Naples airport to Pompei transport suggestions?
Aug 2nd, 2008, 08:57 PM
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Naples airport to Pompei transport suggestions?
My husband and I are flying into Naples from London in October (our first trip to Italy - mid 50's) arriving in the morning, and we wanted to stop and see Pompeii on our way down to Sorrento where we are staying for 3 nights. We are trying to balance time versus cost and not having too much confusion and hassle when we first arrive. We are considering a taxi from the airport to the Naples train station and from there taking the train (Circumvesuviana) to Pompeii -leave our bags at gate (which we understand you can do) and tour for 2-3 hours. Then, continue on the train to Sorrento. Does this make sense? Other suggestions?
Aug 2nd, 2008, 09:35 PM
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Hi, Generator!
You can take the train, but I'm not sure that you will be satisfied with the result. First, I wouldn't leave my bags there at the gate. There are just too many people in and out - and I tend to trust everyone!
Second, I think you'll want more time there. It's really a half day trip and I can't imagine getting off a plane and going straight to a major site that will require quite a bit of walking. It's huge! Not only that, but the walking there can be difficult. The cobblestones are very worn and the spaces between them are trecherous! Take care to wear good walkers - no heel. Also, take a bottle of water for each of you.
If you're staying in Sorrento, Pompeii would make a great 1/2 day trip. Also, while Pompeii is certainly a stop you'd enjoy, consider hiring a car to take you south to Herculaneum.
If I had only one full day, I'd do the following:
Hire a car in Sorrento and drive to Pompeii early to beat the crowds. If you have breakfast or lunch at the restaurant across from the entrance or purchase something in the jewelry shop (it's mostly cameos) they will allow you to leave your car in their parking lot. It is attended by a couple of young men to whom you should pay a gratuity of about $3 USD and they will watch your car.
Leave Pompeii and head South, taking the winding, twisting road along the coast. You can gasp and close your eyes (a little bottle of Limoncello might help you get through this... but it's not that bad. You can only travel about 20 - 30 km per hour due to the traffic) and he can pretend he's Bond. Every man deserves to drive this road once in a lifetime!
Just past Amalfi, stop in Minori on the way down for a beachfront lunch. It's a simple place with an orange and white awning and serves sandwiches and the like.
Continue on down the coast to Herculaneum. It's better than Pompeii and more intact. (But you should still see Pompeii!) You can "feel" what it was like to live there.
On your return, stop in Amalfi for dinner. Heading North, take a right turn and drive away from the water up hill a bit. You should find street parking there. Walk back down the hill to a big white church. Immediately to the left there is a little restaurant that is slow but good. We also had dinner in one of the very crowded seafood restaurants on the waterfront. It was good and well-attended by many Italians.
Not hungry yet? Just stop for a gelato at the gelateria on the waterfront. Go to the main parking area on the waterfront and look behind you to the left across the traffic circle. Yep - the little green awning. The owner there will love to chat if you want to also!
Then, back to Sorrento. If you're looking for lunch or dinner, the family owned hotel La Tonnerella, has terrific food!
Have fun!!
You can take the train, but I'm not sure that you will be satisfied with the result. First, I wouldn't leave my bags there at the gate. There are just too many people in and out - and I tend to trust everyone!
Second, I think you'll want more time there. It's really a half day trip and I can't imagine getting off a plane and going straight to a major site that will require quite a bit of walking. It's huge! Not only that, but the walking there can be difficult. The cobblestones are very worn and the spaces between them are trecherous! Take care to wear good walkers - no heel. Also, take a bottle of water for each of you.
If you're staying in Sorrento, Pompeii would make a great 1/2 day trip. Also, while Pompeii is certainly a stop you'd enjoy, consider hiring a car to take you south to Herculaneum.
If I had only one full day, I'd do the following:
Hire a car in Sorrento and drive to Pompeii early to beat the crowds. If you have breakfast or lunch at the restaurant across from the entrance or purchase something in the jewelry shop (it's mostly cameos) they will allow you to leave your car in their parking lot. It is attended by a couple of young men to whom you should pay a gratuity of about $3 USD and they will watch your car.
Leave Pompeii and head South, taking the winding, twisting road along the coast. You can gasp and close your eyes (a little bottle of Limoncello might help you get through this... but it's not that bad. You can only travel about 20 - 30 km per hour due to the traffic) and he can pretend he's Bond. Every man deserves to drive this road once in a lifetime!
Just past Amalfi, stop in Minori on the way down for a beachfront lunch. It's a simple place with an orange and white awning and serves sandwiches and the like.
Continue on down the coast to Herculaneum. It's better than Pompeii and more intact. (But you should still see Pompeii!) You can "feel" what it was like to live there.
On your return, stop in Amalfi for dinner. Heading North, take a right turn and drive away from the water up hill a bit. You should find street parking there. Walk back down the hill to a big white church. Immediately to the left there is a little restaurant that is slow but good. We also had dinner in one of the very crowded seafood restaurants on the waterfront. It was good and well-attended by many Italians.
Not hungry yet? Just stop for a gelato at the gelateria on the waterfront. Go to the main parking area on the waterfront and look behind you to the left across the traffic circle. Yep - the little green awning. The owner there will love to chat if you want to also!
Then, back to Sorrento. If you're looking for lunch or dinner, the family owned hotel La Tonnerella, has terrific food!
Have fun!!
Aug 2nd, 2008, 10:41 PM
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Every man may deserve to drive the Amalfi Coast once, but every wife may not wish to accompany him. Just kidding. I've done parts of it a couple of times and promised myself never again. It is beautiful, probably one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. I just prefer to see it from a boat.
From the Airport, it is very easy to get to the train station. Unless you have tons of luggage, you don't need a taxi. Outside, in front of the airport, look for the Allibus (I know that isn't spelled correctly, but I don't remember how it is spelled). Anyway, there are other buses that cost less, but this goes directly to the train station - no stops in between. It continues to the city center, stops and turns around, so you can't make a mistake. I promise you, the Allibus is just as easy as catching a taxi and probably less stressfull than some of the taxi rides I've had in Naples. Have some Euros handy.
I would personally be too jet-lagged to enjoy Pompeii on the day of arrival. It is tiring and it is nice to be rested before going. I spent about six hours my first visit to Pompei, less the next times, and at least four hours at Herculaneum. I was really exhausted after Herculaneum. However, I'm always coming from the States.
If you are going only from London, rather than via London, you might be just fine and want to see Pompeii on that first day. Some people do store their luggage at Pompeii and visit it on their way to Sorrento. I haven't heard of any problems and wouldn't hesitate to leave the luggage. Someone who has done that can tell you more.
I also would not drive there from Sorrento. It is an easy, fast train trip from either Sorrento or Naples.
One tiny correction. I think Mom23 got turned around a bit, which is easy to do. If you head South from Pompei, you do go towards Sorrento, Positano and Amalfi. However, you will not come to Herculaneum that way because Herculaneum is North West of Pompeii. It is between Naples and Pompeii. It is just West of Vesuvius, which is North West of Pompeii.
There are others more expert than I who I am sure will give you the best advice, but here are some thoughts.
You could hire a car and driver to take you from the airport to Sorrento. It is kind of expensive, but you could go along the coast (not the Amalfi yet, but really beautiful) to Sorrento.
Or, you could take the Allibus on to the city center and take a ferry to Sorrento if the weather is good.
Or, you could just take the train to Sorrento, relax, take in the views, have a great dinner somewhere, and stroll through the old maze of little walking streets that is the shopping area of Sorrento.
You could wait and see how you are feeling when you get to Naples.
Other suggestions. I hope you are going to Positano. That would be number one for me. We are going in September with another couple who have never been. I am planning the trip and can't wait to take them there. We will take a ferry down as I won't drive it again.
In Sorrento, we enjoyed sitting and having a drink in the evening on the terrace of some of the hotels up on the cliffs. We also got up very early one morning and went down to the marina to see the fisherman bringing in their catches. Some of the fish were so big, it took several men using wenches to get each of them out of the boat. The food is just Ok, but we like the view and dancing at the Foreigner's club.
Main suggestion: The AC is so beautiful and romantic. Walk a lot and fall in love with each other all over again.
From the Airport, it is very easy to get to the train station. Unless you have tons of luggage, you don't need a taxi. Outside, in front of the airport, look for the Allibus (I know that isn't spelled correctly, but I don't remember how it is spelled). Anyway, there are other buses that cost less, but this goes directly to the train station - no stops in between. It continues to the city center, stops and turns around, so you can't make a mistake. I promise you, the Allibus is just as easy as catching a taxi and probably less stressfull than some of the taxi rides I've had in Naples. Have some Euros handy.
I would personally be too jet-lagged to enjoy Pompeii on the day of arrival. It is tiring and it is nice to be rested before going. I spent about six hours my first visit to Pompei, less the next times, and at least four hours at Herculaneum. I was really exhausted after Herculaneum. However, I'm always coming from the States.
If you are going only from London, rather than via London, you might be just fine and want to see Pompeii on that first day. Some people do store their luggage at Pompeii and visit it on their way to Sorrento. I haven't heard of any problems and wouldn't hesitate to leave the luggage. Someone who has done that can tell you more.
I also would not drive there from Sorrento. It is an easy, fast train trip from either Sorrento or Naples.
One tiny correction. I think Mom23 got turned around a bit, which is easy to do. If you head South from Pompei, you do go towards Sorrento, Positano and Amalfi. However, you will not come to Herculaneum that way because Herculaneum is North West of Pompeii. It is between Naples and Pompeii. It is just West of Vesuvius, which is North West of Pompeii.
There are others more expert than I who I am sure will give you the best advice, but here are some thoughts.
You could hire a car and driver to take you from the airport to Sorrento. It is kind of expensive, but you could go along the coast (not the Amalfi yet, but really beautiful) to Sorrento.
Or, you could take the Allibus on to the city center and take a ferry to Sorrento if the weather is good.
Or, you could just take the train to Sorrento, relax, take in the views, have a great dinner somewhere, and stroll through the old maze of little walking streets that is the shopping area of Sorrento.
You could wait and see how you are feeling when you get to Naples.
Other suggestions. I hope you are going to Positano. That would be number one for me. We are going in September with another couple who have never been. I am planning the trip and can't wait to take them there. We will take a ferry down as I won't drive it again.
In Sorrento, we enjoyed sitting and having a drink in the evening on the terrace of some of the hotels up on the cliffs. We also got up very early one morning and went down to the marina to see the fisherman bringing in their catches. Some of the fish were so big, it took several men using wenches to get each of them out of the boat. The food is just Ok, but we like the view and dancing at the Foreigner's club.
Main suggestion: The AC is so beautiful and romantic. Walk a lot and fall in love with each other all over again.
Aug 3rd, 2008, 01:59 AM
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Hi Gen - Pompeii is only 30 mins train ride from Sorrento - so it's hardly worth the hassle of trying to visit en route from the airport.
Much better IMO to take the Curreri Airport Shuttle bus direct to Sorrento
Journey time: 75 mins. Fare: € 10
Deps at: 09.00 - 11.30 - 13.00 - 14.30 - 16.30 - 19.30
For details see:
http://www.curreriviaggi.it/
Hope this helps ...
Steve
Much better IMO to take the Curreri Airport Shuttle bus direct to Sorrento
Journey time: 75 mins. Fare: € 10
Deps at: 09.00 - 11.30 - 13.00 - 14.30 - 16.30 - 19.30
For details see:
http://www.curreriviaggi.it/
Hope this helps ...
Steve
Aug 3rd, 2008, 06:12 PM
#6
FYI - The Curreri bus stops at Pompeii on the way to Sorrento. There is free luggage storage at the entrance of Pompeii.
www.pompeiisites.org
www.pompeiisites.org
Aug 3rd, 2008, 06:29 PM
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>>Every man deserves to drive the Amalfi Coast once.<<
What century is this? Women don't want to drive the Amalfi drive? News to me.
genearator52,
Pompeii is so worthwhile I don't think you'll want to try to do it en route to your hotel in the space of a few hours.
What century is this? Women don't want to drive the Amalfi drive? News to me.
genearator52,
Pompeii is so worthwhile I don't think you'll want to try to do it en route to your hotel in the space of a few hours.
Aug 3rd, 2008, 08:22 PM
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Sassafrass is sooooo right!
My DH reminded me that we HAD to go south through Minori and Salerno for the trip to Herculaneum because there was a major traffic delay going north/northwest from Amalfi. We took the road south/southeast to Salerno to get to the A3 and circled back up toward Naples.
My apologies!
My DH reminded me that we HAD to go south through Minori and Salerno for the trip to Herculaneum because there was a major traffic delay going north/northwest from Amalfi. We took the road south/southeast to Salerno to get to the A3 and circled back up toward Naples.
My apologies!
Aug 3rd, 2008, 08:50 PM
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Just to give generator52 of why people are recommending she and her husband not tour Pompeii for 2 or 3 hours, here is a partial aerial view of the site, which doesn't include the two ancient theaters, or any of Herculaneum:
http://tinyurl.com/63kktc
http://tinyurl.com/63kktc
Aug 4th, 2008, 12:55 PM
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Thanks everyone for your many suggestions (I'm printing all of them), and bus and other transportation info. I have figured out that we need at least 5 hours to tour Pompeii. We may need a Plan A and Plan B and decide based on how we feel when we arrive. My husband likes the idea of going to Sorrento first (thanks Steve for the bus info) but I think if we did that we would probably decide to stay and relax there (not a bad idea) and then I would miss out on Pompeii. The flight from London is 3 hours so jet lag wouldn't be an issue and we booked an early a.m. flight because that is the afernoon & evening we have free for Pompeii. We want one full day on Amalfi Coast (yes to Positano! and time for walking) and one day to Capri (more time for walking) with evening in Sorrento and a romantic drink. Obviously, we need more time in this area, but.... A driver would be the most efficient solution time wise but the most expensive. I haven't ruled out the car idea.
Aug 5th, 2008, 12:29 AM
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I hadn't realised the Curreri bus stops at Pompeii (- thanks Ky for that info) en route to Sorrento.
If your arrival time fits, that would be a good option to Pompeii.
Alternatively a taxi from the airport straight to Pompeii shouldn't cost more than € 50-60, I think.
After visiting, it's only a short stroll to Pompeii Scavi Station for the train to Sorrento (- deps. every half hour approx).
For train times see:
www.massalubrense.it/circum.htm
Hope this helps ...
Steve
If your arrival time fits, that would be a good option to Pompeii.
Alternatively a taxi from the airport straight to Pompeii shouldn't cost more than € 50-60, I think.
After visiting, it's only a short stroll to Pompeii Scavi Station for the train to Sorrento (- deps. every half hour approx).
For train times see:
www.massalubrense.it/circum.htm
Hope this helps ...
Steve
