We have been there twice and would not recommend driving. The scenery is spectacular, but it takes all of a driver's concentration to negotiate the many curves on what is an extremely narrow road. The driver can't enjoy what is as beautiful scenery as exists anywhere. On the other hand, public transportation is superb.

You can get a bus in downtown Sorrento that will take you as far as Amalfi for next to nothing. Sit on the right going and on the left coming back. Amalfi is beautiful, but our choice would be Positano, which is roughly half-way to Amalfi. I would be happy to send you some pictures from our previous trip.

Sorrento is not enormously blessed with its own attractions save for its view of the Naples Bay; it is primarily a place that people go to relax and/or avoid Naples (which we actually prefer). However, it is very well connected by public transportation to other towns via the Vesuviana and other local train lines. Vesuviana takes you to Pompeii Scavi (the Pompeii excavation--don't take the train that simply says Pompei, as that leaves you at a station some distance from the site) and Naples, among other scenic places. Its schedule (largely in Italian but not difficult to decipher) is at http://www.vesuviana.it/orario.htm. Note that Italian train passes don't work on these local trains as they are independent of the major system, FS (Ferrovia Stata). You can also get hovercraft service to Capri and Ischia. All of these services are within a few blocks of one another.

Ira H. Bernstein, Ph. D. Professor of Psychology UT-Arlington