We are in Naples for cruise stop from 7AM to 6PM. Is it reasonable to see Herculaeum with a guide in the morning and go on to Positano with a hired driver in the afternoon ? Is it too much ? Should we just hang around in Naples, perhaps see the Archaelogical Museum ?
Thanks for your advice.

It seems the number of options you mentioned are too limited. It is possible that they are what interest you.

First, do a simple math which you can do it yourself as follows. Use Google map to estimate car travel time starting with Ercolano then Positano then back to Napoli Beverello port (I presume that is where you are docking.) The estimate is 2hr 20min for pure unobstructed travel time. Add 1hr for lunch then 1 hr to walk around Positano, you have 4hr20min just for these. Now, you did say when you are visiting. If you are visiting during high season, you will not attain this kind of travel time along the Amalfi coast.

Now the options. When the routing may not be ideal, if you visit Positano first, then you have a option to skip Ercolano if you are behind time.

If you skip Positano, then why is just going to Ercolano or with Pompeii not an option? Ercolano + Sorrento is an option, as well as Napoli + Ercolano.

Yes we have decided we would see Herculaneum.

We would like to know what else we might do in the afternoon after seeing Herculaneum in the morning, without feeling rushed.

We are there in later October.

Capri sounds like an all-day trip, as do the drives to Positano and Sorrento.

Is there a neighborhood of Naples where it would be pleasant to stroll, shop and eat ?

Thanks.

If Herculaneum and Positano are the 2 places which most interest you, given the hours you'll be there (11) this would be perfectly doable with a driver so I'd say why not.

Herculaneum should normally only take c.2 hours - as I expect you know, the excavated area is not that large but it is very interesting. (We took about 4 hours to see it but were exhausted from 7 hours at Popmeii the previous day, so had to sit down a lot !) IMO you don't need a guide, just get the map & audioguide - but we prefer not to use guides in general.

The site opens at 8.30am so you'd have plenty of time to see it in the morning then drive on to Positano in time for lunch and a couple of hours relaxing.

Positano isn't my favourite place for a longer visit (although I have stayed in or near there 3 times anyway), but it can't be denied that it is the most spectacular-looking of the towns on or near the Amalfi Coast, so I think that would make for a nice day. And in October it shouldn't be *too* crowded.

Personally I do find Naples fascinating and have so far spent 10 nights there, but if its sights don't interest you as much, there's no reason to spend your day there. If you did decide to do so, though, I'd recommend spending the day walking round the Spaccanapoli area of the historic centre, and IMO there are much more interesting places to visit than the archaeological museum. If however you think this might be too "gritty" for you and you'd prefer a more upmarket area to stroll, shop and eat, I'd suggest Chiaia which is not far from the centre but has a more 'seaside town' sort of feel.

Capri is lovely but would need the whole day really, and is much better not visited as a daytrip.

Have done Naples off a cruise ship lots since then can be dodgy in some areas if you are up for the crowds and crazy drivers
some of the worst in the world(watch your step) head
for the Centro Storico but even their main castle there
is kind of dirty looking so for me might consider

going to Garibaldi station hopping the

Circumvesuviano for 4 euro (just did this in April)

to Pompeii Scavi ending in Sorrento beautiful.

Private guides for 100s of euros could do what you propose

or the Sita bus for 1 euro or so goes to Positano

but it is pretty far and a Hassle I would not risk it.

Happy deciding,

>>>Capri sounds like an all-day trip, as do the drives to Positano and Sorrento.<<<

Sorrento is very easy to reach. It's on the Circumvesuviana line that you take to Herculaneum (the line ends in Sorrento). It's about a 70 minute return train ride from Sorrento to Naples (about 4€).

Have cash for your Herculaneum entrance fees (11€). Last time I was there, they were not taking credit cards. They were also out of audio guides so don't count on renting one.

Positano is time consuming, train to Sorrento (70 minutes) and catch the bus to Positano (about an hour). If you plan to do that, I would do it first and visit Herculaneum on the return to Naples. Perhaps arrange for a driver to pick you up in Sorrento, drive you along the coast to Positano for a brief visit and back to Sorrento.

All of your detailed suggestions are terrifically helpful.

Given our specific needs I believe we will stick with Herculaneum in the morning and spend the afternoon in the town of Naples. It sounds like there are some interesting neighborhoods such as Spaccanopli where we can easily spend the afternoon . Thanks for your help.

That is a good plan. If you go straight to Herculaneum you'll be there early so shouldn't have an issue with audioguides. And seeing Spaccanapoli in the afternoon means you won't have a panic about getting back to the ship on time; Spaccanapoli (which makes up most the historic centre) is just a few minutes' walk from the cruise terminal.

If you are getting a car to & from Herculaneum, you could get the driver to drop you near the eastern end of Spaccanapoli at Antica Pizzeria Da Michele (one of the oldest and most authentic) for a quick (and extraordinarily cheap !) lunch then walk the length of the main street, stopping & diverting where you want to see sights which interest you. The main street also has the informal collective name of Spaccanapoli although it actually has several names along the way. (Here's a wee write-up & map I found, which may help you get the initial idea - http://www.funtouristattractions.com...les-italy/1778.)

Sights around there which we've liked include the Duomo including baptistry & excavations, the church (has a vg Caravaggio,'The 'Seven Works of Mercy') & gallery of Pio Monte della Misercordia, the church of San Lorenzo Maggiore including excavations and the Capella Sansevero. The Museo d'Arte Contemporanea Donna Regina (MADRE) is also in that area. After piazza Gesu Nuovo carry straight on to via Toledo then turn left (south) to get back to the port, seeing the Galleria Umberto I and the outsides of the Teatro San Carlo and the royal place en route. If you still have time and it's not too late you could then also visit the Castel Nuovo.

If you'll be visiting the city centre....

The Naples tourism people recently relaunched their 'Qui Napoli' magazine - which offers a huge amount of useful information - and although I've never yet seen a paper copy, the PDF version is here...
http://www.inaples.it/public/quinapoli/quinapoli.pdf

Probably also the most uptodate source of opening times, prices etc that you'll find anywhere!

Peter

Wonderful advice- thanks very much. Appreciate the details about the city of Naples.I think we will have a great time !