Pompeii/Herculaneum from Sorrento Opinions

I think Sorrento is a good choice. It may still be off-season and a little quiet in late March, but that means your lodgings should be less expensive. The center of town is relatively flat.

So that you don't feel rushed, I would do Pompeii one day and combine Herculaneum and the Museum on another day. They're easy to reach by local train and a metro ride to the museum. Note that there's a slight uphill walk back to the train station from Herculaneum, but I'm sure a short taxi ride is an option if desired. I've not used guides or taken tours to these sights, so I can't comment about that part of your questions.

I think you're wise to skip Vesuvius in March when it will be very cold up there and visibility could be limited by an overcast day.

Nice to see you are allowing yourself adequate time for doing this part of your trip. To answer your questions:

1. I think Sorrento is a good place to stay; its about an hour from Pompeii by train and a bit longer from Herculaneum. Its an attractive town and you will be there in March so not too worried about the lack of beaches. However may mean that there are less hotels open at that time of year. Naples is another possibility of course. Again Rick probably has some good suggestions for hotels. Or maybe stay in Ercolano (modern Herculaneum). Check out Booking.com for hotels etc. there.
2. The first time I went to this area I was on a cruise and we anchored off Sorrento and were driven to Pompeii by coach and then after lunch went to Herculaneum. If I were doing these two sites again I would definitely spend a day at each one. Herculaneum is smaller but in many ways is a much more interesting site, to me at least. The buildings are more complete as they were buried by a pyroclastic flow and the excavation is deep. As you walk around you can see how much of the city remains under the flow and the modern city. The mosaics and frescos remain in situ and some of the other artifacts remain in place. Pompeii is huge of course and is also interesting .
3. Yes to the museum in Naples. Lots of replicas of the artifacts at Pompeii so you have an idea of where they were located. Look for the incredible mosaics in the museum - look like paintings because the tiles are so small and so well put together.
   
4. Whether you stay in Sorrento or Naples, yes to taking the train and hiring a guide at the site. Way cheaper than a tour and you can go at your pace. Rick does give some names and contacts if you want to hire a guide in advance. I suggest that you read Rick's guide to the site first and look at the site on Google Earth so you have some idea of what you want to see.
5. Vesuvius is a weather dependent visit, if its cloudy or raining probably not worth it. It's a mountain with a hole in the top and a smell of bad eggs! You will gather not something I would be particularly interested in!
   

1- Yes, Sorrento is a good place to stay we stayed here -- https://ilnido.it/ -- and would happily do so again. Other contributors here have other favorites in Sorrento, so there is a good choice

2- I would not do them on back-to-back days. If you want to do both give yourself an 'easy' day in between

3- Have not been to the museum--- if I were to do it in combination with a trip to one of the sites it would be the day at Herculaneum. Herc is smaller so would give you more time to do the museum without being rushed or exhausted.

4- We used the RS audio guide at Pompeii and felt it it a very good job. We did more wandering after as well ( have not been to Herc)

5- No

You can hire a guide at the entrance to Pompeii or contact Mondo Tours in Naples ahead of time to arrange for one. Take the train to Pompeii and back; it is like a commuter train. Pompeii is incredible.
Sorrento- try to book hotel rooms with views of the Bay of Naples and Vesuvius. No, you didn’t make a mistake by not hiking up to the volcano. I find volcanos rather unpleasant up close. Enjoy it’s view from Sorrento instead.
Sorrento is a lovely town, perched up on a cliff, flat for the most part. There is some good dining there too.
Enjoy your day in Naples. I haven’t been to Herculaneum yet.

We enjoyed our 4 night stay in Sorrento very much, it’s basically flat, pleasant nice relaxed atmosphere and dozens of excellent restaurants

Consider booking a Mondo guide tour of Pompeii-RS recommended
We had a fantastic very knowledgeable archeologist guide who helped make sense of this very complex site
Www.sharedtours.com
A guide will know which areas are open/closed and steer you away from any crowds or bottlenecks
The tour lasts 2 hours then you can continue to explore on your own

Take the Circumvesuviana train from Sorrento to the sites easy and inexpensive

Is Sorrento a nice choice to stay?

Yes, especially as March is off season on the coast. There will be more hotels and restaurants open in Sorrento than in some of the smaller villages. The ferries also won't be servicing a lot of those little villages around the coast in March so having bus and train service to/from Sorrento and Naples (and maybe limited ferries to some points as well) will be an advantage. But see my note at the end of this post...

Pompeii one day and Herculaneum the next?

Sure, you could do that but could also do Herculaneum on your way to or from Sorrento.

Archaeological museum in Naples worth it (we think so, desire
opinions) and this would be done w/ Pompeii or Herculaneum?

Yes, well worth it but I wouldn't combine it with Pompeii as that site is HUGE: much larger than most visitors expect it to be! If at all possible, see the museum AFTER you've seen Pompeii so the artifacts have some sort of context.

Should we train in to the sites and purchase a guide there or purchase
a viator guided tour for transport from hotel and site OR train in and
use Rick Steve's guide?

Book a Mondo tour as recommended! Viator does not operate their own tours but are a 3rd-party booking site for a variety of independent agencies.

We ruled out Vesuvius trek uphill. Mistake?

No, not a mistake. IMHO, seeing Vesuvius rising above one of the cities it destroyed (Pompeii) is pretty darn poignant. Just imagine what it may have been like, from your standing point, to have witnessed the enormous column of ash and debris the volcano spewed before superheated pyroclastic surges erased all traces of life.

So here's a question? I'm hearing more interest from you in the Pompeii and Herculaneum excavations + the Naples Archeological museum than anything along the more southern coast. You might consider just staying in Naples versus Sorrento?

I just read Kathy’s post and agree, considering your interests, that staying in Naples might be a better option for you. It is closer to both Pompeii and Herculaneum so less travel time. Just follow the instructions in the Italy Guide book and you’ll find going by train is easy. I tend to go with Rick’s self guided tours, but that’s my personal choice. You might be happier with a guide. At Herculaneum, you can rent the very informative audio guide and/or use Rick’s book. The Archaeological Museum is outstanding and not to be missed. And there’s a lot more to see and do in Naples than Sorrento. I’ve stayed in both cities and prefer Bella Napoli.

I’m not a hiker so trudging up the volcano 🌋 was not my cup of caffé.. I’ve spoken with friends who have done it and have received mixed opinions, none overly positive. For a beautiful view of Mt. Vesuvius, the city, Bay of Naples and Capri take the funicular Centrale di Napoli on Via Toledo and then take the climb to Castel Sant’ Elmo. You won’t be disappointed.

Check out the ArteCard - the 3 day card covers all public transportation in the Naples area and gets you into 2 sites for free and 50% off thereafter.

Museum closure days may affect your planning - as to what you do on each of the 3 days, but I'd (generally) say that if your husband is not a strong walker, you could do the Archaeology Museum on a day between the two sites. This April, we were at Pompeii for a full afternoon - from lunch time till close - and we were pretty tired the next day and didn't get out of the hotel till nearly 10!

Sorry, forgot to include the link for the Mondo tours we've been talking about. These have seen high ratings from RS travelers who have taken them. If you do the Pompeii tour, I'd spend additional time at the excavation after the 2-hour tour is over, if you can handle it. The guide can only cover so much ground in a couple of hours. We did the scavi on our own and spent over twice that amount of time.

https://www.sharedtours.com

Going back to the Naples versus Sorrento mention, Sorrento is smaller and most find it prettier and less hectic but the forums see fans of Napoli too. Let's just say that they are two very different animals!

1. I think Sorrento is a great home base for you! It's a small town with great views and a relaxing atmosphere.

2. I would say choose one. Either Herculaneum or Pompeii. I would choose Pompeii. To me it seemed more impressive and expansive. There might be a lot of walking that day, but if your husband is slow and steady he should be fine.

3. The archaeological museum is great. However, I think it is not worth it just to go into Naples for that. You will get plenty of archaeological information and sites at Pompeii. Naples is busy and congested and I think the city deserves more time that just an afternoon at a museum. Perhaps save the museum for a time when you can go back to Naples. Instead I would consider taking the boat from Sorrento to Capri. Capri is lovely to walk around and has a mini-bus service that tours you around the whole island. I definitely think Capri is a great option.

4. Getting from Sorrento to Pompeii and even to Naples is super easy using the Circumvesuvianna. Depending on when you're going it can get a little busy and you have to watch for your belongings, but it's very easy to use and a good way to get you where you want to go.

5. Definitely a good choice to skip the hike. It's all dirt and quite steep and not easy to get to unless you have a car.

I think Sorrento is a better choice for you, though Naples is an interesting place to visit with more sights. I was in Sorrento in February, all the shops and restaurants were open and most, if not all, hotels too. If you stay in Sorrento, I don't know if it's worth trying to get a place with a view, since you'll probably be out and about till sunset at 6.30. Look for a place in the center of town, so you'll be walking distance to the train station (it's maybe 10 minutes from the central piazza and uphill) and to a variety of shops to browse and places to have dinner. If you choose Naples, you probably won't want to be near the train station which isconvenient for the day trips but not for much else and the area, while safe, is not very pleasant. If you stay in a nicer part of town, then you'll have to take the metro to the train station, possibly in rush hour. Whichever you choose, use the Circumvesuviana train (really a metro) to visit the sights.

Pompeii needs a full day if you are really interested. I wouldn't bother walking out to the amphitheatre (not worth the time) but I highly recommend the long, but not difficult, walk to the Villa dei Misteri for the wonderful frescoes. Note that parts of Pompeii's center are very difficult to walk because of very narrow sidewalks and very tricky cobbled streets. I uploaded a few photos to give an idea of the difficulty. Herculaneum is much easier walking and a much smaller site. I doubt there will be guides available on-site. I found their audio guide sufficient. That should be enough if you see Pompeii first, with a guide. I would combine the arch. museum (allow at least 2 hours) with Herculaneum. And yes, it is well worth it.

I'm so pleased w/ all these great tips and opinions! We are very grateful to everyone for their help. I do have a few more questions--

1. Should we stay in old town? We are going to go to Naples for the museum, Pompeii (full day) and Herculaneum (half day) and explore Sorrento. I do not think boat tours are opened yet in mid-late march. We are not shoppers, but big on culture, history, food, people watching. Best choice for lodging locale?

2. I heard the train makes 34 stops en route to Pompeii! Is that so? Advice, please.

3. Naples lovers-- tell me your suggestions for the day we do the museum.

4. I am allowing 4 -5 days in Sorrento. Sound good?

Thanks again, so appreciative!

1. Stay in/near the center of Sorrento (see my first reply)
2. It's a metro, makes a lot of stops, not a problem (see my first reply)
3. The RS walking tour - starts across the street from the museum. Have pizza for lunch and dinner back in Sorrento
4. Yep. Maybe even a day trip to Capri by ferry or the Amalfi Coast by bus if you have 5 nights.