Rome in 5 days, thinking about visiting Naples

Many questions, many possible answers...

First off--yes, if you're set on seeing Naples/Pompeii, I'd bite the bullet and take the 5 hour train ride (really not so bad) from Venice to Naples or fly (under 3 hours plus the airport BS) so you can get it done and finish in Rome. You don't want to break up your nights in Rome. Be advised that Pompeii is about an hour by train past Naples, so you may want to consider staying in Pompeii-town that night instead of Naples, then 2 hours by train to Rome the next afternoon/evening after touring the ruins.

Have not been to Ostia Antica, but have been to Pompeii--it's fabulous. I will be visiting its bookend, the Archeological Museum in Naples, in March. If you are into this kind of thing, Pompeii is the Mecca of ruins and you probably should do it, even if logistically it might be a pain.

I agree with Jay.

While down there consider going to Herculaneum as well, a beautifully persevered town close by.

Will say that we really liked Ostia Antica. It's very peaceful and interesting for wandering around. But I'm sure the fact it poured rain while we were at Pompeii affected our impressions of there. We did spend the night in Pompeii. There are many hotels and restaurants.

I have been to Pompei, Ercolano and Ostia Antica. My favorite is Ercolano. I agree with the advice to go to Napoli Centrale from Venezia Santa Lucia by fast train, then either stay the night in Napoli or Pompei.

i am considering staying on the amalfi coast (maybe sorrento for 2 days) but that would shorten my Rome trip to 3 days, it will be the first time in Italy. Im not sure if i should just do the 1 day and then 4 in Rome but I do really want to explore the Amalfi Coasst a little too

I just got a cheap ticket from Venice to Naples. So I am still deciding to stay 1 day in Naples/.Amalfi and 4 in Rome or 2 days and then 3 in Rome. But my flight from Venice is at 840 am but it arrives in Naples at 930am so that gives me the whole day to see Pompeii. My question is is that early of a flight a hassle from Venice to Marco Polo airport? What time would you wake up to start the trip to the airport 5am to catch a bus at 6?

Just for clarification, Zoe mentioned Ercolano, that is the same as Herculaneum, just a more modern name, in fact, it is today's name for the city, Roman's called it Herculaneum.

Someone else is bound to be able to help you re: Venice hotel to airport logistics, but I'd go for it, even if you had to get up at 4AM and hire a driver, from the standpoint that it would maximize your time down south.

If you go straight from Naples Capodichino airport to Pompeii, you'll have to cab it to Naples Centrale train station first, then to Pompeii, but then what do you do with your bags? I believe at the site there are lockers, but you'd have to research that. But if you do want to stay in Sorrento for 2 nights, that's the right thinking. You'd end that afternoon/evening safe & sound in Sorrento (only 30 minutes by train or bus from Pompeii), and have the whole next day/evening to explore the Amalfi Coast.

Sorrento is beautiful but technically is not the A.C. That's on the other (south) side, and if you like you can make a day trip out of it by bus, and see all that Positano, Amalfi, Ravello, Minori & Maiori have to offer. Then from Sorrento the next day it'd be 2.5 hours by train to Roma Termini train station.

A chock-filled trip to be sure!

For my first time in Italy, 8 had just three days in Rome and that was personally the perfect amount. We did Ancient Rome sites on one day, the Vatican sites on another, and a day trip to Tivoli on another. I'd say do 3 days in Rome and 2 in Sorrento (taking one of those days to tour Pompeii). Pompeii was unexpectedly one of the highlights of my Italy trip - so awesome! Then spend your second day in Sorrento doing the white knuckle bus ride up to Positano/Amalfi/Ravello. It's unbelievable!

im glad you suggested that itinerary, I just booked a hostel in Sorrento for 2 days and shortend the Rome part to 3 days. Me and my travel partner will be going to Pompeii from Naples. We get into Naples at 930am, i really want to eat pizza in Naples, by the time we get from the airport to Naples central can you go for lunch in naples and then still get to Pompeii with enough time? Do you need more than 3 or 4 hours for Pompeii?

Or you could take the (air conditioned) airport bus directly to Sorrento, drop your bags at your hostel and take the Circumvesuviana train to Pompeii for the day, returning for an evening in Sorrento.

Laura--

If you're talking about the Curreri Viaggi bus from Naples Capodichino airport to Sorrento station, it would be doable but kind of a cluster for the OP, as his flight from Venice arrives at 9:30, he'd have to wait for the 11:00 bus, get to Sorrento, check in, then take the Circumvesuviana back to Pompeii. The earliest he'd arrive if everything went perfectly would be 14:00 I would think. And then back to Sorrento when finished, although 4 hours is about right for a visit to the ruins. So it's possible but a lot of backtracking. I'd find a locker at Pompeii if they're available, and he'd only have the 'pleasure' of riding the CV once instead of twice!

Bryan--again, pizza in Naples before Pompeii is doable but do your homework before, i.e., the best way to get from the airport to a highly-rated pizzeria in Naples city, then how to get to Napoli Centrale station to take the train to Pompeii. BTW, the most popular ones will have long lines but there are at least 10 that are really good, so do your research. Uh, can I suggest to 'pack light, pack right', in that you'll be dragging your bag(s) around this whole time? :)

Thanks for all the suggestions. Now that I've booked 2 nights in Sorrento (that I can change) I'm trying to figure out the best way to cram 3 things in 2 days. I'll be in Naples at around 10am on a Monday morning and leaving for Rome about 48 hours later. I want to eat Pizza at a proper Neapolitan shop, goto Pompeii/Vesuvius (goto top?) and see some of the Amalfi Coast in those two days
. Any suggestions for an Itinerary?

Unfortunately, the Archeological Museum in Napoli is closed on Monday (I think), but you can check your luggage at Napoli Centrale on your way back to Roma Termini and take a few hours in Napoli then - see the museum and get pizza.

EDIT: thanks, Kathy, the Museum is open on Monday.

am also considering just staying in Naples for the 2 nights, or splitting 1 night in Naples 1 night in Sorrento.

Unless im mistaken i think the Archelogical Museum is open on monday and closed on tuesday. Maybe ill hit Pizza/museum before evening in Sorrento with Pompeii next morning?

Sorry about all the questions, but if I goto Pompeii next morning till afternoon can you still explore the amalfi coast via bus from afternoon til evening and back to sorrento easily?

Yep, it's one of those odd state museums open on Monday and closed on Tuesday.
I've no idea why the English version doesn't work but the translation is:

Open every day from 9.00 to 19.30
closed Tuesdays; Festive: January 1, May 1, December 25.

http://cir.campania.beniculturali.it/museoarcheologiconazionale?set_language=en

You will have to verify these logistics yourself. But...if you want to make a loop, so to speak, from Sorrento to Pompeii, then Pompeii to Amalfi/Positano, then from there eventually back to Sorrento--again, that's doable. No problem taking the CV train Sorrento to Pompeii in the morning, but I am not sure there's an efficient way by bus from Pompeii to Amalfi--you may have to take the train from Pompeii Scavi station to Vietri sul Mare on the south coast, then pick up the bus that originates in Salerno to take you further, to Amalfi, where you'll have to change buses again to get to Positano. It's cheap, it's a great ride, it's an adventure, it's just not efficient.

So if you do it this way, start out early, like before 9AM, and make a day of it. Check the train and SITA bus schedules for info.

What about this idea, in Naples at 10am off to Pizza for lunch Archelogical Museum for a few hours then onto Sorrento for the evening, next morning to Pompeii in later afternoon, bus along Amalfi coast arrive in Salerno in evening, stay the night and take quick train back to Naples for rest of trip to Rome.

Only problem with that is that your bus touring the Amalfi Coast would be going away from Salerno, where I've stayed for 5 nights at a time and it's nice & fun but not exactly picturesque--I liked it, however. There's the great lungomare promenade along the sea, wonderful restaurants, but just as a quick overnight--nah. It's a small city.

Why don't you just stay in Sorrento for the two nights? You'd only be taking 20 minutes more (1 hour) to get to Naples than it would from Salerno (40 minutes).

I do like your overall plan for the two days, however, but staying in Sorrento rather than Salerno on the second night.

so if i left Pompeii Scavi at say 3 or so pm, would that be enough time to explore a little of the Amalfi Coast, as in a bus along it and then back to Sorrento for the evening?

https://www.rome2rio.com/s/Pompei/Amalfi-Italy

Let this site help you out. If it were me, I'd try to leave Pompeii by 1 or 2, because you're going to have to take the train to Vietri sul Mare, a bus to Amalfi, change buses there to go to Positano and finally end up in Sorrento. And make some stops in between to check stuff out and enjoy the coast.

Enjoy your planning!

Keep in mind that if you aren't staying in one place for 2 nights, you'll have all your luggage with you as you tootle around the sights and on the buses all the time.

Would it be possible to have lunch and visit the museum in Naples, visit Pompeii later and still be in Sorrento in the evening? that way I could use the entire next day to explore Amalfi Coast?

Yes, that's what we were saying before. Probably a better choice to maximize your time, although both the Arch Museum and Pompeii consecutively might be a little ruins overload. Your choice though.

If you have an early lunch, maybe. The scavi is open until 7:30 (19:30) and you'd want to be there by at least 4:00 (16:00) to give yourself enough time. It's an enormous site and you won't cover it all in 3 hours but you'll get a good look at it.

They haven't said yet if the Campania Express will be running next season, and it had far fewer runs than the regular Circumvesuviana but you might have both options. You can get an idea of Circ. schedules here:

http://www.eavsrl.it/web/sites/default/files/eavferro/Napoli%20-%20Sorrento_1.pdf

You'll be getting off at Pompei S, Villa Misteri Station, and the train runs from there to Sorrento late into the evening.

Thanks for the help so far. I think I have finalized my itinerary for those days. I will be at the Naples Airport around 10am and I am thinking of going directly to Sorrento via bus, then exploring Amalfi coast for that day. Early the next morning to Pompeii from Sorrento hostel by 9am 3 hours or so for Pompeii then top of Vesuvious back to train station around 4 or 5pm, then train to Naples, Pizza and night in naples for early train to Rome. Also , can i buy a ticket for that bus from the airport to Sorrento at the airport when i get there?

Thanks

and one more thing, if im in Sorrento around 1230 to 1pm, what would be suggestion for exploring the coast by bus but also being able to swim somewhere? Thanks!

I would not eat in to your Rome time too much, preferring just a single night in Naples, and leaving the coast for a longer stay down the track.

Day 1 - Arrive in Naples from Venice at 930am. Taxi to hotel. Store bags for later checkin. Explore Naples.

Day 2 - Checkout & store luggage. Visit Pompeii & Herculaneum.
Return for bags late in the day, and continue on to Rome.