Ny Italy itinerary for March- any comments?
#1
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Ny Italy itinerary for March- any comments?
I am planning a 2-week trip to Italy at the end of March-early April. I am planning on:
Day 1- Rome
2- Rome
3- Rome
4- train to Naples
5- Naples
6- Naples
7- Fly to Palermo
8- Palermo
9- Palermo
10- Taormina
11- Taormina
12- Taormina
13- Fly to Rome
14- Rome
15- Fly back to NYC
One main question is two days enough in Naples? I want to see Pompeii and take a ferry to Capri for the day. Should I just do 2 nights in Palermo and add one to Taormina? Will I feel rushed with the way I have it planned?
Day 1- Rome
2- Rome
3- Rome
4- train to Naples
5- Naples
6- Naples
7- Fly to Palermo
8- Palermo
9- Palermo
10- Taormina
11- Taormina
12- Taormina
13- Fly to Rome
14- Rome
15- Fly back to NYC
One main question is two days enough in Naples? I want to see Pompeii and take a ferry to Capri for the day. Should I just do 2 nights in Palermo and add one to Taormina? Will I feel rushed with the way I have it planned?
#5
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You can take a plane from Naples to Palermo. I would also not stay in Naples. I would stay in Positano, Amalfi, or Ravello. Three nights is good in Taormina. As far as staying one less night in Palermo and one more in Taormina - it depends what your into. If you are more into the beach and relaxing than sightseeing than I would stay the extra night in Taormina. It depends what interests you.
#6
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I agree that if you want to visit Pompeii and Capri, you are better off to stay in Sorrento. You can catch a train from Rome to Naples (approx 2 hours) then change train lines to the Circumvesuviana from Naples to Sorrento (about an hour). The train to Sorrento goes past the Pompeii station, you need Pompeii Scavi, there is another Pompeii station that is the town, not the ruins.
From Sorrento you can easily catch one of the many ferries out to Capri. If you have time, catch the local bus along the Amalfi coast road to Positano, Amalfi or Ravello, beautiful views along the way, very windy, narrow road.
If you want somewhere nice and budget priced to stay in Sorrento, we can recommend a B&B in an apartment building on the main street - Palazzo Starace. They have a website, try a search on www.google.com
Not sure, but I think there are ferries from Naples to Capri but may not be running in the off season when you will be there.
Kay
From Sorrento you can easily catch one of the many ferries out to Capri. If you have time, catch the local bus along the Amalfi coast road to Positano, Amalfi or Ravello, beautiful views along the way, very windy, narrow road.
If you want somewhere nice and budget priced to stay in Sorrento, we can recommend a B&B in an apartment building on the main street - Palazzo Starace. They have a website, try a search on www.google.com
Not sure, but I think there are ferries from Naples to Capri but may not be running in the off season when you will be there.
Kay
#9
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Hi,
Well, I haven't been to Naples, but I can second (or third) the notion that Sorrento is wonderful! It is smaller than Naples and very beautiful. The train from Sorrento to Pompeii is easy.
Read a guide book (such as Fodors), or do a search on this website to get a feel for the differences between these cities to decide which you might like best.
Good luck - sounds like a great trip!
Karen
Well, I haven't been to Naples, but I can second (or third) the notion that Sorrento is wonderful! It is smaller than Naples and very beautiful. The train from Sorrento to Pompeii is easy.
Read a guide book (such as Fodors), or do a search on this website to get a feel for the differences between these cities to decide which you might like best.
Good luck - sounds like a great trip!
Karen
#11
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Dear Sara:
I was in the Amalfi coast in September. It is beautiful. The reason why everyone is telling you not to go to Naples is because it is the least charming town on the coast. It is a big city, crowded, noisy with traffic. The best hotels are only average. People also talk about crime, etc., but the main reason to avoid Naples is that it does not have the small town charm of Amalfi, Ravello, Priano and Positano. To get to any of these towns, you can take the public bus from Naples that goes along the coast. Alternatively, hire a car and driver for about US$100 to take you along the coast and to your hotel. If you are staying in Sorrento, have the driver take you down along the coast to Positano, have lunch and then go back up to Sorrento. I would highly recommend the driver.
I would recommend you take the first morning train from Rome to Naples. You will arrive around 11 am, which will give you time for a good drive along the coast, lunch, etc and you will arrive at your hotel in the afternoon. The Eurostar is the best train, they run several a day.
You can take a ferry to Capri from Amalfi, Positano or Sorrento.
With regard to Pompeii, if your flight on day 7 to Palermo is in the afternoon, then you could do Pompeii on your way to the airport from any of the coast towns. I would suggest 3-4 hours in Pompeii. You could hire a taxi or car service to drive you to Pompeii, wait for you and then take you to the airport. Should be about US$100. There is an audio guide you can rent at the entrance, I thought it was very good, and you can spend as much or as little time at the various stops as you want. A guide does not give you this flexibility.
With regard to your itinerary, why are you doing one more day in Rome at the back end? As all US flights leave in the morning, I would sugest you fly from Taorimna as late as possible on day 14, stay at the Hilton at the airport, and fly out to the US on the morning of day 15. The Hilton is at the airport, you can walk to the terminals. If you can do this, you would have 4 days in Rome at the beginning, which I think would be better. Your first day may be a bit of a wash out, as you will be tired and may not be able to take advantage of a full days' touring.
If you like walking tours, I would strongly recommend Scale Real, or Enjoy Rome. The former is a bit more expensive, but I think the quality of the guides is superior. They both have web sites.
Have a great trip and don't miss the Lemoncello!
I was in the Amalfi coast in September. It is beautiful. The reason why everyone is telling you not to go to Naples is because it is the least charming town on the coast. It is a big city, crowded, noisy with traffic. The best hotels are only average. People also talk about crime, etc., but the main reason to avoid Naples is that it does not have the small town charm of Amalfi, Ravello, Priano and Positano. To get to any of these towns, you can take the public bus from Naples that goes along the coast. Alternatively, hire a car and driver for about US$100 to take you along the coast and to your hotel. If you are staying in Sorrento, have the driver take you down along the coast to Positano, have lunch and then go back up to Sorrento. I would highly recommend the driver.
I would recommend you take the first morning train from Rome to Naples. You will arrive around 11 am, which will give you time for a good drive along the coast, lunch, etc and you will arrive at your hotel in the afternoon. The Eurostar is the best train, they run several a day.
You can take a ferry to Capri from Amalfi, Positano or Sorrento.
With regard to Pompeii, if your flight on day 7 to Palermo is in the afternoon, then you could do Pompeii on your way to the airport from any of the coast towns. I would suggest 3-4 hours in Pompeii. You could hire a taxi or car service to drive you to Pompeii, wait for you and then take you to the airport. Should be about US$100. There is an audio guide you can rent at the entrance, I thought it was very good, and you can spend as much or as little time at the various stops as you want. A guide does not give you this flexibility.
With regard to your itinerary, why are you doing one more day in Rome at the back end? As all US flights leave in the morning, I would sugest you fly from Taorimna as late as possible on day 14, stay at the Hilton at the airport, and fly out to the US on the morning of day 15. The Hilton is at the airport, you can walk to the terminals. If you can do this, you would have 4 days in Rome at the beginning, which I think would be better. Your first day may be a bit of a wash out, as you will be tired and may not be able to take advantage of a full days' touring.
If you like walking tours, I would strongly recommend Scale Real, or Enjoy Rome. The former is a bit more expensive, but I think the quality of the guides is superior. They both have web sites.
Have a great trip and don't miss the Lemoncello!
#13
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I also agree to stay in Sorrento rather than Naples. Yes, it is easy to take the train to Pompeii from Sorrento. Frankly, I'd think twice about the day trip to Capri. So far, I've seen few posts from people who did a day trip there who actually liked it. The magic of Capri is staying there at night, enjoying the piazetta and strolling the paths under moonlight. You don't have time for that in this itinerary, and I think the time could be better spent going along the Amalfi coast to Positano or Amalfi for the day -- you'll actually see more.
#14
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Hi Sara,
Lots of good advice above. As with any trip with multiple stops, there is not enough time to see everything.
The 'highlights' of the Naples area is a matter of making choices. Of interest in the area are: Caserta, Naples old town and museums, Pompeii, Herculaneum, Amalfi Coast, Capri and on and on.
Agree that day-trippers to Capri miss the best part . . . an overnight stay. And you burn four hours of travel there and back. However it is worth a visit.
Pompeii is a full day as it is very large. Herculaneum is similar, but smaller and doable in a half day. Either visit is incomplete without a visit to the Museum in downtown Naples and perhaps the Capodimente Museum in the Northern part of Naples. Unfortunately, most of the artifacts from Pompeii/Herculaneum are in the museums. I would encourage you to do Herculaneum and Naples museum for a full, but compact one day.
For the short visit:
Day 1. Early train from Rome to Sorrento. Bus to Positano/Ravello/Amalfi and back. (If you like shopping an inlaid music box in Sorrento)
Day 2. Early boat to Capri, late boat back.
Day 3. Herculaneum and Naples museum plus old town Naples and back to Sorrento.
Have a great time.
Lots of good advice above. As with any trip with multiple stops, there is not enough time to see everything.
The 'highlights' of the Naples area is a matter of making choices. Of interest in the area are: Caserta, Naples old town and museums, Pompeii, Herculaneum, Amalfi Coast, Capri and on and on.
Agree that day-trippers to Capri miss the best part . . . an overnight stay. And you burn four hours of travel there and back. However it is worth a visit.
Pompeii is a full day as it is very large. Herculaneum is similar, but smaller and doable in a half day. Either visit is incomplete without a visit to the Museum in downtown Naples and perhaps the Capodimente Museum in the Northern part of Naples. Unfortunately, most of the artifacts from Pompeii/Herculaneum are in the museums. I would encourage you to do Herculaneum and Naples museum for a full, but compact one day.
For the short visit:
Day 1. Early train from Rome to Sorrento. Bus to Positano/Ravello/Amalfi and back. (If you like shopping an inlaid music box in Sorrento)
Day 2. Early boat to Capri, late boat back.
Day 3. Herculaneum and Naples museum plus old town Naples and back to Sorrento.
Have a great time.