travelbug2013

We are going to Rome in October. We would like to go see the Amalfi Coast and Pompeii one of those days. My travel agent sent over a tour from booktravelbound that picks you up in Rome, takes you to Pompeii, Amalfi Coast and a couple of side trips. This will be on a Mercedes minibus or similar. 14 hour tour for $291 pp. My question is: Are there any good tours out there besides this one. Is this the best way to go? Is taking a fast train to Naples in the morning and taking a tour from there better? Is getting the fast train there and back easy?

nytraveler

This is not a realistic day trip from Rome - esp in Oct.
You will be very rushed, not have enough time anywhere (Pompeii takes at least 4 or 5 hours to even skim the surface) and then will have very limited time on the Amalfi coast and not get to see Capri - just not enough hours in the day - and ferries to/fro Capri don;t run in the evening.

Also - this would be a very long day from Rome - at least 15 or 16 hours if not more.

kwren

We took a bus from Rome to Pompeii, spent about 4 hours there, a train to Naples to see the Archeological Museum and have some pizza and took the train back to Rome and it was a very full day. There is no way we could have substituted the Amalfi Coast for Naples time wise.

If you are interested in that tour, ask how long you will spend in each place. I imagine no more than 1 1/2 - 2 hours in Pompeii. My son and I took a tour on a big bus many years ago and that's how long we had in Pompeii. Then we went to Sorrento but barely had any time there at all. It was a long day but I wouldn't do a bus tour with both stops again. A private van might improve things (no stupid stop at a furniture maker for instance) but you can't get away from the long driving distances.

SabineScherer

We need to google it out all about the trains and there route with time table which make you comfort with a proper time.Have you got any another idea till now?

travelbug2013

This is the one I am thinking of doing. I have already been to Pompeii but my husband hasn't. He isn't overly big on history so 2 hrs in Pompeii is fine for him. http://www.viator.com/tours/Rome/Pom...e/d511-2635POM

cathies

You could go to Ostia antica instead which is only a little way out of rome. The tour sounds awful, very rushed and at that time of the year the days will be short enough that you will be travelling in the dark for some of the time.

ethylene

There are many tour companies that do day trips from Rome to Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast. Look at TripAdvisor and see what travelers have to say. I booked a trip through EasItaly for August. We will be traveling by van with a small group. Yes it will be a very long day and yes we will just skim the surface, but the alternative for me is not to see these places at all.

nytraveler

You did read that you have to be in your hotel lobby ready to get on the bus at 6:45 am??? And the trip will take 14 hours?
ing
I wouldn;t want to sit on a van all that time - and there is no info on exactly how long you will be in each place - which I would want to know before pay

hollywoodsc

For almost $600 you could take the train to Naples, visit Pompeii, stay overnight, do a tour the next day and take the train back to Rome.

The kind of tour you describe let's you 'see' the sites but a 20 minute stop someplace isn't really worth it for me.

kwren

Yes, and hour in a place might sound OK, but be sure it doesn't include a stop in a cameo factory or furniture place (typical stops on those tours). That's what happened to us and then we had about 10-15 extra minutes "in Sorrento". Not exactly enough time to walk around when you don't know where you are going. For us, the drive from Pompeii to Sorrento was somewhat worth it since the views were gorgeous and my son was 14 and probably not so interested in walking around a small town anyway, but for most people that would not cut it.

The most entertaining part of that trip was that I bought my son one of those squishy balls everyone was selling in Rome near the Colisseum and Trevi Fountain back then. It kept him occupied a good part of the trip...until it burst and the contents spread..and spread...and spread...and spread some more! It was like lava covering everything! We spent so much time cleaning up so that the bus was presentable and it certainly dulled the pain of not spending enough time anywhere.

Donna82

For that money an overnight stay would seem very possible? Using Sorrento as a base you could do Amalfi on day one then Pompeii the next morning on the way back to Rome, from what I've heard you need 3/4 hrs at least in Pompeii, we are going there in August, can't wait

janisj

ethylene: Perhaps (just <i>perhaps</i> ) you might want to actually take that tour before recommending it.

travelbug2013: You want to pay €291 pp (tour plus Pompeii entrance fee) to spend more time in the coach than off??