First time in Itally

If you fly back to the US out of Naples, it is probably a very early departure stopping somewhere in Europe. Therefore for sure you should stay in Naples proper the night before your flight back. Or maybe the last 2 nights, so you have a chance to visit la "Bella Napoli". If you want to visit Pompeii and Herculaneum, Naples is a good base, however most people prefer to base themselves along the Sorrentina Peninsula (Sorrento) or along the Amalfi Coast. Those are very nice areas that you should definitely visit. If I were in your shoes, given your interests I would split my stay into 3 portions (bases): Rome (visit Rome and maybe day trips to Orvieto) Sorrento or Amalfi Coast (visit Capri and Pompeii from there)
Naples (visit Naples, Herculaneum, Vesuvius). Actually if you have 2 full weeks in Italy, you might also be able to squeeze a couple of days in Florence, it's only 90 min. north of Rome via train.

Roberto's advice is very good. With two weeks in Italy, you can easily add an additional city. Florence is the most logical choice if you've never been to Italy before and especially if you like Renaissance art. If you're not crazy about Renaissance art and want a slightly different experience you might consider Orvieto instead of Florence, a hilltop town about an hour north of Rome.

Thanks, I appreciate the comments so far. I am in for the experience, so Renaissance options are a good suggestion. I do have to say I am a little unsure about hauling my bag{s} on and off the trains/buses. I may be picking up on the paranoia of the first time traveller (Naples is full of pickpockets/getting off the train is when one is most vulnerable, etc). Because I am going by myself I am a little unsure, and therefore want as few on/offs as possible. Thanks Christine

I travelled by train to Naples,but I was staying midway between Rome and Naples, and went early. Naples station was efficient and down one flight to the line out to Pompeii. Make sure you get on the right train , don't follow another tourist thinking they know the right train!! Expect grafiti everywhere on this line, trains, stations, overpasses, even all over the station name signage, but clean. I did pompeii and heculaneum in a day, which was not really hurried, though i'd recommend a taxi back to the station after Herculaneum, its a long slow climb up the hill to the station for some. Herculaneum is a very compact site, combo tickets will save a few $. I really enjoyed the train travel, but Your luggage will determine, how easy it will be to move about by train. We had a carry-on each, I had a small backpack so very easy on regional and hispeed intercity. Ticket machines all worked everywhere we went, I used the cash versions but there are credit card only kiosks as well. Never leave your bags unattended, watch out for the "helpful" assistance that hawk around the ticket kiosks, five came up to me in Termini, just turn around a loudly say No, go away, perhaps a swinging arm gesture for the more persistent. I observed one dressed as a traveller complete with backpack at Florence.
If you have one wheeled bag, a large purse/day bag you will be independent enough for the trains. Regards

Christine, try to travel as light as possible, with only one suitcase. You really don't need a lot because you can handwash things along the way, and ask yourself 'Do I really want to be lugging around dirty laundry?'' Use the search field in the upper right of this page and search on 'packing light' for lots of tips. And don't worry excessively about being bothered by pickpockets or other people in the trains. Just be alert, put your game face on and act like you know what you're doing. Always keep in contact with your bag, and firmly say 'No, grazie' if anyone tries to put a hand on your bag with an offer of help. Sit away from the doors if you can. Same inside and around the outside of the train stations. All the hype about it can get to you, but you'll be fine.

If you can't get your luggage down to a carryon plus one, o even if you can, you can check your bigger bag at the Roma Termini station and just take a few things with you for a day or two (preferably two) in Florence.

Hi, Christine! I've travelled to Italy a number of times as a 61 year old woman and so far (knock on wood) have never been pick pocketed, robbed, or anything else. I just got home from Paris where pick pockets are rampant, and alone with my 11 year old grand daughter. I carry a light weight purse with a coin purse inside you will receive all kinds of coins while in Europe and a "Neck Wallet" which holds all of my credit cards and the majority of my cash. I usually also carry my passport in this as well. The small amount of EUs in the coin purse usually under 50 - is enough to get me through a day of touring. If I'm shopping - I put ONE credit card into the coin purse and use it, keeping everything else in the "Neck Wallet" I return the credit card to my neck wallet while in a restroom. I wear the neck wallet under my blouse. You could also use a money belt. I use taxis while in Rome to and from the Train station and or airport. I stay near the sites I want to see, usually in the Vatican neighborhood, and avoid the infamous #64 bus. The hop on hop off bus can save taxi money also!
I am absolutely confident that you're going to LOVE Italy, and it is addicting, you throw your coins in the Trevi Fountain to ensure your return!

I usually can pack light and tight, but I will be at a workshop in Bulgaria for 2 weeks before arriving in Italy. I have not received information yet about laundry facilities at the location we will be a ataying at, so am not sure if I only have to pack a weeks worth or two weeks worth of clothing. I will be getting this information in August, and that will help, but at this time I need to plan for the worst. Again, it is probably just newbie worries and every thing will work out just fine.
Thanks all for your comments and concerns. I am learning lots. Christine

When I travel I always pack clothes I want to get rid of. All of us have stuff in the closet we dont really like that much anymore and are just cluttering our closets. Pack them to Bulgaria, wear them once or twice, then dump them there. Or just give them to some locals. Some parts of Bulgaria are really poor and they will be happy to "recycle" them for you.

In the Trenitalia train stations in Naples and Rome, and at the Pompei ruins themselves, you will find places for "left luggage" where you can drop your bags if you want to travel on without them. So, for instance, recently, we did an overnighter from Rome to Naples, left our luggage at the train station in Naples, then caught the Circumvesuviana train to Pompei, returning that night to grab the luggage and hit a hotel. As for pickpockets, well, just be careful. Try to know where you are going before you get there and keep moving.

Christine, it's really liberating to travel light. Don't let yourself be tied down by suitcases full of clothes. You can absolutely manage four weeks of travel with just a 21" suitcase and messenger bag/small daypack. Take dark colors and lightweight, wrinkle-resistant fabrics. Mix and match, and layer, and no one will notice you're wearing the same clothes. You can rinse out undies & shirts in your hotel room. I like to roll my clothes and put them in packing cubes ... I feel like that really compresses them. Lots of other tips on this helpline, if you search for them. Have a wonderful time!

Both Pompeii and Ercolano are on the Circumvesuviani train, on the line that goes from Naples to Sorrento. Pick somewhere on the route to stay other than Naples - it will be nicer. I loved Sorrento but it's the farthest and possibly the most expensive. If you want to spend a couple more days, it is a good base also to visit Ravello, Capri and/or Positano. Both archaeological sites have audio guides for rent - in Ercolano I liked it. For Pompeii (much bigger site) I used Rick Steves' audio guide (free download), which covers most of the high points. For the rest, I just used the free booklet and map from the entrance. The booklet is the same as the audio guide. I probably could have just used the booklet at Ercolano, but there were out of them in English. The amphitheatre at Pompeii isn't much but the Villa dei Misteri is well worth the walk to get there. Also allow a half-day to visit the Archaeological Museum in Naples. There are clear directions to get there in Rick's book, using the metro from the train station. I traveled solo with a 20 kg. wheelie and a 4-6 kg. backpack and had no problems using the train. Often there was someone who would lift the suitcase up or down for me. In Naples to get from the "regular" train to the Circumvesuviani, there is one flight of stairs to negotiate to the platform (but an up escalator on return). In Sorrento there is an elevator to street level from the ticket office (just a few stairs down from the platform).

My wife and I just returned from 3 weeks in Italy, which included 4 days in Rome, 4 in Sorrento, and 2 in Anacapri. 4 days is hardly enough time to do justice to Rome. For an extra splurge consider Andrea Consoli's Cooking Class - 5 or 6 hours for 65 Euros not including wine which is 20 Euros extra. It was one of our trip highlights. In Rome we stayed at The Home in Rome Kosher B&B - very economical; not right in the city centre, but only a 10-15 min trip on the Metro. We next stayed in Sorrento and used that as our base to visit Pompeii, Naples, and the Amalfi Coast. Consider the "Campania Artecard" (the 3 day "Tutti la Regione" version) which gives you free admission to the first 2 sites (we used it for Pompeii and the Naples Archaelogical Museum) and included all local buses and trains. The card was 32 Euros but we easily got 50 Euros worth of admissions and transportation. If you take the Amalfi Coast bus trip from Sorrento, catch an earlier bus and get there 30 minutes beforehand to ensure a seat on the right hand side. We found Sorrento to be a great base since it is easy to get from there to other places by train, bus, or boat. We stayed at the Sorrento Garden Apartments which was only 60 Euros per night for a couple. It is not on Tripadvisor but they have their own website. Since you have 2 weeks, consider a day trip (or a day and a night) in Orvieto, which is only an hour north of Rome. It is a medieval hill town with a fantastic church (Duomo) and a wall that you can walk around. We greatly enjoyed this town. We had no problem with theft or pickpockets, just be careful in large crowds especially when boarding a bus or Metro.
Greg.

I really want to thank everyone for the input. I now have a reservation in Naples at the Hotel SIRI. It says it is only 200 meters from the centale station and I will use it for my home base while seeing Pompeii, Herculaneum, Capri and so much more. I can not finalize my stay in Rome yet. The workshop has possible excursion options ,with reliable guides, in Bulgaria, Greece and the area. These may cut down on my time in Rome, so will have to wait for more information from the workshop people before booking a place in Rome. Thanks Christine

Don't cut down your time in Rome. I was there for only three days and am planning a week for my next visit. Plan one time per week to go to a laundromat and pack accordingly. Extra socks and underwear don't take much room or weight. Even doing laundry in a foreign country is an experience you can't get back home and can lead to interesting interactions.