Day Trip to Sorrento - Help!

Old Aug 30th, 2015, 02:17 PM
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Day Trip to Sorrento - Help!

Hi Fellow Travelers,
We are staying 5 days in Rome, and then are planning to leave early AM on a Thursday and head south to Sorrento. Spend the whole day and overnight in Sorrento, and then head back and spend the next day (Friday) in Pompeii, before heading back to Rome. Given we'll have 24 hours in Sorrento (10:30am Thursday - 10:30am Friday), how can I make the best of this day/night trip to Sorrento?

Thanks in advance for your help!
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Old Aug 30th, 2015, 02:29 PM
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Sorrento is usually used as a base to see sights in the area (Pompeii, Herculaneum, Naples, Capri, Amalfi coast) rather than as a destination in itslef. The trip from Rome to Sorrento includes checking out of your hotel, getting to the train, about 1.5 hours getting to Naples, another hour or so getting to Sorrento (plus waiting for the local train), getting to your hotel, having a late lunch. Your next day requires seeing pompeii (hours) and then reversing the trip back to Rome.

Yopu will spend two days traveling for a few hours touring. You should rethink.
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Old Aug 30th, 2015, 02:33 PM
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Thanks for the tips AJ. I forgot to mention that we are staying at a friends house in Rome, not a Hotel. Planning to Airbnb in Sorrento.

Do you think Capri or somewhere else on the Amalfi is a better one day trip? We are going to Pompeii regardless and thought we'd go to a place nearby the day before so it'll be easy to get to Pompeii.
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Old Aug 30th, 2015, 02:39 PM
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If my calculations are correct, we'd take the high speed train from Rome to Naples at 7:35am, get in to Naples and switch (same station) to the Circumvesuviana to Sorrento and arrive by 10:30am. So with only backpacks we can do a lot that day and have a nice dinner & evening. There, we'd be only 30 min from Pompeii, so can head there later in the morning after a nice breakfast and early AM beach in Sorrento. Thoughts?
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Old Aug 30th, 2015, 02:53 PM
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If the role of Sorrento was an overnight location, Napoli would be a more time efficient overnight location as well as giving you options to travel to more places for Pompeii. However, Napoli is not for everyone. If you want a sanitized orderly city to stay in, Napoli is not for you.

Also, a rental often complicates a short stay. While you might gain in monetary transaction, but if this is accompanied by tight check-in window, you might get less expense but at less experience as well. Having to synch check-in/out time for a weeklong stay is a small percentage time hit worth taking.

You can travel to Napoli Centrale, use deposito bagagli at the station, travel to Pompeii, visit Herculaneum on the way back if you wish. Retrieve luggage and stay in Napoli. Next day, check-out, leave luggage at hotel or at Napoli Centrale, visit Napoli Archaeology Museum to see the artifacts from Pompeii or Capri, take late afternoon or evening train back to Rome.

Amalfi, along with Capri, are both time consuming. If you want to hit Amalfi, Sorrento (hotel) is a better choice. But in this case, you would visit Pompeii on the way to Sorrento, use luggage storage at the Pompeii itself, then proceed to Sorrento with your luggage. You will need most of the day to do the Amalfi coast.
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Old Aug 30th, 2015, 03:04 PM
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What are your travel dates?
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Old Aug 30th, 2015, 03:05 PM
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I think your plan is excellent. Although lots of people spend a week or more in Sorrento and do day trips, the town itself is lovely and there's plenty to see for a day. There's the park (Villa Comunale) overlooking the harbor with gorgeous views of the bay of Naples. Right next to it is a church with a beautiful cloister (Convento di San Francesco). The little fishing community (Marina Grande), a short walk downhill from the main part of town, is my favorite part of Sorrento. There are plenty of back alleys to explore. There's shopping. Lots of choice of places to eat.

With just one day you really don't have time to get to Amalfi, Positano or Capri. As wonderful as they are, if you only have two days total and want to see Pompei then your plan is the best option.

Here's my photos of the area http://www.pbase.com/annforcier/ital...aples__pompeii
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Old Aug 30th, 2015, 03:11 PM
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Sandra, travel dates for these two days would be Sept 10-11 (Thurs-Fri)

Thanks for the pics isabel, looks great!
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Old Aug 30th, 2015, 03:44 PM
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@greg - We are keeping our luggage in Rome at our friends place, just have backpacks with us
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Old Aug 30th, 2015, 06:22 PM
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I would definitely stay in Naples and see the archeo museum and enjoy the city rather than trekking to Sorrento and then back again. (We have stayed in Sorrento twice - using it as a base to see Pompeii, Capri and the towns down the coast - but we had 4 or 5 nights - and a car). For what you are doing it makes no sense to head to Sorrento (the beach there is nothing so unless you have a hotel with a great pool - and that's big $) and you can't do Capri since the ferries to and from are definitely time limited.

If it were me and I really wanted to see Pompeii I would just do a long day trip from Rome instead an have an extra day in Rome.

Also you want to do Pompeii as early in the day as possible since it is VERY hot, there is no shade and if you wait until later in the day it may be really uncomfortable.
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Old Aug 30th, 2015, 09:22 PM
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I absolutely hate busses on curvy roads and only take ferries when we are on the AC. So, I can't believe I am even throwing out this possibility, but if times work, you could take a bus from Sorrento down the coast to Positano and back to Sorrento the afternoon you arrive. It would give you some spectacular views of the AC.

If ferries are running with times that work, I would make it a firm suggestion.
Check times of both and see if you could take the ferry (or bus) one way and the bus (or ferry) the other way.

It would be a long, but wonderful day.

If a driver is affordable for you, you could have one pick you up in Sorrento for a trip down a bit of the AC.

I do know this is very, very rushed, but might be worth it for some people.
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Old Aug 31st, 2015, 02:12 AM
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If you just have backpacks with you and you are willing to leave Rome so early in the morning, then what I would suggest is that you leave Rome on the train for Pompei and go their first. You might feel more comfortable touring the excavations if you stow your backpacks at the ticket office, which has a place to do that.

If you don't expect to spend more than 6 hours or so at Pompei, you could leave Pompei and head to the ferry docks of Naples and catch one of the late boats to Capri. You could spend the night on Capri -- which many people find a lot more fun than a day trip -- and then get up the next morning and see some more of Capri, but leave on a ferry for Positano or the town of Amalfi mid-day. From there you can take a bus along the most spectacular part of the Amalfi drive to Sorrento, or you can take another ferry to Sorrento if you prefer. You woudn't have time tour Sorrento, just to hop on the commuter train to Naples, but most people do not find Sorrento a destination in itself compared with Capri or the Amalfi drive.

If you want to spend maximum time in Pompei, then after touring Pompei, instead of going to Capri, take a 30 minute train ride down to Salerno, and spend the night there. It's a much more interesting town than Sorrento, with much better food, but the real reason to do this is so you can get up the next morning and either take a ferry to Capri or to Amalfi/Positano, or take a bus or taxi (pricey!) up the Amalfi drive to Sorrento. (If you wanted to stick to land travel, you could cut the cost by taking the bus first to Amalfi, and perhaps on to Positano as well, and then taking a taxi from there to Sorrento.

From Sorrento, you'd need to allow an hour to get back to the Naples train station. From Capri, I forget how long the ferry to Naples takes, but you can get a taxi at the docks to the Naples train station, and it's only about a 15 -20 minute ride.

If you prefer, you could go to Pompei first, spend the night in Sorrento, and then wake up the next morning and head either to Capri or the Amalfi coast. If you take a bus from Sorrento to Positano or Amalfi, you can take a ferry back to Sorrento. The scenit bus trip is less than 2 hours, and so if the ferry back. Or you can do it vice-versa. Millions of tourists visit Capri for one day only -- that is typical. As for the Amalfi drive, while the towns have their charms and shopping attractions, the 5* attraction is the drive itself, along the cliffs, which is most breathtaking between Sorrento and the town of Amalfi.

So I don't think it is anymore "rushed that what most people do. If you told people you were going to Sorrento for 3 nights and planned to visit Pompei one day, the Amalfi coast another, and a Capri the third, they would not see anything rushed about that.
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Old Aug 31st, 2015, 05:33 AM
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If you want to see the coast and Pompeii, you could take the train to Salerno from Rome (book one that doesn't require changing in Naples). From there you can catch a bus to Amalfi (gives you coastal views on the way), spend a bit of time in Amalfi and catch a ferry to Sorrento (you could also take a bus and hop off for a bit in Positano).

If you reversed it and visited Pompeii on your way to Sorrento, you could still ferry or bus along the coast on your departure day back to Rome and leave from Salerno.

It really depends on what you are wanting to see.
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Old Aug 31st, 2015, 09:43 AM
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Ferry times to/from Sorrento and Positano/Amalfi are VERY limited - only 2 per day at this point.

www.capri.net for schedules.
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Old Aug 31st, 2015, 09:57 AM
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I'm sorry but I somewhat disagree with those advocating skipping Sorrento in favor of Naples or even Capri, with so little time and all the potential for trying to fit too much in and being at the mercy of ferries and weather. Pompeii plus Sorrento exactly fits the time you have, and you can rely on the train (Circumvesuviana) to get you there and back.

The thing about Sorrento is walking around the pretty (yes, rather touristy) town - sauntering, rather - poking into shops, several great cafes/restaurants or finding your way along the shore line for the views or going down into the little Marina Grande for harborside supper. It's a matter of an easy pace and easy access to/from the RR station (next to a lemon grove). Have drinks at the Bellevue Syrene - astonishing view, pleasant portico.

For me, the other options would be a little overwhelming and frustrating for the time you have. Your original plan would give you a taste of that coast, a view of Vesuvius, a little history, and just enough limoncello.
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Old Aug 31st, 2015, 12:04 PM
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If one is at the "mercy" of weather for Sept 10-11 to the extent it rules out going to Capri or the Amalfi, it also cancels out any point in going to Sorrento. Go to Naples instead.

I can't see the argument for going to a limited town just because you have limited time. Most people take a day trip to Capri or spend one night there. Obviously many people wish they could spend much much longer there -- except those many of us who thought 6 hours was quite enough, thanks, and we won't be going back.

It is actually simpler to get to Salerno than it is to get to Sorrento. There is always the possibility that some people find traveling any other way than their comfort zone frustrating or confusing or overwhelming, and they can't discipline themselves not to overdo in a place with multiple attractions. But objectively speaking, none of the alternatives that people are offering you here are complicated, rushed or inherently frustrating. Many people would find it frustrating to go to Sorrento and feel stuck there, knowing there were more spectacular vistas just around the corner. Many people go to Sorrento and are confused as to why the place is popular.

On your way back to Rome from the Amalfi or Capri, you can stop in Sorrento long enough to buy a bottle of limoncello and look at Vesuvius (which you will see from Pompei anyway).

It's good you are getting all these varied responses, and you should be honest with yourself about your own travel personality. Cfc may be your soulmate. But what the rest of us are suggesting isn't a problem if you are okay with getting up early, do the reasearch to understand the transport conniptions, and realize that no matter where you go, you are going to miss many things during any day trip.
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Old Sep 1st, 2015, 03:43 AM
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You have heard from the usual suspects, myself included. Someone always says go to Salerno, someone says Naples, others give pros and cons of Sorrento. Your situation is little time and need to coordinate travel and sights. So here's my take, for better or worse:

Skip Sorrento. Fast train, early in day, Rome to Naples. See the Archeological Museum, a marvelous collection of the art rescued from Pompeii and Herculaneum. Then have a nice lunch. Check into your hotel.

In the afternoon, take the Circumvesuviana to Herculaneum. Return to Naples. Have a marvelous dinner in a city known for its food. The next day, early in the morning, got to Pompeii (Circumvesuviana again), check your backpack, tour, perhaps with a guide selected at the time. Lunch is available in the Pompeii facility or at a few stands just outside the entrance. (I don't know if exit and re-entrance to Pompeii is allowed.) When you are done, Circumvesuviana to Naples, see some more of the city, have another nice dinner, then a late train to Rome.

This maximizes seeing, minimizes travel overhead, and gets you to see the best of the ancient world while eating well. I should also recommend getting the 3 day Artecard tutte la regione at the Naples train station information shop, which will cover your first two site entry fees plus half off further entries, plus the Naples subway and the Circumvesuviana train.

http://www.campaniartecard.it/artecard_Regione.cfm

Have a wonderful 2 days, whatever you decide.
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Old Sep 1st, 2015, 04:38 AM
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Good grief. I had a different suggestion, but one can always count on some Fodorites not only to respond to a differing opinion with a defense of their previous posts but to imply there's something quite wrong with the dissenting poster. Apparently having enjoyed Sorrento disqualifies me from any comments on possible itineraries in the area. Sorry, jshores1, pay no attention to my comment. I was horribly wrong.
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Old Sep 1st, 2015, 10:03 AM
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OK, let's include Sorrento, which I, too, liked, by the way.

Rome to Naples, early, fast train. Get Artecard, if wanted. Take Circumvesuviana to Pompeii, check backpack, tour. Take Circumvesuviana to Sorrento, hotel check in, see Sorrento (it's small, you can do it). Have a nice late dinner. Sip lemoncello and sleep.

Next day: Hotel check out, Circumvesuviana to Herculaneum, tour. Circumvesuviana to Naples. Pizza lunch, where neopolitan pizza was invented. Subway to Archeological Museum, spend a few hours. See something else in Naples. Nice dinner. Late train to Rome.

This order may be better than my previous suggestion, since seeing Pompeii first shows the city, ruins, rocks, the "bones." Herculaneum is smaller, better preserved, see a much better idea of what a Roman town was like, it is the "flesh" on the bones. Last, see the museum, with the art, the mosaics, the frescoes, the statuary. It is the "soul." You get the full ancient history experience, plus Sorrento and a bit of Naples.

Back in Rome, see the Palazzo Massimo alle Terme, where there are reconstructed rooms holding ancient frescoes as they were in Roman homes. Also there are the magnificent frescoed walls from Livia's Villa in a reconstruction of the garden room.

Now, is everyone happy?
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Old Sep 1st, 2015, 02:48 PM
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AJPeabody, great post. My only regret about being in Sorrento for only a few days (did see Pompeii and Capri) was that we didn't have enough time to see Herculaneum after Pompeii. I've since read a fair amount about it, and about the differences between the way Vesuvius's eruption affected each city, and would jump at the chance to see it now. Am buying lottery tickets, so stand by.
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