jabez

First,I thought you also posted that you wanted a leisurely time on your honeymoon. Even paying the high price, you have sacrificed one day of leisure on such a short visit.
Yet,if you really want to do this...
I would not recommend a rental car. Think through having to pick up the auto the day before (to leave ver early),parking, driving out of Rome , the drive to/from Capri, dinto Rome, parking, delivering the car the following day (assume rental office closed)...I think you get the idea.
I think the price seems a bit high, but has less time-risks than saving a $100 by doing it yourself.

maitaitom

I have some friends who visited Italy recently. They said the biggest mistake (by far) they did in three weeks of traveling was taking a day trip from Rome to the Amalfi (with a private driver).

It was just too long of a day and too hurried (not to mention, too expensive). They wish they had that day back to further enjoy Rome.

We were in Positano for two days about five years ago, and that was too short. The Amalfi, in my opinion, is an area that should be savored.

Good luck with whatever you do.

cheribob

I know a lot of people have posted excellent advice. But I have another point against the organized tour.

Two years ago I was in Rome with my ski club. There was a woman in the group that "HAD" to see Capri. So she booked an organized tour. When I saw her later and asked about her trip she was very upset. The weather was bad & due to rough seas the tour operator did not take her to Capri. Rather than give her a refund the tour operator took her somewhere else.

JaneB

What time of year is your trip?

stonest

Wow, lots of mixed reviews.

I think we're gonna go for it though. And I think we're going to do it on our own.. Y'all say it's cheaper, that's a plus, and because if we get to Rome and don't want to leave, we aren't locked into anything. I'll be sure to post on what we actually end up doing in a couple weeks.

And JaneB, we leave next Sunday.

maitaitom

"because if we get to Rome and don't want to leave, we aren't locked into anything."

Smart move. Have a great trip.

tuscanlifeedit

Agree with MaitaiTom. That bus ride both ways would eat a hole in your honeymoon.

annhig

hi, stonest,

here's a compromise suggestion.

Don't book your tickets til you get there.

so if you decided once you are there that it might be best left til another time, no harm done. if you decide you want to go, the tickets for the train should be easy to get either the day before you travel or even on the day itself.

have a great time, whatever you do,

regards, ann

Dayle

Stonest,

If you are going to do it on your own, factor in time needed for:

getting to Rome Termini with time to hike to your binaio (track) - it's a BIG station

time to buy hydrofoil/ferry ticket and wait for next boat

time to wait for other boats if yours doesn't show up (it happens) + 1 hour

time to wait in line to buy funiculare ticket at Marina Grande - better to take a private taxi or local bus up to town, the funiculare is extremely slow and not scenic

be sure to get your return ticket to Naples in advance - that last boat can be very popular

Just some things to think about regarding time needed vs. payoff.

Have fun!

DanB

Don't say y'all in Rome.

I cringe every time I hear Paula Dean say it.

CasaDelCipresso

You are not going to like me

I have driven down from Campania many times...it is VERY tiring to travel 3 1/2 hours + EACH WAY (even by train)...plus...like someone else said, time to get to Rome Termini, buy tickets, wait for the train, buy tickets and wait for the ferry...take the ferry to Capri, take the funicular up...walk around a bit and do it all in reverse???? a gruop tour on a bus seems even MORE unappealinig!

I LOVE Capri...one of my favorite spots...BUT...I really think it is best saved for "next" trip - you will spend almost your entire day travelling when you could be relaxing and enjoying Rome! It is a LONG way to go for just lunch on Capri I think!

That said; if you HAVE to do it, I would do it on your own...that price seems WAY out of whack and it is very easy to do on your own!

LoveItaly

I haven't been here on the Europe Board much these last days stonest so I only just saw your thread.

My comments..from spending many days on Capri.. it is typical of tours to take the travellers to a restaurant on Capri that only opens up daily for the day trippers.

You are not having a lot of time in Rome which I assume you are interested in since you are going there. It would be a long long day from Rome to Capri and back again to Rome and unless you are quite energetic I wouldn't be surprised if you will not be rather tired the day after your day trip to Capri.

Also, going to Capri for just a few hours is rather like those that day trip into Venice for the day. Shoulder to shoulder tourist, everyone rushing trying to see the sites and sights and not time to relax and enjoy where you are and most of the day "lost" due to travelling.

Personally I would save Capri for the next trip when you can visit this beautiful island and spend a least a few nights and savor the magic of it after the daytrippers have left.

But I wish you a wonderful time in Italy no matter what your final decision.

king_roscoe

what a waste of time ...... just returned after 10 weeks in Italy / Croatia and the biggest single disapointment by far was the "Isle of Debris " .... Terrortourism at its best with ugly crowds,rabid roads and so little to really offer. it may have been great but I was only born in 1949 so that was not early enough. Of the 3 groups we talked to on the return boat they all said what a shocker.....

tiggrntaz

I personally would take the train from Rome to Naples. I was looking at viator and they have an 8 hour tour from Naples to Capri and its about $111 US per person. When you add in the cost of the train, you can still save money doing it this way (booking the tour out of Naples and taking the train on your own to get to Naples).

If you really want to go to Capri, do it. Its your trip and you have to do it how you want. Don't worry about what others say about wasting time, etc., etc. Everyone is different and we all have our preferences on what we like to do and how we want to spend our time on vacation, so you have to just worry about making yourself happy and do what you want.

Just wanted to throw another option out there, may be worth looking into. Whatever you decide, have a great trip!

amandab

I say go for it if this is what you want to do. We visited Italy for the first time in January this year and did a day trip to Rome from Florence. We did an amazing amount of things in just that one day and it was absolutely wonderful. We will be going back again but I don't regret for a minute that day trip, so I say go for it to Capri. You don't want to not do it and get back home and say "I wish we had....

trivbeck

A couple years ago we stayed in Positano and took a day trip to Capri (unfortunately, we chose a weekend day). Anyway, once we got there, it was total chaos. Tons of tourists all trying to get to the same sites. I had read up on everything to do there, but the waiting lines and timing of the buses and trams hardly allowed us enough time before our ferry went back. It was also very confusing once you leave the boat where you are to go to get the tickets just to take the tram up the mountain. Needless to say, we hardly saw anything, but just walked around a little to see the gorgeous views, eat a lunch and left. If I was to go back, I'd definately stay a night so we could spend more time and have more freedom to move about. Go if you really need to go, but just be aware that this is the most popular time of the year and you'll be in the midst of a sea of people (and it's hot too!)

JJ5

I think going on a day trip to Capri from much closer than Rome, which I did, was not experiencing Capri, in any sense.

These areas are crowded and traffic is mind-boggling. I think Naples, Pompeii, Capri, Sorrento and that coastal area is an entire other trip because of the logistics.

This is kind of like putting curlers in your hair during your wedding so that you look great at the reception to me. Don't ruin the whole.

Most tours also do not in any way follow their exact published time frames in Italy- let alone one in such a crowded area with such distance.

Dayle

Amandab,

Doing a day trip from Rome to Florence is NOTHING like trying to do one to Capri.

Single, high-speed train ride vs. train ride, local train/taxi, ferry, funicaulare/taxi.......getting to one of the Amalfi Coast towns or islands is time consuming.

Quark

When I think about how I've navigated myself and my partner around various countries on public transport without knowing the language, I realize how I have increased my travel confidence and we have experiences that still make us laugh. If you have the time to do a little research make your own arrangements.