We are planning to stay in Sorrento for 3 days/ 2 nights. We are flexible between Thurs. 6/24 and Thurs. 7/1. What are the best days (weekdays or weekend)? What else should we see besides Pompeii and Herculeneum (sp?)?
Posted by
Vancouver, BC, Canada
83 posts
I look forward to the responses here as I will be there mid July and was wondering the same thing.
Posted by
San Francisco/Marin County
9436 posts
In addition to Pompeii and Herculaneum...Some things we enjoyed...Walking around and exploring Sorrento itself. Taking the Hop-On Hop-Off bus. Hiking to the top of Mt. Vesuvius. Taking the SITA bus to Positano (you can go further south) and taking a boat (the smaller the better) back to Sorrento.
We've been to Sorrento 3 times for a week each time, we absolutely love it and can never get enough of it.
Posted by
Washington, NJ
4 posts
Just came back from the Amalfi Coast a week ago. We loved Amalfi, Paestum (beautiful Greek temples)and Capri.
While we were there we arranged on short notice for a cooking lesson in Positano . It was my niece and I with the staff at a waterfront restaurant and it was fabulous. We made pumpkin ravioli, limoncello, lemon chicken and grilled vegetables. We had wine with every course. The ferries don't run to Positano in choppy weather because they do not have an official pier, so we took the bus from Amalfi. It was a great time.
Posted by
Bay Area
3551 posts
Mid week should have fewer people. Also reserve your lodging ahead for sure. capri is a good visit also by hydrofoil.
Take the ferry south to see the amalfi costline. Beautiful.
Posted by
Bromley, Kent,, UK
1829 posts
Spend your days on the various sighteeing activities and use the evenings for wandering around Sorrento/shopping etc. The shops stay open until 9pm, the day trippers have gone, traffic banned from the main street, it's cooler and the nightime views over the Bay of Naples are wonderful.
Weekends at Pompeii etc are busiest but at that time of the year sites are pretty busy most days. Go as early in the day as possible to Pompeii and get ahead of the coach tours. Used to recommend that people go to Herculaneum early to mid afternoon as we would have the site more or less to ourselves at that time of day. However, when we were visiting last Friday afternoon several tours arrived while we were there. Having said that it was still not as bad as it can get at Pompeii.
Hopefully by the time you get there the seasonal coastal ferry services between Sorrento, Positano and Amalfi will have started, they are late this year. Ferries between Sorrento and Capri run, weather permitting, all year round. Capri is busy most times but is horrendous at weekends in the good weather, overseas tourists are joined by hundreds of day tripping Neapolitans, so avoid if possible.
Posted by
Finkle
195 posts
Just back from 7 days in Sorrento. It was heaven.
We took a bus to Amalfi and hiked all around there-good half day sort of trip.
I recommend a boat to Capri as well. Walk to the Natural Arc there and enjoy fantastic views. Go early with first boat.
We stayed at Sorrento City hotel for a super convenient location although a bit noisy in the front street. Wonderful staff, clean, decent breakfast
Posted by
Los Angeles, CA, USA
1449 posts
"What else should we see besides Pompeii and Herculeneum "
A guide book will give you an idea of what your many options are, from which you can pick the ones that most interest you. While I or any other reader can tell you what WE liked, your interests may be different. Comprehensive lists are found in guide books.
Posted by
Newbury Park, CA
12 posts
The gem I found was The Villa of Poppea at the Oplontis archaeological site. This is the first stop after pompeii scavi if you are coming from Sorrento.
The villa is preserved very well and has massive frescoes and mosaic tile floors. It took maybe an hour and a half for me to go through (granted I took a ton of photos). This villa isn't what you would consider ruins. It has all the walls and ceilings still intact and there were some rooms that had 3 of the 4 walls still covered in brilliant frescoes. There is no audio guide for this villa. They have little maps with descriptions in english however when i was there they only had one in the english version and asked me to return it so other people could use it when i was done. If you want go to this website http://www.pompeiisites.org/Sezione.jsp?titolo=The%20plan%20of%20the%20villa&idSezione=1606&idSezioneRif=1311 and print out the map and descriptions it would be helpful. Whatever you decide I hope you enjoy your wonderful trip!