Herculaneum

It could be a very long, tiring day to do the 3 things you mentioned. Almost impossible, indeed. Ercolano is very close to Naples and quite small, and can be seen in about 2 hours, while Pompei is huge and would require at least a half day. The Naples museum, where most of the treasures taken from Pompei are housed, would need a couple of hours. Plus travel times, for all of the above.
From Sorrento, it's easy, but time consuming. Take the Circumvesuviana commuter train to Pompei, almost 1 hour; then take it again to Ercolano, a short hop. In Ercolano it's about a kilometre walk from station to ruins. In Pompei Scavi, the ruins are almost across the street. Then hop on it again to Naples, and the museum. Both Pompei and Ercolano can store your luggage where you buy the tickets. Don't know about the museum, but you could leave the bags at the Napoli station where you get the train to Rome. (The Circumvesuviana station is one level below the main Naples station.) Your last thought seems the best: Ercolano and Pompei in a day, from Sorrento and back, and leave the museum for the day you travel to Rome.

Sheron, I haven't been to Herculaneum in several years, but I think there is a bus from the Circumvesuviana stop to the ruins.

Hi Sheron. We found Herculaneum (Ercolano) very interesting after Pompeii. I'd definitely see Pompeii first, as well as the Naples Arch. Museum. Two hours self-guided is sufficient time, and it's easy to get there from Sorrento, with about a half mile walk from the train to the site. As to luggage storage, I can't find anything definitive. There is a new building at the visitors' entrance, and there's a "cloakroom" mentioned on the website http://www.artecard.it, ut no clarity on luggage storage. You could email the superintendent at [email protected] . Ciao!

I saw Ercolano first, then Pompeii, then the archeological museum. I don't think it makes a huge difference in which order you visit them. Ercolano is smaller in both in area and in things to see, so I would combine Ercolano with the museum. It's about a 10 minute walk downhill from the train station to the entrance to Ercolano. Just for that reason, it would probably be more convenient to see Pompeii on your way to Naples/Rome with your luggage since the entrance to Pompeii is just a few (level meters) from the train station. The Circumvesuviana trains go about every 1/2 hour from Sorrento to Pompeii to Ercolano to Naples. It's about 30 minutes to Pompeii, another 15 to ERcolano, another 30 to Naples, though there are a few express trains spaced throughout the day that skip some stations. In Naples you go from the Circumvesuviana to the metro (lots of walking within the train station) but come out right at the museum.

Thank you everyone for your input but after finding out yesterday that I may have 1 less day in Rome (due to airline cancelling my original flight), I probably won't elect to stop en route from Sorrento to Rome. I'm wondering if it would be feasible to see all 3 sights in one day. I'm planning to take a boat from Sorrento to Naples early in the morning & planning on taking a 2:45 tour of Pompeii (lasting 2.5 hours). Would it be feasible or just too much to visit the Archaeological Museum & Herculaneum before Pompeii? I just want to see the highlights at the Archaeological Museum...I'm not one to linger for hours in a museum & look at every piece of art. The only thing I'm not certain of is the logistics in terms of getting to/from & between all 3 sights. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

I recommend you buy an artecard: http://www.artecard.it/ If you buy the all regions card, it includes admission to the first two places (say Pompeii and Herculaneum) and half price on the third (Museum). And it includes the train ride, so you won't have to mess with buying seperate tickets for everything and could save yourself time. Also, pack you food and eat it while waiting for the train so you can fit everything in in one day. They have lockers at the Archeaological museum, but I don't know if they are big enough for your luggage. Good luck!

I'm wondering if it would be feasible to see all 3 sights in one day. I'm planning to take a boat from Sorrento to Naples early in the morning & planning on taking a 2:45 tour of Pompeii (lasting 2.5 hours). I like to plot these situations out on a timeline. For example (you need to verify these times. I looked up what I could): 08:00 Ferry to Naples arrives @ 0900 (I have no idea if this is right. Just an example!) 10:00 Museum opens - be there at opening. 1 hour to see highlights. 11:00 Depart museum. Walk to metro, take to metro to Garibaldi and catch Circumvesuviana (grab a sabdwich in the station) 12:11 CircumV departs Garibaldi, arrives Ercolano Scavi @12:27 12:45 Arrive Ercolano Scavi (walk from station is 10-20 minutes)
13:53 CircumV departs Ercolano to Pompei Scavi, arrives 14:05. (According to current schedule. Next train leaves 14:28, arrive 14:46, so late for your tour.) As you can see, you'd be cramming in about 45 minutes in Ercolano. Not sure it's worth it. You are timeboxed by the Naples Museum opening at 10:00 and the CircumV schedule. If your Pompeii tour was at say 15:00, you might just be able to fit in 1 1/4 hours at Ercolano. I'd say slow it down, see the Museum (90 minutes is a good amount of time there), go to Pompeii, call it a day. :-) Try "Vyta" in the Garibaldi station for a decent sandwich.