OK, here it is. We are going to Italy in July and here is the current Itinerary.

Arrive Rome FCO - Take trains straight to Sorrento

Sorrento - -3 nights/ 4 days
Day trips to Naples and Pompeii

Overnight train to Palermo - Pick up car and drive to Cefalu

Cefalu - 3 nights/ 4 days
Have Rental car for sightseeing

Overnight train to Rome

Rome - 5 nights/ 5 days

Day trips to Florence and Orvieto


We will arrive in Rome on the 1st day at 9am local time. We plan on traveling straight to Sorrento. How much time should we allow for baggage claim and customs? I don't want to buy tickets for a train that leaves to soon.

Also, does anyone have any experience with the overnight trains to and from Palermo? I am a little unsure on how these work. There will be six people in our group. I believe it is possible for us to get a cabin for six.

Any comments and suggestions would be appreciated.

I would see Rome first, and then go to Sorrento. Add an extra day to Rome to allow for the fact that you'll have jet lag, culture shock, you'll feel lost, etc.

We loved Rome! I just think it would be tiring and aggravating to fly into Rome, claim your luggage, hunt for your transportation, get your taxis/and various trains to Sorrento, and all just after you've arrived in an Italian-speaking country and still have jet lag.

It helps to put the country in your title, you will get more answers.

Florence isn't really a day-trip from Rome, it's a separate destination. I would like to suggest that you can do Rome and Sorrento, or Rome and Florence. Haven't been to Palermo or Cefalu.

Hi liv,

Good plan. However, I agree that Florence is not a very good daytrip from Rome. (It's doable, just not recommended.)

Go to www.trenitalia.com/en for tickets from Naples to Palermo.

There is a night train. You can get a couchette compartment for 4, sleeper for 3 or sleeper for 2, but you can't get a compartment for 6.

There is also a ferry to Palermo.

>How much time should we allow for baggage claim and customs?<

It took us 3:30 hr from the time our plane was scheduled to land to get to the head of the tracks at Rome TE.

There is a nice self-service restaurant at the train station if you get there too early.

I would use a limo service from the airport to Termini train station. The advantage is having someone waiting on you in the airport and helping with luggage. I've used www.limoservicerome.com and the price for 6 would be 65E. The train is 57E. There are other limos/shuttles that are cheaper also.

To take the train to Sorrento you must go from the airport to Termini train station. Train to Naples and change to the Circumvesuviana line to Sorrento.

Another option for overnight between Naples or Salerno and Palermo or Catania would be the ferry. They leave at 8 pm and arrive 6:30 am. You can get 2 or 4 person cabins. www.cemar.it

Why all the way to Palermo and then back track to Cefalu. Get the car in Messina, or even at Salerno and drive to Cefalu.

Hi Bob,

Don't understand driving from Salerno. Mappy says its about 8 hr drive.

Does the train stop in Messina?

Isn't a ferry out of Naples the most convenient way?

If you have any free time in Sorrento....go to Positano for the day....so charming. Amalfi was wonderful too!

But Ira, the train trip is almost 10 hours, not counting the time to get to Naples or getting back to Cefalu. And, the 23:02 train does stop in Messina but also in Cefalu, ironically.

Thank you for all of your responses.

Some answers: I have been looking at the taking the night train from Naples to Cefalu and skipping Palermo. I didn't realize that was an option when I posted. I am also going to look into the overnight ferry. That sounds just as good and it does not leave as late as the train.

The day trip to Florence was something that was added because a couple people in our group really want to see Florence but a couple of other people do not want to change hotels a bunch of times; so we compromised on a long day trip.

We will be renting a car in Sicily. Does anyone know if we can rent it in Cefalu or if we will have to go to a bigger city (Palermo). I can't seem to get a lot of information from the rental companies. It seems that some of them say Cefalu but mean Palermo.

Thanks again for all of your great information.

Don't be surprised if you cancel your day trips from Rome. We were convinced that with a week there last year, we would take one or two day trips. We loved Rome so much that we spent the week there and return for another week this year.

Thanks, Bob.

Hi - just curious - what is the overnight trian to Palermo? - Is it possible to train from Naples or Sorrento directly to Sicily?
Thanks,
Roger

Can anyone tell me if Cefalu' has become quite touristy? I haven't been there in about 5 years and I understand Sicily is becoming very popular. When we were there many years ago, there wasn't an american to be found. Any thoughts? I would like to go in OCtober.