Hello. my husband and I are planning our first trip to Italy in early April 2017. we are planning to fly into Rome stay for 3 nights take in the old city and the Vatican. Then we are planning to take the train to Naples then Sorrento. Our plan is to stay in Sorrento (maybe an Airbnb place with a balcony for awesome views) to be our home base for 5 or 6 nights. We want to visit Naples, Pompeii, maybe Capri, and the Amalfi Coast. We were also thinking about maybe renting a scooter to take a ride down to see the temples in Paestum. We will mostly use the train and/or ferrys. Then maybe fly home from Naples. Are we being to ambitious with our plans? Any advice would be appreciated. We are pretty excited about our trip.
Posted by
Bay Area
3551 posts
Your itin will be very full. 3 days is short for. ROme.
You will have jetlag, so plan for it. High grade areas to visit nr beautiful Sorrento.
Capri is wonderful but takes a day. Same with Pompei. Leave Naples for another time, altho it is great. See amalfi coast and Ravello at leaast a day.
Skip Paestum for another time. It is a great place but to far south for a daytrip.
Scooter renting very bad idea and so dangerous.
If u can find guided day tours from sorrento u may find that u can accomplish more than going solo via train. That is the only way u can see Pompei and Naples together.
Posted by
California
1625 posts
Rick Steves has a great video on visiting the Amalfi Coast, I watch on Hulu but maybe try you tube? He has some great advice on travel between the towns and how to plan your days. We are also going to the Amalfi Coast, but in may and only two nights.
Posted by
OP
2 posts
thanks for the ideas. we are still in the planning stages.
Posted by
Tel Aviv
15798 posts
A couple things to think about. First, I don't think the ferries to the AC will be running that early in the year, only the one to Capri from Sorrento. Your options are a scooter (sounds like fun if you're okay with the winding coastal road) and the buses. Sorrento is a good base. Second, consider flying into Naples and home from Rome. Rome is intense, easier once you're over the jetlag and attuned to local time.
Otherwise, sounds good to me.
Posted by
Boston, MA
1832 posts
I like the plan ; it is a bit rushed for Rome so you might want 4 nights there instead though given how much you want to do in the Amalfi Coast area it may not be wise to cut days from there ; if you are staying 5-6 nights in Sorrento, a day trip for a full day to Capri is an absolute MUST.
The scooter idea sounds fun but would wait on that until you are there and have taken the SITA bus along the coastal road so you know if you would be comfortable driving it on a scooter or not.
I would be fine driving car on it but wouldn't do a scooter personally, not cause of the curves but because of the other drivers and buses aggressive nature of driving.
Everyone has differing opinions:
Paestum and Naples I am sure are worth visiting but would be low on my list of things to do for your Sorrento base so work them in if you can but give priority to the others you mention leaving time to savor those amazing views and reason for taking a seaside vacation in the first place.
Having recently finished a trip with a big city that requires a ton of walking (Paris) I have changed my opinion and would prefer to tackle such places like Rome first and then have the last location a little more relaxed. Starts the vacation more rushed but when you return home you are not as tired. Therefore I like the thought of starting in Rome and ending on the Amalfi Coast and have done a trip that same way.
Posted by
Brisbane, Australia
7175 posts
Check the extent of your insurance cover if you are considering a motor scooter rental.
I would split 9 nights to give
4 nights in Rome and
5 nights in Sorrento (with days to Naples, Pompeii, Capri, Positano).