I am planning a trip to Italy for July for our 15th anniversary. I wanted to fly into Rome for 4 days and head to Capri for 4 days. Is this enough time for a first trip and any recommendations for the hotels, and travel options to Capri?

For hotel recos you will have to give us a budget.

To get to Capri the simplest way is to take the train to Naples and the ferry from there to Capri.

I guess our budget for hotels is up to 600 dollars per night. For Rome I want to be close to the main landmarks in a romantic setting hotel.

By the way how long should I expect for the full commute from Rome to Capri?

Depending on which train you take from Rome it will be 1 to 2+ hours. Then you have to get to Molo Beverello which is a 10 to 20 minute taxi ride depending on traffic. Then you have to see the schedule for Capri on the aliscafo. You may get on one right away or have to wait. The ride over is about 45 minutes. Allow 4 to 5 hours.

Thanks. What about return Capri to Naples airport.

45 minute aliscafo ride and then anywhere from 20 minutes up depending on traffic to the airport. The airport is on the other side of Naples from the port.

Thanks. I was looking at a 12noon flight just to be safe if we are staying in Capri until departure day.

I never suggest staying on Capri or Ischia the night before a flight. You never know if the weather is bad and they cancel the aliscafi. Believe me that happens. They have a traghetto at 9:05 but that takes an hour (or more in bad weather) and would be cutting it too close. I'm not sure if they have canceled a traghetto for bad weather.

I would suggest taking the last aliscafo out the night before and staying in a hotel in Naples. You will have time to see Naples a little and don't have to worry about the weather.

That's a good idea. Any suggestions for a moderately priced Naples hotel?

Does flying from NYC area to Rome first, staying in Rome for three days, taking train to Naples, then over to Capri for three days, leaving from Naples back to NY seem like a better idea than doing Capri first since that would be a of traveling the first day from NYC to Capri? I am still exploring which is more feasible.

I like the idea of doing Capri first because it's more relaxing, allowing you to get over jetlag. Assuming you fly overnight, getting to your furthest destination is a good use of your jetlagged first day.

You'll be ready for the intenser experience of Rome after spending your first few days on Capri. Flying out of Rome will be easy, not requiring you to use up one of your very few vacation days in Naples, which wasn't on your list of desired destinations

That makes a lot of sense. How far are the main Rome hotels from the Rome airport? I am seeing if I could feasibly make a 9:00 flight back or take a later one.

Frank,

You can easily make a 9am flight out of FCO, but it depends on whether or not you are willing to get up that early. It only takes about 30 min from Rome to FCO by private car, but you must be at FCO 2.5 - 3 HOURS before departure. Not an exaggeration!

Personally, I would only continue on to Capri on the first day if you fly into Naples. My last trip I went from FCO to Praiano and it was just too exhausting after the long overnight flight.

You mean if it flies directly to Naples,non stop? I can't seem to find a flight that is non stop on the way over. The return trip has a direct flight to Newark from FCO on Alitalia. Any recommendations regarding airlines? I keep seeing a Lufthansa airline on the options.
I keep finding flights departing late afternoon Friday and arriving Saturday morning in Naples after usually a 1-2hr layover in Rome or another European city.

The last time we flew out of Rome we took a town car to the airport in the early morning hours, getting there about 6 AM, 3 hours early for our flight. The check-in desk wasn't manned until about 7. And the attendants seemed surprised to see our line of anxious travelers. Our drive through a quiet early morning Rome was very pleasant, a different view of that city.

There are airport hotels, but I tend to think that's a waste of your last night in Rome.

So why not a stopover on your way to Naples? Most of us are not able to take non-stop flights to Europe, and expecially not to lesser destinations. It would be easier to fly into Naples with a stopover than to arrive in Rome, take the train into town, and then another train to Naples. That's the first part of the trip Dayle is complaining about.

So you fly into Naples with a stopover, take a taxi to the port, and a boat to Capri. Boats are not much affected by weather in July, so that shouldn't be a problem.

In your original post, you asked if 8 days were enough. Is it 8 days and 9 nights? Or 8 nights? In any case, the answer is no. But I never have enough time no matter how long I extend my trips. (Maxed out at a month so far.) Your 4 days in Capri will start with some jetlag, but if you plan to stay on Capri (no excursions to Pompeii or the Amalfi coast), then some easy sightseeing around Capri and resting up should fill your time nicely. Rome can fill up any amount of time, but 4 days should give you a good introduction.

This is all getting very confusing We go somewhere in Europe and then to Ischia (next to Capri)to see our family a couple of times a year. We usually do the most relaxing thing last so we aren't totally exhausted when we get home. If you're flying from Newark you aren't going to get a direct flight to Naples. Eurofly used to fly direct but they have been taken over by Meridian and they don't fly out of Newark.

If you take Lufthansa, Air France, Alitalia (which I don't recommend) or whomever, you will change planes somewhere and then fly into Naples or Naples and change somewhere to Newark. Either way you do it, it works. Into Naples out of Rome or into Rome out of Naples.

As far as a hotel in Naples there are a lot of good hotels. We happen to prefer the Hotel Piazza Bellini http://www.hotelpiazzabellini.com. It's central, clean, not expensive and the staff is just incredible.

We did the Amalfi Coast first, flew into Naples and took the train to Rome 3 yrs ago. You need time to relax after the madness of Rome though in my opinion. We should have done it the other way. We rented an apartment in Ravello, great view of the sea, and did day trips to Positano, Capri, etc. I don't know that you need to stay in Capri. The Blue Grotto was disappointing I do have to mention. Just my two cents.

Sorry, I wasn't clear. Yes, I meant fly into Naples even if there is a connection (usually is). FCO-Termini-Naples-bus or taxi-aliscafi-Capri = too much.

These are all great and very helpful comments for a first timer like me. I agree that if we do capri or amalfi coast first we fly into Naples with one stopover. Now I'm wondering if Capri might be better as a day trip and to stay in amalfi coast first. I was planning on leaving on a Thursday arriving Friday morning in naples and departing following Sunday from Rome. That would be a total of 9 nights in Italy and ten days.