Have to travel alone

Margaret, I'd also suggest getting accommodations in Sorrento, rather than out of town. You could also consider one of the budget Hotels in Sorrento (which also usually provide breakfast, so they're somewhat like a B&B). Your trip appears to be about a week or so, and that seems like a lot of "moving around" for such a short time frame. It's important to consider the travel times between locations also. I agree with a previous reply that taking a Ferry to Naples, train back to Sorrento and then visiting Pompeii seems like a lot for one day. You'll pass Pompeii on the way back from Naples to Sorrento, so I'm assuming you were going to stop there rather than "backtracking"? Happy travels!

Yes , I will stop at Pompei on my way back from Naples. I wanted to see the Museum in Naples and a pizza. I have read and seen on TV the garbage which is such a shame. I guess I will look for the B&B within the town of Sorrento. I wanted to stay in Ravello and found a nice B&B with good reviews for one night but the travel time is a concern. This will take place on Sept 16 thru 20.Heading for Rome that afternoon and leave Italy the afternoon of the 23rd. I do want to stay in B&B that take credit cards.I will not walk around with a lot of cash.
Pat

I would find a B&B in town (since I assume you won't have a car) that accepts credit cards.

Is the "Ferry to Naples, back to Sorrento on train , visit Pompei" all in one day? Unless you have a burning desire to visit Naples (which I understand is still in the midst of a garbage strike) you might have a more pleasant day just taking the train from Sorrento to Pompeii and spending a little more time there. I agree that a B&B or hotel in Sorrento would be more convenient if you don't have a car. I know you'll have a lovely trip even without your travelling companions!

You asked for opinions, so here goes: Unless you would absolutely not be able to live with yourself if you missed the museum in Naples (and I have not been to the museum, so I can't judge it), but I would suggest skipping Naples entirely. You can get a great pizza elsewhere. My two passes through Naples (on a private bus and then en route to the train station to return to Rome), you could not pay me (seriously) to go to Naples. There is no way on earth I would consider going there by myself. Our tour guide gave us all repeated warnings for just the short time we were there. If someone told me they would give me free business class tickets, pay for the best hotel in town, and high-end meals, if it were contingent on visiting just Naples, I would decline the offer. I was that unimpressed with Naples. I found it dirty and unsafe looking. I think you could enjoy more time on Capri, in Sorrento, some time in Positano, or the town of Amalfi................anywhere but Naples. Rome could also merit an additional day. Just to see a small sampling of the various types of buildings in Pompeii would take a good half-day. One could easily spend an entire day there. But, YOU are the best judge of what interests you and the best judge of your energy level/exhaustion threshold. Not knowing more than what you've posted, it is hard to give personalized advice. We are high-energy, go-see-do travelers, and I think you are trying to pack a bit much into your journey. You want to have time to enjoy the environments and soak it all in. Making all those train/bus/ferry connections takes time and it is often not the most pleasant part of a vacation journey. Safe travels, and enjoy!!

I lived and worked in Naples for three years. In my opinion, either Sorrento (in town) or Naples would be the most convenient and interesting place to base yourself in. Naples is best transport-wise, as you can take ferry, train or bus to most of the places you wish to visit. I've been to Ravello and I don't think you would find much to do there unless you are attending a concert or other event at night or you are seeking solitude. If you are staying in Sorrento, there is a bus you can take that goes to most of the towns along the Amalfi coast and you can get off and on (paying each time). I've taken this bus and you might feel safer having other people around than taking a limousine by yourself (which is expensive).
Naples, should you choose to go there, is a vibrant, fascinating and culturally rich city. Neapolitan food is delicious and by all means, do not forget to taste "la vera pizza napoletana" it is the most delicious pizza ever! If you decide to stay in Naples, choose a B&B in the Santa Lucia or Chiaia areas, near Via Carracciolo which is along the seafront or Riviera di Chiaia. Visit the Decumani in the daytime. Do NOT bring too much cash! Use credit cards. And enjoy!

I enjoyed the Arch Mus in Naples very much and I would not hesitate to return to it, or to Naples for that matter. Doing the museum + Pompeii in possible in one day assuming that the ruins close late in the day. I recall that the ruins close at 7:30 (please do not rely on that recollection). You could take an early ferry to Naples, walk, it's about 1.5 mile from the molo, to the Museum which opens at 9. I spent a leisurely 2 hours there. You then could walk the Spaccononapoli and end up at DaMichele, the RS go-to pizza. Assuming you are on the CV to Pompeii by 2, you will be a the ruins around 2:30 and assuming that the ruins close at 7:30 that gives you plenty of time. If you take photos, the lower sun will be pretty good. It's 1/2 hour from the ruins to Sorrento.

I have to agree with Josie regarding Naples. It has had a significant problem with "trash" in recent history, but from what I could gather from Italian news reports in the last week, they're having some success in cleaning-up some of the downtown areas. The atmosphere is a bit "gritty" or "intense" (I believe that's the way it's usually described), but I don't have a problem with that. That's one of the reasons I wanted to see Naples. The Pizza IS as good as described! I was staying in Hotel Chiaia, and never at any time felt unsafe. I do acknowledge however, that there ARE parts of Naples that one shouldn't venture into at night. That's also true of most cities - I wouldn't advise touring the downtown eastside area of Vancouver at any time, and especially at night. One does have to be vigilant regarding "scammers", especially at Napoli Centrale. At times they can be a darn nuisance! I'd suggest at least three hours for touring the Archeological Museum, as there's lots to see including a lot of artifacts from Pompeii.

Do not miss one of the most spectacular views in the world and you can enjoy it for free in Naples - the view of Mt. Vesuvio in the background and the bay of Naples in the foreground. Take a walk from the Castel del'ovo along the sea front and all the way on Via Caracciolo until you reach Mergellina. All the way, you will be on wide paved sidewalk; on the other side of the bay along the slopes of Vesuvio, you will see the Sorrentine peninsula and the isle of Capri. You can enjoy all this view also from above - take the Mergellina funicular to Via Manzoni and walk along there or take the bus up Via Petrarca and walk along there. Another enjoyable walk is along the decumani in Spaccanapoli, but stay on the main path, as the small vicoli along the way may make you lose your way. Try to see the cloisters of Santa Chiara for its beautiful majolica tiles depicting early scenes. You might also enjoy seeing all the presepi (figurines used in nativity scenes) which is a specialty of Naples.
I cannot counsel you enough to be careful of pickpockets; if one on a motorino tries to grab your purse, let it go - things can be replaced, but you could be seriously hurt if you try to hold on to it. Also, Neapolitans tend not to pay attention to traffic rules, so be careful when crossing the street, even on designated cross walks.

For Sorrento, I was ready to pull the trigger on http://www.ulissedeluxe.com/sorrento-budget-hotel.html Instead, we're staying at http://www.ilnido.com/ Both get rave reviews. I hope your revamped trip comes together easily and quickly!

You guys are awesome. Thank you very much.
Pat

Having not been to Ravello, I can't comment on that part of your trip. However, I have been to Naples. Naples is a vibrant city with many wonderful sites. I loved the Arch. Museum and the pizza!! You might want to consider spending the entire day in Naples. Rick recommends a wonderful tour guide who is available for walks in Naples. Since you are going alone, this might be one option for you. I agree that you have to be careful when in Naples. Same as any big city.Wear your money belt! However, it is a city not to be missed.

If you wear a money belt you should not worry about carrying cash. It is not unusual for a B&B to want cash. I travel solo almost all the time, and stayed in Il Nido outside Sorrento without problems. I also stayed in Naples without problems, although I avoided the Spanish Quarter at night. The garbage issues already existed then, but I still enjoyed myself in Naples, although I wasn't as impressed as I expected by the Arch. Museum. I also preferred Herculaneaum to Pompeii - more compact and has shade... Ravello is lovely, but no reason to move there for just one night unless you're on a honeymoon. I repeat - wear a money belt! Then you don't have to worry about pickpockets. (I was pickpocketed in Rome - late evening on bus 64 - he got an expiring bus pass and one day's cash.)

Margaret, I always travel alone because I take long trips, and only occasionally am joined by friends for a few days. I love Naples and go there every time I'm in Italy, but the garbage situation was difficult (it wasn't a "strike", it was a "shutout" by the local organized crime syndicate). The museum is one of the best of its type, and if you stay in a hotel near the bay (as recommended in replies), it's relatively easy to get to. Relax and enjoy your trip, you'll meet people along the way (probably more than if you were traveling with another person).

I spent a week in Greece alone and didn't have any problems. From my experiences in Italy, even traveling alone, I'd use my ATM card and not carry cash or use my credit card. You will save a lot of money and most hotels in Italy give a discount for cash (not in Greece!). Try the Ulisse hostel in Rick's book, it's great! Cheap, beautiful and includes breakfast.Yeah, skip the train to Naples or catch it on the way back to Rome. Take the train from Sorrento to Naples, stopping at Pompeii on the way and catch the train in Naples back to Rome. Another interesting side trip would be from Salerno to Paestum to see the Greek temples, magnificent and totally worth the trip.
Use Rick's Italy and Rome books, worth every penny!

Do NOT skip Naples - my husband & I spent a month in Italy on our honeymoon last year, and it was one of our favorite cities. After about 3 weeks in Italy visiting some of the most tourist-saturated spots, and staying in Sorrento with 2 huge cruise ships docked, being in a city that is a real, working city was a breath of fresh air. We just did a day trip, which seemed to be enough time, but we could have definitely stayed longer. The Archeology museum was spectacular and tour-group free, which was a pleasure after all of the crowded (but gorgeous) museums we'd been to, and the walk through Naples in the RS guidebook is a perfect quick look at the city, and it includes pizza (Da Michele is delicious, my last meal choice would have to be their Margarita pizza with a real Coke - simple and perfect). We had an amazing time, had zero problems, and are dying to go back and explore more on our next trip. If you want to go, don't let people try to scare you out of it. Yes, Naples is a big city and can be crowded and dirty, and it doesn't have the best reputation as being tourist-friendly (which is completely unwarranted in my opinion), but because of that, you get to avoid being surrounded by other tourists and actually see Italy. Just use common travel sense and have fun. Buon viaggo!