Will be in Northern Italy at a family reunion for 2 weeks in mid-August. On the way back to the US from Rome, we have one day to visit Pompeii. The train is not a favored option for us since we are 3 seniors and expect to be pretty tired at that point in our travels. We are interested in hiring a driver/tour guide to pick us up from the Rome hotel and then on to Pompeii. Can you recommend a good service that is not overpriced? We also looked at the bus transportation to Pompeii but it seems iffy if there are not enough passengers and it only goes on certain days. We are not interested in the tour buses that take you through Naples, lunch at Pompeii and then on to the coral factory. Thanks.
Sounds like a good trip (wish I was going) but I feel as though I should warn you. Touring Pompeii takes a bit of stamina. Also, there's no places to buy refreshments inside the old city (there wasn't in June 2001 anyway) and it get kinda hot.
Sorry I don't have an answer for you (we rented a car-another story in itself) but I hope you enjoy it. It really is remarkable--much bigger than most people imagine it to be.
I've been to Pompeii twice but I must say we really enjoyed Ostia Antica, Rome's old port which is much easier to get to and by the cooling sea. See Rick's book. If you do go to Pompeii with a driver try to get to the museum in Naples with all the artifacts from Pompeii. It also has other great pieces.