day trip from Rome to Pompeii
Apr 3rd, 2008, 10:25 AM
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We took a Green Line tour from Rome to Pompeii and back in 2004. The trip was about 12 hours long with a couple of stops for breaks. As ellenem said, there was also the cameo factory where you spent most of the time herded through the gift shop.
Over all our actual time at Pompeii was only two hours. We found that really wasn't enough time to see everything. If I had to do it again I would find my own way (train?).
If you are happy to let someone else "do the driving" there are many tour companies in Rome, just google.
Over all our actual time at Pompeii was only two hours. We found that really wasn't enough time to see everything. If I had to do it again I would find my own way (train?).
If you are happy to let someone else "do the driving" there are many tour companies in Rome, just google.
Apr 3rd, 2008, 10:36 AM
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Here's a tour that's pretty popular
http://enjoyrome.com/vastours/naples.html
Never took it myself, though, we went on our own. I do recommend a guide once you get to Pompeii though.
http://enjoyrome.com/vastours/naples.html
Never took it myself, though, we went on our own. I do recommend a guide once you get to Pompeii though.
Apr 3rd, 2008, 10:45 AM
#7
ok, bob- here's the elephant in the room - WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?
do you fear you'll run out of things to do in Rome? - you won't.
[unless you're going to be there a month in which case a few days going south might be a good idea] but in the normal 3-4 day visit you won't want to waste all that time on the bus or train.
what you can do quite easily is a 1/2 or so day trip to ostia antica - which of course if not pompeii but is still very interesting and atmospheric.
you get there by going to the pyramide on the metro then getting on the train to the coast.
leave Pompeii until you can make time to stay in that area for a few days.
just my two penn'th.
regards, ann
do you fear you'll run out of things to do in Rome? - you won't.
[unless you're going to be there a month in which case a few days going south might be a good idea] but in the normal 3-4 day visit you won't want to waste all that time on the bus or train.
what you can do quite easily is a 1/2 or so day trip to ostia antica - which of course if not pompeii but is still very interesting and atmospheric.
you get there by going to the pyramide on the metro then getting on the train to the coast.
leave Pompeii until you can make time to stay in that area for a few days.
just my two penn'th.
regards, ann
Apr 3rd, 2008, 11:57 AM
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Hi Bob...
I can't compare the two but last month we did Pompeii as a day trip from Rome on our own. I think there were positives and negaives of doing it without a tour. Overall though I can't imagine spending a twelve hour day and only having 2 hrs at the site and paying more for it!
Positives
- Flexibility, you can choose what time you go...how long you spend...where you eat, etc.
- Inexpensive, ES from Rome to Naples was less than 30e pp each way, commuter train was less than 3e
- Depending on the time you start and the time you spend in Pompeii, you can have up to a half a day to explore Naples as well.
Negatives
- I didn't find Italy overall very well marked. If I hadn't done my research ahead of time then finding the commuter train would have been a little challenging
- We hired a guide at the site (10e pp, group of six total) and he wasn't that great. Having a better guide certainly would have enhanced the experience.
Ok...small rant here.
One of the things that drives me crazy about this board is when people give unsoliticted advice to spend more time in one location. Just because that's the way you like to travel doesn't mean that applies to everyone! I give people the benefit of the doubt that unless an itinerary is undoable, then they know the way they travel better than I do.
They way I look at it is life is short. There is so much of the world I want to explore ... I want to see everything I can while I'm there!
I can't compare the two but last month we did Pompeii as a day trip from Rome on our own. I think there were positives and negaives of doing it without a tour. Overall though I can't imagine spending a twelve hour day and only having 2 hrs at the site and paying more for it!
Positives
- Flexibility, you can choose what time you go...how long you spend...where you eat, etc.
- Inexpensive, ES from Rome to Naples was less than 30e pp each way, commuter train was less than 3e
- Depending on the time you start and the time you spend in Pompeii, you can have up to a half a day to explore Naples as well.
Negatives
- I didn't find Italy overall very well marked. If I hadn't done my research ahead of time then finding the commuter train would have been a little challenging
- We hired a guide at the site (10e pp, group of six total) and he wasn't that great. Having a better guide certainly would have enhanced the experience.
Ok...small rant here.
One of the things that drives me crazy about this board is when people give unsoliticted advice to spend more time in one location. Just because that's the way you like to travel doesn't mean that applies to everyone! I give people the benefit of the doubt that unless an itinerary is undoable, then they know the way they travel better than I do.
They way I look at it is life is short. There is so much of the world I want to explore ... I want to see everything I can while I'm there!
Apr 3rd, 2008, 12:19 PM
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As a follow up to Aimee's comments, the guides at the Pompeii gates do seem to get mixed reviews. Just want to point out that it's possible to arrange for a qualified guide in advance if you want a better chance at getting a good one. They usually cost more tho. We paid 60 euro pp.
Apr 3rd, 2008, 12:33 PM
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Last year I did a self-guided day trip from Rome to Pompeii.
Basically I left Termini station on the early train and arrived at Naples Centrale. Then I went downstairs and bought the return tickets on the Circumvesuviana train and rode that till I got off at the Pompeii Scavi stop. Then it was a few hundred meters to the extrance.
After that I rode back to Naples and went to the Archeological Museum. Then I came back on a later train (it was like 8 p.m.)
It was a busy day. But it was very do-able.
I know most people will say to leave Pompeii. But if you have the time to do it without killing yourself then I highly recommend it. It was a really cool experience.
I wouldn't do a guided tour (personal preference)...I can't stand wandering in a guided group and being told what I will be seeing and when I will be seeing it.
Basically I left Termini station on the early train and arrived at Naples Centrale. Then I went downstairs and bought the return tickets on the Circumvesuviana train and rode that till I got off at the Pompeii Scavi stop. Then it was a few hundred meters to the extrance.
After that I rode back to Naples and went to the Archeological Museum. Then I came back on a later train (it was like 8 p.m.)
It was a busy day. But it was very do-able.
I know most people will say to leave Pompeii. But if you have the time to do it without killing yourself then I highly recommend it. It was a really cool experience.
I wouldn't do a guided tour (personal preference)...I can't stand wandering in a guided group and being told what I will be seeing and when I will be seeing it.
Apr 3rd, 2008, 12:46 PM
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I should add that Context does not include a Cameo factory.
I definitely think Pompeii is worth doing. It's a really interesting place. Make sure you also visit the museuem so you can see the decorative elements that have been removed to conserve them.
I definitely think Pompeii is worth doing. It's a really interesting place. Make sure you also visit the museuem so you can see the decorative elements that have been removed to conserve them.
Apr 3rd, 2008, 06:16 PM
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We had a car & driver using Rome Shuttle Limousine last month.
The cost was $400E for 4 of us.
No hassles, we went when we wanted to go, saw what we wanted to see and stayed as long as we wanted.
It's not cheap but no train schedule or transfers involved. No cameo factory to visit. It only took 2:30-3hrs each way.
We did use a guide at the Ruins but would have been better off using a self guided tour. The map is easy to read and if you've done any reading then you know the highlights to hit.
While the Ruins at Ostia Antica are very interesting, Pompeii was a completely different environment and very worthwhile IMO.
Have a great trip!
The cost was $400E for 4 of us.
No hassles, we went when we wanted to go, saw what we wanted to see and stayed as long as we wanted.
It's not cheap but no train schedule or transfers involved. No cameo factory to visit. It only took 2:30-3hrs each way.
We did use a guide at the Ruins but would have been better off using a self guided tour. The map is easy to read and if you've done any reading then you know the highlights to hit.
While the Ruins at Ostia Antica are very interesting, Pompeii was a completely different environment and very worthwhile IMO.
Have a great trip!
Apr 5th, 2008, 09:22 AM
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Dear dickensdad,
Not to hijack Bob's thread in any way, but DH and I are considering a Naples-Amalfi Coast trip this October for 25th anniversary, and were thinking about 3 nights in Sorrento. Where did you stay, and would you recommend it?
Bob -- I love jbella's suggestion of a driver, but then doing the Pompeii tour itself self-guided, in your own time and your own way. But I can also see the value of pre-arranging a high quality tour like Context Rome's, with a serious and knowledgeable guide.
Not to hijack Bob's thread in any way, but DH and I are considering a Naples-Amalfi Coast trip this October for 25th anniversary, and were thinking about 3 nights in Sorrento. Where did you stay, and would you recommend it?
Bob -- I love jbella's suggestion of a driver, but then doing the Pompeii tour itself self-guided, in your own time and your own way. But I can also see the value of pre-arranging a high quality tour like Context Rome's, with a serious and knowledgeable guide.
Apr 5th, 2008, 09:52 AM
#16
A compromise might be the shuttle offered by Enjoy Rome at http://www.enjoyrome.com/shuttle_tour/pompeii.html. It runs from April to October on Tuesdays and Fridays and provides bus transportation from Rome to Pompeii and back, no guided tour, for 60 euros (50 for people under 26). I have taken this and found it a very relaxing way to get to Pompeii, and you get back to Rome in time for supper.
I have also taken the train, and that was not much more time consuming and would have been more inexpensive if we had managed to avoid the pickpockets getting on the Circumvesuviana in Naples. But I figure that even with the money that was taken from my husband's front pocket, we still saved over the cost of a standard bus tour from Rome.
I have also taken the train, and that was not much more time consuming and would have been more inexpensive if we had managed to avoid the pickpockets getting on the Circumvesuviana in Naples. But I figure that even with the money that was taken from my husband's front pocket, we still saved over the cost of a standard bus tour from Rome.
Apr 5th, 2008, 09:59 AM
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We stayed at Il Rosetto, a small B&B in Sorrento. The B&B is about 400 yards from either the Sant Agnello or Sorrento train stations. You have to walk along the busy Corso d'Italia to get to the main part of town.
Here is an excerpt from my recent trip report:
On Saturday 3/15 we traveled from Palestrina to Sorrento via Rome and Naples. Cost-saving tip: took the IC Plus train from Rome to Naples instead of the Eurostar or AV trains. Savings = 12 euros per person each way. The IC plus train took two hours from Rome to Naples compared to 1.5 hours for the fast train.
The Circumvesuviana train from Naples to Sorrento was, as others have described, comparable to a big-city subway/elevated train ride. The Naples train station was a bit tricky, in that men in blue jackets would come up to us and hassle us about where we were going. We have heard that these men are trying to scam travelers for money in return for assistance with luggage, etc. We tried to ignore them by not making eye contact. The Circumvesuviana trains leave from the Garibaldi station, which is downstairs from the main Napoli Centrale tracks. It was somewhat difficult to get our suitcases down the stairs to the Garibaldi station. In return for these hassles, the fare from Naples to Sorrento was a cheap 3,30 Euros.
We arrived in Sorrento in the middle of the afternoon. Our B&B (Il Roseto) was halfway between two Circumvesuviana train stations. On the way in, we got off at the main Sorrento station and walked to the B&B. After settling in, we walked around Sorrento, and then had dinner in the old part of town at the Ristorante Giardiniello. Sorrento has only one main street, so it is relatively easy to get oriented to the town.
Today was perhaps the highlight of our trip – a visit to Pompeii. We were glad to be staying in Sorrento, so that we could get to Pompeii on a half-hour Circumvesuviana ride. Even so, we could have easily spent two days at Pompeii – perhaps one day without the guidebook to just let it all sink in, and another day with a guidebook.
Our innkeeper recommended a restaurant in Sant Agnello, which is the town just east of Sorrento. We had a nice meal at Ristorante Peppino, which reminded my wife of her Italian grandmother’s home cooking.
On the way to dinner, my wife tripped on the sidewalk and strained some muscles in her back. The sidewalks on Via Corso Italia are very narrow (and in some spots non-existent). This injury caused her discomfort, but she was able to walk without difficulties.
This day was spent walking around Sorrento. Sorrento has a picturesque old section, highlighted by Via San Cesareo, a pedestrian-only shopping mecca. There is a lemon grove garden where you can get a free sample of limoncello (the local lemon liqueur). Sorrento sits on a bluff overlooking the sea – the best view is from Villa Communale. We walked down through an ancient Greek gate to Marina Grande, a fishing village. We ate again at Ristorante Peppino.
Sorrento was pretty, but it is definitely a resort town with shopping as the main activity. The tour buses were already arriving, and I shudder to think how crowded the town must be during peak tourist season. We found the people to be less friendly than in other parts of Italy we have visited. Our theory was that the locals hardly have any respite from the hoards of tourists, so they develop a callous attitude. On the other hand, it was only March, and the tourist season had barely started. When we arrived in town, we asked a couple of locals if we were headed in the right direction to reach Corso d’Italia (the main drag). The first two people refused to help us. The people working in the stores and restaurants seldom made eye contact, so it felt somewhat awkward to greet them with our usual “Buon giorno”.
Our B&B, the Il Roseto, was very nice, especially for the price of 65 euros a night. Michele and his family were polite and helpful. The rooms were clean and in good repair, although not overly large. The breakfast (including fresh-squeezed orange juice) was close to the best that we have had anyplace in Italy.
I believe that the price at Il Roseto goes up to 95 euros a night during high season. I would give it close to a top rating, especially considering value for the money. I might have rated it higher were it not for the fact that our previous stop was at Anne's Place in Palestrina.
Here is an excerpt from my recent trip report:
On Saturday 3/15 we traveled from Palestrina to Sorrento via Rome and Naples. Cost-saving tip: took the IC Plus train from Rome to Naples instead of the Eurostar or AV trains. Savings = 12 euros per person each way. The IC plus train took two hours from Rome to Naples compared to 1.5 hours for the fast train.
The Circumvesuviana train from Naples to Sorrento was, as others have described, comparable to a big-city subway/elevated train ride. The Naples train station was a bit tricky, in that men in blue jackets would come up to us and hassle us about where we were going. We have heard that these men are trying to scam travelers for money in return for assistance with luggage, etc. We tried to ignore them by not making eye contact. The Circumvesuviana trains leave from the Garibaldi station, which is downstairs from the main Napoli Centrale tracks. It was somewhat difficult to get our suitcases down the stairs to the Garibaldi station. In return for these hassles, the fare from Naples to Sorrento was a cheap 3,30 Euros.
We arrived in Sorrento in the middle of the afternoon. Our B&B (Il Roseto) was halfway between two Circumvesuviana train stations. On the way in, we got off at the main Sorrento station and walked to the B&B. After settling in, we walked around Sorrento, and then had dinner in the old part of town at the Ristorante Giardiniello. Sorrento has only one main street, so it is relatively easy to get oriented to the town.
Today was perhaps the highlight of our trip – a visit to Pompeii. We were glad to be staying in Sorrento, so that we could get to Pompeii on a half-hour Circumvesuviana ride. Even so, we could have easily spent two days at Pompeii – perhaps one day without the guidebook to just let it all sink in, and another day with a guidebook.
Our innkeeper recommended a restaurant in Sant Agnello, which is the town just east of Sorrento. We had a nice meal at Ristorante Peppino, which reminded my wife of her Italian grandmother’s home cooking.
On the way to dinner, my wife tripped on the sidewalk and strained some muscles in her back. The sidewalks on Via Corso Italia are very narrow (and in some spots non-existent). This injury caused her discomfort, but she was able to walk without difficulties.
This day was spent walking around Sorrento. Sorrento has a picturesque old section, highlighted by Via San Cesareo, a pedestrian-only shopping mecca. There is a lemon grove garden where you can get a free sample of limoncello (the local lemon liqueur). Sorrento sits on a bluff overlooking the sea – the best view is from Villa Communale. We walked down through an ancient Greek gate to Marina Grande, a fishing village. We ate again at Ristorante Peppino.
Sorrento was pretty, but it is definitely a resort town with shopping as the main activity. The tour buses were already arriving, and I shudder to think how crowded the town must be during peak tourist season. We found the people to be less friendly than in other parts of Italy we have visited. Our theory was that the locals hardly have any respite from the hoards of tourists, so they develop a callous attitude. On the other hand, it was only March, and the tourist season had barely started. When we arrived in town, we asked a couple of locals if we were headed in the right direction to reach Corso d’Italia (the main drag). The first two people refused to help us. The people working in the stores and restaurants seldom made eye contact, so it felt somewhat awkward to greet them with our usual “Buon giorno”.
Our B&B, the Il Roseto, was very nice, especially for the price of 65 euros a night. Michele and his family were polite and helpful. The rooms were clean and in good repair, although not overly large. The breakfast (including fresh-squeezed orange juice) was close to the best that we have had anyplace in Italy.
I believe that the price at Il Roseto goes up to 95 euros a night during high season. I would give it close to a top rating, especially considering value for the money. I might have rated it higher were it not for the fact that our previous stop was at Anne's Place in Palestrina.
Apr 5th, 2008, 11:58 AM
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