.
What to see: Positano is a gathering of women's clothing stores and cafés, with a good but pebbly beach. There's little to do here but enjoy the beach and views and window-shop.
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