another Naples and Amalfi coast question
 

Arriving Naples Sept 1 around 1200. Would like to leave for Paris CDG on Sept 4 or 5.

Trying to decide how to structure our time there. We know we could spend weeks there, but this is what we have. Pompeii +/- Herculaneum is a priority, we know it's a long day but don't mind trying both in 1 day. Some relaxation time in Sorrento/Capri is also highly desirable. Would prefer for it to be more hectic upfront if possible - we will get to relax in Paris. Looking into the Campania Arte pass.

Any tips/advice on how you'd do it in our situation? No car - train, ferry only. Will try to pack lightly, but what is baggage storage like?

Possible itinerary:
Sept 1: arrive Naples, then train to SORRENTO, explore a bit.
Sept 2: Sorrento, and Capri - Blue Grotto
Sept 3: Pompeii, maybe Herculaneum if we can, back to Sorrento for the night? Or Naples?
Sept 4: Amalfi Coast back to Naples, pizza, museum - either fly out that night or early following AM

Does anyone who's done something like this have any feedback on whether they'd do it again, what to avoid, how to reroute, what pass to use, etc.?

Many thanks.

Well, you haven;t really gotten to the AC. Sorrento is on the Bay of Naples and Capri out in the sea, while the towns of the AC (Amalfi, Positano etc) are around the corner and down the coast.

Sorrento is a place to use as a transit hub - and has tons of hotels restaurants and shops - goog to explore in the vening - but doesns;t have major sights itself. So your itinerary would be:

Sept 2 Capri - yes, can easily take the whole day
Sept 3 Pompeii & Herc? spend the night in Sorrento
Sept 4 Naples (great archeo museum and other sights - but do you want to do this versus the AC?) - spend night in Naple and fly to Paris next AM

We did one night in Sorrento and visited Pompeii. Capri we only took a day trip and we really loved the boat ride, but didn't see Capri in truth. It would probably have been better to have stayed for a night or two.

But what we loved was staying near Ravello in Minori. It was magical. We took a day trip to Paestum - if you love ruins this was amazing - and an hour would be enough. We enjoyed the drive there - great views.

Given your interests, you might be better off just staying in Naples. You can get a hydrofoil to Capri from Naples plus the train which goes to Pompeii and to Herculaneum is just as easy to get from there as it is from Capri.

your main problem is that you are trying to squeeze a quart into a pint pot - especially if you only allow yourselves 3 nights, which in truth only gives you 2 whole days, and 2 x ½ days.

I agree with annhig. Stay in Naples.

All of the artifacts from Pompeii and Herculaneum are in the Naples archeology museum. If the two excavations are priorities, I think the museum should be closer to the top of your list rather than at the end when you'll probably run out of time.

At that time of year, the last entry to both Pompeii and Herculaneum is 6:00p (close at 7:30p).

Check the train/ferry/bus schedules. You can train from Naples to Salerno in about 45 minutes, ferry along the Amalfi Coast to Amalfi or Positano or all the way to Sorrento, or ferry part-way and bus the rest. Once you reach Sorrento, take the commuter train back to Naples.

I agree with annhig and Jean -- given your priorities, it really makes sense to consider staying in Naples.

I visited both Pompeii and Herculaneum from Naples on a single day. It was a LONG day, but I was prepared for that, and was glad I was able to see both. Visiting the archeological museum in Naples gives a depth to one's experience of the ruins that I don't think you can get without seeing the museum. JMO.

You might already know that the Blue Grotto is not always accessible because of tides or weather. So if it is a priority, you might ask if your hotel can get information on the conditions in the morning, before you head there. And keep in mind that there are lots of other things to visit on Capri, so if the Blue Grotto is not an option, you do have some wonderful alternatives. FWIW, I thought Capri even more magical after day-trippers left, so you might even consider spending a night there.

I think you really need to decide how much a priority seeing the Amalfi Coast is for you, in comparison to seeing the wonderful sites in Naples itself. if you do want to spend a day see the Amalfi Coast, Jean has given you a good option.

If you can add a day to your time in the area to see more of Naples, I don't think you would regret it!

Hope that helps!

Thanks everyone, very much appreciate the help.

We won't have a car - I don't know if that rules out Paestum, or at least makes it impractical for ~3 days.

We are light packers but wondering if luggage storage is a convenient option at the Naples/Sorrento/Pompeii/Herculaneum train stations.

I actually did not realize that Sorrento/Capri are not part of the actual Amalfi Coast, thanks for that! We watched a Rick Steves' episode on Naples+Pompeii and also Amalfi Coast, and I think we had always heard "things" about staying in Naples - it's dingy, crowded, not amenable to tourism, etc., etc., etc. Likely all a myth, but we thought that given those conversations and how pretty the Amalfi Coast seemed, that's why we were thinking to base more in Sorrento than Naples.

From what we saw of these RS episodes - and to each is own - I don't think we'd be much for the beach-y type thing or high-end shopping. We are looking for good food (pasta, seafood, wine - lots of it! - and not particularly fancy places), good walks/hikes and appreciating the panoramic scenery, relaxing with a cappuccino or limoncello, even reading a book or people watching. We do definitely want to go to the Naples museum, and we'd like to eat at L'Antica Pizzeria Michel at least once if not twice. We'd also love some peace and quiet with our lodging situation if at all possible - it'll be the first week of September, and I'm not sure what that means for tourism. The Blue Grotto seems very interesting, but I don't think we'd be all broken up if we have to miss it due to weather. The town of Sorrento just seemed to appeal to us from the RS episode, as did more of Anacapri rather than Capri and the resort-y vibe.

Whew! Thanks for reading and for your advice. Just looking for what makes SENSE in terms of how to best spend our time given our wants and priorities.

How about:

Sept 1 - arrive Naples, check in, late pizza lunch, relax in hotel, limoncello/cappuccino, dinner somewhere? (museum unfortunately closed this day) - get over jet lag

Sept 2 - Pompeii, with Herculaneum if we feel up to it, return to Naples hotel in evening

Sept 3 - Herculaneum if we missed it, otherwise check out of Naples and on to Sorrento - consider ferry to Capri or bus ride down Amalfi coast, enjoy evening in Sorrento (what would we do with bag if we do go to Herculaneum in between?)

Sept 4 - more of Capri or Amalfi coast, whatever we can fit it, and return to Naples by midafternoon so we can get to museum, pizza dinner

Sept 5 - fly to Paris

“We won't have a car - I don't know if that rules out Paestum, or at least makes it impractical for ~3 days”

You can reach Paestum by train from Salerno. You can reach Salerno by train from Naples or by bus or ferry from the Amalfii Coast. Much as I loved Paestum – and I did think it magnificent – I’m not convinced that you have time for it. Visiting it would basically take an entire day, once you count transportation and time on site.

“wondering if luggage storage is a convenient option at the Naples/Sorrento/Pompeii/Herculaneum train stations.”

There is a luggage storage option at Pompeii (the archeological site). I’m not sure about the rest.

“I actually did not realize that Sorrento/Capri are not part of the actual Amalfi Coast, thanks for that!”

Sounds like you would do well to consult a good guide book or two! Seriously! The cost will be minimal in comparison to the cost of the trip, and you might learn things you never even thought to ask. Or you can go to a library….

“… I think we had always heard ‘things’ about staying in Naples - it's dingy, crowded, not amenable to tourism, etc., etc., etc.”

I love Naples! Yes, it has a “gritty” edge, but it is, IMO, dynamic and vibrant and fascinating and there are some places with jaw-dropping views (e.g., from Vomero), some extraordinary works of art, etc. It is, IMO one of the world’s truly great cities. It is NOT driven by tourism, and there are corners that could be cleaner (which, IME, is true of most places), but OMG, there are corners that are absolutely magnificent! And I found it very easy to visit.

“We are looking for good food (pasta, seafood, wine - lots of it! - and not particularly fancy places)”

Won’t be a problem in any of these areas. Just avoid the “touristy” places.

“The town of Sorrento just seemed to appeal to us from the RS episode”

I skipped Sorrento, so probably shouldn’t speak, but as I understand it, Sorrento is recommended primarily as a base for the area, if one prefers a single base. I don’t believe it has any of the main draws of the area. With such a short time, if you do decide to base somewhere other than Naples, then you might consider Amalfi. Or even Salerno.

“Anacapri rather than Capri”

Indeed, but they are very close, and if you visit Capri, you can (and IMO should) visit both. The Villa San Michele and the Chiesa San Michele, both in Anacapri, are each amazing, and the views from Mt. Solara (above Anicapri) are spectacular.

“check out of Naples and on to Sorrento - consider ferry to Capri or bus ride down Amalfi coast, enjoy evening in Sorrento (what would we do with bag if we do go to Herculaneum in between?)”

I’m still not sure that you are getting the geography (please consult a map!), the transportation options, or the time involved. Or maybe I'm just not understanding your proposal.

Good luck!

This is a sample of one: but we visited Capri on a day trip in May and intended to go to Anacapri. After waiting an hour in the queue for a bus, no bus turned up and we ditched that idea. That turned out to be just fine as we spent a pleasant day walking out of town along the beautiful coast and up to the ruins of Villa Jovis. Didn't spend long in the shopping area of Capri town but what we did see didn't really make me want to linger. If you are really keen to get to Anacapri and don't want to wait for the bus there were taxis readily available at the port but just take things as they come.

Your daily plan sounds good. You don't have to have the Naples 'grit' in your face (ugh, dislike that term - London is also a chaotic city but no one calls it gritty, ditto Rome, ditto Athens). You can stay in the Lungomare on Via Partenope or Via Nazario Sauro and have no traffic as it's a pedestrian zone. It's on the water so the beautiful views of Vesuvius and the bay area bonus.
A couple of hotels in this zone are the Excelsior (high end), the Miramare (boutique, family run), the Rex (cheap), the Partenope Relais (modern and funky).

I spent a week in Sorrento about 35 years ago, and again another week about 18 months ago, and though it makes an excellent base for touring, it's not somewhere that I would go and see deliberately for a day trip.

Even with 4 nights, I think that I would base myself primarily in Naples; you can then play be ear whether you want to go to Capri/Anacapri or not.

The major benefit of Sorrento is that it has excellent transit connections to Capri, down the coast and to the various archeological sites - since it is the last stop on the train (bak to them and Naples), a stop for the SITA bus along the coast and a LOT of ferries/hydrofoils to Capri, Naples and down the coast.

It is a larger town then the small ones down the coast - so has a larger selection of shops, restaurants and hotels. We have stayed there twice and loved our hotel (looking out over the Bay of Naples, beautiful pool set in a lovely garden opening off the main square of Sorrento) and the chance to explore in late afternoon and evening - after returning from other places.

Amalfi and Positano are more "resorty", smaller, much more vertical - and have many fewer transit options. From them it can take much longer to get places. But if you want relaxing places to stay they are a better choice.

If it were me, I'd do the following:
1. Summit Vesuvio and visit Pompeii
2. Day trip to Caserta (Palace and Grounds) and surrounding hill towns
3. 18 holes at Volturno
4. Eat pizza, pasta and pastries (sfogliatelle)
5. Drink wine made from the Falanghina grape. Perfect for the tomato laden dishes of Napoli.

@ blueeyedcod: According to my dictionary, meanings of the word "gritty" include "tough and uncompromising." I find that an apt description of at least parts of Naples. YMMV.

@kja - whatever. It's my opinion. Why feel the need to explain yourself.

In any case, I disagree. It's not 'tough and uncompromising'. That's my opinion too. End of story.

Wow, Blueeyedcod, I’m glad that you have so clearly communicated your willingness to engage others in dialogue about travel!

Still, I must note that you have, on this and at least one other thread, objected to the use of the term “gritty” in reference to Naples. On this thread, you wrote, “You don't have to have the Naples 'grit' in your face (ugh, dislike that term…)” Whether you like to admit it or not, the word “gritty,” as applied to Naples or any other city, may have nothing to do with having grit in one’s face, and it seems to me that posters have a legitimate interest in knowing that. And since I referred to Naples as “gritty” upthread (and elsewhere), I think I have reason to clarify my meaning in the face of your offer of a different, unintended, meaning. JMO.

I love Naples, for it grittiness and lots of other reasons, also brieflly mentioned upthread.

We have friends who somehow managed to book themselves into a hotel [my computer wanted to write "hole" which is somehow appropriate] near the station in Naples and never went out of the hotel at night at all.

I also walked back to the station along "Spaccanapoli" with some friends and we would not have wanted to stray off the main drag into any of the unlit streets that we could see on either side of us.

OTOH, if you stick to the main areas of the city, night or day, you should be perfectly safe and have a great time.

[and there are many american cities that have areas that I suspect would not pass the "can I go out at night?" test].

I just don't get this 'don't stray off the main drag' thing. You wouldn't disappear down an unlit street in London would you? Or Barcelona? Or Berlin? This is not a Naples thing - it is an everywhere thing - just a common sense travel precaution that is applicable EVERYWHERE - even Stockholm.

I just don't get this 'don't stray off the main drag' thing.>>

that much is obvious, blueeyedcod.

IME there are few such completely un-lit areas right in the centre in any of those other cities that you mention. What was unusual about Naples IME is that there are totally unlit areas right off the main street.

Getting back to the revised itinerary, with only 4 nights there really is no need to waste valuable vacation time switching hotels. Everything you want to do on days 3 and 4 (Capri and AC) you can do just as easily from Naples as from Sorrento. kja's suggestion to see the AC is a good one - take the 30-minute train from Naples to Salerno, then take the 8:30 ferry from Salerno to Amalfi, explore Amalfi and/or Ravello for a couple of hours, have lunch, then take the ferry from Amalfi to Positano, explore for a couple of hours, then take either the ferry or the Coast to Coast bus from Positano to Sorrento and then the Circumvesuviana train to Naples.

www.coopsantandrea.com for ferry schedules.

agreed, ekc. sounds like a nice, if long day.

My only caveat would be that we waited for a bus from Sorrento to Positano for quite a long time and eventually gave up - I think that the ferries may be more reliable.

Yes, the SITA bus can be problematic, which is why I thought the Coast to Coast bus might be a better option.

Ferry would be a good option - they would just have to be sure to catch the last one at 4:55 (current schedule).

<What was unusual about Naples IME is that there are totally unlit areas right off the main street.>

That's completely false. What 'main street' are you talking about by the way - there are many. The areas where a tourist would walk are very well lit. If they look a little dim, there are always lights on in homes/businesses. It's not some bleak underworld necessitating a sherpa and miner's helmet.

The Coast to Coast bus is a good option but it is expensive in comparison to the local bus and is sightseeing only. Some confuse it for transportation and try to take luggage on board.

I ought to add that if running, the bus would be more convenient than the ferry as it stops near the railway station in Sorrento.

you might also be able to get a ferry from Sorrento back to Naples rather than having to go all the way up to the station to catch the train.

ekc wrote, "kja's suggestion to see the AC is a good one" -- Thanks! But just for the record, I seconded (and then expanded on) one of Jean's recommendations. Credit where credit is due! :-)

Also, I wonder if reversing direction would give one wider transportation options? My guess is that the trains run later than the ferries....

This and another thread have either said or implied that there are frequent ferries between Positano and Sorrento. When we were there in May there were only one or two per day and when I use the website mentioned above, there are none listed at all.

Many thanks for the replies and discussion. Trying to convince my better half that Naples is a better base than Sorrento given our timeframe. We are looking at all out tours/agenda activities now from Naples. Sorrento somehow seemed "magical" for night strolls and such from the shows we've seen, but maybe it's just an idea in my head or possible anywhere in the area. I definitely am aware of the geography in the area - just wasn't sure they didn't consider Sorrento as part of the Amalfi coast region since it's always mentioned as the base. Maybe "gateway" is the right term. Thanks for Naples location suggestions for possible hotels.

Can't wait for good seafood and pizza, wine, archaeology, and a slice of relaxation! I'm going to try and figure out the next leg of our trip...

itspat - take those nightly strolls you dream of along the Naples waterfront from Via Nazario Sauro to Via Partenope and as far as Villa Communale (big parkland on the water). This slide show gives you an idea what to expect. Play from about 2.12 onward - its from the perspective of a guy on a bike but imagine this gorgeous area at night.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzwIpqAgLmE

Wondering if anyone knows about the Starhotels Terminus in Naples? It seems convenient to the bus, train, and bus to airport (and walking to L'Antica Pizzeria Michel!) but I'm not sure how you all feel about this particular area.

Much of the input on here has been to base in Naples... Rick Steves' forum members (including Rick himself!) recommend Sorrento... go figure!

Would you recommend starting a day trip of the Amalfi Coast from Naples? Many of them seem to start from Sorrento, but if we're sleeping in Naples, what time would you make your way to Sorrento (or Salerno on the other end, haven't decided yet) to get a good tour in? We will either do a shared van trip by road or possibly the ferry option mentioned earlier on the thread.

Thanks.

The choice of a base really depends on one's interests and time frame. I think many of us are saying that for YOUR interests, and with so little time, basing in Naples makes more sense.

Because ferries won't run as late as trains, I'd start with the legs that you plan to do by ferry, end in Salerno, and take the train back to Naples from there. Depending on the weather, you might consider ferry from Naples to Capri, ferry from Capri to Positano or Amalfi, bus to Salerno, train to Naples. (I admit that I don't know whether the timing would work for that, but it's something to check! ;-) )

I agree with kja - I would take either take the train to Sorrento and ferry to Positano, or ferry to Capri and ferry to Positano (www.capri.net for ferry schedules), then ferry to Amalfi, then ferry to Salerno where you can catch the train back to Naples.

Thanks. This is what we are planning to do - probably via Capri.

Back to a previous query... Thoughts on staying in Piazza Garibaldi area? Figured it would be easiest for at least train (archaeology sites, possibly Paestum) and airport bus, but most places highly recommend against it in light of the local "charm".

To each his / her own. I (solo female) stayed just off Spaccanapoli, by the university, in an area that many people claimed unsafe (at least when I went). I had no problems and liked the liveliness created by the students -- and the plausible safety given that there were people about at just about all hours. But we all need to make our own judgements about how we handle potentially "challenging" areas. Good luck!

I counsel you on September 4 to Stay in Naples for PROXIMITY airport.
I know the area well and it's great , you have to organize themselves to do everything you have in mind, for example for Capri need a day to stay a while at the beach, take a ride in the shops and in the "piazzetta" I love it!
To Pompeii and Herculaneum, (Amazing!) I booked a tour with
http://www.pompeiitours.guide/ which included private driver and private guide, given the distances so we preferred, we loved it here :-)
Good Luck!

How kind of Tina86 to join Fodors to tell us [twice - she's there on another thread doing the same thing] about this great tour firm.

on the other thread she apparently visited the area in June, rather than knowing it well.

yellow triangle pressed.