kwren

We're slowly finding all the hotels for our trip next July and are going back and forth on whether to drive directly from Tuscany (since we'll already have the car) or take the train from Rome to Pompeii. Maybe someone can help! We'll be leaving the Montepulciano area on a Saturday morning and if we drive, would go directly to the Naples/Pompeii area. If we leave Tuscany at 8 am, we should be in Naples around 2:00 (allowing for stops). This morning my brainstorm was to stop in Naples on the way to Pompeii to visit the Archeological Museum, then continue to Pompeii to a hotel for the night, then get an early start in Pompeii to visit during the morning when temps hopefully won't be so bad. Later that day, we would drive back to Rome, dropping off the car at Ciampino airport or closer into the city, and spend the last 4 days of our vacation in Rome.

First of all, how is the driving around Naples and Pompeii on weekend days in July? We don't want to be in massive traffic jams!

What are gas prices in Italy? Gotta calculate that in. I figure the tolls from Tuscany to Pompeii and back to Rome are about 35 E give or take.

I have found a hotel with free parking near the entrance to Pompeii so that's not a problem.

My biggest question is what to do with the car if we decide to go to the Archeological Museum on the way from Tuscany. Is there parking at the museum? (I tried to go to the museum website for this answer, but the English button is not working!) If we would park the car in Naples, is it safe to leave it with our suitcases inside? We could have a hatchback, but I'm assured there will be a cover to hide our belongings.

If we take the train, we would add the extra night to Rome and go as a day trip. It would be a long day fitting both the museum and Pompeii in, but at least we could pick our day if the weather was bad and not worry about getting back to Rome to check into an apartment at a specific time.

WWYD?

bobthenavigator

You do not want to drive in Naples.

Ann1

Dump the car when you leave Tuscany and take the train to Naples and Pompeii. Train to Napoli Centrale and then circumvesuviana to Pompeii. You can walk to any hotel in Pompeii from the station. This is a great hotel right in the center of town http://www.hotelforum.it/ and walking distance to the scavi.

Then you can take the Circumvesuviana back to Naples and go to the museum. This is a great hotel in Naples near the archeological museum and near Spaccanapoli...which is the street that separates the old and the new city... http://www.hotelpiazzabellini.com

kwren

Thanks Bob. Too much traffic on weekends or is it just a confusing city to get around? (or both?) It was pretty bad traffic on a July week day when I was there on a bus trip in 2006. (Notice we're not doing a tour again!)

Ann - we only have a max of 1 night down there so the problem would be dragging the luggage around Naples and in the museum. What a pain! If we're taking the train, we might as well do it as a day trip from Rome and not have the hassle. I had already planned on the Hotel Forum though and hate to give it up! I agree - it does look very nice!

GeoffHamer

There is too much traffic in Napoli at almost any time. I have negotiated the city in buses, trams and taxis, and on foot. You'd need to be mad to want to drive there. The only occasion when I have seen the streets deserted was on Christmas Eve.

caroline_edinburgh

You definitely don't want to drive in Naples, it's horrendous *all the time*. Ditch the car, get the train to Naples, stay 2 nights there with a daytrip to Pompeii in between and get the train back to Rome. Once you leave Tuscany you are better off without a car - but if you really want to keep it, just go to Pompeii & forget Naples. Pompeii takes a whole day to do it justice.

Speaking personally as one who has stayed a week in Naples during which time we visited the archaeological museum, then recently spent another 3 nights in Naples in order to make day trips to Pompeii and Herculaneum - and as one who did my degree in arcahaeology - I didn't find the archaelogical museum that great and certainly wouldn't advise anyone to visit Naples just to see it. Naples is however a fascinating city to visit.

Ann1

I had the same feeling about the archeological museum. We pass through Naples going to and from Ischia a couple of times a year. We decided to stop and see the museum. It's good if you are staying in Naples, but not worth a special trip.

We drive all over Italy and Europe.....We will NOT drive in Naples. When you see drivers cutting off police and there's fraction of an inch between cars, it isn't worth it.

I would go to the Hotel Forum and see Pompeii. Then go back to Rome and take a day trip to Naples if you have time.

No matter what you do, leave the car in Tuscany.

kwren

OK - no driving in Naples - that is settled. Thanks to all

What do you think about driving from Tuscany just to Rome? We could drop the car off in Rome (although I'm guessing that that is NOT a good idea) or at Ciampino or FCO airport. Comments? The rental price with drop-off charges is the same to either place.

I've been doing a lot of reading about the museum. So many people on Fodors have recommended it if seeing Pompeii, which is why we thought we'd see it in the first place. I wouldn't go only to Naples from Rome to see it after seeing these responses, and now wouldn't drive to Naples to see it, but if we're changing trains in Naples anyway, and it's only 1 subway stop away, maybe it's not a bad idea to see what the fuss is about! I doubt my family, including teenagers, would survive an entire July day in Pompeii anyway! We could play that by ear - if they want to leave, we could include the museum; if they want more time in Pompeii, skip the museum.

Mimar

I think the museum is more interesting after you see Pompeii. You could leave your car at the hotel in Pompei and take the commuter train to Naples to see the museum, then back to Pompei to pick up your car. The commuter train stops just outside the entrance to Pompeii, and the Naples subway goes from the train station to the museum.

lswartz

I recently moved from Naples, and agree with previous posters: don't drive there! It's possible to get around downtown, but I wouldn't recommend it to American drivers not used to the different style of driving. Even Northern Italians are scared to drive in Naples! If you're going to use your car later, you could try stashing it at the free train station parking lot in Orvieto.

* Pompeii (and Herculaneum) vs. Archeological Museum:

I wouldn't stress out about which one of these I saw first. They're all worth a visit if you get a chance: Pompeii is majestic, Herculaneum is extraordinarily well preserved, and the Archeological Museum is where they stashed most of the stuff they found at both sites. I'd probably base it on the weather: if it's a nice day, go to Pompeii...if not, do the museum. In case you decide to stay longer, there are lots of other ideas about places to see at www.wikinapoli.com/to-see

* Where to Stay:

I wouldn't recommend staying near Pompeii--it's a gritty suburb with not much of interest to American tourists apart from the ruins. If you want a pleasant, nice, easy experience, follow Rick Steve's advice and stay in Sorrento (a touristy town where everyone speaks English just down the coast). If you want a more adventurous, exciting, but more difficult experience, stay in Naples (there are very nice hotels along the water, or for even more adventure you could stay in the Centro Storico, the old historic quarter). Either way, it's worth doing a walking tour of the Centro Storico, perhaps on your way to the Archeological Museum? Here are some ideas for that: www.wikinapoli.com/to-see/naples

* How to Get Around:

No matter where you stay (unless you want to hire a taxi, which is expensive but may be worth it if you're rich and/or short on time), you'll be taking the Circumvesuviana to/from Pompeii/Herculaneum. Please check out the tips to avoid pickpocketers at www.wikinapoli.com/transport ...the Circumvesuviana is notorious for pickpocketing, especially of American tourists. My dad was one of them! (He didn't follow my advice...)

ggreen

IMO, you don't want to squeeze both Pompeii and the Archeological Museum into a day trip from Rome. A day "plus" should be fine though: spend one night in the area, the shorter day of which hit the museum before heading to/from Rome.

I happen to be in the camp that feels the museum is a must-see addition to any site-seeing of Roman ruins you may be doing on your trip. But if you're going with teens, be aware that it is kind of a stuffy old museum - they've renovated some of the rooms with the mosaics and wall paintings, including signage in more languages than just Italian. It's just really cool to see the incredible degree of artistry and craftsmanship that went into the decor of these houses built hundreds of years ago!

I also happen to love Naples - maybe it appeals to the New Yorker in me. And even as a NY driver comfortable with driving in European cities, I would have to be desperate to drive in Naples!

The Circumvesuviana is easy to navigate and runs regularly between Naples and other towns such as Sorrento. (Do be aware of your surroundings re: pickpocketers, but you should be fine.) If you only have one or two days in the area, I wouldn't base in Sorrento despite its beauty and tourist appeal - it's just not worth the extra time to get to the places you really want to see.

One other thing to note: in Naples, restaurants typically are closed for a few hours in the afternoon, and many places don't open for dinner until 8pm. If you sit in a bar or cafe, they will bring you little snacks to accompany your drinks: almonds, potato chips, little pizza bites and the like. But definitely plan around not eating in the afternoon!

Oh, and as for driving the rental car to Rome: if it's really more comfortable/affordable/etc for your family to take the car, then do it. However for me, I'd prefer to drop it elsewhere and train into the city. Rome is better for driving than Naples, but it's still a crowded European city. If you drop the car at FCO, you still need a way to get into Rome center...

isabel

First - DO NOT drive in Naples.

Second - you want to arrange things so you are at the site in Pompeii when it opens. We were there in July this year and it was cool (ish) and uncrowded for the first hour or two and was then so crowded at the main sites that you couldn't get near them. There is still plenty to see that the tour groups don't ever get to, but I would still assume you'd want to the main places also. So Those first two hours are crucial.

Naples was a fun city to explore for a day, with the museum being only one aspect of it.

You don't say how many days total your trip is. And I take it you are not going to the Amalfi Coast? Still, if you can spare one extra day I would suggest going around Rome and Naples all the way to Sorrento and doing Pompeii and Naples as a day trip from there. Pompeii is only a half hour by local train from Sorrento and Sorrento would be a much more pleasant place to spend the night than either Pompeii or Naples.

But if you don't have the time or interest than I'd suggest taking the train from where you dump the car in Tuscany to Naples, get a hotel and see the museum and get the train early the next morning to Pompeii (half an hour). After Pompeii you could pick up your luggage from the hotel in Naples and train to Rome.

I know several people who have done both Pompeii and the Naples museum as a day trip from Rome and say it's a full day but not that bad.

But I think both driving in Naples and staying at a hotel in Pompeii are not good ideas.