Itinerary help: Pompeii on the way from Positano to Rome?

Hi Natalie - For what it's worth - After travelling Italy for many years as well as taking small groups, I would suggest a couple of things for your consideration. In Rome , my choice for Hotel is The Hotel Forte at the Spanish Steps - A Great location - you can walk to The Trevi Fountain, Via Veneto, The Roman Forum - plus many excellent Cafes on the side streets by Piazza di Spagna.
Train to Naples is fine BUT - from Naples The hydrofoil for 8 euros each, is FUN and you're in Sorrento in 35 minutes. Sorrento has a Great Hotel on the cliffs - The Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria - So much to see and do in Sorrento - The old town section with it's wonderful shops, The Cafes, Perhaps a tour of Villa Massa - The largest producer of Limoncello in the world with it's 16,000 lemon trees. Sita bus goes to Positano from The Central Square - A Fantastic Scenic bus ride of 30 minutes with arrival at Wedding Cake Hill in Positano. Positano is Beautiful and very Pricy. Not really as much to do as in Sorrento.
I believe it makes more sense to do Pompeii on the way back to Roma. For me personally I would skip Pompeii and train it up to La Cinque Terre for a day of splendor. But all those things are your choices. Either way - Have a GREAT trip!!

Ciao, Greg

You know about the train between Naples and Sorrento. Pompeii is a stop on that route. I'd suggest just reversing your course on your return from Positano and stop in Pompeii on the Circumvesuviana train from Sorrento back to Naples. No need to hire a driver.

Ciao Natalie,

Nice time of year to visit...the temperature is starting to cool (and slightly less crowds :-))

I've gone down to the Amalfi coast a couple times and found that stopping on the way from Naples to Sorrento is the best. Some of it depends on how long of a visit you intend. Pompeii is larger than some people imagine, it is possible to spend many hours there or just a couple for an overview.

If you take one of the morning InterCity trains from Rome you should have plenty of time for a nice visit (there is a left luggage place right at the entrance of the Scavi) and get to your hotel by late afternoon.

One minor thing that helped me alot... One of Ricks guides lists the order of stops on the Circumvesuviana line, it helps to know when to hop off (about 35 mins out of Naples).

Have a blast!

Buon Viaggio

-Chris

We stayed in Sorrento for 4 nights, and did a day trip to the Amalfi Coast, visting Amalfi & Ravello, another day trip to Capri ( one of the highlights ) another full day in Positano, and final day visiting Pompeii. Sorrento was our home base for the 4 nights, and it does make a convient location to visit the Amalfi coast from. But to answer your question, If we were to do it again, we would visit Pompeii on our way back to Naples, rather than day triping it from Sorrento. Pompeii can eat up at least 3-5 hours of the day, or more. Either way, I'm sure you will enjoy Sorrento & the Amalfi coast as much as we did, this past April.