My husband and I are planning our first trip to Italy for September 2012. Actually, my husband was there decades ago, but that hardly counts now After much thought & research, we have decided on Rome/Amalfi Coast/Sorrento area for this trip. Rome is a must see for my first trip to Italy. I hope to back on other trips to visit Tuscany, Florence, Venice, etc.

Unless something changes drastically in airfare, it appears we will fly to/from Rome. Naples is much more expensive and longer plane ride than Rome, however, I will keep an eye on this and consider in or out of Naples if the price and timing is right.

I am thinking:

Day 1: Arrive Rome/train to Sorrento
Day 2-4: Sorrento (day trips to Herc/Naples; Capri or Ischea)
Day 5: To Amalfi
Day 6-7: Amalfi (day trips to Ravello, Positano, etc)
Day 8: To Rome
Day 9-11: Rome
Day 10: Fly Home

I thought of doing Rome first so that we do the hectic/touristy stuff first, but then I would have to burn a day getting back to Rome & overnight for a flight out. Does this make sense?

Also, should we do Amalfi first, with 4 nights/3 days then head to Sorrento for 3 nights/2 days? I thought of just picking 1 location for the AC, but it seems that might leave us with a lot of time in buses/trains.

I don't have any special reason for staying in Amalfi & Sorrento other than with limited time, these appear to offer the best transportation options for day trips.

I just wanted to get some tips from the experts out there! Please let me know what you think!

That first day is really 3 modes of transport and you will be jet lagged. I would train as far as Naples and get a driver from there to Amalfi and start there. Then, work your way back.

I agree with Bob. You will have to take the train from the airport to Roma Centrale, make a connection there to Naples, make a connection to the Circumvesuviana to Sorrento. That's tough after a long flight. If you get a driver from Naples to Amalfi you can fall asleep in the car. We always start from the farthest distance and work our way back.

Keep looking for into Naples out of Rome. It usually works out cheaper for us. It depends what airline you're taking, though. If you take a European airline and have to change planes in another country like Air France/Paris, usually the flight to Naples is cheaper than the one to Rome. That's what we have found with our flights. If we fly a non-stop domestic airline, then to fly into Naples would be more expensive. A lot of research and watching but you have plenty of time.

Actually into NAP out of ROM does work out

Hi mom,

>Actually into NAP out of ROM does work out <

Excellent.

There is bus service from NAP to Sorrento, if you wish.
http://www.curreriviaggi.it/

Then go to Amalfi.

To get to Rome, take the ferry or bus to Salerno and take the train from there.
The train station n Salerno is only a couple of blks from the ferry doc.
You won't have to go on a crowded SITA bus or Circumvesuviana commuter train.

I am in the early stages of planning a similar trip. I too have to fly in and out of Rome because I am using miles and Naples is not an option. My thought is to take a taxi from Rome airport to train station, train to Naples and then a driver to Sorrento. I looked into a driver from airport to Sorrento but it was too costly and this seemed like a good compromise. I am thinking of staying 6 nights in Sorrento and doing day trips and then 3-4 nights in Rome where I can easily make my am flight back to US. Still on the fence about whether to do all 6 nites in Sorrento or take a few off and stay in Amalfi or Positano. All opinions welcome...

mkm and Jeangail,
The second half of our vacation last spring was very much as you have described. We chose to spend our first days in Amalfi, then Sorrento for its ease as a base to things around the Bay of Naples, and finally Rome. It worked out really well for us!

We really loved the more laid-back feel of Amalfi, and taking the Sita bus to Positano and other places wasn't difficult in "shoulder" season. Sorrento was busier and more touristy (in no small part because of the cruise ships that dock there), but really easy to hop on the Circumvesuviana commuter train to Erculano and Naples among other places. Sorrento is the end of one line, so getting a seat and other issues weren't a concern.

We had been in Sicily prior, so our arrival in the area was different than either of yours will be. But I agree that it's a lot of public transit for your first, jet-laggy day. However, if you decide to do it, it is a straightforward connection to the Circumvesuviana in the lower level of the Naples train station...

What first-time to Italy and no visit to Pompeii, one of Italy's most popular sites planned? Ercolo (Herucaleum sp?) is nice but it is not nearly as engrossing or as large as Pompeii, which is also much closer to Sorrento.

Take Ira's suggestion about taking a bus or boat from Amalfi to Salerno to get direct trains to Rome without having to schlep back via Sorrento and Naples.

If you do Amalfi then Sorrento you can take the Circumvesuviana to Pompeii on the way to changing in Naples to Rome. I'm pretty sure they have a luggage locker in Pompeii. Just don't get off in the village of Pompeii. Get off at the Scavi. I agree that Pompeii is not to be missed.

There is a luggage storage at Pompeii, at the entrance to the Dead City.

Pompeii is on my must do list but I thought I would go by train on one of my days in Sorrento as opposed to on the way in when I will be exhausted. My big decision is whether to do all 6 nights in Sorrento and day trip everywhere or do 4 in Sorrento and 2 in Amalfi or Positano. 3-4 nights in Rome at the end is a definite.

I have been debating between Herculaneum and Pompeii & my research has led me to believe Herculaneum might be more up our alley this first trip. I think we we would be overwhelmed with Pompeii. I was hoping to do Herc in combination with a stop to Naples and the museum there.

Thanks for all your feedback!!

IMHO, you can't go wrong with either Herculaneum or Pompeii. They're fairly different one from the other, but mkm you're right that Herculaneum is compact and more approachable. Either or both in combination with getting to see the artifacts at the archeological museum in Naples plus the sprawling complex of ancient ruins in Rome should more than satify.

Depending on the timing of museum hours, you might want to go to Herculaneum first and end in Naples on that day. You'll have seen the context first and then see the objects that would have decorated the houses and shops you've seen.

It's worth noting that in Naples basically all the eateries close for a few hours in the afternoon, and dinner starts at the earliest at 8pm. Nonetheless, we were able to get an early seating at a recommended pizzeria and still make a Circumvesuviana train back to Sorrento that evening. (If you want pizza recommendations, look for the trip report by Marija. I wish I'd had that list before I went!)

We found the train from Naples to Sorrento easy as pie. I did not feel unsafe and it was not tiring. I guess it depends how you want to spend your holiday $$$

We based in Sorrento for 5 nights and did day trips.. It might have been nice to have 2 days further down the coast but decided we did not want to move hotels again. I think I prefer Positano to Almalfi.

We caught the public bus to Positano and Almalfi and just did a day there. A day in Pompeii and a day in Naples and the other 2 days just relaxing in Sorrento.

The main thing to watch for with the Archaeological Museum is that - unusually for Italy - it takes the weekly day of closure on Tuesdays.... on others it's open from 09:00 to 19:30.

The best source of local details like that is the 'Qui Napoli' magazine, which the tourism people bring out every two months (no edition for the quiet Feb/Mar period, but presumably they'll again be back in April).

It's mostly bilingual English/Italian, and a PDF version is available by clicking on the word "download" here....
http://www.inaples.it/eng/quinapoli.htm

You'll find that it's a mine of useful information!

Peter