Hello,
We are going on honeymoon for 4 days in Rome, 1 day in Pompeii, and 3 days in Sorrento. We are thinking of traveling by train to get from one place to another, unless there are better suggestions. Any recommendations for hotels in the city centers, not too expensive? Perhaps B&B?
Travel itinerary suggestions?
Hi Natalia -
First off, what time of year are you intending to travel?
Secondly, what airport do you intend to fly out of, and to which home country?
Thirdly, what do you like to do on vacation?
The best place to start creating an itinerary is with a couple of good guidebooks: Rick's and any others you can lay your hands on. Spend some time with them and start making note of the things you think you'd be interesting in seeing and any tips the books supply for how to do that.
Also take a browse through the Italy forum for previous threads which can supply a wealth of info...like these:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/sorrento-area-hotels
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/best-hotel-in-central-rome
You'll want to take a fast train from Rome to Naples, and then you'll switch to a local commuter train for PompeiI and Sorrento. Explore trains from Rome> Naples here, and the stations you'll likely be using are Roma Termini and Napoli Centrale:
http://www.trenitalia.com/tcom-en
Current circumvesuviana (the commuter train from Naples> Pompeii> Sorrento) schedules are here:
http://www.sorrentoinsider.com/en/naples-to-sorrento-train-schedule
There is also an express train from Naples> Pompeii> Sorrento but it only runs seasonally, infrequently, and schedules for next year won't be available until next spring.
You don't need to spend a night in the town of Pompeii: it's only 30 minutes from Sorrento and there really isn't much to see aside from the scavi (ruins). Do the ruins on your way to Sorrento from Naples, checking your luggage at the site. If you are flying home out of Fiumicino, you may need to use that extra day to return to Rome the night before your flight.
You could also do you trip backwards, going directly to Sorrento for 4 nights (do Pompeii as a day trip) and ending up in Rome.
Best wishes on your wedding...as others have stated, time of year and city you are flying into and out of are important factors.
I agree that doing trip in reverse is best. If landing in Rome head directly to Sorrento/Naples see Pompeii as 1/2 day trip from Sorrento, see Rome on the way back, be sure to be in departure city the night before flight home.
If going in summertime, bring water shoes as sea bottoms are very rocky.
Enjoy!
Thank you so much!
We are looking to relax on the beaches and actively explore through walking Sicilian cities. We are not as interested in exploring museums all day when we get to Sicily. Here is our 7 full day/8 night itinerary. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
We are traveling in Sicily mid-September. We will be renting a car. And flying in and from Catania Airport.
Do you think we should base in the cities mentioned? Is it worth adding one day base city in Ortigiya center, as oppose to travel from Fontane Bianche Beach hotel? Any suggestions on a better breakdown?
BASE CITY 1: Hotel near Fontane Bianche Beach.
Day 1: Spend morning on Fontane Bianche beach.
-Spend afternoons traveling to Ortigiya to explore Duomo di Siracusa, Necropolis of Pantalica, Ear of Dionysius.
Day 2: Spend morning on Fontane Bianche beach.
-Spend afternoons traveling to Ortigiya to explore Duomo di Siracusa, Necropolis of Pantalica, Ear of Dionysius.
Day 3: Spend morning on Fontane Bianche beach.
-Spend afternoon exploring Noto.
BASE CITY 2: Hotel near Ragusa.
Day 4: Morning in Riserva Naturale Orientata Cavagrande del Cassibile swimming.
-Spend evening exploring Ragusa/Modica
Day 5: Entire day exploring Ragusa/Modica.
-Visit Piazza Armerina.
BASE CITY 3: Hotel near Giardini Naxos Beach
Day 6: La Pescheria (Fish Market) in Catania in morning
Hiking & Touring Mount Etna in afternoon
Wine/Oil/Honey Tasting near Mount Etna in the evening
Day 7: Spend time at Giardini Naxos Beach mornign
Explore Savoca, Italy (Godfather was filmed) or Downtown Taormina in the evening
Departure from Catania early next morning.
Our home country is USA. We are traveling from New York.
We will have one week prior to Sicily in Rome/Amalfi Coast. 4 full days in Rome. 3 full days in Amalfi Coast, with base city in Sorrento. We would like to explore Capri/Pompeii/Amalfi coast during those days. We will be traveling from Rome to Sorrento by train. Then, from Sorrento to Naples by train. We will fly out of Naples to Catania.
On the way back, we fly out of Catania to Rome. Then from Rome to NYC, USA.
Natalia, it's probably best to start a new thread with itinerary questions about Sicily. The heading on this thread is for Rome/Pompeii/Sorrento so people who can assist with Sicily will not see new questions which are buried under an unrelated topic.
We will have one week prior to Sicily in Rome/Amalfi Coast. 4 full
days in Rome. 3 full days in Amalfi Coast, with base city in Sorrento.
We would like to explore Capri/Pompeii/Amalfi coast during those days.
We will be traveling from Rome to Sorrento by train. Then, from
Sorrento to Naples by train. We will fly out of Naples to Catania.
Not knowing what time your flight is from Naples to Catania, this is what I'd do for Sorrento/Pompeii/Amalfi:
Day 1: Take an early train from Rome to Naples, switch to the local Circumvesuviana commuter train to Pompeii: you'll get off at Pompei Scavi-Villa dei Misteri station, right in front of the main entrance to the ruins. Check your luggage at the entrance and tour the excavation. Then get back on the train and take it to Sorrento...which is the end of that line. Check in and explore the town.
Day 2: take a ferry to Capri or around the coast
Day 3: same as above.
Returning to the Naples airport, take the Curreri Viaggi bus if one of the departure times work for you. It goes directly to the airport with no transfers in between, and tickets are cheap! You may want to purchase your tickets in advance:
http://www.curreriviaggi.it/eng/index.php
Do be aware the tickets for the Circumvesuviana MUST BE VALIDATED before boarding the train. On-board checks for valid tickets can be frequent, and fines are high. This is a good train to keep a tight grip and sharp eye on your valuables, too, but it's cheap and gets the job done. It may be uncomfortably full from Naples to Pompeii but not so much from there to Sorrento.
There is also express train - Campania Express - which costs a bit more and doesn't run nearly as frequently but makes fewer stops and would be more comfortable. Maybe you can make that one fit your schedule?
http://www.eavsrl.it/web/content/campania-express-2017-it
This train departs from the same station - Napoli Garibaldi - as the Circumvesuviana. Garibaldi is connected to Napoli Centrale, where you'll arrive on your fast train from Rome. Validate your tickets for this train as well.
When we were in Rome, we stayed at a small B&B called Nicolas Inn. Absolutely loved it there, simply due to location. Right near the Coliseum in a foodie area called Monti. They gave you vouchers for breakfast at the little cafe a few doors down.
I wouldn't stay in Pompeii as it is so close to Sorrento. In Sorrento, we rented an AirBnB up on the hill overlooking Sorrento. Air BnB owner is named Carlo. Probably some of the most amazing views I could describe. The hike down and up was a doozy though! Carlo drove us most of the time!
Thank you so much Kathy! I will look into booking these train options this week. I really appreciate your help.
