Itinerary: Does this work? Struggling with Ideas for a few days to fill?

Posted by mom2co3 on 03/01/25 07:27 PM

Thanks for the help. I think this is our somewhat final itinerary for our Trip to Italy end of September/October. Any input or suggestions? About us. Both 60. Very active. Have traveled internationally many times. Love hikes, visiting museums, just enjoying an area. We are outdoor people. Can't drink wine due to medical conditions. This is our 30th wedding anniversary/and 60th birthday present to ourselves.

Day 1 Travel to Naples - Rest. We arrive around 1:00 local time.
Day 2 Tour Naples - National Archaeological Mueseum
Day 3 Naples - Day trip to Florence
Day 4 Travel To Salerno - chill or walk around see sights
Day 5 Salerno - Day trip to Pompeii
Day 6. Travel to Rovella. - Probably Bus
(This is where I am struggling. Some say to stay here then go to Amalfi another day because Rovella is beautiful and quiet at night. So......????? or travel back to Salerno.
Day 7 Ferry to Amalfi for the Day
Day 8 ?
Day 9 Paestum?????
Day 10 Travel to Rome
Day 11 Rome
Day 12 Rome
Day 13 Rome
Day 14 Fly Home from Rome

Posted by ChristineH

Gettysburg PA

03/01/25 07:34 PM

8015 posts

Day trip from Naples to Florence is not feasible.
3 hours each way

Ravello-note spelling

Posted by Bill

Illinois

03/01/25 08:19 PM

25 posts

While most people on this forum discourage long day trips, if you just want to spend a day in Florence, you may want to take a day off Naples, add it to Rome and take your day trip to Florence from there. A shorter time on trains.

Posted by acraven

Washington DC

03/01/25 10:18 PM

29009 posts

Yes, if you must day trip to Florence, it is only logical to do it from Rome, which is much, much closer to Florence than Naples is.

Although you can visit the Pompeii excavations while you're staying in Salerno, most folks would recommend traveling from Naples instead, since you plan to spend one or more nights in Naples. The reason is that you take the Circumvesuviana train from the Garibaldi Station right under Napoli Centrale and hop off right near the entrance to the Pompeii excavations, at the Pompeii Scavi stop. The Circumvesuviana is a rattletrap train without air conditioning, but it goes right to Pompeii. The trip takes 32 minutes.

To travel from Salerno to Pompeii you would take a Metropolitano train to a different station in Pompei City. The one-way trip takes 42 minutes. Traveling to the Pompei station leaves you with a considerable walk to the excavations you want to see. Google estimates the walk will take 26 minutes. It appears there are buses; you'd just need to do some research ahead of time to figure which one(s) would work. And I bet there are taxis hanging out at the main Pompei station, too.

Posted by Sunny22

03/01/25 11:47 PM

185 posts

Sounds like a wonderful trip!

A few suggestions.

Day 3, go to Pompei

Day 4, go to Ravello and spend 1 night or 2

Day 5,6,7 Salerno

Day 8, 9 train to Florence and spend 2 nights,
train back to Rome

Florence is a tough day trip from either location. And you will be arriving with the massive day trip crowds. If you want to go, stay over and enjoy the quieter mornings and nights. Otherwise, save it for another trip. Enjoy!

Posted by hiredman

San Diego, California, USA

03/20/25 05:35 AM

1447 posts

Paestum is a great site - the Roman ruins are extensive and while not nearly as complete as Pompeii there are three intact Greek Temples. Also the museum is partially open and is nice to visit. (Ask about seeing The Diver if it's not on view yet.)

You can transfer to Amalfi Coast for a few days if you want to after a few days in Salerno. Salerno is convenient to ferries for the coast, Pompeii and Paestum so do all those and then relax on the coast for a couple of days. Check out the Path of the Gods and Path of Lemons if walking and hiking interest you.

Capri is also another day trip you can take if you wanted to see the island either from Salerno or Amalfi. You can bus or ferry back to Salerno to catch the train to Rome. The ferry dock is about a 10 minute walk directly down from the train station to the water or vice versa.

Have a great trip,
=Tod