Rome Naples Pompeii Montecasino Salerno Positano Capri all in one week?

Rose,

please edit the title of your question to include at least one space in your list of towns. Having it all as one unbroken word screws up the formatting for some people as the system tries to treat it as one word and prevents wrapping.

From Ostia you are pretty far from most of the places you list. You will need to commute up to Rome before changing to go anywhere.

Naples is a long day from central Rome, the other southern places are even further, and you aren't in central Rome.

I don't think any of

• Naples

• Pompeii

• Salerno

• Positano

• Capri

are suitable for a day trip from the Ostia Lido.

Montecasino would likely be a very long day. Are you aware that it is a long way up from the plain to the mountain top? The station is Cassino which takes 1:30 to 2:30 each way, from Roma Termini, depending if the train stops at every station or skips them. At least half an hour from Ostia then at least 1:30 plus a bus or walking to the Abbey and then all over again getting back is more than I would like to do.

Why did you choose to stay in Ostia if everything you want to see is so far away?

Rose, is there any way at all you can cancel your hotel? Honestly, with an itinerary such as yours, you'll be spending VAST amounts of time - not to mention considerable cost - day-tripping south to Naples and beyond from Ostia di Lido. You really should be staying much closer to the area where you intend to be spending most of your sightseeing time, such as Sorrento, Salerno or even Naples.

If you are flying out of Rome (Fiumicino) on the 23rd, you have 8 nights. I would suggest heading immediately to one of the those locations on the 15th (Sorrento would be my choice as its the best transport hub, IMHO) staying 5 nights (4/15 - 4/19) and then heading back to Rome for your last 3 nights (4-20 - 4/22).

This would give you 4 full days to try and fit in all but the Rome piece of the trip. You'd have 2.5 days for Rome itself.

You are arriving ON the 15th and aren't flying out until the 23rd, right?

Editing to add: just as a example...
As near I can tell, just to get to Naples from Ostia you'd probably have to take an urban train to Porta S. Paolo in Rome, and walk next door to the Pyramid metro B line to Roma Termini: you can do this both ways on a 7-euro day pass. From there, the fastest trains get to Napoli Centrale in a little over an hour but tickets for those trains are also running about 30 euro apiece and up, one way, IF you can land a super-economy, no refund rate, otherwise base prices will probably be closer to 45 euro. There are some cheaper trains but they also take quite a bit longer.

From Naples, you'd get on a regional train to Sorrento (1 hr) or Pompeii (30-40 minutes.) Those particular tickets are not expensive but once you add it all up, both ways in one day, you get a rough idea of what trying to day-trip from Ostia will run you in time and $$? This isn't even including ferry and/or bus prices to Capri, Positano or Salerno so in the end, you'll SAVE money and a lot of travel time staying closer to your chosen locations.

Salerno can also be reached by train from Roma Termini but again, I doubt you'd want to drop 80 - 100+ euro just in transport for a day trip?

Rose, it would be helpful if you showed your home country and city in your public profile. For example, that would tell us whether you are American, or, say, a U.K. resident who can more easily make repeated trips to the continent. It would also be helpful to know if you are traveling backpacker/student style, or adult vacation style. Have you ever been to Europe before?

There is no visible logic to your plan, and it is very late to do proper planning. Do you have (and have you already read) Rick Steves' "Italy"? Rome should have at least three days on someone's first trip to Italy. If you have more interest in Naples and Pompeii than in Florence and Venice, that's fine. But don't think you're "finished" with Italy on this trip. Have you plugged these cities into Google Maps just to get an idea of their distance from each other?

When you say "tour" these spots, do you mean "as day trips from Rome"? Or do you mean multiple hotels that you have not yet booked? You don't get around a country like Italy by taking the subway each morning. And if you want to take the subway each morning, you don't take a hotel that's outside of the city with the subway stop. You need to make some radical decisions, and fast.

You could possibly do Rome/Naples/Pompeii/Positano. But you have very little time to learn about how difficult access and return from the Amalfi Coast is. In order to make good use of your time (which is exceedingly limited ... ) you need to spend more MONEY. I mean, for example, a private car service from Pompeii to Positano. But your choice of a hotel OUTSIDE Rome makes it clear that you don't have the money to be substituted for "time."

I don't think this would be possible even if your hotel was more centrally placed.

I would suggest 2 nights and days in Rome (some will say you need much longer, I tend to disagree but everyone is different).
Then train down to Naples (1.5 hrs) and decide where in that area you want to be. You could still fly out of Rome by taking the train back if that is needed.

Focus on 1 or 2 other locations. If Naples is important, stay there or nearby Sorrento for the balance. You could visit Capri, Pompei from there. I don't see you having much luck getting the Amalfi Coast proper in addition to that, more like either or?

Could it be done? Sure, you will just be spending loads of time in transit, and it might be exhausting. I get it though, last year we took our first trip to Italy and crammed a ton in 10 days. Just be strategic, split the hotel location if you can.

Then train down to Naples (1.5 hrs) and decide where in that area you
want to be. You could still fly out of Rome by taking the train back
if that is needed.

The caveat with this is with early flights. Getting from the Sorrentine/Amalfi area to Fiumicino for morning departures can be an expensive endeavor depending on where one is staying. That's why, personally, I'd put Rome at the end?

I'll also disagree with needing private transport anywhere at all as long as you stay in closer locations which offer easy public transit access to the places you want to go. Say, from Sorrento, you can get to Capri and (usually) Positano by ferry, and the latter by SITA bus as well. Pompeii is just 30 minutes direct by train, and Naples is an hour: train tickets to both are cheap. Salerno is tougher nut to crack: no ferries or train from Sorrento, and it would be a long ride on a SITA bus.

One option would just be to stay in Naples? You'd have train service to Sorrento, Pompeii AND Salerno from there. Salerno and Pompeii are both about 30 minutes via rail, and Sorrento is an hour. From Sorrento you could take your boat/bus to Capri and Positano, and you can also take a boat to Capri from Naples, which is what I'd probably do. Here's a good resource for ferry schedules:

https://www.capribooking.com/en/ferry-schedule?path_id=11

You could mix this up a bit but a sample schedule might be:
4/15: train to Naples; settle in and take a walk
4/16: train to Pompeii in the morning, come back and do the Naples archeological museum in the afternoon (closed Tuesdays)
4/17: jetboat to Capri from Naples and back
4/18 Train to Salerno and back
4/19: Train to Sorrento and SITA bus or ferry to Positano and back
4/20 - 4/22: Rome
4/23: fly home

You are totally overwhelmed, because you have set yourself a totally overwhelming itinerary. First, trying to see all of these places in 6.5 days is, pardon the expression, crazy. Second, seeing them all from Rome itself would be exhausting, with long travel each way. And third, as pointed out above, seeing them from a location outside Rome is even harder.

Naples to Rome is doable as a daytrip - with prebooked fast trains (prebooked so they're not too expensive). And while I wouldn't enjoy it, people do see Pompeii as a daytrip from Rome. Salerno, Positano, and Capri are simply too far for a enjoyable daytrip. And were you actually planning on seeing Rome? You won't have time if you want to see the other places on your list. As said above, there's nothing wrong with skipping Rome and focusing on Campagna - but that's what you'll have to do if you only have 6.5 days and want to see every non-Rome place on your list.

So, start over. Are you locked into your accommodation? If so, focus on Rome, and maybe one daytrip to Naples or Pompeii. If not, get a place to stay in Sorrento, which is accessible to your other desired destinations, and skip Rome on this trip (except maybe one night before your flight; for this, a hotel in Lido di Ostia works well, per a recent post).

This is a very ambitious trip. I have been to all the places you mentioned several times. My advice, like some other people is to NOT stay in Ostia. If you can break the Ostia reservation, do so, or simply move it to your last two nights if this is all your budget allows for in Rome. Go directly to Naples from Rome train station. See Rome for two full days at end of your trip when you will be more on the time zone and have to be there to fly home anyway. Take the fastest train 1.5 hrs from Rome to Naples (and back) do not take a regional train it takes 3+ hrs. Buy tickets there! As someone mentioned Sorrento would be a good base too, and if you are not in staying in Naples, it does add to your travel though. Rome to Naples is one fast shot! Then daytrip from an inexpensive hotel. You may want to make Naples your base for cost and location reasons. The archeological museum is where all the artifacts from Pompeii and Herculaneum are housed. The Hotel Clarean in Naples is steps from the main train station, and well reviewed. 4 nights is around $300...there are other choices and areas...I like this area for proximity to port for ferries and train station access. You can check booking.com. From Naples you can do day trip to archeological sites ( I like Herculaneum, easier to see and well preserved) and day trips to Sorrento or Capri or even Positano....but I would not do it in the short time you have. Capri, in my opinion is must nicer than the Amalfi Coast, but I love islands! :) The ease of getting there from Naples makes for a very enjoyable day.
The train station area of Naples is perfectly safe, as anywhere, do not keep valuables in your bag or pockets, inside pockets and travel pouch under clothing is essential. There are tons of police in this area, so don't let it put you off. This is a great lively city and a good base. Have fun!

If you have no done so, I suggest you use google maps to plot all you destinations from your proposed base of operations as see what you are contemplating. I think it will compel you to make some decisions on what you really want to see.

Its not a bad thing to miss some things on a trip and have a reason to go back!

Otherwise it seems like you will be seeing Italy from a train window ( except for Capri, of course!)

Take time to enjoy your trip, not just "check off" destinations

No, I don't think it's possible (or even desirable). It's not as if you're going to get there and be instantaneously in "go, go, go" mode at 100% energy level. Jet lag will sap your energy for at least a day if not more (I felt totally out of it when I arrived in Rome but I pushed through, although it was really forced), so this kind of itinerary seems unreasonable. In 6.5 days, I would not try to see more than 2 places if you're thinking large cities like Rome and Naples. Rome itself is worth 3 full days, if not more. So that leaves you only with about 3.5 days, if that. If Rome is your base, pick some short side trips. I would forget about most of the sites you listed, they're way too far to make the treks worthwhile, unless you plan on having one other overnight base.

Thank you all for your replies. I will keep all your advice/suggestions in mind. My husband and I are members of a vacation club so our hotel options were limited. He chose the trip and hotel (undoubtedly not the best location). My parents were born in Provincia di Caserta (Campania) and have been to Rome/Naples/Caserta/Isernia/Montecassino once before (one trip also). My husband is Italian but has never been to Italy. I plan to see as much of this area of Italy as possible so that we can plan a longer trip next time from our favourite spots. I like to keep on the move and enjoy things as I'm walking. I strongly dislike tour groups as my experience with them has never been positive (Spain, Morocco). I wouldn't mind paying for a private driver from Naples to Sorrento, Amalfi Coast, if the price was right. I speak Italian so I'm not intimidated by the language. One meal a day is my norm so I don't plan on stopping much for meals and don't need much rest. We have a limited budget (Canadian to Euro conversion at time of post is approx. 1.42 CAD = 1 Euro).

Rose, language is not going to be an issue. We speak NO Italian - other than self-taught manner phrases/words - and have done all of our Italian sightseeing on our own, including the Sorrentine/Amalfi area and Pompeii.

I wouldn't mind paying for a private driver from Naples to Sorrento,
Amalfi Coast, if the price was right. We have a limited budget...

This is what concerns me as you're going to need multiple day trips to cover the southern locations on your list, and that's going to be expensive from Ostia whether by private driver or public transport. It's your trip and budget but, IMHO, private drivers and tight budgets aren't exactly compatible so best to know what you're getting into?

This might give you some sort of idea? This is JUST to Pompeii without return trip:

https://kiwitaxi.com/Italy/Lido+di+Ostia-%3EPompei

This is JUST to Pompeii and hotel in Sorrento or Amalfi Coast from Rome without return:

http://www.romecabs.com/tours/rome-to-sorrentoamalfi-coast-with-stop-in-pompeii/

There might be slightly cheaper out there but it's still going to be pricey. Rates drop if it's van service with more versus less people. For instance:

https://www.viator.com/tours/Rome/Private-Tour-Pompeii-Day-Trip-from-Rome/d511-6721POMPEIIPRV?itemId=

That $85.00 pp fee (from Rome, not Ostia) is without Pompeii entry tickets (11 euro PP) and with 8 adults in the van. For just the two of you, it's $585.70. Public transport will cost you considerably less but again, it won't be inexpensive and it'll be very time-consuming.

Editing to add: we don't like to drive in Italy but other posters do so car rental might be an option for you. Others will have to weigh in there and explain all the caveats (e.g. avoiding ZTLs, parking challenges, insurance, etc.)