4 nights in Naples - pls give your suggestions

My head is spinning. I'm sure good advice will come your way, though.

One absolute: never plan on the last ferry, it could be cancelled for any number of reasons. Take the previous one.

Sorry Toledo, for causing the trouble. I know its a long post and pls omit the grammar and spelling errors in my post :( . I really want to do Naples, Pompeii, Capri and the AC , but i havent got a clue on commuting around the region and basing myself and do the sights with luggages at hotel and then going Florence on 21st night.
Yes i agree on your advise, to take the last but one travel options.

Clearly you are confused, as you've said. Anyway, your mom would probably prefer Sorrento over Naples.
Why stay in Naples anyway? Use Sorrento as a base.

Can you leave Rome earlier on the 17th? It will take about 3-4 hours Rome to Sorrento. Head straight to Sorrento and stay there for four nights. That gives you three full days to tour without your luggage. It is much easier and more pleasant to not change locations every couple of nights.

One day for Pompeii & Herculaneum (by Circumvesuviana train or join a tour)

Another day for Capri (by ferry)

Third day for Amalfi Coast tour (by bus) stopping in Positano

Salerno is skippable. If you want to see the Archeological museum in Naples, do that on the 21st on your way to Florence. Leave Sorrento in the morning, check your luggage at the Naples station, spend a few hours there, then go on to Florence.

I can try. I will have to check when is the last but one train or bus to Sorrento from Naples. Pls do recommend any good places to be in Sorrento BnB, hotels. Should I be at the coastal region or city centre?
Just checked the accomdations in Sorrento from 17th -21st, very limited options available and most of them are all expensive and the cheapest was above euro 125pn. My budget is below 100pn. The cheapest is far from Sorrento Centre itseems. I was just thinking, can I not do all of the places Pompeii, Capri, AC from Naples as a base? Just a thought, not sure of the practicality. Pompeii by train and Capri by Ferry and AC by ferry again ? Saves me time, and not worry about just juggling with luggages :)

Rashmi, your request is far to complex to get a complete reply in one newsboard thread. You have no idea how many different issues are raised by it: No beaches in Sorrento, you are too late to book any of these towns in 2016, traffic difficulties on the single road from Sorrento to Amalfi, heat and sun in Pompeii, Circumvesuviana versus Trenitalia, ... it goes on and on.

I suggest that you use the Search box at top center and read at least ten threads about Sorrento, Positano, and Naples. I'm not criticizing you for not using the Search box yet, I'm telling you that you need far more information than you can imagine.

Just a side note -- we had planned to leave luggage at Naples train station but the charge was higher than we wanted to pay (as I remember, €6 per item; we had paid less than €6 the prior year in Germany for a locker which held all our luggage while we visited a museum.)
Loved basing in Sorrento. We used Sorrento Flats (booking.com)

You have departures from Naples to Sorrento on the Circumversuviana train at 20:41, 21:11, 21:41., so I would continue on to Sorrento on the 17th and spend all 4 nights there.

17 June - Train from Rome to Naples, then Circumversuviana to Sorrento (4 nts)
18 June - Capri by ferry
19 June - Pompeii by train
20 June - Positano by bus
21 June - Train to Naples, store luggage and see the sights, before a late train to Florence.

I love virtually all of Italia, but Naples is really special. I find it a shame that people only find it as a place to see Pompei. There is so much to do in Naples NOT including Pompeo, AC, and Capri. It's a real city with real people going about their lives, and other than In Centro (downtown) it's not touristy. You have not really described your travel style other than a few aspects. If it were me, I would base myself either in Salerno or downtown Naples to do all you wish to do, unless your desire is a lot of beach time, you can do day trips to all of the places you wish to see. But dont forget to see Capella San Servo (it is my absolute favorite - better than Florence's David - how did they carve marble to look like lace overlaid on someone - it's incredible), catacomb di San Gennaro, duomo di Napoli, visiting muSeum di Capodimonte, visiting and seeing how cameo's are made, and shopping in the Vomero neighborhood. The seafood and pizza restaurants. Breakfast sfogliatelle...... I can't wait to go back. While Capri is wonderful, Procida is a cross between Capri and Burano (Venice).

Ditto the above comment on Naples. I'm a big fan. But having said that, you need to have a certain patience and tolerance for a very busy, chaotic city. I loved it, but I also appreciated the quieter spots in Italy as a bit of an offset. Naples is worthwhile all on its own, not simply as a stopover to someplace else. It just depends what you're looking for - whether a city feel or a calmer, seaside feel. Naples has a lovely waterfront as well but it's not hanging on a cliff like other towns. Another upside is it feels very local and not at all overrun by tourists. There are lots of interesting sites and attractions in Naples to see over several days.

Thanks Mary L and Agnes, I love to do Naples and actually i was planning to base in Naples and do the most important sights like Capri, AC, Pompeii along with good food and roam around the city during late evenings soaking in the local lifestyle. But all the reviews that i have read so far talks about basing in Sorrento to do most famous sights like mentioned. Naples doesnt seem to appear anywhere though, so that was the bit i was really confused about and curious to know why people opt for Sorrento as a base. I am not sure if its the practicality of the travel aspect, flexible transportation, travel time, city charm, or may be too commercialized or budget friendly ?? (i definitely question that, none of the accommodations i checked in Sorrento are no where close to being budget friendly). I really love staying in local places and be like a local for a few days where i stay, i definitely do not want to be in a tourist-y place smothered by tourists and everything becomes commercialized. I like a mix of both city feel and sea side feel too, i think i will get enough of sea side feel while doing a day trips to Capri and AC, so i dont mind to base in a city with good restaurants, cafes. Is sorrento a better charming city than Naples in terms cliff town, views and feel and vibe? Accommodations in and around Naples are more affordable. My million dollar question would be why everyone is raving about Sorrento as base to do Pompeii, AC, Capri as opposed to Naples or Salerno which do have good intercity train connections helpful for travelers . I always look to optimize travel time, along being budget consciousness as it gives some part of the budget to indulge in great food and wine rather than splurging on hotels where i hardly stay or use facility during the day as i am out doing the sights. Its just my mind acting logical, i know its different to different people and i respect everyones perspective.

Thanks a lot djp_syd for the short and sweet 4 night itinerary in Naples. The only issue with Sorrento as base is over-running my budget. The hOtesl/BB/Apartments are all way too expensive. The cheapest one i have seen 530Euros for 4 nights and not very flexible because the check-in time is before 18.30pm :( So i have compromise my Rome travel time due to the check-in time in Sorrento :(

My million dollar question would be why everyone is raving about Sorrento as base to do Pompeii, AC, Capri as opposed to Naples or Salerno which do have good intercity train connections helpful for travelers .

I think it's because Capri (and to a lesser extent Pompeii) is a bit closer from Sorrento when you look at a map. Sorrento is also seen as a calmer, "safer" choice for vacationers (especially risk-averse ones) who don't really want to experience a big city and all the negatives that come from that (there are folks who plain don't like Naples or Palermo or Rome or Los Angeles or New York, etc and prefer someplace smaller and "prettier" and more "postcard-perfect" for lack of better words). It really depends what atmosphere you are seeking on your vacation - there is no right answer that works for everyone. I stayed in all three (Naples, Capri and Sorrento) and they all felt very different because they're different size and scale. All had their pluses and minuses and fit different budgets (Capri was the most expensive due to being super marketed to tourists as well as being an island). I think sticking to your budget and not getting dissuaded by others is a good idea - just be open to the possibility that Naples may not be as relaxing as you might like (but it's all relative - and if you're good with busy cities, then you'll have a great time).

rashmi, as I wrote, there are a lot of tiny details you need to clear away the fog of data. Salerno has poor connections to ancient Pompeii because the main line rail station is not located at the excavation site, it's in modern Pompeii, a considerable distance from another entrance to the ancient site. The Circumvesuviana commuter rail line (from Naples and Sorrento) stops immediately across the street from the main entrance to the excavation site, and is just walkable from the Villa Misteri entrance for those who succeed in visiting that frequently closed part of the excavation.

I was unable to find the size of your party to determine if you will all fit in one taxi in modern Pompeii.

Thanks All, i considered all your suggestions and went with Sorrento as the base for 3D/4N stay to do day trips to Capri, AC and Pompeii and booked Sorrento Inn Funzionista B&B which exploded my budget and was 646 euros. There were cheaper options available in hotels away from Sorrento City Centre in and around S.Agnello for half this price, I could see a train station there but not sure, if i have to travel to Sorrento again for 3 days to take trains to Pompeii etc. If anyone has an idea about the Agnello area and if it better to save a couple of hundred euros staying in Agnello, i can look at that option too.

If it's Sant'Angello, yes, it's on the Circumvesuviana line between Naples and Sorrento:

http://www.eavsrl.it/web/sites/default/files/eavferro/Napoli%20-%20Sorrento_0.pdf

Sorry, I don't know anything about the town but I have read some positives about Castellammare di Stabia - also on the train line - but would need for forum members who've done it to weigh in. Just be careful when booking a hotel that it's within walking distance of train stations if budget is a concern.

If you want to save money, look at the Circumvesuviana train route between Naples and Sorrento. While Sorrento is expensive, staying close to one of the stops near Sorrento could be much less expensive and you'd have the train to get to Sorrento for the buses to Amalfi towns.

Thanks Kathy and Chani. I have now booked a Hotel, which is a bit far from the Sorrento city itself, I dint get that a bargain, but just to save myself and my family with the exhaustion of too much travelling, i was able to compromise on the budget and booked the htel in the link
http://www.hoteling.com/newproperty.aspx?pdl=true&mode=Hotel&depdate=2016-06-17&nights=4&propertyreferenceID=126061&numberofrooms=1&room1adults=3&sessionToken=25dd1763-983e-d894-2393-a8beeb1a0eac&resort=762&v=0

It looks a bit far from the Sorrento city center, but they say they have a shuttle running every one hour, so i guess it shpuld be OK. i will be looking and i i get any better deals closer, i can re-book those.

I see that you have already decided and booked, but if you are still questioning yourself, I want to add my two cents. I am with MaryL, totally. Naples is far more interesting than Sorrento, Amalfi, etc. They are pretty, but for me, pretty gets boring quickly. And they do not seem real. Naples is built on Roman roads. It is a working city. Go before it becomes like all the other tourist hot spots. Great photo opportunities as well. If I were your mother, I would choose Naples! Just my two cents.

Since Sorrento is the end of the longest Circumvesuviana line, I don't see how you could walk to the train station from this modest but apparently acceptable for basic travel needs hotel. I would recommend that you download a map of the Circumvesuviana before you book a non-cancellable hotel room. Some of the hotels in outer Sorrento are big tourist group locations, so they have shuttle busses to downtown Sorrento, and the train. Since the hotel you have listed seems modest, I don't know if you have determined if they have a shuttle bus.

For example, if you put your hotel into Google Maps, you can use the "Directions" button to go to the Sorrento Circumvesuviana station, and it will show 18 minutes.

I would be a little leary of their shuttle service. The website you gave only says they have a pick-up service from the train. The trains run every 1/2 hour, more or less. You may spend a good part of your day just waiting for shuttles, trains, and buses. The reason it's cheap is that it's 5-6 km from the town. You may be stuck eating all your dinners at the hotel. The ferry to Capri is at the sea shore. The train station is at the top of the town. It will take you time (there's an elevator from the water to the upper town, but it's still a 10-15 minute uphill walk from there to the train station. And if you are stuck without the shuttle, taxis are expensive in Sorrento . . .

Rashmi,

For affordable lodging in Naples look at ...

b&b orsini 46 Close to the ferry terminal. In your price range.

Or http://www.bbbellini.com
In the city center, near Metro Museo.

For sites, see tutti la regione 3day.
http://www.campaniartecard.it/artecard_Regione.
Pays for itself if you see Pompeii the archeological museum. Take 2 rides on the metro and Circumvesuvian.
Most other sites are1/2 price.
Transportation( metro,busses, Circumvesuvian, and the Sita bus on the Amalfi coast.
Click on the pictures it gives you opening/ closing times, directions on getting there and regular/ discounted prices.

Bus and Ferry schedules...

http://www.positano.com

Lots of good info on the towns of the Amalfi Coast.

Hope this helps.

Thanks Gerri for sharing the options. The links all open in Italian and I can't see an English option, may be that's because I am opening it on the mobile. I try them again later. Thanks much. Really appreciated 😄

Villa Pina is owned by the family who run the well regarded restaurant (Antico Francischiello da Peppino across the road) where you will eat breakfast. Reception/bar area is in the restaurant. It is a small simple typically Italian hotel and the food should be good. We have stayed in the rooms they have above above the restaurant itself rather than Villa Pina and nowadays always go, by bus, for Sunday lunch when we are on holiday in Sorrento. Because of its location the view from the restaurat is one of the most expansive in the area, it goes from Capri past Ischia right round to Vesuvius.

Apart from the shuttle service, two local bus lines run past the hotel and the stop is at the hotel entrance, They are EAV and Sita. The EAV service runs every 20 minutes or so, you should be able to buy bus tickets from reception.

Thanks Linda , for sharing your thoughts. I was actually in double mind about the Villa Pina. Ur info really helped me get some idea. i understand that there are buses which top at the front of the hotel every 20mins which is convenient but how long does it take from Villa Pina to reach Sorrento main centre and vice versa. i really dont want to be sat in bus and then train all day travelling, i think that will be more exhaustive then roaming around added to that.

I am looking to base myself in Sorrento for easy of accessibility and time factor to Capri, Pompeii and AC . i thought about it and basing in Naples would mean extra long hours in bus/train/ferry to do these sites. So i will look for accommodation options in and around Sorrento, but never expected Sorrento to be so super expensive in terms of hotels/BnB !

The EAV bus takes about 10-15 minutes, depending on traffic conditions, to reach Sorrento.

Have you looked to see whether the Ulisse has any vacancies?

http://www.ulissedeluxe.com/

and TA reviews

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g187782-d1036311-Reviews-Ulisse_Deluxe_Hostel-Sorrento_Province_of_Naples_Campania.html