xyz99

I’m in the very early stages of planning a 2+ weeks trip to Italy in May 2014; right now, it seems that we’ll have 16 days on the ground (including the first, jet-lagged one). Before I get into the smaller details, please validate our plan:

7 nights in Rome, with a day trip to Tivoli
On day 8, train to Naples, and from there probably hire a driver to Sorrento – stop on the way and visit Pompeii. No idea if this is feasible or cost prohibitive.
2 nights in Sorrento, which will give us 1 day to explore the town
Boat to Capri – 3 nights in Capri
Boat to Positano – 3 nights in Positano: 1 day Positano, 1 day Amalfi, 1 day Ravello
Last night in Naples, and from there fly back home

We will not rent a car. Is this itinerary ok? Any suggested changes? Do the Sorrento-Capri and Capri-Positano boats run in May? We are in our mid 40s, we like history, nature, photography, good food. Our first trip to Italy was 10 years ago (Venice, Florence, Cinque Terre), and we loved it. We are hoping for a repeat

anneinmanhattan

For my taste, too much Sorrento/Capri/Positano. Rome has much to see so seven days there is fine but you might think of covering more ground for the rest of your trip. I usually stay in one area when I travel so I get to know it well and would never suggest anyone try to do most of a country, but I found Sorrento, Capri, and Positano lovely but boring after a few days. Did you consider Naples? Or even Sicily, taking the train to Naples, staying there a few days and then taking the boat to Sicily? Or going in the other directiion: Umbria or Tuscany. Assisi and Perugia are great historical towns and wonderful fodder for photographers and so are many of the Tuscan hill towns. Both fairly close to Rome by train. I lived in Italy for five years and would only consider spending as much time as you are in the Sorrento area if I were looking for a beach vacation, but no doubt lots of others will disagree.

dwdvagamundo

Yes. This is doable, and DS and I did something like this many years ago, except that we stayed in Sorrento and had a car to drive around in. I don't think I'd spend three nights in Capri, but that's a quibble. You might consider basing yourself in one of the more southern cities--say Positano-- and taking day trips instead of moving every night or so, as you lose a lot of time having to pack and unpack.

You can also take the train to Sorrento (Circumvesuviano) from Naples. It's quite easy.

Be sure to spend a day at Pompeii, even if you're not that into archaeology or Romans.

bobthenavigator

Sounds fine to me---I would not spend 3 nites on Capri but that is a nit.

nytraveler

I would not stop at Pompeii on the way from Naples to Sorrento. With a driver waiting (you need 4 to 5 hours in Pompeii)the cost will not be inexpensive.

IMHO much better to do Pompeii as a day trip from Sorrento. It gets very hot and there is little shade - so you should do Pompeii as early as it open.

DRJ

A year or so, we spent three days in Rome, seven days on the AC (Priano) and three days in Rome. Perfect.

I'd rather stay all seven nights in Positano and day trip to Capri and Sorrento since everything is so close. Less baggage handling.

tuscanlifeedit

I think it's a fine plan. You don't need a day to see Sorrento, so it would be easy to go to Pompeii from there, on the local train, as mentioned above.

People vary so much on their opinions of these resort places. I think I could stay on Capri for a week, under the right circumstances. A day trip makes no sense to me because many of the best sights are not very easy to get to.

So I like your plan.

Boats will be running unless their is unusually bad weather.

After a week in Rome, you may be ready for the relaxation of the AC and Capri.

wayfinder45

<<You can also take the train to Sorrento (Circumvesuviano) from Naples. It's quite easy.>>

You can also take this same train right to Pompeii. However, given that you'll be lugging your baggage at this point, you might consider getting to your hotel first (whether Sorrento or Naples) and then heading to Pompeii -- or start fresh the next day. I agree with nytraveler -- stopping with a driver is an unnecesary expense; and if it was me, I'm not sure I could really relax with all my belongings out of sight for that length of time.

RobIm

Have you looked at tours? We had a great time seeing Italy from a Trafalgar tour. They schlep your bags, good to pretty good hotels, good food and professional guides at most places. Built in friends. They make sure you see it all. Beware of the extra side trips $$. Lots of sitting in a bus.

Jean

A lot of this is personal preference, as you've already seen in the comments so far. So here are mine:

I'd rather go all the way to Sorrento on Day 8, drop the luggage and explore Sorrento that day. I'd see Pompeii the next day. If you're as fascinated with Pompeii as we were, you may need more than a couple of hours there.

I'd use the Circumvesuviana commuter train Naples-Sorrento (about 1 hour) and Sorrento-Pompeii (about 30 minutes) because I'm cheap.

I'd switch the order and go to Positano before Capri for an easier transfer to Naples at the end.

I'd rather see the Naples Archeology Museum (closed Tuesdays, but otherwise open until 7:30p) and a bit of the city over a full second day on Capri.

I wouldn't need a full day to see Ravello. Ravello and Amalfi are each only about 3 square miles in size, so IMO it's easy to explore both in one day from Positano.

xyz99

Wow, so much feedback in only a few hours, thank you so much.

We do not travel fast, and prefer to spend a few days in each place, with day trips. So adding Sicily or Tuscany to this trip would mean fewer days in either Rome (as it is, 7 do not seem enough) and/or AC, and IMO not have enough time in these other places. We are planning future trips to both Sicily and Tuscany.

I haven’t looked into Assissi, but that does not look like just a day trip from Rome – which would only allow a few hours in Assissi. Am I wrong?

We might take 1 day from Sorrento/Capri/Positano and add to Rome.

So, could we on one day travel from Rome to Sorrento, and the next day visit Pompeii, from Sorrento? This would still let us be 2 nights in one place, and solve the problem of having the driver wait (and charge us for it). How hard is to get from Sorrento to Pompeii using public transportation? Or should we look into an organized day tour from Sorrento? OK, while I was typing, Jean already answered all these questions

Alternatively, is it easier to get to Pompeii from Naples? If so, we might want to do that at the end of the trip, and spend the last 2 nights in Naples. Would that be better? I read a lot of conflicting reports on Naples (some love it, some not so much), so I am not sure we would like to spend more than a couple of days there.

Dwdvagamundo, we are not moving every night. It’s 3 nights in Positano, that will give us 3 days, one days for each Positano, Amalfi and Ravello.

I will look into what we want to do/see on Capri, and re-evaluate the number of nights there. But knowing us, I think 3 nights (2 ½ days) will be fine.

Should we eliminate Sorrento all together? Or maybe see it as a day trip from Positano?

Roblm, sorry – a tour is not our thing. We like to feel the atmosphere of each destination, and on a tour, they move you around every day. Way too much time spent between way too many destinations.

Noted Jean’s suggestion to switch Positano-Capri order. Makes sense, I assume there is a Capri-Naples boat, in which case, this transfer sounds so much easier. For our limited time in Naples, the only thing we’re planning for is the Archeological Museum.

Regarding Ravello: even if we plan on visiting both Cimprone and Rufolo villas, you still think we can see both towns in one day? Including from/to transfer to Positano and lunch? Seems awfully rushed…

dwdvagamundo

xyz99-

Pompeii is one of the stops on the Circumvesuviano train to Sorrento, so you can come back to it from Sorrento. I wish we had done that.

I think the train is the best choice not only for the fare but also because traffic around Naples is just terrible (this from someone who loves to drive and lives in Atlanta). Hiring a driver will not make it any better.

The day after visiting Pompeii by car, we took the train to Herculaneum and were amazed on how quickly we came to Pompeii.

Good that I misunderstood your plans for Positano. It pays to reread the post, I guess.

I also second Jean's suggestion to visit the Naples National Archaeological Museum instead of spending a second day on Capri. It has many of the items excavated from Pompeii and Herculaneum as well as a lot of other things--Naples was already old by the time Rome was born so there is a lot of archaeology around there. Visiting it after seeing Pompeii will greatly increase your appreciation of it.

You can take the Circumvesuviano train back into Naples and then take a bus or walk to the Museum from the train station.

willperson

I would do maybe 5 days in Rome then base in Positano and do day trips. Positano is one of my favorite I spots in Italy. If you want a wonderful Pompeii experience get a guide to take you around. We had our hotel arrange a driver and guide and thought it was money well spent.

Rome is a great city with a lot to see and do. We really enjoyed Positano and the Amalfi coast for some relaxation and a slower pace than Rone.

Good luck and have a wonderful time

jamikins

We also love slow travel so I can totally understand wanting to stay somewhere for an extended period!

We spent 3 nights in Naples over Easter. You can read our short trip report and see my photos here: http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...and-photos.cfm

Enjoy your trip!

kybourbon

>>>On day 8, train to Naples, and from there probably hire a driver to Sorrento – stop on the way and visit Pompeii. No idea if this is feasible or cost prohibitive<<<

A driver for this would run from about 130€ (strictly to drive you Naples/Positano) to 200€ (or more depending on how much for the wait).

The train Naples/Sorrento is 4€.

http://www.vesuviana.it/web/en

>>>Do the Sorrento-Capri and Capri-Positano boats run in May?<<<

Capri/Sorrento, Capri/Naples - no problem. Capri/Positano - maybe. Positano doesn't have the service the bigger towns have and ferries can't put in if the weather is rough.

xyz99

Ok, the idea of having the driver wait while we visit Pompeii is out. And I think I want to avoid the possibility that Positano-Capri boats are not running in May, so how about this:

After 7 days in Rome – train to Naples – train to Positano – 3 nights in Positano, with day trips to Amalfi and Ravello

Bus or driver to Sorrento – 2 nights there, explore Sorrento the 1st afternoon, the 2nd day visit Pompeii

Boat to Capri – 2 or 3 nights there; If we stay 2 nights only, we “get” an extra day. Where to add it, Rome or Positano? If Rome, I will have no problem filling it, but what about Positano? Any other day trip recommendation? Praiano? Or some other day trip from Rome? I don’t think Ostia Antica…we might be “ruined” out after 7 days in Rome.

Boat to Naples, visit the Archeological Museum, and fly back home next day.

If we have the extra day, should we add it to Napes and take a day trip to Caserta?

Jean

Maybe you mis-typed, but there is no "train to Positano." From Rome, it's two trains plus a bus to Positano. Or two trains plus a taxi or private driver. Or (most expensive) one train plus a taxi or private driver.

xyz99

Oh Jean, I did not mis-type...I am still learning...

So, there's a fast train to Naples, and then? Based on your response, no train from Naples to Positano...where would be the 2nd train to, Sorrento?

Any general idea of cost of a taxi/driver Naples-Positano?

I would love a boat option, but I guess there's none, right?

jamikins

The official taxi rate from Naples to positano is €130. Or you can get a train to sorrento then a bus. I think there may also be boats but I am not sure.

kybourbon

I linked the train between Naples and Sorrento (see above - vesuviana.it).

Trenitalia - Rome/Naples
Circumvesiviana - Naples/Sorrento
Sita bus - Sorrento/Positano

>>>Any general idea of cost of a taxi/driver Naples-Positano?<<<

I also posted this above (see my post April 10).

YOu could always take the Marozzi bus from Rome to Positano if you are traveling in season (about 20€). Off season it only goes as far as Sorrento.