Naples cruise stop..need recommendations
 

We have a 12 hour cruise stop in Naples first of June. Would appreciate recommendations re: what to do during this limited time. I know it's subjective, but what are pros & cons of doing something in the city vs. going to Capri or elsewhere?Heard from several that took hydrofoil to Capri & enjoyed it. Thanks.

Paul,<BR>Here's a confirmed urbanite's picks.I'd stay in Naples and visit the Archeological museum; many of the best pieces from Pompeii are there. I would visit the Cappello Sansevero to see the Veiled Christ..very moving, I would visit the Duomo ( cathedral), I would wander the labyrinth of streets in Spaccanapoli and take it the sights,I would take a break and have an espresso at Gambrinus,and I would eat pizza every chance I had.<BR><BR>M.

I agree with Michele !<BR>Have a nice cruise stop.

Did the west med last June and by the time we got to Naples we were exhausted so we needed an easy day. Took the hydrofoil to Capri - wife and girls shopped - wife says great sandals and girls found perfume shop to "mix their own". I took a two hour hike up to the Grand Arche and Caves. Had a nice relaxing lunch at a restaurant overlooking the Marina. Skipped Blue Grotto - too many people!

We had a similar amount of time there last summer on a cruise. My husband chose to go to Capri. He went down and got a ticket for the hydrofoil and spent the day over there. He loved it - but he loves beaches, boats, etc. He took a boat tour around the island and went to the Blue Grotto. <BR> I went with some friends and we did Sorrento and Pompei. I loved Sorrento but it was really hot for Pompei- for me. I would have enjoyed it much more had I not been so hot. I'm glad I went but it would have been better in cooler weather. We really didn't get to see Naples - but you have to make choices on cruises - you can't see it all in that short a period of time. None of the people that we met stayed in Naples - everyone went somewhere else. If you've been to Italy before and done some of the museums and cathedrals - I'd opt for something outside of the city.

I agree with Michele. There is so much to do in Naples itself. If you go to Capri or Sorento you will spend 1/2 your time on other boats or docks. And once there, you will only get to skim down the main street, have lunch, and one or two quickies. <BR><BR>Having just spent a week in Naples, there is more to do there than you could want. It would be like having 12 hours in NYC and deciding to go to Staten Island. Nice, but not the main event. <BR><BR>Michele's itinerary hits the highlights, is easy to do, and the best use of time.

We'll be there 2 days after you also on a cruise. We couldn't decide between Capri, Pompei and Sorrento and when we got the ship's tour saw they had 1 to all three so decided on that. anyone think that is too ambitious to do in 1 day?

Sam - We took a similar tour a few years back and it was a great day. The only thing we didn't have time for was Blue Grotto but we saw plenty of beautiful places. Enjoy!

We had the same choice when our cruise ship stopped in Naples--<BR>We pre arranged (from the US) a Hertz rental car that we picked up from the Naples train station and drove to Pompeii and then down the Amalfi Coast to SOrrento and Positano--IT WAS FABULOUS And would do it again in a heartbeat--<BR><BR>In fact,we met another couple on the ship and they ended up driving with us and sharing the cost of the rental car-

Thanks for the suggestions..helpful as always!

Sam - It depends how long you have. If you have 12 hours, Capri/Sorrento/Pompei is quite viable.<BR>You can do this yourself without using the ship's tour and save a lot.

Paul,<BR>You will be stopping at a city that has a lot to offer and is often overlooked by tourists. This is a plus...a big one. Michelle's suggestions are right on the money.<BR><BR>

Go with Michele. One of the bad things about Europe is that there is too much to do. You have to make choices, which often involve deciding how much time you want to spend getting to places. The Amalfi Coast, Capri,Pompeii, the National Museaum, and an easy 10 other highlights in Naples itself are worth seeing. <BR><BR>If you only have a day, you can see two outside of Naples, at the most, in a hectic manner. Take the boat to Sorento for one hour. Stay in Sorento two hours. GO back to Naples, by boat, another hour. Drive to Pompeii, an hour round trip, and two at Pompeii itself. <BR><BR>That's just two things, for eight hours, not counting delays and other stuff. Want to throw in Capri for another burst. If it's one o'clock, it must be Pompeii.<BR><BR>You have scores of great things within walking distance, separated only by cafes for espresso, pizzas and gelatti stands. <BR><BR>Go for Naples. Go back next year, spend five days in Naples, doing the rest, and then take a few days for either Capri or the Amalfi Coast.

The decision whether to see the art treasures in Naples itself, or the natural splendour of Capri or Positano/Sorrento, is an intensely personal choice. There is no "right" or "wrong" answer. Having done both, I want to remind you that Naples is an unjustly overlooked tourist destination by American travelers. In point of fact, Naples contains numerous world-class churches and museums which are on a par with major European capitals. You could easily spend all 12 hours of your port call trying to take in as many of these fabulous sites as your stamina will allow, without ever leaving the city proper. In addition to the places mentioned by Michele, here are several more sites worth visiting in Naples: Museo di Capodimonte, Museo/Certosa di San Martino, Basilica/Chiostro di Santa Chiara, San Domenico, San Lorenzo, Castelnuovo (Maschio Angioino), Palazzo Reale. If you had more time, a visit to the stupendous Palazzo Reale in Caserta (la "Reggia di Caserta") (30 minutes by train) would be very worthwhile.