POMPEII GUIDE
 

Hello, We will be in Sorrento next month. We have planed on taking the train to Pompeii. Question??? Are there guides there at the site? We feel we would get more from our time there with a guide. Most of the postings that I have seen here have used private drivers for their tour. Also I am trying to contact a driver by the name of Antonio or Gaetano Prudente. Thank You!!

Take the train to Pompeii. At the entrance gates to Pompeii you will find several guides who speak English that can give you a very informative private tour. Pompeii is quite large and without a guide you could end up wandering aimlessly. We weren't planning on using a guide when we were there, but it turned out to be very well worth it as we saw much more, had things pointed out to us that we would have otherwise missed, and learned so much about the history and people of the city.

Dear AMOR,

Thank you for taking the time to reply. I too feel that a guide would make the visit here much more informative.

Anyone out there know of a Antionio or Gaetano Prudente??

Hi basketlady,
I agree with the above: a tour guide makes a difference! And if you don't want to pay one just for yourself, pay attention at the entrance there's very often a local guide putting togehter a group...this way you can share the cost.
I do have Gaetano(father) and Antonio(son) Prudente phone number. Email me and I'll give them to you.

Just a note, in case you don't use the Prudentes to drive you, the Circumvesuviana train stop for Pompeii is "Pompeii Scavi." Since there is also a stop for Pompeii, the town, thought I would mention this.

Are the private tours still running about 105€ per group?

A few years ago when we went, we planned on hiring a private guide at the entrance, but there weren't any. We then picked up a map and book to do our own tour. The minute we walked thru the gate a group tour had just begun. The tour guide called us over to join them (about $10/adult, kids were free). We joined the group. It was well worth the $20. He was one of the most entertaining tour guides I've ever had anywhere (I think his name was Luigi).

Let me add, that not only was he entertaining, but he was also informative. A private guide may have been more informative but on a hot day with 2 kids, nobody complained for hours so I have to beleive he did a good job.

Thanks for the info MFNYC. I will look for a Luigi!

We were hoping to hire a guide for a private tour (2 of us), as DH got his undergraduate degree in ancient history and we are both huge archaeology buffs. We wanted the opportunity to ask a ton of questions without annoying or slowing down a tour group.

MFNYC et al,

Our group of 10 had Luigi as our guide last year. He did an excellent job, and was entertaining, too!

We paid $10 each.

Byrd

If Luigi is not available, ask around for Professor Mariano Vacca Ferraro (Official Guide License No 107, according to his business card). His phone is 338.65.26.933; e-mail [email protected]. He charged us the same as everyone else--about 10€ each--and we found him very funny and informative. He had a voice that drowned out every other tour guide in his path! It was liking being part of a Seinfeld show, following him around.

Hello Mermaid.

Thanks for the post. Off to Pompeii this weekend and was trying to get in touch with Mr Vaccaro.

Unfortunately the email address was rejected and the phone number you posted is missing a couple of digits.

Can you double check them for me?

Also open to any suggestions from any other member on who to use as a guide and how to contact them beforehand.

Thanks for the info about the guides. We are staying in Capri for five days and were thinking of trying to get to Pompei. Any ideas of how to get there from Capri? Would we ferry over to Sorrento and then take a train? And lastly, anyone have any idea the time involved to do this?

Thank you!

DEAR JSF5.

I called the Prof. the other day from the US and used this # and got thru. Prefix it with the 011-39. He said to give him a call a day or two before you arrive to schedule.

DEJAIS, I hear the train from Sorrento is about 1/2 hour from Pompaeii. (Scavi stop) Friends of ours did this reciently and said they toured the ruins 2-3 hours.

We leave next week for Venice. I am worried about the train strike on the 13th!!! We will be in Sorrento on the 15th.

Pompeii also has audio guides which we found very extensive and informative.

Basketlady - when will you be in Sorrento? We will be there on the 30th and currently have a tour booked w/Drive Amalfi. We are looking for others to join in if you are interested!

Basketlady...Thanks for the info. We will be in Capri from May 24-28th and look forward to a Pompei excursion. I did not think it was very far so thanks for the confirmation!

We will be in Venice the week after you. Arriving on the 20th.

We found that a copy of this article from the London Times:
http://travel.timesonline.co.uk/arti...080163,00.html

along with the audioguide, plus the very good map you get when you rent the audioguide, was all we needed to see Pompeii. The person renting the audioguides was very helpful in pointing out some of the highlights on the map, which sites were closed, etc. Also, get one of the books with the plastic overlays that shows what the ruins used to look like in their glory.

Be aware that when you rent the audioguides you need to leave something like a driver's license at the desk as security. You probably don't want to leave your passport, so just make sure you have your license with you, or some other photo ID.

I'll 'second' the suggestion made bt nonnafelice.

I used the London Times article along with the audio guide in early April. The combination was perfect for my needs. The author's map is a bit off, but the suggested approach is a solid hit. Keep in mind, if you do not have a plan of attack for Pompeii. Without one, it is easy to miss some key features.

Also, I suggest you take your Passort and be prepared to leave it as security for your audio guide just in case. They would NOT accept my driver's license... only the passport. Anyway, everything worked ot fine. No problems.

Hi liltoni, Thank you for the invite to join your group.......but sorry to say we will only be in Sorrento May 15-18. Way too short!!! How did you contact your driver? Was he recommended? Thanks to MichaelinA2 and Nonnafelice for the great advice as well. We have not firmed up all our plans yet.

Yes - DriveAmalfi seems to be highly rated on all the sites. He is very responsive, seems professional BUT pricey as they all are - 400 EURO for 2 people. Here's Salvatore's e-mail:
[email protected]

Anyone know approximately what the cost would be for a private guide be for two days or a day and a half in Pompeii? And would there really be a need for one for that length of time? (My boss is planning a trip and wants to make arrangements to hire one before he arrives.)

Thanks.

I think drivers and guides are 2 different things. To be a guide IN Pompeii you have to be licensed and I would think most drivers aren't licensed tour guides.

I used Maria Laura from Context Naples(affiliated with the popular Context Rome) She was wonderful.

Liltoni - You say this 'Drive Amalfi' guy is

- very responsive, and
- highly rated

On what do you base that?

I wrote to him twice last year when a 'new poster' started recommending him on every thread (- suspicious in itself, no?). He never replied.

I also enquired about him at the local tourist offices when I was there. Nobody had heard of him.

All the 'recognised' drivers in that area have their own websites and are usually known to the tourist offices.

He is not one of them.

Steve

You might also consider getting a photo guide which shows how the structures once looked in an overlay with the present ruins. Big help in my appreciation. I don't know where we got it, but it is a series fromVision Publications.
ozarksbill

Kybourbon, you're more than right:
NO driver that I know is authorized to guide inside the site of Pompei...or, if he is, he's probably not authorized as a private driver ;-)