Enid Forster

Does anyone have any recommendations for tours out of Rome to see Pompei, Sorrento and/or Capri? We would prefer a one day tour, since we have a lack of time in Rome. Should these tours be booked in advance?

vosaki

Last summer we did the following. <BR>We took a train from Rome to Naples, hired a tour guide with a van, took a two hour tour of Naples, had a great lunch in Naples, took a train to Pompei, toured Pompei on our own, got back to Rome at about 10 pm. We had a great time.

ron

Last month we took the Appian Bus tour from Rome to Naples/Pompei/Sorrento and can highly recommend it. Appian is the Gray Line representative in Rome and provided a very enjoyable day for approximately $50 per person (lunch and tour guides included). The tour can be booked through your hotel the day before you plan to go, or directly through Appian. <BR> <BR>We were picked up at our hotel at about 7:30AM and brought to the Appian office near the Termini, where we paid for the tour. The bus was comfortably air conditioned and the tour guide was excellant. We rode through the country side for 3 hours with a 20 minute rest stop along the way. We arrived in Naples at approximately 11AM where a local guide replaced the first guide and proceeded on a 45 minute tour of Naples and the bay. We arrived in Pompeii just before noon and were let off at a cameo factory where we wandered around for about 15 minutes and used the restrooms. The region is know for cameos and if you are interested in purchasing one the prices seemed reasonable. We than walked next door and spent an hour at lunch, which was included in the price of the tour, and it was very enjoyable. Lunch included a pasta course, a choice of veal or fish, and dessert. <BR> <BR>At about 1PM we walked to the excavations and proceeded on a 2 hour tour of the site with the guide that joined us in Naples. He was excellant. After a rest stop and buying opportunity in Pompeii we proceeded on to Sorrento. The ride gave great photo ops of the Bay of Naples and we spent about 90 minutes in Sorrento where you could explore, eat or purchased items of inlaid wood at a furniture factory. The ride back was similar to the ride going, with a rest stop along the way. We were dropped off at our hotel at about 9:30PM, a very full day but not tiring and covered a great deal of territory in one day. If you need more information, let me know.

bwhyte

We did the same tour but being on a bus from 8-9:30 at night was not ideal. The AC broke on our way back and we were miserable. The cameo factory was crummy and really just a rest stop. Lunch was ok, but we all wanted to spend more time at Pompeii itself -- reallly got about 90 minutes and would have liked a good 3 hrs. We drove through Naples on the way -- very nice, but no stopping for anything but a short pix opp. Sorrento was a complete waste -- inlaid wood factory was interesting for 10 minutes, but then we were stuck too far from the nifty walking/shopping area. The drive through Naples and down to Sorrento, plus Pompei itself were the best parts. If you have a day to kill with minimal walking and like to ride buses, go ahead!

Walter

I agree with "bwhyte" on the bus tour. A few years ago I stopped in the Rome AmEx office and saw the brochure for this trip and took it. I did a 14hr trip for 2hrs in Pompeii. I know the driver and guide get commission on sales at the cameo and furniture outlet and I assume the tour co. also which is the only reason they stop there. And the only reason our bus drove "thru" Naples (called a tour) was to drop-off Capri bound passengers and the only reason we went to Sorrento (besides the furniture outlet) was also to pick-up/drop-off passengers. <BR>Regards, Walter

vosaki

We did things a little differently. We took an early EuroStar train from Rome to Naples. We arrived in Naples at 10 in the morning. We arranged a private two hour tour. The guide didn't speak much English, but he showed us around the coast, the spectacular bay, and the town. He dropped us off in front of a restaurant recommend by the Michelin Guide -- the food was terrific. <BR>At around two, we took a 20 minute train ride to Pompei. We explored the ruins for a couple of hours; we should have gone to the museum but it was getting late and we were out of energy. <BR>We got back to Rome at about 10 o'clock. <BR>You may see prettier countryside on a tour bus, the view on the train was nothing much. The EuroStar in first class is a super deluxe train which is much more comfortable than a bus. You can have a decent lunch that you select. You have flexibility. You won't be captive shoppers at the endless stops that the bus will certainly make. You won't get the tid bits of info that the tour bus guide will provide. <BR>One last comment, I would be very suspicious of a one day tour that encompassed many places. We had our hands full with just Naples and Pompei and we didn't make any of those shopping stops.

vosaki

By the way, there is one other advantage to the train. Reading the comments, the bus riders ate dinner after 10 pm. which seems kind of rough. If you go by train, you can picnic on the EuroStar by buying whatever, including some vino, in Naples.