4 first time travelers to Italy (April 22 - May 6). Working on our itinerary and we have 3 days in Rome somewhat planned. Working on 2nd leg to Naples, Mt Vesuvius, Pompeii, Capri and Paestum for 3 days Need advice/recommendations please: 1) for where to stay? Hoping for a central location where we can possibly do day trips to the different sites. Would Sorrento be a good base? Do trains run to Sorrento often where we could get to Naples and Pompeii easy enough. Trains to Paesteum? Is the Blue Grotto worth the trip? Thanks in advance.
Michelle
Posted by
Colorado Mountains, USA
7360 posts
Sorrento is very central to all of those sites including Paestum and the Circumvesuviana train serves Sorrento with frequent trains. We stayed at a place in St. Agnello which is about a 10 min. walk from Sorrento. The B and B is called Mami Camilla and is well-priced but very comforable and the location is great. You are covering a lot of ground in 3 days.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
32752 posts
You will be really pushing it to do all that in 3 days. Would Sorrento be a good base? Yes Do trains run to Sorrento often where we could get to Naples and Pompeii easy enough. Yes, twice an hour. Trains to Paesteum? Not without ging back to Naples first or taking the Amalfi Coast bus to Salerno. Is the Blue Grotto worth the trip?
Some people find it so. Some don't. I don't, especially with everything else you have to cram in with so little time there.
Posted by
Bromley, Kent,, UK
1829 posts
If your Sorrento leg includes a Tuesday you could take this organised/guided tour to Salerno and Paestum. http://www.goldentours.it/en/salerno_e_paestum.php The cost when we took it in 2010 was about 40 euro pp. It was not rushed and the guide good and informative. We took a picnic to eat at the lunch stop.
Posted by
Bellevue, WA
257 posts
Sorrento would be a good base. I suggest to stay close to the train station. The bus stop for Amalfi coast is out side the train station and the ferry port to the Capri Island about 15 to 20 minutes walk. Town center is about 5 to 10 minutes walk. Check out the RS guide book for the hotels.
Have a good trip.
Posted by
OP
Victoria, TX, USA
11 posts
Thank you all for your replies. Very helpful! I love this website! Michelle
Posted by
Sunnyside, New York, United States
439 posts
We stayed in Naples for two nights, then went on to Sorrento. If I had it to do over again, I would have skipped Naples & went directly to Sorrento. Did not like Naples at all. We did take the train from Naples to Pompeii the 1st day, easy enough. We took the same train to Sorrento. We took the Amalfi bus tour from Sorrento, loved doing that. Capri was a little difficult to fit in.