Lucky you!

I spent last summer on the Amalfi Coast and can give you some recommendations and I also wrote a trip report that might be helpful. Ravello is really the gem of the Amalfi Coast. It's the furthest town from Positano, but it's really the nicest of the towns on the coast there. We had stayed in Rome for a while, then rented a car and drove to Umbria and stayed at a castle we rented with a bunch of friends and then drove as far as Sorrento and dropped off our rental and had a driver meet us to take us down the coast. I absolutely would not recommend driving along the Amalfi Coast. Our driver was very good and you're welcome to email me and I can give you his name and contact info. Do make time to visit Pompei (allow at least three hours) - it's incredible. A lot of places on the Amalfi Coast don't have air conditioning - I'd highly recommend finding one that does.

One of the nicest hotels - and priciest - along the Amalfi Coast is Hotel San Pietro in Positano. In Ravello, you might try Villa Rufolo or Villa Cimbrone.

I think you'd be looking at a long ferry ride to the Greek Islands. I'd fly. My husband and I have sailed there some and really like Santorini/Thera; Serifos; Paros; Ios (although this will be really crowded with college students in the summer); and so many more. The islands are great. We stayed on our sailboat, but there are some amazing cliff-side hotels on Santorini with infinity pools.

Here's the link to the trip report, which might give you some ideas:
http://www.flyertalk.com/pasttalk/ft...ML/002049.html

Please feel free to email me if you would like any further info.



[This message has been edited by letiole (edited 06-30-2002).]