days in Naples and area

I LOVED NAPLES! haha, it just felt so Italian. It had it's own unique charm to it. That said, one person who was traveling with me could not wait to leave - and I'll acknowledge that it can put people off by being dirtier than northern Italy and feeling a little bit unsafe. But if you can get beyond that I thought it was truly amazing! The food, the museums, the streets were all fascinating. And, I was the driver, and I will say it was the biggest adrenaline rush I've ever gotten driving down those streets ... you haven't truly driven and appreciated life until you drive in Naples. With that said, I'd stay in Naples 1-2 nights. To me the biggest draw is the archeological museum which is great to see before Pompeii (basically stuff that was taken out of pompeii you'll see there - you also see some great models of Pompeii which give you an idea of what things would have looked like had they been completed). There are a couple of really famous Pizza places with lines out the doors .... I know it seems crazy for me to be mentioning Pizza places, but these two (I forget their names) are super famous because they are where Pizza was invented (???). They are worth waiting in the line that goes out the door. I promise! We also toured the castle and palace which was neat, but nothing spectacular. In terms of the Amalfi Coast, I'd stay somewhere along the coast. The charm is hard to beat. If you want to stay off the beaten track a little look at Massa Lubrense - loved our stay there. Let me know if you have any other q's ... hope this helps!!

Personally I would not stay in Naples.; Sorrento would be a much better choice. Naples is pretty rough and I don't know the status of the garage strike which is or has being going on for months. So you can guess what it looks like.

As you have seen and will see in these responses, there are some people who really appreciate and enjoy Naples. I don't deny them their experience at all. Good for them. Seriously. I had hoped to be one of them but turned out to be completely turned off by Naples. Not surprisingly, I would choose to stay in Sorrento rather than Naples. One of the reasons to stay in a particular place is to be able to wander around in the evening, enjoying the atmosphere. I wouldn't (and didn't) feel comfortable doing that in Naples. Sorrento on the other hand is very easy to appreciate. You can daytrip into Naples on the Circumvesuviana from Sorrento and also see Capri, Amalfi and Pompeii, all while staying in what I like to call "the town that got tourism right" - Sorrento. Have a great time.

It really depends on what you want to see while in Naples. I love the old city, it has a much different vibe than most of the other cities of Italy. I think it has gotten a bad rap as far as crime goes. Spend much time there as my daughter lives there. Yes it IS dirty by our standards, but the people are as plesant and helpful as anywhere else we have visited. That said, Sorrento would probably be the better base. (2 )day trips into Naples...Palazzo Reale, San Severo (Veiled Christ is amazing) The Archeological Museum Christmas Alley, a walk thru Galleria Umberto and pizza at Ristorante Bellini. To me a trip would not be complete without a trip to The Caserta Palace an easy 40 min. train ride from Naples. Easily one of the most beautiful Palaces in Italy. (1) day for Pomeii or 1/2 day for Herculaneum. (1)Vesuvius also requires a full day. (1)Capri you can get by with 1/2day
One spot on the Amalfi Coast not to be missed is Ravello true old Italy.