OverIt

Thanks to all who advised me to try and fly through Rome to get to Naples in April 2020. Ideas on how to get to Naples, Italy I convinced my husband that that was the way to go and just booked $453 roundtrip flights from Boston to FCO on British Airways (not Norwegian, thankfully). Hopefully those flights won't get changed. Now, I have a bunch of questions:

1. We arrive in Rome at 5:35 PM on Sat April 18. We figure we should stay near Termini that night, and take a train to Naples the next morning, as it would probably be cumbersome to go to Naples the same night, as we don't know Naples very well. I know there is a bus that goes to Naples from FCO, but I don't know if we can count on it as we have no guarantee regarding when we will land. Any recommendations for lodging or logistics? We are a family of four - two adults two boys (6 and 9). We are doing carry on only.

2. We'd like to stay in Naples at least three nights (maybe more!). We'd like a family friendly, centrally located place for less than 250 euros per night. We won't be renting a car. I know we can go to booking.com and browse around, which we will do, but if anyone has any specific recommendations regarding area or lodging we would love to hear it.

3. We would like to go to a soccer game in Naples on Sunday the 19th, either at 3 PM or 8:45 PM. How best to get tickets? Last year, we were able to get great tickets for a game in Rome a few weeks before the match.

4. So, after spending Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday in Naples, should we just spend Wed & Thu night there to or head somewhere else? I was thinking an agriturismo stay, but that might be too much. Maybe better to stay in Naples and do day trips? But to where? I just got the Lonely Planet guide to the area but would love to hear your ideas.

5. Finally, we leave Rome at 8 AM on Friday April 24. Not ideal, but better than not going at all! So that means staying somewhere near FCO on the night of April 23. Thoughts???

yorkshire

I loved the Hotel Piazza Bellini--I think they have some larger rooms with decks -- check asap, as they book up fast.
I'd probably just stay the whole time in Naples, but you could change it up with a couple nights in an Amalfi Coast village. I don't think April would be too early for one of the islands either. But I think you just have one extra night since you have to be back in Rome for your departure flight, no?
I wish I had ideas for dealing with the departure time logistics, but I think sleeping in Fiumicino might be the best bet. Look for Eksrunchy's trip reports, as she did a night there. Maybe you could get back in time to see Ostia Antica to make it a day, or else just leave late from Naples.

neckervd

Trains from Rome airport (FCO) to Naples run about every 30 min until 21.53. You will arrive at Naples 2 hrs later (with a train change at Roma Termini (main station).
If you go only up to Roma Termini, the train ride lasts 30 minutes. There are many affordable hotels in foot distance around Roma Termini railway station.
Have a look at a search engine like www.booking.com

bvlenci

If you go to Booking.com, don't just browse around. First, enter your destination as a specific neighborhood (like "Naples Capodimonte") or just "Naples city center", to weed out the places that are not centrally located. Then use the filters to narrow your choices down even further. You can choose the type of accommodation, the services you need or want, and your price range. (I wouldn't be too specific about the price range, because there may be a great place just €5 over your limit.) I always filter out accomodations that aren' available for my dates, by choosing "show only available...".

Then, sort your list by guest rating. As you go down the list, click to open the places that appeal to you and are within your price range. Once you have a good short list, read the guest reviews to see if any of the comments are deal breakers for you. (I ignore reviews that are really over the top, either good or bad.)

This is how I find lodging in Italy, where I live, or in other countries I visit. We're going to Paris for Christmas, with family, a group of seven. I asked for advice about an apartment in the Fodors Forum, but most of the suggestions were either unavailable for our dates or out of our price range. (One of my daughters is an underpaid college professor.) I was beginning to think there was nothing available in our price range. Then I turned to booking.com and in less than half an hour, found three possibilities, and chose the one that suited us best.

I just used Capodimonte as an example. It's a museum, and it's in a location a little too inconvenient for my taste, although it should have great views.

Holly_uncasdewar

My favorite hotel in Rome when I want to be near Termini is the Mecenate Palace. Lovely hotel, :05 walk from the train station. https://en.mecenatepalace.com/
For Naples, I haven't stayed at the Grand Hotel Oriente yet, but I will definitely stay there on my next visit. https://www.grandhoteloriente.it/en/

gentle

bon_voyage

OverIt

great recs...thanks

raincitygirl

I third the Hotel Piazza Bellini- we loved our stay there.

kja

If you are willing to spend a couple of nights elsewhere, you might consider (underrated, IMO) Salerno -- easy access to magnificent Paestum, an interesting medieval district, and a lovely lungomare on the Amalfi Coast. And if you do that, consider stopping at a buffalo mozzarella farm near Paestum.

dfrostnh

I just returned from Italy. The restaurant at the buffalo farm is wonderful. We had a brief tour but keep in mind US Dept of Agriculture wants to know if you've been on a farm. I assume just visiting the restaurant is ok.
I flew into Naples and out of Rome so I took the train from Naples to Rome. I think the ticket for second class (which was fine) was $39. Trip took slightly more than an hour. In Rome I stayed at Hotel Aberdeen which is 600 yards or so from the Termini but only a $5 cab ride (hotel had estimated $12 - $15). Hotel Aberdeen in Rome is very small and a Rick Steeves hotel. The included breakfast was nice. There's a pizza take out place very close to the hotel but other restaurants within walking distance.

Keep in mind that it's a long drive from the Rome airport to the Termini area. Taxi was flat rate $48 for just me and two pieces of luggage.

OverIt

Anyone take the Fiumcino Express bus from FCO to Napoli? They have buses at 7:30 PM and 9 PM. We arrive at 5:35 PM (from Boston via London) and if we take the 7:30 bus we'd be in Naples by 10 (which might be tough with kids).

It seems less cumbersome then hoping to get from FCO-Termini-Naples the same day or going to Termini, crashing in a hotel overnight, and taking the first morning train to Naples.

I've booked a Termini area hotel for the first night already and contacted Piazza Bellini (they have availability) regarding a four or five night stay. It would be nice to get to Naples that night and just be in one place but I am wondering how practical that would be.

bon_voyage

yorkshire

I considered suggesting pressing on to Naples on arrival, but with that evening arrival time, only you can decide if your family would be up for that. I have not used that express bus, but if I were arriving at FCO and wanted to get to Naples quickly, I'd definitely plan on it. I like skipping the train change step, but also compare the arrival time if you just took the fast train, as you likely don't need a full hour (or so) of waiting in the airport.

bvlenci

I sometimes get motion sickness in a bus, but never in a train. Children are more prone to motion sickness than adults. I don't know if this would be a problem with your children.

Looking at the train schedules, you'd almost certainly be in Naples between 8 and 9 PM if you take the train. You could even get something to eat on the train. The transfer at Termini Station isn't onerous if you take the Leonardo Express to Termini and the Frecciarossa from there to Naples. The tracks are near each other.

You could also eat at Termini Station. They have a very nice food court on the upper level. That would mean taking a later train to Naples, of course.

OverIt

Thanks bvlenci. My kids will definitely be happier on the train. One of the reasons we go to Europe is because you can get around by train. I've dined in Termini before - one of my most memorable meals in Rome was an Asian noodle place in Termini. It was so great. We are going to wing it when we get there and plan on taking the trains. I think eating on the train is another great idea.

So I have booked Piazza Bellini for five nights. Any recommendations regarding that area?

Thinking to stay near FCO on our sixth and last night. I'll seek recs on another thread. We have an 8 am flight home.

The flights I booked on Thursday for $450 were $700 yesterday and $1000 today, according to skyscanner and google flight alerts (They never alerted me to the low fare but I could have flown for $261 each way had I chosen different dates on Thursday).

bon_voyage