Trip delay, help with Pompeii itinerary needed

Can you cancel your AC hotel, and rebook for Sat night in Naples ??

Saturday
11:40 - Arrive airport & transfer to Naples hotel
A'noon - Visit Pompeii
Evening - Napoli pizza

Sunday
Morning - Train to Rome

Sorry I don't have a plan for you, just loads of sympathy. It seems like you still plan to see Pompeii on your arrival day, that may not work out, either. Since your hotel is in Ercolano, it seems that that is your backup plan.

It's tough to disappoint kids, but it's also a valuable lesson in how to cope with things not going as planned.

You can get real Napoli pizza anyplace there is a real Napolitano making it. I love Napoli but pizza is not enough of a reason to try to squeeze it into your plans, with all the other adjustments you are making. The Archeological Museum would be more important, for seeing the artifacts from Pompeii and other places.

Sounds like you can get to Pompeii although it will be pricey. And yes, there is luggage storage at the main entrance.

David and I were typing at the same time. His idea looks good.

As I understand it, you are staying in Ercolano. As it is between Naples and Pompeii, I would check in at hotel and then go on to Pompeii. It looks like it is open until 730PM so you should have enough time to see all the major items.

I do not see how you could see both Herculaneum and Pompeii on your arrival day

A taxi to your hotel and then using the Circumvesuviana to get to/from Pompeii may be the best balance of speed and budget.

I would suggest finding a place in Ercolano for dinner rather than going into Naples for dinner as I suspect you will be pretty tuckered out by dinner time and any more traveling may be that infamous straw that did in the camel

Best wishes for 'good' luck going forward

Didn't the straw just break the camel's back ?
I guess it died later from the injury.

The trip itinerary had us only 2 nights in Ercolano, and now it's 1.
Our hotel is in Ercolano.

OK, so if I have this right you do NOT have a hotel booked on the Amalfi Coast: your hotel for Sat. night is in Ercolano? If so, you are only 20 minutes by (very cheap!!!!!) Circumvesuviana train from Pompeii, and the scavi is open until 7:30 PM with last entry at 6:00. If your plane comes in as scheduled, you shouldn't have any trouble doing this.

Here's a simplified Circumvesuviana Schedule:
http://www.sorrentoinsider.com/en/naples-to-sorrento-train-schedule

That page also has a tab for the schedule going the opposite direction. The station you'll be getting off at for the ruins (scavi) is Pompei S. Villa Misteri. Buy round-trip train tickets in Ercolano and remember to validate them before boarding the trains.

And more expansive schedules:
http://www.eavsrl.it/web/sites/default/files/eavferro/Napoli%20-%20Sorrento_1.pdf
http://www.eavsrl.it/web/sites/default/files/eavferro/Sorrento%20-%20Napoli_0.pdf

You might consider springing for a cab from the airport to Ercolano, dropping your bags, and then taking the train from there? You could also take this same train into Naples for dinner after your visit but, frankly. I think you'll be pooped: Pompeii is a lot to take on for arrival day.

Editing to add? You may already have been planning to take a cab from airport to Ercolano? If not, were you planning on taking the train? Oh, and do make a stop at an ATM (at the airport, maybe?) for some euros if you don't already have them. The scavi didn't take credit cards when we were there, although that may have changed. Just to be safe...

Yes, I missed the accomm being at Ercolano.
Both Pompeii and Herculaneum close at 7.30pm.
Depending on your flight, you may be forced to choose.

No, I don't think it's realistic to do both Pompeii and Herculaneum in 1/2 day, and especially not on a jet-lagged arrival day. Choose the one which is higher on the must-do list.

Pompeii is vast: first-timers always underestimate the expanse of ground it covers. You will not be able to do it ALL but you'll get a very good look at a good chunk of it. Heck, we spent 5 hours there and weren't able to get to every corner of it.

Not being able to have pizza in Naples isn't a deal breaker. I've been to Italy 3 times, have yet to have it, and haven't felt like I've missed a thing. So you'll miss the Amalfi? You wouldn't have had the time it deserves anyway, on the tour you were going to take. Go back when you can spend at least 3 days staying ON the Amalfi. You will have the Cinque Terre on this trip so you'll get a dose of (impossibly blue) sea there. :O)

Thank you all!
To clarify, we have a room in Ercolano, and we can't change it. We did not have an AC hotel. If I am reading these correctly, it seems that we can do Pompeii if our plane arrives as planned. So the choices are probably between:
1) taxi to Pompeii, stow bags, spend as long as we like, train to Ercolano, dinner, hotel etc
2) taxi to hotel, drop bags, train/taxi to Pompeii, etc.
Dinner in Ercolano

So should we try to get to Pompeii as early as possible just to ensure that we see as much as we can? Is there a place to get lunch between the Naples airport and Pompeii if we do option 1?

My kids are troopers but if we don't make it to Pompeii I will feel really terrible. This travel snafu has been pretty disappointing already.

Thank you sincerely for all for your help. And perspective on missing AC. We will now have a reason to go back another time.

Personally, I wouldn't get off an international flight and head directly to Pompeii. I'd drop the bags at the hotel first even if it's too early to check in, although there is a chance they'll have a room ready. Most of them will provide bag storage and a washroom for a quick splash of the face and general spruce-up before heading to the scavi. Maybe grab a quick coffee.

There are cafes near the Porta Marina entrance, and a cafe inside the site as well.

Again, this is going to be a LOT to take in on Day 1 so how long you spend will be entirely up to how tired you are, how hot and crowded it is, and and how long you can hold up.

There are one or two casual restaurants right by the train station at Pompeii --salads, pizza, sandwiches, which would probably meet your needs. Nothing special, but convenient.
Many people recommend hiring a guide once you're there to give some perspective. They seemed reasonable. We had prearranged a tour, so I don't have experience of that. You can search previous posts here if you are interested.

You are covering a lot of ground (CT doesn't pair well with southern Italy), but the Pompeii part of the trip is the easiest. I wouldn't have stayed in Ercolano, but as noted, it's very convenient to Pompeii, and even "on the way". It's unclear how big your baggage is, but budget travelers take the slightly squalid Circumvesuviana (CV) to Herc, Pomp, or Sorrento all the time. (We did. But we paid for a car service going back, because the commuter train was so crowded and hot.)

Your description of the car service is confusing. It sounds like you got an all-day quote, including a hotel stop and then Pompeii and back in the same car. The price is fair for that. But why not just book a one-way car to the hotel, and take the CV to Pompeii? If you have the stamina, there are busses from the airport that go direct to Pompeii, I think. They have a good bag check at the ancient site. But the CV tickets are so cheap that you can go to the hotel, wash up, and then continue to Pompeii if you are on time. If the airplane is badly delayed, you should take a copy (.pdf download) of the fixed-price taxi fares in Naples, and consider a last-minute taxi, one-way, to Pompeii. Their luggage storage is good, the problem will only be your fatigue.

As you said, you are mushing a lot of things together that don't have to be thought about together, making it harder for yourself. Have you looked at these destinations on Google Maps? Do you know if the CV station is "uphill" from the hotel? (Herculaneum is a steep town.) You can get an idea from Google Street View, if you don't know the topography. Have your kids "bought in" to a snatched sandwich on the way to Pompeii? I also think it's too hard to go to Naples for dinner on the day you fly from the U.S. You've lost a day, so cut your future losses.

Edit: It's really hard to see Pompeii in two hours, especially with short children's legs, on uneven Roman stones.

Edit 2: Shortly after you enter the Porta Marina entrance (the Circumvesuviana stop) of Pompeii, you'll see the internal snack bar/cafe near the Forum [square], which does NOT exist inside ancient Herculaneum. Find out what time it closes if you arrive in the afternoon, in case you need a rest, or food. You will need water to prevent dehydration in the sun, of course. That you can get outside Pompeii if you want, taking less time than waiting in line in the cafe.

Not much to add, but just to say get to hotel and get rid of bags, freshen up if you can... Then head to pompeii. We did it a few years ago and made it a few hours (my kids were 8 and 10) before they really tuckered out. It was hot!! Watch your stuff on the Circumvesuviana, especially because you are going to be completely exhausted.

Then have an easy dinner somewhere near your hotel.

Personal experience:
Christmas this past year, we got 2 flights canceled once we got to London and so were stuck there overnight. We were supposed to start in Nuremberg where we were to go to the Christmas Market, a soccer game, and I have always wanted to visit the Nazi documentation center.... well, we missed all of it. Spent the night in London, and then luckily made it out to Munich (I was just happy we made it out! Bad fog storm....). We had been to Munich before and did love it, but were hoping for somewhere new. The kids were pretty disappointed about missing Nuremberg, but we discussed as a family and decided it was better just to stay in Munich instead of trying to then get to Nuremberg for like 1/2 day... We had a rough start, but the good part of the story is after that the first couple days, the trip was amazing!! One of our best!! :) So hang in there!!

2nd - maybe too late for you, but good for others reading. We always buy travel insurance - more in case something catastrophic happens... but in this delay case, we were reimbursed $1100 for lost and new expenses. And the insurance is pretty cheap (maybe $150-200 total), since kids insure free with a parent.

I know you must be super disappointed, but it will be ok and you will go on and have a fabulous trip!!! :) Good luck!

Other option - Go to Rome later on Sunday... I see a 6:30pm train from Naples to Rome and it is only 54 euro total for 2 adults and 2 kids... If pompeii is more important, hit that first thing Sunday morning and get a new train to Rome Sunday night - store bags at hotel. (I assume your train tickets are not changeable....)

Kim

Oh and if they have that little stand at the entrance as you head back to the train station, be sure to get a frozen orange juice. It was the best thing we have ever had!!! Maybe we were also super hot, but wow, our family was fighting over it!!

I like the idea of taking a later train to Rome on Sunday. You're going to be exhausted when you get to Naples Saturday, and Pompeii can be overwhelming. It will be much more pleasant, and meaningful, after a good night's sleep.

How old are your kids? Can't you talk them into Herculaneum, since you're already there? It doesn't have the cachet of Pompeii, but it's a great place to visit.

A later train on Sunday is an option but I believe they have a tour set up for Sunday afternoon in Rome. No idea what time (?)

And there may be an issue they purchased super-economy train tickets in advance.

Sorry for the change of plans. I hope it works out. Maybe the stars are aligning for Herculaneum after all!

;)

Jet lag may be a factor in how much you cover.

Enjoy family time no matter what you do, it will be a trip to remember years from now.

When you get back, please post the name of the airline that cancelled. Was it the obscure airline that flies direct to Naples from, say New York?

Since you are going to be in Florence for 4 nights, I would suggest a day trip by train to Pisa. Your children would enjoy climbing the leaning tower and there are so many other interesting things right there to see and do. I still regret that I didn't climb the tower back in 2008 when I was there!

Tom

OP stated her flt was due to arrive NAP at 1140

The flt you allude to arrives 0600

Hopefully your hotel room will be ready and you can all have a quick freshen up. I think a little time spent here will make your afternoon (and Pompeii) more enjoyable. There is nothing worse than the 'icky' feeling after a long journey. The last thing you want is rushing straight to Pompeii, but not feeling up to it once there.

If all went well, the OP and Co. arrived in Naples a little over an hour ago. Crossing fingers....

I hope they weren't on British Airways....

OY! I didn't think of that, Kim!
Crossing fingers and toes ....

Hello everyone! Thank you for all your thoughts and advice. I do sincerely appreciate it.
Update: flight to Naples made it on time. It was Delta. Nashville to Atlanta to Paris to Naples. Whew-are you as tired as I am? :)
Well, everything went very smoothly for our 2nd attempt to get to Naples. We took a taxi ($$) to our hotel, cleaned up quick, and had the driver take us to Pompeii. We were inside the gates by 2. We couldn't find a guide for less than $120, (hoped to join another family or a small group but it was a slow day). So we used Rick's audio tour, and had a great time. Kids held up well, we did stop for a slice of pizza and granitas before we went in and that helped a lot. After about 2.5 hours, we felt like we had seen all we could handle for the day, and we were getting hungry again. We had gelato to tide us until we had a plan for dinner. We took the circumvesuviana to Ercolano and found a little place with sidewalk type seating and had some delicious pizza. It was not touristy and we were loving it. Not loving it quite as much when we realized that the taxis stopped running after we finished dinner. Our hotel was about 5K up the mountain! We got really lucky and a very nice gentleman took pity on us and offered to drive us to our hotel and refused to take any money in return. We showered and crashed. We had arranged for our taxi driver from the night before to pick us up because we had to catch the train at 7:30. The Freccia is awesome! Our hotel was a nice 10 minute walk from termini and we dropped our bags and walked to the colosseum via Trevi fountain (we had time). We had a nice lunch and did a tour of the colosseum(Rome tours with kids-so fun!), went up to the roof of the vittorio and after logging 10 miles today, we are back at the hotel to clean up for dinner. I LOVE ITALY!!! Tomorrow we hit the Vatican. Thanks again for all your help. I'm still a teeny bit sad we didn't get to Amalfi, but this trip is only on day 2 of 10 and I couldn't be happier with how it's going. Hoping to do heart of Rome walk tomorrow evening to see everything at night! Buonasera!

So good to know it worked out, finally! I think you will love Roma at night.

So happy it all worked out!!! :) Enjoy your time, we had such a fabulous trip to Italy.

Missed Amalfi? No problem!! That necessitates another trip! :)

So happy it is all back on track. ENJOY!!!
Kim

Great news! Have fun!

Ferrin, thanks for the update. We're delighted it's working out for you. And don't be sad about what you missed; just continue to enjoy the wonderful (and sometimes not so wonderful) experiences you are having.

And welcome to the "I love Italy" club; we've been members since our first visit there in 2005.

Glad to hear things went well.

Do not worry about Amalfi. From what you indicated earlier, you have 2 nights in CT so you will have a WONDERFUL, Italian beach side village experience.

Whew. SO happy to hear that you made it and can cross Pompeii off the must-do list! Amalfi? Like I said before, it's a place to spend a few DAYS versus a few HOURS to appreciate so you didn't miss anything. Really.

You are going to LOVE Rome!
And yes, those Freccia trains are awesome, aren't they?

Have a great time at the Vatican and your evening walk tomorrow. DO allow some time to collapse somewhere in between to rest your tootsies, watch the people, and have some Italian sodas (the kids) and adult beverages (you and your Significant Other). :O)

Kathy's right. I don't know anything about sodas, but "vino della casa, per favore" will get you a good glass, carafe, or liter of local wine. Always good, always a bargain. Get the kids a gelato.

Bravo!!

Enjoy it, it will go fast!

You guys are the best! I think the idea of a nice break after the VC will be needed to walk around tonight. We've been on the go a lot so that sounds nice. We had amazing gelato last night-at Romana. It's near Termini and right around the corner from our hotel. I highly recommend it! There was a line out the door at 11pm! 4 small cups for under 10 euro, and the smalls were perfect after dinner treats-2 flavors and homemade cream on top. We're already picking out our flavors for today. We met 2 fellow travelers that were there for the 3rd time in 2 days.

Gratzie!