I'm trying to pin down the logistics of a trip from Rome to Pompeii/Naples/Herculaneum.

I plan to spend 10 days in Rome. A day trip to Pompeii is a MUST DO for me. I've read that Herculaneum is actually a better site than Pompeii. I've also read that the museum in Naples is worth the visit. Quite a few people have told me that I absolutely must eat pizza in Naples.

If I understand correctly, I can take a train from the Termini Station directly to Naples. Then I get a taxi to Pompeii? How do I get from Pompeii to Herculaneum? How do I book a first class ticket on the train? How far in advance does must the train ticket be booked?

I don't think that I'll be able to see all three of these sites in one day. Do I find a hotel in Naples or near Pompeii? Do I check into a hotel first? In what order should I see these sites?

Everyone makes Naples seem incredibly dangerous. Much like the way people used to talk about NYC in the 80s. I never found NYC to be as bad as people said. I'm hoping that the same is true about Naples.

Go to www.twenj.com click-on "Rome" & "Excursions". 1 mistake in the directions replace "Garibaldi" with "Centrale" Train Station in Naples, same station just on different levels and you can go to either one just follow the signs to the Circumvesuviana.
On a *long* daytrip it would be *possible* to do 2 out of 3 esp if the museum is open late.
[IMO] Pompeii is a complete walled & gated city, like a mini-me of how Rome once was.
Herculaneum is very nice and intact but it is just a small area of a city discovered by accident.
If you decide to do an overnighter, I'd recommend this.
No luggage just a small daypack.
Arrive Naples train station and take the metro to the Arch. Museum, do ya pizza somewhere, metro back to station and take the Circumvesuviana to Ercolano (Herculaneum) ~20min & a 5 min walk, take Circum. to Sorrento for the night (~45min).
Next day take the Circum. to Pompeii (~30min) and then Circum. back to Naples and train back to Rome.
No Naples isn't that bad but just be alert esp to conman and pickpockets in and around the station.
I've bought Eurostar 1st class tickets minutes before the train has left, as long as there is a seat available you can get a ticket and with that ticket is a seat reservation. Regards, Walter

Walter's plan is good. Just leave Rome as early as you can, taking into account the various opening times. And I agree with him, I didn't find Herculaneum as interesting.

We too had heard the scary tales of Naples but experienced nothing to confirm them. Nevertheless, I'd also recommend staying in Sorrento, although I warn you that resisting the urge to hop the ferry to Capri or the bus to the Amalfi Coast may be impossible. So near and yet so far...

I second the Amalfi part...or even wanting to spend a couple of days in Sorrento. I liked Rome but staying on the Bay of Naples is quite wonderful. Of course, I'm an ocean person, and others may not have the same problem.

I have been living almost one year in Latina (one hour south of Rome). Walter plan is OK. If you don't find a hotel in Sorrento keep driving thru the "Costera Amalfitana" and stay in Positano (small town just in the cliff). About Capri (being there already twice) the basics could be done in about 5 hours and it is just 25 minutes from Sorrento. Here is the website for one of the cheaper ferry services to the island http://www.gruppotirrenia.it/caremar...inframeset.htm

Remember, Italy in summer means sun until 8:30PM and you could get the most of your days.

Hi MizzEve,

May I suggest that if you are going to visit the Naples Museum and Pompeii that you at least overnight in Sorrento, take the drive along the Coast road to Amalfi, ferry to Salerno and train back to Rome?

It would be a shame to miss the Amalfi Coast.

Lots of good suggestions. Yes, you must have the pizza. And caprese salad with the mozzarella di bufala.

Pompeii is huge, it was the popular port in its day. It has the amphitheatre, municipal buildings, athletic complex, house of prostitution, (with signs shaped like a man's anatomy) all over town pointing the way to it, villas, street shops, etc. Herculanum was a wealthy resort not far away, and had basically nice villas grouped in a small town. It was there we saw villas and gardens, a bakery, a vomitorium, and manhole covers for the water system under the street. You saw more evidence of the eruption there, such as doors intact but changed to charcoal, and the lava imprint of a marble table hurled into a wall. It's below street level in an excavated area. Different experiences, depending what you're looking for. Much smaller scale, and quieter. If you can fit H. in, it's nice, but I wouldn't kill your schedule to get there.
For some, it's best to hire a guide while there, or you walk right by intersting things, like the buried lead pipes along the street carrying the water supply in Pompeii.
If you take the train to Pompeii, I believe the station is right outside the main entrance. Very easy. Definitely too far to taxi. We drove to Herculaneum, but I believe the train stops nearby as well. A person could spend 2-3 days in Pompeii, a morning in Herculaneum, and a full day at the museum (although it used to close around 1:30 I think).
I would definitely try to see the Museum last so you can put the items in context of the huge sites where they were found. There used to be a model of Pompeii at the museum too. Take a late afternoon train back to Rome after a nice Napoli lunch.
Naples is notorious for pick pockets - 2 kids on a moped even stuck their hand in my car window and tried to steal my purse (right in front of the museum). Just keep your money close, wear no loose gold hanging from your neck, and stay alert. I woulnd't call Naples dangerous, just a thieves' haven. And take your dictionary to the museum, you'll need it, unless they have posted more descriptions in English by now. Have fun!

One more thought about the Archeological Museum in Naples. Sign up for the Secret Closet Tour. It is a room of all the risque items found at Pompeii and Herculaneum. Very interesting. It is free with your entrance fee, but you do have to reserve a time to go. They have tours in English which are good. You sign up when you first enter the ticket area. It is right when you enter the room on the left in the corner.

Thanks everyone.

I kinda confused concerning the distance relations between locations, Pompeii - Herculaneum - Naples - Sorrento? How would I get to Sorrento from Pompeii?

Do either of these sound as if they will work?

Plan 1 - Super-early train (reserved 1st class) to Naples; transfer to other train and arrive at Pompeii aprox. 11 a.m.; check in at the hotel near Pompeii (name?); purchase overlay tour books; hire a guide; spend 6 hours at Pompeii (how much $ will the guide cost?); find dinner somewhere; get up early; take train to Naples; check my overnight bag at the rail station (is this possible?); go to museum, sign up for secret tour; go to eat afternoon meal; get on train for Rome.

Plan 2 - Super-early train (reserved 1st class round trip) to Naples; transfer to other train and arrive at Pompeii aprox. 11 a.m.; check overnight bag at gate; purchase overlay tour books; hire a guide; spend 6 hours at Pompeii (how much $ will the guide cost?); get on train to Sorrento (is this possible?); find hotel, check in; eat dinner; people watch; sleep; train back to Naples; check bag at train station; go to museum, sign up for secret tour; afternoon meal; train back to Rome; arrive by 8 pm.

Hi Mizz,

I suggest that, unless you are doing research, 3 hrs is enough for Pompeii.

The same train that takes you to Pompeii goes on to Sorrento.

If you don't want to see tha Amalfi Coast, I suggest that you train to Naples, see the Museum. Stay overnight. (We will be at the Albergo Sansevero at the end of Sept. It is near the museum.)

Train to Pompeii in the morning. Return to hotel and collect baggage. Return to Rome.

1. Secret Room in Museum doesn't require reservations anymore, at least that's what I was told two months ago when I visited. FWIW, it's a disappointment. The other artifacts in the museum, however, are spectacular. Also, don't miss the two other museums, if possible: Capidemonte and Certosa di San Martino. Also, walking down Via dei Tribunale is a trip.

2. For pizza, Da Michele near the train station is fantastic. Only two types, Margherita and Marinara. Unfortunately, best Gelato is in Merilunga area - across town. Best in Italy, IMO.

3. Naples is a wacky wild place, but I never felt endangered. Of course, I grew up on Bleecker St. in the 70s/80s.

Coachboy

Ha!

I lived in Brooklyn in the '40's.

So, is it better to go to Pompeii before or after the museum? And, any hotel recommendations?

Eve, I had the exact same question as you about what to do first--museum or Pompeii. I checked all old posts and came up with opposite answers! So I checked guidebooks, too. I found one very good one, the Blue Guide to Southern Italy, South of Rome to Calabria. It said, as Ciao4now stated, do Pompeii first so you can take a look at how it was, in situ. Then go to the museum and you will have a better context of all their Pompeii exhibits. What we plan on doing is getting to Pompeii as early as we can, via train from Sorrento, and in the afternoon swing by Naples solely to visit the museum.

MizzEve: You can do better on the Pompeii arrival time .
ES Train: Leave Rome 0645, Arrive Naples 0838.
Catch the next Circumvesuviana train at 0909 Arrive Pompeii 0947.
There are 4 tracks in the Circumvesuviana Station and one of them is for the Sorrento train which does this.
It starts in Naples, stops at Ercolano/Herculaneum @ ~20min, stops at Pompeii @ ~30min and Ends at Sorrento @ ~60min.
It then returns to Naples along the same route with the same stops.
CIAO4NOW: Where is that lava impression of the table? I've seen pictures of it but I have missed it on 2 trips to Herculaneum .
On my 1st trip I showed a Custodian a picture of it and he said "Sorry closed".
On my 2nd trip ('99) I didn't see it and just assumed it was still in a closed-off area.
Regards, Walter

Walter:
Shame you missed the lava impression - it was impressive since it gave you a sense of the force of the lava flow. Sometimes closed meant more money, so try tipping him if you ever do go back.
I'm sorry I missed the Secret Room tour in the museum - I didn't hear about it before. They have a similar room at Pompeii with just some goat statue displaying his large endowment - in days past, women were not allowed to enter. Ha!
As far as 3 hours in Pompeii, I have to respectfully disagree, but then I get more excited about ruins than most. Do most folks go through it in 3 hours?!
I would find it hard cuz there's lots to see, and it is a pretty large site. MissEve, enjoy yourself for 3 hours or however much time you choose to devote to Pompei!

I belong to the "I love Naples " club. Like most New Yorkers minor inconveniences (like blackouts) don't bother me as much as I'd like people to believe.
Naples is a living city without alot of beautiful parks. However, the archeological museum and Palazzo di Capodimonte a should be seen, great. As well as a walk through the Spacconapoli, truly the living center of naples. A good hotel is Pinto storey in Piazza Amedeo. Around 125E per night, very nice neighborhood and at a metro stop. Spend a day in Naples then go to Pompeii next morning, and return to Rome that afternoon.

Forgot to mention seeing the Cristo Velato ( Veiled Christ ) in the Capella di Sanservero on via Francesco de Sanctis in Spacconapli. One of my two favorite scupltures, the other being Bernini's david in Museo Borghese in Rome.

DLN- out of curiosity how many pages in the Blue Guide are about Calabria? What regions of Calabria do they cover? I just want to make sure it's worth the money before I buy.

Brice -- Both Blue Guide and Insight Guide foe Southern Italy have fairly large sections on Calabria. Go to store and leaf thru first. Also see if there are any others.