Jim

I have one day in Naples on a cruise ship in mid-September. My tour choices are a Naples tour. Pompeii and Sorrento. Capri and Annacapri. Whatwould be the best tour? Any alternate suggestions?

going too

Jim --go to Fodors cruise forum and ask there-- It depend on what you like and what the tour includes-I hate drive bys--I personally want to go to Pompeii and the Archeological museum in Naples. Of course if you like shopping you will go elsewhere.I would go to Sorrento next if I had time--A friend of mine loved Capri. Be aware of what some of those tours include.

Linda

Jim, as going too said, it depends on what you like to do. Each tour has things to enjoy on its own merits. (Of course, I don't know what is included in the tours, so this advice must be tempered by the offerings themselves.) Naples is a fantastic, vibrant city. It is a wonderful place to just wander and watch the Neapolitan life surging around you. There are also wonderful (mostly hidden) art treasures, and it's a great place for pizza and gelato. Pompeii and Sorrento gives you a fantastic opportunity to see wonderful history and a good shopping opportunity. (Sorrentine inlaid wood is a great buy--much more expensive elsewhere--and a great gift--even if to youself.) Capri and Anacapri would give you beautiful scenery, another shopping opportunity, and (assuming here) if the weather/waves cooperate, a chance to visit the Blue Grotto. Personally, I'd skip the Capri tour--to see Capri IMHO you need to spend the night. A day tour simply does not give you the flavor of the place. My favorite city is Naples, and I can't get enough of it, so I'd pick that one. But you have to judge based on your own desires. Or, you could do as going too suggested. Go on your own to Pompeii, then return to Naples to see the Museo Archeologico. That would probably leave enough time for a short walk through Naples around the port area. Plus you could "do" Naples for pizza and gelato. Whatever you choose, have a great time.

Larisa

I was on a cruise with a stop at Naples (Napoli). <BR>I never take tours that ship offers, not because they are overpriced, but because these tours have a very limited programs. Add loading and unloading time to and from the bus, stops for shopping in the most touristy and expenisive places. Add some people lateness. <BR>On our own we usually cover 3 times as what they offer. <BR>We chose Capri. The ferry stop is next to cruise ships. We love Capri and enjoyed it the for second time. It's a gem.

John

I too would skip the ship's tour. <BR> <BR>From your choices: <BR> <BR>1. I agree with Linda, Capri is not much without the Blue Grotto, a private boat, and a night spent there. (Why spend a couple of hours on a boat, when you got to Naples via ship?) <BR> <BR>2. Sorrento does have great inlaid music boxes/art work. Beyond that, Sorrento is a shopping trip. If I were to do Sorrento, I would rent a day car from Eurocar, drive to Sorrento, do a little shopping and continue down the Amalfi Coast, perhaps stopping at Positano and Ravello. <BR> <BR>3. Pompeii is very large. A more concise (but just as rich) ruin is Herculaneum. Combine this with the Archeological Musuem (where they keep many of the artifacts of both Pompeii and Herculaneum) in the heart of Naples and you really have something. Do Herculaneum first and end up in downtown with good options for 'the old city' if you get through really fast. <BR> <BR>In any event, contrary to most folks in the world, my favorite area of Italy is the Naples area. Hope you enjoy it.

Linda

John, have I welcomed you to the "I Love Naples" club? We're a small, elite group, but growing! <BR> <BR>Jim, I didn't think of Herculaneum while I was giving you my suggestions, as I was limiting myself to your choices. John's suggestion was a really good one. Though Pompeii is the more famous, and larger, site, Ercolano (to give it the Italian name) is wonderful also. Because it was buried in ash, not lave, some people consider it the better of the two ruins. And, it is smaller, so it will take less time, besides the fact it is a few minutes closer to Naples on the Circumvesuviana line. Erocolano and the museum would be a great, easy day, leaving you plenty of time to enjoy the wonders of Naples, something I highly encourage. If you are at all interested in Roman history or ruins, I'd make this my choice. For instructions on getting to these sites, just do a search on this web. Or feel free to e-mail me directly.

GAC

I wholeheartedly concur with Linda and John's comments. Count me in the "I Love Naples" club as well. Besides Pompei and Ercolano, archaeology enthusiasts will also wish to visit the Phlegrean Fields (Campi Flegrei) west of the city of Naples, and specifically the Roman amphitheatre of Pozzuoli (Sophia Loren's home town), the ruins and museum at Baia, the Sibyl's cave at Cuma and adjacent acropolis (read Aeneid VI), and both the Piscina Mirabile and the Cento Camerelle at Bacoli.

John

I too was on a cruise in June that stopped in Naples. Some things to think about: <BR> - don't try to do too much. Some people at our table did Capri, Sorrento and Pompeii. They couldn't remember everthing they saw when we asked at dinner! <BR> - don't pay for the overpriced ship excursions. You can do everything they do for a fraction of the cost. <BR> - we went to Capri. By the time we got to Naples, we had been to three very busy ports and were ready for some scenery, shopping and a leisurely lunch. Capri fit the bill. <BR>

Mel

My vote is Pompeii and Sorrento. I stayed in Sorrento last summer and it was very beautiful. The reason for the trip to Sorrento was to visit Capri but I found that Sorrento was much prettier and less congested than Capri. I found Naples very scary and I never plan on going there again.