Rome/Naples

Three or four nights in Rome and then two or three nights in Sorrento would be the way to do it, imho. The Rome to Naples trip is expensive to do repeatedly, and if you try to include Pompeii, it's exhausting. Plus the Sorrento experience will be a wonderful counterpoint to the Rome experience (both of which I love). Get the RS Italy 2011 book if you don't have it already. It will be the smartest money you spend on your vacation. Happy travels.

Thanks Michael for your help. The way I had my itinerary, I was going to be in Rome for three days and then head from Rome into Naples. Stay in Naples for three days and from Naples is where I was going to do a day trip into Pompeii one day and a day trip into Sorrento one day. So wondering since this will be the last part of my trip, would I be able to fly out of Sorrento without having to back track to Rome. Just wondering since I will basically be flying into Amsterdam at the beginning of my trip and then flying out of whatever city I am in at the end of my trip.

I can't help you with your flight question, but here's what I recently posted about staying in Naples v. staying in Sorrento: The best place to stay in Naples is Sorrento. Seriously. I know it's not between Naples and Rome, but it's easily accessed from Naples. I strongly recommend against staying in Naples unless you're really into what's euphemistically referred to as "gritty". We found it to be much closer to a Third World city and hard to appreciate. (We stayed there 3 nights to save money, and regretted it every day.) That said, there are some tourists who really enjoy Naples. I think it's safe to say they're in the minority. It just goes to show that there's no one size fits all when it comes to travel.

Kim What Michael said! I do not recommend Naples either except for the Pompeii Museum. You might consider Naples as your airport out of Italy. Good connections to other European airports for a one stop trip back to the US. No use returning to Rome, time and expense no one needs. Also there is a bus non stop from Sorrento to the Naples Airport. No need to go back to Naples. Hope you do not feel you need to stick like glue to your friends on this trip, especially if you have been to these cities before. Maybe some new places in Rome? Or stay in a different Amalfi Coast town? Have a fabulous time! Bobbie

Hi Kim I agree with Michael about splitting trip between Sorrento and Rome. Not only is Sorrento beautiful and very tourist friendly, its really easy and fun to day trip to Naples, Pompeii, and Amalfi Coast. Take the ferry to Naples for the great museums (or not),the train to Pompeii, and a great bus ride to Amalfi. Also a ferry to Isle of Capri is a wonderful and beautiful experience. I recommend Hotel Sorrento City for a great location to home base from for all of these things -literally a few blocks away from train/bus station with a walk by the orange and lemon trees on the way. What could be better? Mike DC

The consistent advice you will get from experienced Italian travels is that Sorrento over Naples is a much better choice. It is fine to pass through it and the museum is more than worth the stop but as overnight I think you would appreciate Sorrento more.

Thanks everyone for the advice. I have been to Sorrento before and absolutely loved it! So I think I am going to stay in Rome for the three days and have my friends take a day trip to Pompeii from Rome. I am going to skip Pompeii since I have been there twice already. Then from Rome, we will head to Sorrento for the last part of the trip and maybe try and do a day trip to Capri from there.

Kim, I agree with the previous posters that you split your time between Rome and Sorrento. You say that your friends have never been to Italy. IMHO it would be a bad idea for them to waste one of their Rome days on a day trip to Pompei from Rome. They would be looking at a 6 hour round trip from Rome and the not inconsiderable cost of the train trip. There is plenty to see in Rome. Pompei is only about a half hour trip from Sorrento on the inexpensive Circumvesuviana train line.