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Naples and Pompeii

My husband and I are headed to Italy this summer. I had planned all the hotels and logistics, however, I seem to have hit a bump in the road!! Here is the schedule we have planned and REALLY need some advice with:

June 25th we are leaving the Tuscany area and heading to Sorrento. We will be at a hotel for two nights in Sorrento and will head up to Rome the night of the 27th. Only, problem is, we wanted to hit Naples and Pompeii on the way up/down to or from Sorrento and the other two days we wanted to do a tour of Amalfi coast and Capri. I really want to see Capri and Amalfi, so Naples and Pompeii were a secondary choice for us, but we still want to see them. Is Pompeii good to see after Capri, or is that too much of a packed day? Is Naples good enough to see on the way down to Sorrento and stop in for a few hours of pizza and sight seeing? Just want to make sure we are not cramming everything in too short of a time period!

Please help us out! The basic question is, can we squeeze Naples and Pompeii in one day? Thanks in advance!

Posted by
16742 posts

Rache, to be honest I wouldn't try and do Capri and the Amalfi in one day. You really need several days to do it justice so I'd pick one or the other.

I also don't think you can cram transport from Tuscany (Florence? Where?) to Sorrento + Naples AND Pompeii into 1 day. Pick one or the other. In the summer, Pompeii is best done in the morning before it gets beastly hot. Where are you going after you leave Sorrento?

Posted by
4105 posts

Tuscany is a large area. Which city, town will you be traveling from?

Posted by
11848 posts

"Tuscany" is big so just choosing Florence as an example, it will take you 5-6 hours to get to Sorrento, whether by train or driving, and I would not recommend driving. So assume you whole day the 25th is spent getting to Sorrento and getting settled, Take a nice evening stroll in Sorrento and call it a day. The next morning, the 26th head to Capri OR take a tour of the Amalfi Coast. It would be really hard to fit both in one day. On the 27th, head to Pompeii on the first train (Circumvesuviana) that will get you there at opening. Check your baggage at Pompeii Scavi, tour the site, reclaim your baggage and head to Naples. Allowing a couple of hours at Pompeii for a tour, you could be in Naples by Noon. Check your bags again at the train station, then see what you want to see in Naples, taking an evening train - the Trenitalia FrecciaRossa to Rome.

Posted by
16742 posts

Oops, I see now that you said, "we wanted to hit Naples and Pompeii on the way up/down to or from Sorrento."

I'd absolutely vote with Laurel's good advice to do Naples/Pompeii on your way from Sorrento the morning of the 27th. That's sort of what I had in mind only I was concerned that you may have a morning flight out of Naples or were otherwise on a tight schedule.

Posted by
1625 posts

Rache- You only really have one full day. Can you do Pompeii on the way to Rome? We are taking a similar trip, coming from Florence by train into Sorrento and spending 3 nights, 2 full days. On the travel day from Florence to Sorrento we are stopping in Naples to get some Pizza and that afternoon taking a ferry from Sorrento to Capri. Next day we hired a private driver to drive us around the AC for a full day. Day 2 we are going to Pompeii.

Posted by
16742 posts

Letizia, your trip will be fun but rache only has two nights versus your three. That makes a considerable difference. Also, as noted above, during the summer Pompeii is better done in the morning when the heat is less intense. That's why I think Laurel's itinerary makes the most sense.

I'm also concerned that you're trying to cram in too much doing Florence to Naples for lunch, and then to Sorrento, and then to Capri and back in one day.

Posted by
245 posts

My thoughts: We went to Capri from Sorrento and it was the better part of the day. In my opinion, Naples would not be a place I'd want to spend much time. It is far less nice than the other areas you mention. We went to Pompeii a couple of years ago in July and it was the closest I've ever come to having a heat stroke in my life. It was so unbelievably HOT. Be prepared. Allow at the very least about 3-4 hours to see Pompeii. I would recommend a tour guide there to hit the highlights and to understand what you're looking at. We met a tour guide from Walks of Italy there and it was worth it. I don't feel Capri and Pompeii are doable in one day at all. If you really want to see Naples and Pompeii in one day, I'd go to Pompeii first and then spend the last part of the day in Naples. Please be careful in Naples. There are a LOT of pickpockets, especially around the Cirumvesuviana train station and the trains themselves. Happy travels to you!

Posted by
4 posts

Wow guys,

This has been fantastic!! Sorry, let me clarify some things, but I really love your ideas!!! You are helping so much:

So the 25th we will be leaving Orvieto headed to Sorrento. Now that Naples does not sound AS enticing, I was thinking hit up Naples for pizza then keep going and spend the evening chillin' in Sorrento, as one of you mentioned.

The 26th, wake up and do Amalfi Coast the whole day from Sorrento. Sleep in Sorrento

The 27th, get up early and take a tour of Capri for most of the day. Then that late afternoon, head up toward Rome, but take a stop at Pompeii for a quick tour with a guide that can "highlight" the important stops??

Is that too quick?? We COULD cut Pompeii and just hit it as a day trip FROM Rome when we are in Rome. We will be there 4 whole days, so is that better?

Again thank you all for your quick responses! This is fabulous help, as we have never toured Italy and are trying to see most of it all at once!

Also thinking of Mondo tours for Capri and Amalfi? Is this recommended? We want to see those 3 popular cities on Amalfi and also do not want to drive the coast, risking falling off the cliffs!!!

-Rachel

Posted by
11848 posts

The 27th, get up early and take a tour of Capri for most of the day. Then that late afternoon, head up toward Rome, but take a stop at Pompeii for a quick tour with a guide that can "highlight" the important stops??
Is that too quick?? We COULD cut Pompeii and just hit it as a day trip FROM Rome when we are in Rome. We will be there 4 whole days, so is that better?

Mondo tours does an 8 hour tour and it is very expensive, but assuming that is in your budget, what are their departure and return times? Even if it is 8:00 to 16:00, your last entry at Pompeii is 18:00, so you'd have to move right along. Pompeii closes at 19:30 in the summer, so then you have to make your way to Rome, where you will arrive well after 21:00. Doable but exhausting, IMO.

FWIW, I thought Capri overrated and Pompeii fascinating. I have repeated Pompeii but am unlikely to return to Capri.

Posted by
8076 posts

Capri for most of the day. Then that late afternoon, head up toward Rome, but take a stop at Pompeii for a quick tour with a guide that can "highlight" the important stops??

You are making the same error. Pompeii takes at least four hours without a guide. You can "tick the box" and run through with a guide in two hours. But you'll be missing out on the "experience". Do you stop for Latin two-hour meals, or just grab a sandwich on these days? We waited an hour to be seated for pizza in Naples. The cafe inside Pompeii is cafeteria-style, so it doesn't take two hours. But there's a line for the bathrooms!

I also think Capri is overrated, and that Pompeii is fascinating. But it's very much a matter of personal taste. Capri is a very time-consuming visit. It would be absolutely exhausting to see Capri and Pompeii on the same sweltering day. You will walk at least two miles at each of them. It's easy to walk farther than that on Capri, because so much of it is pedestrian-only.

Your proposed schedule places you at Pompeii at the hottest part of the day, and let me tell you, it is HOT and sunny at Pompeii. Check the closing time, maybe 7:30 in July. Since you are coming to the Amalfi Coast, it is CRAZY to propose visiting Pompeii from Rome at a separate part of the vacation. However, your new proposal is much more sensible than the original loop.

Posted by
16742 posts

Rachel, I'm with Tim on this: you're making some of the same mistakes with your new itinerary, trying to fit too much into too little. Again, Pompeii is best done on summer mornings before it gets really hot (don't underestimate how hot it can be) and the site is HUGE: there's no "quick" visit about it, IMHO, or not if you want to do it justice, anyway.

No, I would not do it as a day trip from Rome as long as you're already going to be RIGHT THERE. It's a looooong day from Rome, and you'll find plenty to do in the Eternal City to fill the 4 days that you have. That's really 3.5 days, what with killing 1/2 day relocation time from Sorrento. If Pompeii is a MUST, do it on the way to Rome and kill two birds with one stone.

Also IMHO, Capri is better if you can stay ON the island for at least one night. With the exception of further reaches which involve some footwork (we have) it's mobbed with daytrippers during high season. Things settle down nicely at night in evenings when they all leave, and in the early mornings before they arrive. Really, I would give that one up and just settle for your full day exploring the coast.

Posted by
524 posts

Everyone has the places they like or dislike. On our trip to Italy, we fell in love with everywhere we went...Venice, Rome, Positano, Capri. We decided to spend the last day before leaving in Naples. Neither of us liked it at all. It was gritty, just as you've read. Graffiti everywhere. To us, it was not charming at all. We felt we wasted our last day and wished we had just taken the bus back to Rome and left from there. We also were excited to eat the pizza. I am not a foodie and love all sorts of pizza. It's one of my favorite foods...gourmet, deep dish, Pizza Hut...even some frozen. I hated the Naples pizza. The traditional pizza has a soft dough and people roll it up and eat it like that. It was such a disappointment to me. I don't mean to be a downer, but I wish I had been forewarned.

Posted by
11613 posts

I love Napoli, but it's okay to leave it out. You will miss the Museo Archeologico, which has the artworks from Pompei and other excavations. If you do want to see it, get off the Circumvesuviana snd check your bags at the luggage deposit upstairs (Napoli Centrale), take the Mwtro to the Museo stop, see the Museum, metro back, pick up your luggage, train to wherever.

Posted by
11848 posts

And IMO; you can get better pizza in Rome. Dar Poeta, Da Remo, La Pratolina are my suggestions there.

Posted by
8076 posts

I am not attacking Lulu. I understand why she wrote what she did, and she is not inaccurate or unfair. But the history and cultural heritage of Naples overrides the central government's lack of proper investment in southern Italy. It's a little (no, not really ... ) like finding Mumbai or the back alleys of Suzhou revolting. Well, that's how people live there. Maybe you won't be so harsh about the have-nots in the United States after seeing Naples. (Our host, Rick feels it's really important to see how other people live.)

Lulu, have you ever been to a U.S. pizzeria that has a certified Naples wood-burning oven in their restaurant? I completely agree with you that Naples pizza is not MY preference. But I'm willing to eat it cheerfully when I'm in Naples. You can't get General Tso's Chicken in China. Does that make the food in China lousy?

Posted by
7054 posts

I agree with Tim. I am a big fan of both Naples and its pizza. It's a living breathing city, not sugarcoated for tourism. However, Naples is not a place that you will appreciate if you're in and out in less than a day - you have to stay awhile and just let it sink in. It has many, many treasures, all of which take time to see. There is graffiti all over Italy - I don't think Naples is an exception.

Truthfully, you really don't have enough time with only two nights to see Sorrento, Amalfi, Naples, Capri, and Pompeii. I think you can reasonably see Sorrento and Amalfi coast over two days, and not much else. You have to just follow your priorities and make sure you don't over plan. Getting from one place to another takes time, and things like meals are not rushed in Italy so you have to factor in a lot of downtime when you're not "on the go" seeing something or another. Any way you can add on some nights in Sorrento? It would be a real shame to miss Pompeii, unless you're not interested. Yes, a trip to Pompeii will be at least 4 hours - if you count transport there and lunch, then even longer.

Posted by
524 posts

Tim, I hesitated posting anything because I know many people love or like Naples. I was afraid I would be offensive, actually. I just felt since answers are so subjective, it wouldn't hurt to give OP a different view...and also explain what the typical Napoli pizza is. I didn't take offense at all with your post. I agree that it would take more than a day or less to really learn a city, but I didn't have that and it was my impression is all.

Posted by
4 posts

Folks,

Thanks so much for your amazing help! I know it has been a while since I responded (work got busy)! We will take everyone's advice and probably see Amalfi Coast and Pompeii while in Sorrento and leave out Capri. We can always go back years from now and check it out!

I do have a question about Bus and Metro. Anyone know if I should purchase the Roma pass to get around? Looks like it guaranteed two museums and unlimited bus passes for 3 or 4 days. I just want to know the best way to get around Rome! Thanks !

Posted by
11294 posts

For the Roma Pass, like any other pass, you have to do the math. It does give you free admission and skip the line entry to the first two sights you use it for; if one of those is the Colosseum, that alone makes it valuable. On the other hand, if you're not going to enough sights to make it financially worthwhile, you can buy a separate transit pass for 1, 3 or 7 days (inexpensive), and can buy advance tickets for the Colosseum. Note that the Roma Pass does not cover Vatican City.

Posted by
490 posts

You will have a great time, but consider what those have said about the heat...it is AFRICA hot in summertime.

The only way I see you fitting in an archeological site, Capri and A/C is this:
Do not go to Sorrento at all. Period. People think it makes a good base, and it does for a certain type of traveler, and longer stays to see the area with day trips...but not for 2 days, all you will do is take ( and wait for!!) ferries all over....why not stay in the places you reallly want to see?

Ask yourself this, what do you want to see in Sorrento?

I have done this trip...but with MORE TIME...
Arrive in Naples head to Capri on ferry
Stay 1 night
leave in early or late morning for Positano by ferry from Capri
stay 1 night...easy beach access here

If this is too much moving around then I recommend CAPRI for 2 nights as the most relaxing....or settle into Positano and visit Amalfi for 1/2 day.

Depart ( Capri) Positano by ferry or bus & train combo to Naples, stay last night in Naples if it is your departure city??

or see these sites when you first arrive in Naples..
.. lock luggage in Centrale Train station hop Circumvensuvia to Herculaneum. about 25 minutes ride with 15 minute walk to the site, through the rough and tumbled down town. ....much better preserved than Pompeii,, also COOLER I highly recommend Hercualaneum over Pompeii. It has shaded areas, can be seen in 1.5-2 hours unguided.

Herculaneum is as if one American sized neighborhood was destroyed...a tiny fishing village..still many colorful walls and tiled floors also artifacts remain....Pompeii is vast and very spread out between buildings etc....my friend describes it as " A hot field of dust" better explored when you have more time and in cooler months of fall or early spring...

Staying in Naples one night try Una Hotel Napoli right near train station...safe, quiet and comfortable..excellent English spoken, roof top views with breakfast included ,great staff!

Posted by
490 posts

Other option is to skip Pompeii or Herculaneum and use on of your Rome ( just saw that post) days to go to Ostia Antica for a look at some great ruins.

Good advice from others on Roma Pass...see what days you are there and what is open etc

I stayed near Piazza Navona and was within walking distance to Trevi and Navona fountains, Pantheon, and Spanish steps about 7-15 min walk to each. Staying central is key! We only took the train ( gross subway even by NYC standards) to Colosseum...taxi to Vatican city and to a friend's house for dinner...walked everywhere else in October in rain ;(

Be prepared to dump your water before you enter the Colosseum....I recommend using the bathroom AS SOON as you enter even if you do not have to go...once you are up inside it requires going all the way down again to use facilities and the line will be at least 15-20 min long as usual for women! LOL The city provides free water refilling station outside of the Colosseum train stations either with or without gas so keep an empty bottle! Also, go up top above the train station for views over the Colosseum and Palentine hill great photo ops..and an ice cafe!

Posted by
4 posts

Thank you everyone for your help! I want to make sure we don't rush things and have a great experience! Any recommendations for Amalfi coast tours? English speaking?