Hello - for the last week of our vacation (we fly out of Rome and taking direct train to Naples from Sicily) Since train goes directly from Sicily to Naples and then we can go direct to Rome after 5 nights there - we are considering staying in Naples and doing Day trips to Pompeii, Capri, Sorrento and/or Positano. is this a good plan - we are trying to minimize moving from one hotel to another but fear that 5 nights in Naples might be overdoing it?
Posted by
6629 posts
How do you want to spend your days? That will tell you where to stay…
I like to make a list and cross reference where I can visit from where and compare it to where I want to be at night, how early I want to get up, and how long I want to travel each day. With five days, you could conceivably have two stays if you just can’t decide.
Also, who is we and what month?
Posted by
Wyckoff, NJ, USA
8650 posts
Some people find Naples too "urban", but it's a very historic place with lots to see itself. Have you been to other crowded, disobedient places before, like Athens downtown? In the daytime, Naples is quite safe, but you do have to watch for unruly drivers whenever you cross the street. It's like a slice of medieval italy, maybe. We only spent one night there, on the way to Sorrento, which is the usual answer to your question. As a factual matter, Naples is a good base for the named trips. You need to do a little more research, maybe with the Search box top left of desktop-view page here.
EDIT:
I hasten to point out that the Title of this reference is intended to be ironic!
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/surviving-naples#top
Posted by
9804 posts
When we visited the area we stayed in Sorrento and loved it.
Naples, not impressed except for the museum.
Posted by
Washington DC
30258 posts
I spent about a week in Naples in March 2023. It is not a cute, pristine little town--not at all. It is a vibrant city with a lot of worthwhile sights, including the excellent archaeological museum where a lot of original decorative elements from Pompeii are displayed, as well as other things. Naples has ferries to Capri. The Circumvesuviana links Naples to both Pompeii and Sorrento. For Positano you'd need to connect (I'd guess in Sorrento) to a ferry or a bus.
If you spent 5 nights in Naples, that would give you just 4 full days there. Capri would take up one of those days. Pompeii would require more than half a day, and for some people it might be nearly a full day. (Probably not if this is a summer trip, because the unrelenting heat could be unbearable.) Herculaneum is on the Circumvesuviana rail line between Pompeii and Naples, but that might not be a great one-day combination of sights.
I haven't been to Sorrento, but it has never sounded to me like a destination itself. It's basically a postwar town, not historic. However, it can be a reasonably convenient base for seeing the places you want to see if you prefer not to stay in big-city Naples. Note, though, that to visit the Amalfi Coast while staying in Sorrento, you are dependent upon ferries (which could possibly be canceled in bad weather), very expensive taxis/private transportation or slow, overcrowded buses some people find extremely unpleasant due to motion sickness.
Another possible base for that area is Salerno, where I spent 4 nights. It's much less touristy than the little towns on the Amalfi Coast and a great deal less expensive for lodging. It is not good for side trips to Capri or Sorrento, but it should work well for the Amalfi Coast. Salerno has good train service from Naples, but those trains don't stop at the Pompeii Scavi station. You end up at a different station some distance away, from which you'd need to walk, take a taxi or perhaps a bus; I'm not sure about buses. I really liked Salerno, which is a real city with Italian residents and restaurants patronized by them.
Posted by
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
5624 posts
We spent 2 weeks in Sorrento a couple of years ago and loved it. We only made one day trip to Naples and we realized we needed more. Next time we plan on spending 4 or 5 days there and then a few days in Capri. So no, I don't think you're overdoing it by spending time in Naples. But it is large, noisy, crowded and overwhelming. I've never been to a city like it before, and I want more. Sorrento is a great base to see Naples, Pompeii, Amalfi Coast, etc. but it doesn't need to be a destination for a day in itself. I'd probably stay there instead if the Amalfi Coast is a priority, but Naples is fine for daytrips to Pompeii, Herculaneum and Capri. But I wouldn't stay there the night before your flight as transportation is too chaotic and unreliable, I'd be making my way back to Rome for that last night unless you're flight home is late in the day.
Posted by
OP
18 posts
Thank you for all of the very good advice- we are a family of four with 2 teenagers. It looks like the Port of Naples is not far from the train station and there are regular ferries to Capri, Positano, even Ischia island with regular trains to Pompeii as another easy day trip. it looks like a great base and great restaurants in the evening when in town again. Understand that it might not be picturesque life Sicily where we are coming from but want to maximize convenience while minimizing checking in and out of hotels. We were in Greece last summer and actually really enjoyed our time in Athens so hoping this is a similar vacation to last year’s which had beaches, tons of historic places, and amazing food?
Posted by
Seattle, WA
758 posts
We used Naples as a base, but the A/C was not part of our planned journey; we had made different choices on coast and island visits. We spent 4 nights in Naples that followed 2 nights in Pisciotta. As for Naples as a base, our journey included
Day 1 - Naples itself. Archaeology Museum (Great!; but get an early start as crowds grew while we were there, but it turned out we were there on Liberation Day and free entry contributed to crowd); Gesu Nuovo Church, Santa Chiera Monastary, Palazzo Reale, Galleria (meh). SpaccaNapoli passeggiata.
Day 2 - Day trip to Pompeii (2/3 day; perhaps should have spent more time there); Museo Di Capodimonte back in Naples, which I found disappointing. Should have spent the late afternoon time either at Pompeii or seeing more near the SpaccaNapoli, particularly Capella Sansevero which we missed due to an earlier than expected closing time; Duomo (impressive). SpaccaNapoli passeggiata.
Day 3 - Day trip. Ferry ride and about 6 or 7 hours on Ischia. After two rainy days in Naples and Pompeii, the weather gods smiled on us and it was wonderful.
Day 4 - Early morning flight from NAP, to US west coast, via MUC (Munich)
Before we arrived in Naples, we had spent a couple of nights on the southern Campania (Cilento) coast, based in Pisciotta. We visited the Tenuta Vannulo buffalo farm and creamery and the Ancient Greek ruins at Paestum on the way from the Cilento to Naples. We chose to skip the Amalfi Coast and Capri, in favor of the Cilento … and Ischia. Unlike you, we had the benefit of a 3 day car rental from Lecce to Pisciotta and on to Naples, where we immediately returned the car.
As for Naples, maybe it’s for you. Maybe it isn’t. Per our TR
Napoli. Teeming, Loud, Motorini, Locals, Tourists, Rainy, Narrow Streets, Anthropology Museo, Italians, Pasticcerie, Churches, Inefficient, Piazza, Pizzarie, Tired Feet, Statues, Crosses, Mosaics, Lively, Passegiate, Youthful, Decaying, Graffiti, Elegant, Dirty, Palazzo Reale, Street Vendors, Galleria, Fiore de Zucca, Pompeii (Guide Gaetano Manfredi brought Pompeii to life), 2000-year-old Frescoes, Sfogliatelli. Pazzo. Due giorni e quatro notte a Napoli.
Perhaps for you, Salerno or Sorrento might be a better base.
Posted by
Wyckoff, NJ, USA
8650 posts
+1 for Fred's post.
There are some subtleties you may miss. That's why I suggest reading some other threads on your topics. For example, there are many different sizes and types of ferries. Many ferries have no outside seating. Positano tends to require smaller ferries, which (I assume) can have a rougher ride. The gritty Circumvesuviana train (... tourist route is the train that goes between Naples and Sorrento) is only a few Euros, much less than any ferry. But it does stop right in front of the Porta Marina entrance to Pompeii Scavi. (That is, the "excavation", because there is also a modern city of Pompeii.) Unfortunately, transportation and infrastructure in general can be a little catch-as-catch-can in long-neglected southern Italy.
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/getting-around-amalfi-coast
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/naples-to-sorrento-train-or-private-driver
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/amalfi-coast-for-7-nights-itinerary-help
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/herculaneum-and-pompeii-questions
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/amalfi-coast-for-5-days-where-to-set-base-from
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/one-week-on-the-amalfi-coast
Posted by
823 posts
I think it’s an excellent idea because Pompeii, Capri, Sorrento and Positano are all easily reached from Naples. There are several other places that are also nearby and suitable for day trips. Naples is a lively city but the core is actually quite small. I always stay near the train station for easy access to public transportation including to the port which is not far away. You will save a lot of time staying in one place, and there are wonderful restaurants to go to when you return from your day trips.