I spent my 50th birthday in Sorrento in May 2025, and it turned out to be one of my favourite trips. Not because we crammed in hundreds of sights, but because we picked a few key days out and planned them in a way that felt manageable and enjoyable.

If you’re thinking about Sorrento, Pompeii, Capri and the Amalfi Coast, here’s exactly how we did it and what I’d happily repeat.

1. Pompeii from Sorrento: independent, but organised

Pompeii is fascinating, but it’s big, hot and very easy to get lost in. We wanted to go at our own pace without joining a big coach tour, but we also didn’t want to be wandering around with no idea what we were looking at.

At Sorrento train station there was a small company, Tempio Travel, selling a package that included:

• Return train tickets from Sorrento to Pompei Scavi
• Entry to Pompeii
• A two‑hour guided tour

We bought the package there and then and took the local train. Trains run roughly every 30 minutes. They’re straightforward, but busy, so don’t expect a guaranteed seat.

Booking everything together worked really well. We didn’t have to queue separately for tickets or try to find a guide on arrival. Our guide was excellent and gave us a clear overview of the site, with enough detail to make sense of what we were seeing without dragging on for hours. Two hours was about right before the heat started to become too much.

Mini checklist: Pompeii the simple way

• Go for an earlier train from Sorrento if you can
• Book a combined train, ticket and guided tour package
• Wear comfortable, sturdy shoes suitable for uneven ground
• Take water, suncream and a hat
• Have a few key areas in mind you definitely want to see

1. Capri: a calmer way to do a busy island

Capri is popular and it does get busy. We decided to avoid the middle‑of‑the‑day rush as much as possible.

We booked our ferry from Sorrento to Capri the day before and chose an 8.30 sailing, which arrived around 9.00. It was noticeably quieter at that time.

When we arrived, instead of staying around the port or going straight into Capri town, we took a taxi up to Anacapri first. It was much less crowded earlier in the morning, and we could walk around comfortably.

In Anacapri we:

• Strolled through the streets while they were still fairly quiet
• Visited Villa San Michele (so beautiful and quiet early in the day)
• Took the chairlift up Monte Solaro for the views (although it was cloudy on our visit!)

By the time we came back down, it was getting busier, but we’d already done the main things we wanted to see.

Later we took a taxi back towards Capri town. We had a look around the main square, then walked away from the busiest part to find lunch. We picked a restaurant slightly out of the centre with a terrace and sea views and stayed there for an unhurried lunch.

In the afternoon, we took the funicular back down to the port and caught a mid‑afternoon ferry to Sorrento. That timing worked well: we had a full day out, but we were back in time for a shower and dinner without feeling exhausted.

Doing Capri in this order meant we didn’t spend most of the day in queues, and we still saw the key areas we were interested in.

1. The Amalfi Drive without driving it yourself

The Amalfi Coast road is famous for its views and also for being quite challenging to drive. We didn’t want the stress of hiring a car, and we weren’t keen on a very large coach tour either.

We booked a small‑group tour through our hotel, with a maximum of eight people in a minivan. That felt like a good compromise.

Our day included:

• Positano: short photo stops and time to walk down into the town and have a drink
• Amalfi: time to see the cathedral, wander a bit and get gelato
• Ravello: time to walk around and enjoy the views from up above the coast

In Amalfi we also joined a short boat trip along the coast. This was a real highlight, as it meant we got to see the town from the water and take in the coastline from a different angle. We passed some famous villas perched on the cliffs and got a much better sense of how dramatic the setting really is. It didn’t take up too much time, but it added an extra layer to the day and felt like a lovely bonus.

The minivan could handle the road more easily than a big coach, and it was more relaxed hearing the driver talk about the area in a small group. We did feel we had slightly too long in Ravello and would’ve preferred a bit more time in Positano or Amalfi, but overall the balance of the day worked well.

For us, this was the best way to experience the Amalfi Coast: someone else doing the driving, but without feeling lost in a huge group.

A 50th birthday week that actually felt like a break

For my 50th, we stayed in Sorrento for several nights and built the week around:

• One full day for Pompeii
• One full day for Capri
• One full day for the Amalfi Coast
• Spare days simply enjoying Sorrento

Those quieter Sorrento days were an important part of the trip. We spent time around the town and marina, had long dinners and just enjoyed being there rather than rushing off somewhere new every day.

We also booked a couple of special evenings in advance. One night we ate at a restaurant right on the water in the Bagni Sant’Anna area. Another night we booked a table in a lemon‑garden restaurant just off Sorrento’s main street. Both felt ideal for a birthday trip without being over the top.

What made the week work was keeping things focused. We didn’t try to fit in everything. We chose a few key experiences and did them properly, with enough time left over to enjoy where we were staying.

Conclusion: Sorrento as a base

Sorrento works really well as a base for this part of Italy. It’s got good transport links, plenty of places to eat and drink, and enough atmosphere that it still feels like a holiday, even on the days you’re not going anywhere.

If you’re based in Sorrento you can:

• Visit Pompeii by train with a guided tour
• Spend a full day on Capri without feeling rushed
• See Positano, Amalfi and Ravello in one day without having to drive

Add in a couple of planned dinners and some time just to wander and sit with a drink, and you’ve got a trip that feels special rather than stressful.

5‑bullet summary

• Use Sorrento as your base and plan separate days for Pompeii, Capri and the Amalfi Coast
• Book a Pompeii package from Sorrento station that includes train, tickets and a guide
• Visit Capri early, starting in Anacapri, then move towards Capri town later
• See the Amalfi Coast by small‑group tour instead of driving or using a big coach
• Leave space in your week for Sorrento itself and a couple of pre‑booked special dinners