I've been reading the forum for hours and hours and there are so many varying opinions that I've managed to confuse myself. We'd like some help on planning our itinerary. The only requirements are that we fly in to Naples on Dec 1 (early afternoon) and fly out of Rome to Barcelona on Dec 7 or 8th, depending on flight times. We spent time in Venice, Florence, Bologna, Rome and Milan last year. We loved Rome and want to go back for at least a couple of days before we fly out to see some of the things we missed. Here are the things we'd like to do. We'd appreciate your expertise on timing and areas. Naples - Museum and pizza (of course) and then a side trip to see the Amphitheater and Caserta. Herculaneum, Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast Paestum We have no hotel plans firm yet, so we can go in any direction as long as it fits our flight schedule. Two things to note - we'll likely be exhausted when we reach Naples as we leave here on Nov 29 and don't arrive until Dec 1, with no overnight stops, 5 airports and two long red eye flights in coach. We'd rather spend our time on the ground in Italy than a hotel airport in a connecting city. The other is that although I can walk, I've recently shattered my ankle and it likely won't be 100% for walking yet, especially hills and/or a lot of stairs. Although we're on a monetary budget for travel, I have a lot of hotel room credits from booking events through work, so we're looking for hotels in the $300-400/night range, preferably including breakfast and views on the coastline. I thought that this was the perfect area to use the credits. Naples doesn't scare us. We'd like to explore it, but could head to Sorrento and do day trips. We want to as much of Italy as we can. Thanks for taking the time to read this!
Posted by
OP
Florida
137 posts
I've worked on this a bit more and hoping for your input. Due to not having to move luggage several times and deal with getting in to Naples from the airport, this is what we've come up with (suggestions still highly appreciated). Naples airport to Sorrento - Dec 1 -4 Side trips from Sorrento -
Caserta, Santa Maria Capua Vetere Naples - Archeological Museum, Cappella Sansevero Chapel, walking tour Herculaneum or Pompeii (we'll also be doing the ancient harbor in Rome) Amalfi bus ride and Paestum (hopefully ferry in one direction dependent on weather Can any of the above be combined? Thanks!
Posted by
Washington DC Region, USA
7054 posts
My only comment is that you have 6-7 full days and trying to fit in Naples, Sorrento, and multiple side trips AND a few days in Rome at the end will make for a very jam-packed and abbreviated trip. Naples itself deserves at least 2 full days and so does Rome - so that doesn't leave you many days to spare (3 days for side trips). I would figure out transportation time and plot out a day-by-day itinerary and see what you'll be comfortable with.
Posted by
OP
Florida
137 posts
Thanks. We've been to Rome previously, but want to do some of the things we didn't do last time. We've already done the Colosseum, the Vatican, and most other major sites, including walking all the way around the other side of the forum and through the winding streets back to the Metro at the Colosseum. From many of the other posts I've read, it seemed that a few things can be done on the same day.For example, we can go to the museum, see the Veiled Christ, Disillusion and Modesty, then go to Herculaneum on the way back to Sorrento. One of the ideas we had was to go to Paestum on our last day, then take the train from Salerno to Rome. We can take a late flight out of Rome for the extra day, or leave the next day early.
Posted by
Boston, MA
138 posts
Terri, I did a similar trip last April, though I had a total of 13 nights. Here is what I think- -From Naples airport take a direct shuttle/bus to Sorrento, find a hotel in Sorrento within walking distance to the train station, buses and harbor. ( for example, hotel Antiche Mura worked great for me). -Day 2. From Sorrento take a bus to Amalfi coast and stop in Positano, Amalfi, take another bus to Ravello. This is a very buisy but great day trip. These are the "highlights " towns of the Amalfi Coast. If your ankle is not 100% by the trip, get out of the bus at Positano's 2nd stop, take pictures and hop on the next bus to Amalfi. (Positano is all about steps). -Day 3. take a train from Sorrento to either Pompeii or Herculanium/Ercolano stop. When you are back in Sorrento, walk around the old town there and do some shopping. -Day 4. Take a ferry to Capri and spend a day there -Day 5. Take a train to Naples, check into hotel and go to the Archeological Museum (it is opened late), have pizza for dinner. -Day 6. Explore Naples, there is lots to see and wander around -Day 7. Take a train to Rome and spend a day there -Day 8. Fly out of Rome You don't have much time for Rome. If you cut out Capri and add a day to Naples, you can take a train Naples to Paestum, explore there and go to Rome from Salerno but I don't have an experience with that. It is so easy to take a train fom Naples to Rome, only 70 minutes on a high-speed one.
Have fun planning!
Posted by
OP
Florida
137 posts
Thank you! I think the least important thing we want to do is Praetum, so if we skip that and Pompeii, I think we can get most of the others in. When we travel, we don't stop to rest much, there's so much to do and we can rest when we get home. We go early morning to as late as we can. I have to do some research to see what's closed on what day of the week so we can work around that. We have to do a couple of days in Rome or my husband will kill me. He's really looking forward to walking the Forum as we missed it our last trip. We got to the gate about 5 minutes after they closed for new arrivals. We spent so much time at the Colosseum because a lot of the time, we didn't even see other people. It was amazing! I want to do the Christmas market in Rome, too. We did one in Frankfurt last year and tried the one in Paris, but it was so cold and crowded that when the rain came, we gave up.
Posted by
Boston, MA
138 posts
You should also consider that daylight is short in December, so you should plan accordingly, esp. for small towns along the Amalfi coast. There will be more things to do in Naples and Rome this time of the year.
Posted by
OP
Florida
137 posts
Good point. Our trip last year was about the same time, so we're aware of it. We try to do early trains to get where we're going, then grab a bite while we wait for the attraction to open. If we're just exploring, it's generally daylight by the time we get there and start exploring. We do the best to make the most out of all our awake hours. I'm lucky enough that most of the air is paid by work for an event. I just fly earlier to enjoy Europe and I take my husband along on miles. As long as I'm in Barcelona by Dec 9, I'm good.