April in Rome/Salerno with T(w)eens

Hi Penny--

We'll be in Salerno around then as well. And like you suspected, it's a great base to daytrip and come back at night to wander the Old Town and eat. Very good restaurants, Amalfi Coast-caliber at about 70% of the cost. Pizza? Pizzeria Trianon just off the Old Town is the same as its flagship in Naples, which has been there for 85 years. It was kind of a dive in 2015, probably still is today, but great Napolitan-style pies, and cheap.

Ferry availability will be hit or miss, depending on weather. SITA bus from Salerno to Vietri or Amalfi might or might not be crowded. That's why we hired a driver for one day, to take us to Vietri sul Mare, Ravello & Minori--shopping, lunch & pastries. Also we will probably go to Pompei, which doesn't require a car but will require a train to Naples, then go downstairs and catch the Circumvesuviana commuter train to the Pompei Scavi stop. Probably will do 4 hours there, unless it's raining. In that case, we'd still go to Naples but would take a taxi to the Archeological Museum, which has many of the Pompei relics & artwork.

Sorrento from Salerno requires taking that same Circumvesuviana train to Pompei, to the end of the line. It's a cute town, great food, limoncello, etc. Historically, not much.

The lungomare walkway along the sea in Salerno is nice, don't really remember there being a beach, and it might not be warm enough for it anyway. But...and who knows if your kids will enjoy it...but in the late afternoon the locals do a walk that's called the passeggiata, where everybody walks through the town--families, couples, waving to the shopkeepers, and deciding mostly where they want to dine that evening. It's very cool!

We have stayed at the Salerno Centro B&B in the past, but this time are staying directly across from the bus/train station at the Hotel Plaza, which was recommended to me as nothing special but very reasonably-priced and clean.

https://www.plazasalerno.com/

Enjoy your planning!

Paestum is a ride on the regular (Trenitalia) train from Salerno.

Pompeii doesn't require you to go all the way into Naples and back out on the Circumvesuviana if you're OK with some walking. The regular train from Salerno stops at the main Pompei station, which--according to Google Maps--is about a half-hour walk from the entrance to the excavations.

Herculaneum is quite close to Naples, so for that one, it is probably best to take Trenitalia into Naples and the Circumvesuviana back out to Ercolano Scavi. It appears it's nearly a one-hour walk to the excavations from the nearest Trenitalia stop at Portici-Ercolano.

I'd recommend doing some research on Sorrento to determine whether you really need to go there. From everything I've read, it's a very pleasant town lacking in historic architecture that's recommended mostly as a good base for visiting Capri/Pompeii/Amalfi Coast. Since you are contemplating spending some nights in Salerno and don't list Capri among your planned destinations, you don't need Sorrento as a base.

If you take the train into Naples (from either Rome or Salerno), it's easy to hop on the Metro and go to the Archeological Museum. The station is beneath the Napoli Centrale train station. It does involve a bit of a walk.

You might like to research the Capella Sansevero, which has an important sculpture many people like to see, the "Veiled Christ". It's quite near the Archaeological Museum. The chapel sells tickets online, and they do sell out somewhat in advance. I'd expect it to be pretty busy by April.

THank you for the ideas and support!

We spent five nights in purpose-built resort city Sorrento because daytrips by public transportation were our top plan. That worked very well. But as noted, you are slightly off-season. (I would not expect crowds to be absent, however.) Sorrento has virtually no beaches, and many beaches on the AC itself (not describing Sorrento or Salerno) are small and all pebbles.

Note that to go by land to Positano or Sorrento from Salerno, you have to change busses (and wait an average of 15 minutes) in Amalfi. On the other hand, we had to write off Paestum because it is so far from Sorrento.

I don't dispute that Salerno is more "living local" than Sorrento, but that's not why WE went to this area. We went to go on daily daytrips. Also, off season water is rougher, and Salerno is much further from Capri, even if that particular ferry happens to run in April (??) BTW, our luxury cliff-front hotel (there are 5 or 6) in Sorrento had a large, private, boardwalk bathing platform in the Gulf of Naples, reached by the hotel elevator inside the cliff. Have you checked on internet air and water temperatures in April?

The gritty, crowded, hot Circumvesuviana is incredibly convenient for Naples and all five most-popular ancient sites around Vesuvius, as long as you don't have your luggage with you. (I'm used to riding the NYC subway several times a day.)

I have never heard of anyone flying home from Salerno. https://www.aeroportosalerno.it/en/routes-and-carriers It is very risky and tricky to wake up on the Amalfi Coast and fly home to the USA the same day. Your exposure is a walk-up plane ticket for every person in the party if you miss your 3-hour advance check-in. One approach is to do Rome second on the trip. We happened to be coming from London, which has vast numbers of grey-climate sun-seekers going to the AC area all year round.

Best gelato in Salerno is at Bar Nettuno

No need to drive to Paestum or Pompeii-take the inexpensive train

If your departure flight is from Naples you will want to stay in Naples night before
Make that last day your Naples day for the Archeological Museum