First timers here- Question on itinerary

I would apply the Golden Rule "At least 2 nights in every place". On that basis:

• "Day 1 Fly in to Naples (noon) - Water taxi down to Sorrento - Relax that day" Allowing for time at airport, getting to port for water taxi, taxi, etc., that doesn't leave much of the day for your relaxation.
• "Day 2 Train to Pompeii and tour the ruins - Train to Rome that evening?" - Where are you leaving your luggage while in Pompeii? And, you have had no time to look round Sorrento.
• "Day 9 - Train to Pisa and tour Pisa - Evening train to a Bnb in Cinque Terra". Again, where will your luggage be while you are in Pisa?

Perhaps skip Pisa and add a second night in Sorrento.
The rest looks OK.

You can leave luggage at the Pompeii archeological site. You could have the morning in Sorrento, spend the afternoon (about 3 hours plus travel time) in Pompeii and then take the Circumvesuviana train from the Pompeii Scavi stop to Napoli Centrale and then take the train to Roma Termini. The trip from Pompeii to Napoli Centrale is about 35 minutes or so, as I recall, and the train from Napoli Centrale to Roma Termini is 1.25 hours, perhaps a few minutes less. So you could be in Pompeii by 1pm, Napoli by 5pm, Rome by 7pm or so. Check Trenitalia for train times (but not for Circumvesuviana).

You can leave your luggage in Pompeii and Pisa train stations while visiting those towns. Packing light will make all of your transfers easier. Also, how well did you react to jet lag on your last trip?

Staying just one night in Sorrento sounds rushed, but you would see Pompeii, which sounds like your main goal. We do recommend Sorrento as a more relaxing home base, but staying in Naples might be more convenient for this short visit, giving you easier access to the archeology museum in Naples (closed Tuesdays and some afternoons on short notice). Direct trains from Naples to Rome can be as short as one hour and 10 minutes.

First, is your day 1 the departure day? If it is you will arrive in Italy the next day. Are your total days 15 or 16?

If only 15, take a day from CT.

1. Travel.

2. Arrive Naples. Alibus-port 30-45min. Ferry to Sorrento 45-1 hr.

3. Sorrento.

4. Sorrento-Pompeii via circumvesuvian 35m 3Hrs at site, then same train to Naples 40m.

   .Train Naples-Rome 1H10 min.

5. Rome.

6. Rome.

7. Rome. Afternoon train-Florence

8. Florence.

9. Florence

10. Florence-Pisa. 1H10m. Check luggage @ rail station. Bus to L.T.

    . Reverse back to station. Train Pisa-La Spezia 1H15min. Train into villages 8-28min.

11. Ct.

12. CT.

13.Train CT-Venice 4H14m

14.Venice

15 Venice

16 Venice.

I also don't see the point of spending lots of time going to Sorrento just for dinner. If you stay in Naples, you can go at whatever pace you feel like and try to get a good night's rest. Then leave your luggage either at the hotel or (more efficient) in the Naples train station, go to Pompeii when it opens and see it in the cooler hours of the morning. Then return to Naples, take the metro to the Archaeology Museum (it's a wow) and then head to Rome late in the day. That way you won't be rushed at Pompeii - some people see it in 2 hours, others spend an entire day.

It's more efficient, given the train routes and schedules, to go directly to the CT from Rome, then stop in Pisa on the way to Florence (1/2 day is plenty there and you can store your luggage at the train station).

Otherwise, I think your time allocations are fine.

That last recommendation may help. JET LAG....l;ast time we went to UK from the US we were beat that first day. It may make sense just to stay in Naples. We were just concerned as we have heard bad things about Naples with crime and thieves.

If you're concerned about jet lag on arrival day, it would be faster and easier (and probably cheaper but I didn't check) to take the Curreri Viaggi Bus directly from Naples airport to Sorrento. The cost was €10 PP last time I checked, and the trip is about an hour or so.

More care needs to be taken on the Circumvesuviana train when it's crowded than in Naples itself (although being aware of what's going on around you is always a good idea). I spend a lot of time in Naples and have never had a problem there. Have valuables secured (advice for any destination), and your wife will notice that most women do not wear gold jewelry on public transportation in/around Naples.

Chani is correct, take the train to CT from Rome. Then Pisa-Florence. Florence-Venice.

Likewise with Kens suggestion, the Curreri Viaggi is not only less expensive, it's also faster.