Capri and Herculaneum in one day?

Well, you’ve done the work on this. Normally, I’d say it’s crazy to do both but hey! I would go to Capri first, grab that very early ferry. I think you’ve got the measure of the place. If you skip Capri Town and go straight up to Anacapri, it’s practically deserted until lunchtime. It’s great. I basically did this, included the 1hr “Laser” boat tour around the island, and found myself just killing time until my late afternoon ferry. I think your timing checks out.

Once you get back to Sorrento, you can figure out the pace. I just think getting the island out of the way is the tricky bit. Like, if the timing gets messed up early in the day, pulling off Capri later could be off the table. I’d be more comfortable waiting for a train knowing that ultimately I just have to get back to Sorrento and not cross the sea. You just never quite know, and this area always seems to have trick up its sleeve.

Also, not sure if this applies in mid September, but Herculaneum is often open later (like dusk.) If that’s the case, you can pull this off with relative ease.

Thanks. Wow, I never really thought about the possibility of being delayed or stuck on Capri because of the ferry. I did read that they can be cancelled in bad weather. But gee, it's only a 20 minute ride. To be honest, Capri is last on my list of things. I only want to include it because, being in Sorrento (rather than Naples), I'm so close it seems silly not to go, even for a few hours. I really want to go to Herculaneum because I've never been (have been to Pompeii). From what you're saying it sounds like Capri is nicer in the morning, but then I suppose everything is. But Capri is probably more crowded than Herculaneum.

We were at Herculaneum a couple of weeks ago around 1 or so and it was super quiet. Not very many people at all. It was hot as blazes, but thankfully not super crowded. Capri on our visit was the opposite....all day!

I'd vote Capri first, just because if issues with the boat, if the last boat of the day leaves then trapped on the island for the night.

Thanks. It really comes down to Capri from 8AM to Noon or from 2PM to 7. At 7PM the coach turns into a pumpkin... that seems to be the concern. Not being a morning person, I'm more worried about having my wits about me in the AM, I suppose. I thought 4 nights in Sorrento would be enough but I guess it ain't. When I planned my trip, I was going by Rick's current at the time. His itinerary included Capri. The newest edition drops Capri altogether. Maybe because of the crowds? He now suggests a day in Naples, another for the Amalfi Coast and a day split between Pompeii and Sorrento itself.

OP, I maybe explained that backwards. The ferry schedule is the ironclad part. On land, the trains maybe less so. I look at “I need to be done with Herculaneum and back at Sorrento ferry port by X time” to be the sort of tight schedule the Amalfi Coast loves to break. The Circumvesuviana is a commuter train running all day and late into the evening. So, Sorrento-Herculaneum-Sorrento isn’t quite as dependent on tight timing.

I wasn’t all that into visiting Capri, but did it as a daytrip layover. I enjoyed it a heck of a lot more that I expected. But also, as you planned it. The early morning was lovely and Anacapri could have been any small Italian village. By early afternoon the crowds had made their way up there and it was a different place. Not sure if you are weighing other options (I’d probably spend a day in Naples if you aren’t already) but it was definitely worth visiting Capri.

Okay, so it sounds like Capri gets pretty crowded as the day goes on whereas Herculaneum might not be so bad as far as crowds go later in the day. That's one thing I was wondering about.

The newest edition drops Capri altogether.

I'm shocked. We enjoyed Capri far more than the Amalfi Coast and have targeted it for a multi day stay in the future. I can't say that for the AC. But to your question, I also recommend Capri first as Anacapri may be deserted in the morning. It wasn't until noon that we saw people making their way up. We spent all day in Capri and we didn't do the chairlift, Blue Grotto or the island tour. I would recommend Villa San Michele while you're in Anacapri.

Yeah I noticed the same between the two most recent additions. Just a page inset on Capri instead of 20 pages. Think he used that space to write about Minori and Maiori.

Thanks... just what I needed to know. I should clarify that Rick's new edition does include Capri but it went from a 16 page section down to two half pages.

The ferry schedule is 'ironclad', but if the water is rough it will be cancelled or delayed.

I agree with Allan, Capri is fantastic, as long as you can figure out how to avoid / mitigate the crowds. Yep, agree, go to Capri first. And yes, the Villa San Michelle is where I would spend the time, it's an extraordinary villa & has jaw dropping views.

Thanks neighbor!

At Capri, I'm fine with skipping the Blue Grotto but I would like to go to Anacapri and maybe take the chair lift. Wouldn't mind taking a boat around the island but could skip that as well.

I spent 3 nights in Capri and would do it again but I wouldn’t go for just a couple of hours. If you go, I recommend Gardens of Augustus or Villa San Michele over the chair lift. They are both beautiful gardens with panoramic views.

I'm not haranguing you for such a rushed day, but I hope you will make specific plans for Capri, and can afford a taxi to the beginning of your explorations. You may not understand how immense is Capri, and how much of it is exclusively pedestrianized. That means you have to walk both ways to "spur" sites. Forget about the tiny public busses on a busy day. You won't get "on" the next bus anyway. You need to plan for a walking lunch of pre-made sandwich because you can't afford two hours of slow-food, plus a wait in line to enter. I wonder if you can arrange to finish at a spot that taxis can reach. (No personal experience.)

Although it's heavily paved and barren (except for fabulous views) we found that the Phoencian Steps were a good way back to the port, and led by a busy public beach worth glancing at. (This takes at least 35 minutes, longer in the heat) Be prepared for your ferry home to be standing room only, and to leave from a different slip than the one you arrived at, because they run larger ferries for the last few departures. (I don't know if there is a blackboard at the port that tells you which slip to wait at. I'd ask the first, departure, ticket seller, if they have any English.) I did manage to buy a beer to enjoy on a hot ferry ride, but I had to sit on the floor with crowds standing all around me. No view of the water. Note that there is more than one ferry company in Sorrento, but Macy's does not sell Gimbels' tickets or mention their timetable.