Need travel advice for Rome and Sorrento.......Please!

OK, there is no substitute for doing homework even when using a travel agent. Get to your library and check out guidebooks and travel DVDs so that you have something to work with. The reason you are in those hotels is because they are cheaper than if you were in the downtown areas. And I am sure that appealed to you. And these hotels probably had parking for your car. Having a car has put an additional layer of complications on trip that probably didn't need a car.

Get on the web site for these hotels and see exactly where they are location and for the Rome hotel if the subway is near by. Or contact the Rome hotel and ask for directions to the nearest subway location. All of the outlaying subway stations have large parking facilities so you can drive there, park, and take the subway.

The cheapest and most convenient way to obtain local currency is using a debit card at a bank owned ATM in Italy. ATMs are everywhere. Take two debit cards tied to two different accounts. Avoid currency exchange bureaus (high fees) in airports and elsewhere.

Getting and reading thoroughly Steves' guidebook for Italy is a good starting point.

First, is this all set in stone? Can you change any of your trip details? As far as Rome, you say 2 days. That means 1 night? That is not hardly enough time in Rome to do much! And, yes, Do not drive in Rome!!

I looked up your Rome hotel and it says 5-7km from the Vatican. 45min-1 hr?? I don't know specifics, but there are trains, buses, and taxis readily available. Transportation is fairly easy. Some one else will surely be able to help more than I.

Money - use ATM's. Get cash when you arrive, airport or Termini is fine. Otherwise, try to withdraw during business hours, look for Bancomat (Italian bank). Know your daily limit, let your bank know you will be out of the country, or they may block your card as fraud. Have more than one debit card, in case something goes wrong with first one. Have a couple credit cards also, and notify each company that you will be out of the country.

Restaurants - Rick list some in his guide books. Avoid any place with a "tourist menu". Go down side streets instead of main streets. Look for places filled with locals.

Thank you for the replies. I've already done a lot of research on Sorrento and Rome, however, that was before I realized where the hotels were located. As for changing things, the travel agency, Great Value Vacations, does not do upgrades for changes of any kind. How nice, right? Unfortunately, they do not tell you the exact accommodations until you book the trip. We will be in Rome for 2 full days and 2 nights, so hopefully this is enough to see a few things.

For your general travel questions, get (the public library probably has it) Rick Steves' Europe through the Back Door -- it's updated every year, but the basic ideas are the same.
Get money from ATM's in Italy (often called "bancomats") using a debit card that does not charge foreign transaction fees or per-withdrawal charges. And make sure you notify all card providers in advance that you will be in Europe. Look at the information on this website about money, packing ... Go to "home" and then "travel tips" for lots of great info.

Not to add to your frustration with accomodations, but can the agency not upgrade, but cancel, the reservation and change it to central Rome? You have very little time there and are spending a lot of it commuting. As far as a beach, it will not be swimming weather. You might prefer to add an extra sight like Naples (sign up for a tour) or Herculaneum (near Pompei). There is a great museum in Naples that houses all the treasures from Pompei.

I wouldn't drive the Amalfi Coast myself, but I'm a coward. I'd ditch the car altogether, take private or public transport. You have so little time in Rome, I'd get the RS Guide, list your top 3 or 4 must-sees, get advanced tickets when you can and go early.

I learned a lot from online research and guidebooks. Good luck.

I don't know much about your hotel in Rome, other than it's a distance from the center. They should be able to give you the quickest means of transportation into the center. Taxis are cheap and may be your best option especially for a family.

The Towers hotel in Sabiae is in a beautiful location. Has a beach, but I don't know about water access, it appeared rocky when we stopped for lunch last year. Note... it's one of those places you can see, but can't get to. The access to the place, if driving from Naples ( right side of road) is on the left.
It does have parking, €5 nite. Shuttle service runs starting May 1 for their full schedule. 5 minutes to station.

The station is about 1 1/2 miles away, but this is on a very busy road.

Once you get to the station, you're 9 min from Sorrento, ferry and bus here, or 37 min to the Pompeii Scavi stop.

Ferry and Circumvesuvian timetable

http://www.sorrentoinsider.com

Hope this helps.

We will be in Rome for 2 full days and 2 nights, so hopefully this is
enough to see a few things.

This came up before before but 2 nights doesn't work out to two FULL sightseeing days unless you are arriving in Rome at dawn or before...which is unlikely. What is your exact flight arrival time?

Also, what is your complete itinerary with arrival and departure dates? Where are you flying home from and at what time? These details can make a difference when figuring out what you're realistically going to be able to do.

I'm guessing you booked this package?

https://www.greatvaluevacations.com/vacations/vistas-of-the-south-rome-sorrento-and-amalfi-coast?duration=6&gateway=JFK&month=201803

Did you extend the car rental to all 6 days or do you have it for only 4? Do you know where you're supposed to pick it up?

I'd go back to the agency and tell them that the hotels they've put you in are not "similar" in location at all to what was advertised and request changes. Might not make a difference but I'd try. Also go over all the fine print on the website for what you're responsible for, such as obtaining an International Drivers Permit for the car.

Did you want a car for this trip, or is it simply included in the package? This is one of the pitfalls of these package deals (as are the hotels you're stuck with). You could have easily arranged hotel rooms more centrally located - the process of booking a hotel room online is the same in Europe as in the US, it's equally easy to do. Because your timeframe is so short, any above-average commute time takes away from seeing the sites these cities have to offer. I'm surprised this trip allocates twice as many days to the Sorrento Coast as to Rome. Two full days in Rome as so incredibly short given all there is to see there. I hope you make the best of the situation though.

I stayed at the Towers in Castellammare Di Stabia several years ago when it was a Crowne Plaza.

Lovely place, difficult for transportation, but had great breakfast buffets. I never had another meal there besides the breakfasts because we were always off and out. Great views across the Bay of Naples.

Don't - just don't - try to drive in the town of Castellammare Di Stabia unless you are highly skilled in Southern Italian driving. It is very difficult since the main crossroads have no lights, no markings, and roads coming from many directions simultaneously. The locals know how to clear the intersection but if you don't you may not enjoy the experience.

Just stay on the highway, the same one from Naples to Sorrento, and you will reach the hotel. My memory - a little faded - is that the driveway entrance (wasn't well marked) is on the opposite side of the highway from the hotel, and has a tight bend in it.

Enjoy the freshly squeezed Blood Orange juice.