Pompei / Sorrento / Amalfi - Where to base??
 

We are planning several days in the Pompei area (as part of a longer trip including also the Puglia region). My husband desperately wants to spend time seeing the ruins, etc., he is an archeology/history buff.

My questions are :

1) Is the town of Pompei a good area to base ourselves (I am not sure we will have a car for this part of the trip)? We have found a great-sounding hotel Hotel Diana Pompei for a reasonable price.

2) Three nights in the area, in order to see the ruins, Sorrento, maybe another coastal town will be enough?

3) How easy and convenient is the public transport in that area?

Any other hints, suggestions, comments are appreciated.

Flame, we stayed in Sorrento on our trip to the area and found the train connection to Pompeii quite easy. Our hotel in Sorrento, LaTonnarela, was moderately priced at the time (2003) and offered an unbelievable view of the Bay of Naples from a wonderful large, tiled deck.

From Sorrento, we drove a rental car approximately 62 miles south to Paestum, the site of incredible greek temples, amazingly well preserved.

I don't know anything about accommodations in Pompeii and wish you luck in your research should you decide to stay in that town.

Hi Flame123,
I stringly suggest that you base in Sorrento for all or most of the time, because after visiting the ruins of Pompeii during the day (and maybe also Herculaneum and Oplontis), Sorrento has alot going on in the evenings. The Sorrento "passegiata" can be alot of fun, many restaurants choices, bus, ferry and hydrofoil connections to towns along the Amalfi Coast, as well as Capri and Naples.
Public Transportation is easy- the Circumsuviana leaves regularly from Sorrento and goes to both Pompeii and Herculaneum (for Herculaneum, you need to walk or cab thru the town to the ruins.
If you choose to make a visit to Oplontis however, IMO it's best to hire a driver, because the area around Oplontis is a little bit dicey.
OTOH, Staying in Pompeii for a night might give you the opportunity to see the ruins at times when there are less tourists. I don't know the current hours of operation, but a while ago I had heard they were open in the evening. Don't know if that's still true.

Mary Fran - I will check out the hotel you mentioned in Sorrento, thanks.

Bellastarr - I imagine that after a full day of touring the ruins, we will not be up for much "nightlife" but your suggestion is definitely a consideration I had not thought of. Thanks.

Anyone else??

We stayed here on a fly/drive to Italy a couple of years back. The place is popular with archeologists and is 5 minutes walk from one of the entrances to Pompeii. The rooms are simply furnished but were spacious and clean and there is a swimming pool:

http://www.villadeimisteri.it/

Pompeii town would also be convenient - we wandered round it briefly looking for a bank and though I don't remember anything of specific interest, it didn't seem a bad area.

PS I forgot to mention, the Hotel Villa dei Misteri was pretty cheap.