TOURS IN ROME ? BOOK EARLY OR WAIT TILL I ARRIVE? ANY ADVISE?
Apr 1st, 2004, 04:05 PM
#1
Guest
Posts: n/a
TOURS IN ROME ? BOOK EARLY OR WAIT TILL I ARRIVE? ANY ADVISE?
Hello all-
We're first time visitors and are interested in a wonderfully leisurely, take our time kind of trip. I don't want to fill our 7 days with some type of tour booked, but at the same time, I don't know if day trips to Pompeii, Florence and Ostia are trips that tend to fill quickly. There are so many resources, and I'm not certain if booking through the hotel is the most economical way to go. Has anyone had any experience booking with one of the larger tourism offices in the city? Some of the prices I've seen for what looks like exactly the same tour to Pompeii have been upward of $150 USD. Is Ostia worth a visit for checking out ruins? Thank you all.
We're first time visitors and are interested in a wonderfully leisurely, take our time kind of trip. I don't want to fill our 7 days with some type of tour booked, but at the same time, I don't know if day trips to Pompeii, Florence and Ostia are trips that tend to fill quickly. There are so many resources, and I'm not certain if booking through the hotel is the most economical way to go. Has anyone had any experience booking with one of the larger tourism offices in the city? Some of the prices I've seen for what looks like exactly the same tour to Pompeii have been upward of $150 USD. Is Ostia worth a visit for checking out ruins? Thank you all.
Apr 2nd, 2004, 04:40 AM
#2
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 7,021
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
There are several companies which run bus tours from Rome to Pompei - Vastours, Appianline, Carrani, Greenline, American Express ...
VASTOURS (Tour 13) - € 96.00
www.romeguide.it/vastours/
CARRANI (Tour 13) - € 96.00
http://www.italyguide.com/TURISMO/ca...italiabis.html
APPIAN (Tour 14) - € 119.00
http://www.italyguide.com/TURISMO/ap...ur_italia.html
GREENLINE (Tour15) - € 93.00
(excludes Sorrento)
www.romeguide.it/greenline/greenline_eng.htm
[A common problem with these tours is that they don't allow enough time at Pompei (- usually only about 2 hours).
They all include a cameo factory visit en route, and you don't get to Pompei till after lunch.
They usually include a short 30 min. stop in Sorrento before returning to Rome.
It's all a bit rushed IMO - and not cheap at €100 pp.]
..................
Alternatively you can do it rather more cheaply by public transport.
TRAIN
- If you go by TRAIN, with an early start you can be at Pompei by 10.00 or soon after.
Take the train from Roma Termini to Napoli Centrale, then the Circumvesuviana train to POMPEI SCAVI.
For timetables see:
www.trenitalia.it (Rome-Naples trains)
www.massalubrense.it/circum.htm (Circumvesuviana)
[You could include Sorrento too - it's only 30 mins by train from Pompei].
BUS
- There are SHUTTLE BUSES from Rome in high season run by MAROZZI (approx. €35) and by ENJOY ROME (€45-55)
www.marozzivt.it/HomePage.htm
www.enjoyrome.com/shuttle_tour/pompeii.html
The MAROZZI Rome-Pompei-Sorrento shuttle service runs in summer, leaving Rome at 07.00(- deps. from outside Tiburtina station), arriving Pompei about 10.00.
The return Marozzi bus leaves Sorrento approx. 18.00 and Pompei approx. 18.45, arriving Rome about 21.00.
The ENJOY ROME Pompei shuttle returns to Rome earlier - for details see the above link
........................
Most people planning a day-trip to Florence would go by train rather than by bus, I think. (Eurostar trains reach Florence in 95 mins, whereas by bus it would take twice as long).
If you still prefer a bus tour, the same tour companies (Vastours, Appianline, Carrani and Greenline) all offer a Florence tour.
Hope this helps ...
Steve
P.S. Yes - Ostia is well worth a visit, and can be reached in 30 mins by train from Pyramide
VASTOURS (Tour 13) - € 96.00
www.romeguide.it/vastours/
CARRANI (Tour 13) - € 96.00
http://www.italyguide.com/TURISMO/ca...italiabis.html
APPIAN (Tour 14) - € 119.00
http://www.italyguide.com/TURISMO/ap...ur_italia.html
GREENLINE (Tour15) - € 93.00
(excludes Sorrento)
www.romeguide.it/greenline/greenline_eng.htm
[A common problem with these tours is that they don't allow enough time at Pompei (- usually only about 2 hours).
They all include a cameo factory visit en route, and you don't get to Pompei till after lunch.
They usually include a short 30 min. stop in Sorrento before returning to Rome.
It's all a bit rushed IMO - and not cheap at €100 pp.]
..................
Alternatively you can do it rather more cheaply by public transport.
TRAIN
- If you go by TRAIN, with an early start you can be at Pompei by 10.00 or soon after.
Take the train from Roma Termini to Napoli Centrale, then the Circumvesuviana train to POMPEI SCAVI.
For timetables see:
www.trenitalia.it (Rome-Naples trains)
www.massalubrense.it/circum.htm (Circumvesuviana)
[You could include Sorrento too - it's only 30 mins by train from Pompei].
BUS
- There are SHUTTLE BUSES from Rome in high season run by MAROZZI (approx. €35) and by ENJOY ROME (€45-55)
www.marozzivt.it/HomePage.htm
www.enjoyrome.com/shuttle_tour/pompeii.html
The MAROZZI Rome-Pompei-Sorrento shuttle service runs in summer, leaving Rome at 07.00(- deps. from outside Tiburtina station), arriving Pompei about 10.00.
The return Marozzi bus leaves Sorrento approx. 18.00 and Pompei approx. 18.45, arriving Rome about 21.00.
The ENJOY ROME Pompei shuttle returns to Rome earlier - for details see the above link
........................
Most people planning a day-trip to Florence would go by train rather than by bus, I think. (Eurostar trains reach Florence in 95 mins, whereas by bus it would take twice as long).
If you still prefer a bus tour, the same tour companies (Vastours, Appianline, Carrani and Greenline) all offer a Florence tour.
Hope this helps ...
Steve
P.S. Yes - Ostia is well worth a visit, and can be reached in 30 mins by train from Pyramide
Apr 2nd, 2004, 08:33 AM
#3
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 213
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
We were in Rome about a month ago and took a day trip to Pompeii. We'd thought about using Enjoy Rome but it wasn't operating in March. We decided to just do it on our own, taking the train to Naples and the commuter train to Pompeii. It was extremely easy and so much cheaper! We used the very precise instructions given by a Fodorite, just do a search on Pompeii. I printed them out at home and followed them exactly. We left around 9:00 AM and returned about 7:00 PM, which allowed around 4-5 hours in Pompeii. Our only regret is that we didn't have the time (or energy left) to do the Architectural Museum in Naples (where most of the statues have been moved to) or the Herculeum, which is supposed to be wonderful. Hard to do all three in one day-trip from Rome.
Apr 8th, 2004, 11:17 AM
#5
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 11,134
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Steve, that seems like a good alternate way to get to Sorrento and have Pompeii included.
I wonder if people take this bus tour and then leave the bus and stay in Sorrento, it sounds like a good idea to me, I might try it next trip.
I wonder if people take this bus tour and then leave the bus and stay in Sorrento, it sounds like a good idea to me, I might try it next trip.
Apr 9th, 2004, 02:34 AM
#7
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 7,021
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
SeaUrchin - I've never used the Marozzi Rome-Pompei-Sorrento service but their buses look modern and comfortable.
It's an inexpensive option.
Rome-Pompei one way costs approx. € 15
Rome-Sorrento approx. € 15.50.
[If you stop at Pompei you can continue to Pompei by train (35 mins).
In summer there are 2 services daily from Rome, normally at 07.00 and at 15.00.
(During the rest of the year there is just the afternoon departure)
It leaves from outside Tiburtina Station (- which is on Metro Line 'B' - a short ride from Termini).
Journey time to Pompei is 3 hours.
(To Sorrento it's nearer 4).
www.marozzivt.it/HomePage.htm
Hope this helps ...
Steve
It's an inexpensive option.
Rome-Pompei one way costs approx. € 15
Rome-Sorrento approx. € 15.50.
[If you stop at Pompei you can continue to Pompei by train (35 mins).
In summer there are 2 services daily from Rome, normally at 07.00 and at 15.00.
(During the rest of the year there is just the afternoon departure)
It leaves from outside Tiburtina Station (- which is on Metro Line 'B' - a short ride from Termini).
Journey time to Pompei is 3 hours.
(To Sorrento it's nearer 4).
www.marozzivt.it/HomePage.htm
Hope this helps ...
Steve
