Sorrento/Naples/Amalfi Coast
May 2nd, 2012, 10:06 PM
#21
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Pietro_Gallo - yes, we are doing 2 days in Sorrento, 2 days on Capri & then another day in Sorrento. (we had to split our days to get the accomodation I wanted on Capri - 2nd guessing myself now...) We then have another partial day until we take the ferry from Napoli to Stromboli. I am sure I will need to book another Italian vacation sometime in the distant future, as we don't have time to do it all. This is our "volcano" vacation. We are climbing Vesuvius (sp), Stromboli & Etna with a bit of culture and food thrown in (& the Path to the Gods). 3 weeks vacation is just not enough, but that's all we have (plus, I don't think I would be able to afford anything more..) Enjoy your trip also.
May 3rd, 2012, 01:43 PM
#22
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Another question, if anybody knows, we are planning to take a Curreri Viaggi Shuttle Coach Bus from Naples Airport to Sorrento. Can we just purchase tickets right there at arrival or should we make reservations in advance?
May 3rd, 2012, 01:57 PM
#23
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CalgaryDoll - climbing Vesuvius, Stromboli & Etna - that sounds like you'll have an unforgettable experience. We were actually originally considering going go Sicily and Campania; My friend got a free 2-night stay at Rocco Forte Verdura which is near a small town Sciacca, in Agrigento area; so we thought we'd go there and than on the way back to Campania also visit Messina and Catania, but we realized that we simply don't have enough time for everything 
So we decided to do Naples/Sorrento/Amalfi Coast this time and hopefully to come back for Sicily exclusively some time in a future.
Well, I'm sure you'd enjoy your trip, hope to hear all about it at some point via this wonderful blog!
So we decided to do Naples/Sorrento/Amalfi Coast this time and hopefully to come back for Sicily exclusively some time in a future.
Well, I'm sure you'd enjoy your trip, hope to hear all about it at some point via this wonderful blog!
May 3rd, 2012, 02:02 PM
#24
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When we stayed on Capri several years ago, we were able to arrange a private boat tour of the island by hiring one of the "Captains" down at Marina Grande ( where the boats come in from Sorrento and Positano). It was much cheaper than going through the hotel. There was also a tourist kiosk in Capri town where you could get information about typical rates for boat tours, etc. I don't know if it's stlll there, but it was directly to the left of the funicular exit ( if you are arriving from Marina Grande).
We've visited the AC several times and are going back in June. The SITA buses are HORRIBLE. Avoid them if you can. I am disappointed to read that the ferry service between towns may not be operating the way it did in the past. That was/is the best way to get back and forth between the towns on the coast. We found that many times the SITA buses seemed to have their own secret schedule and arrived/departed on whim. And when they did arrive, they were often so overstuffed that it made for a very uncomfortable and hot ride to wherever we were going.
I can highly recommend the driver we've used for many years, if you want another name. He's Giovanni Gargiulo and can be reached at: Tourofitaly.com. We've really enjoyed the trips we've taken with him or his son, Giancarlo.
Looking at your schedule, I'm wondering whether you might consider spending your last night in Naples instead of Sorrento. You could then spend the day and a half before you leave visiting the volcanoes and The Archaeological Museum. Also, Pompeii is only 20 minutes from Naples, so slightly closer than traveling there from Sorrento.
We've visited the AC several times and are going back in June. The SITA buses are HORRIBLE. Avoid them if you can. I am disappointed to read that the ferry service between towns may not be operating the way it did in the past. That was/is the best way to get back and forth between the towns on the coast. We found that many times the SITA buses seemed to have their own secret schedule and arrived/departed on whim. And when they did arrive, they were often so overstuffed that it made for a very uncomfortable and hot ride to wherever we were going.
I can highly recommend the driver we've used for many years, if you want another name. He's Giovanni Gargiulo and can be reached at: Tourofitaly.com. We've really enjoyed the trips we've taken with him or his son, Giancarlo.
Looking at your schedule, I'm wondering whether you might consider spending your last night in Naples instead of Sorrento. You could then spend the day and a half before you leave visiting the volcanoes and The Archaeological Museum. Also, Pompeii is only 20 minutes from Naples, so slightly closer than traveling there from Sorrento.
May 3rd, 2012, 02:06 PM
#25
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kybourbon - I'll check all info later, but thanks for providing the links and for all your suggestions! So it's at least may be a possibility to combine Paestum w/Positano...I'll do myb research. Thanks again!
May 10th, 2012, 10:36 AM
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Some restaurants don't accept credit cards, so check first. I would highly suggest only using ATMS connected to banks rather than some of the others you may find. There's often more security/video surveillance.
May 10th, 2012, 10:42 PM
#29
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Anything's possible - or so they say - but we've lived down near Naples for almost a decade now, and have yet to notice any ATMs not linked to a specific bank.
::::::::::::::::::::
On the practical side of things:
* Some assistance with the SITA bus timetables (reply #3 for versions valid for your May visit)...
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTop..._Campania.html
* Either print, or just note, the scheduled timings of May's Circumvesuviana trains on the Naples - Ercolano Scavi (for Herculaneum) - Pompei Scavi (for Pompeii) - Sorrento route:
http://www.vesuviana.it/web/files/Or...%20dispari.pdf
http://www.vesuviana.it/web/files/Or...nto%20pari.pdf
* In building your itinerary, this may give an idea of travel times when using the various forms of public transport on offer locally:
http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/image/132567370
* For the Curreri Viaggi buses from the airport, you buy tickets from the driver - no pre-booking! They've very recently gone over to their summer schedule, with 8 per day in each direction...
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTop..._Campania.html
* This month the only regular services by sea from Sorrento to the Amalfi Coast are likely to be the two Alicost departures, which go first to Positano and then as far as Amalfi, but not on to Salerno!
http://www.alicost.it/content/?id=6
* And you'd do well to download a copy (the April/May edition at present) of the very useful visitor magazine for Naples and its surroundings - 'Qui Napoli' - from:
http://www.inaples.it/eng/quinapoli.htm
Peter
::::::::::::::::::::
On the practical side of things:
* Some assistance with the SITA bus timetables (reply #3 for versions valid for your May visit)...
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTop..._Campania.html
* Either print, or just note, the scheduled timings of May's Circumvesuviana trains on the Naples - Ercolano Scavi (for Herculaneum) - Pompei Scavi (for Pompeii) - Sorrento route:
http://www.vesuviana.it/web/files/Or...%20dispari.pdf
http://www.vesuviana.it/web/files/Or...nto%20pari.pdf
* In building your itinerary, this may give an idea of travel times when using the various forms of public transport on offer locally:
http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/image/132567370
* For the Curreri Viaggi buses from the airport, you buy tickets from the driver - no pre-booking! They've very recently gone over to their summer schedule, with 8 per day in each direction...
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTop..._Campania.html
* This month the only regular services by sea from Sorrento to the Amalfi Coast are likely to be the two Alicost departures, which go first to Positano and then as far as Amalfi, but not on to Salerno!
http://www.alicost.it/content/?id=6
* And you'd do well to download a copy (the April/May edition at present) of the very useful visitor magazine for Naples and its surroundings - 'Qui Napoli' - from:
http://www.inaples.it/eng/quinapoli.htm
Peter
May 10th, 2012, 11:25 PM
#30
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As for Paestum, by public transport it's a fairly tough daytrip - which is why this is a popular alternative:
http://www.goldentours.it/en/salerno_e_paestum.php
If concerned about the Amalfi Drive, note that their route begins with the S145, along the northern coast, to then turn inland and southeastwards for Salerno:
http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/imag...83118/original
Although not on your original list, that's an interesting city in its own right...
http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/salerno33
... but does of course cut the time you'd have amongst the temples:
http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/paestum
................................................
If making one's own arrangements, the slow but simple and cheap DIY plan would be to sit on an early CV train to the Piazza Garibaldi station in Naples, and then swap to a Trenitalia service direct to the one near the Paestum site - but each way some 2 1/2 hours travel, plus the change and probably a wait!
The departure times on this are out of date now, but do show the big gap after the morning's 'to work or school' trains:
http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/image/133086074
.... hence the need to leave Sorrento quite early!
By sea, the first Alicost departure would see you at Amalfi at 11:30, with then a 75 minute bus ride to Salerno... from where there's an hourly bus to Paestum, so you'd arrive well into the afternoon?
Although these people don't go as far as Sorrento, their various other routes may be useful for leapfrogging along the AC...
http://www.coopsantandrea.com/eng/se...ervizi_eng.asp
Lastly, particularly if going to Naples, but also for the museum at the Paestum site and elsewhere, do watch out for the 'staggered' pattern of closing days here in Campania:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic..._Campania.html
Peter
http://www.goldentours.it/en/salerno_e_paestum.php
If concerned about the Amalfi Drive, note that their route begins with the S145, along the northern coast, to then turn inland and southeastwards for Salerno:
http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/imag...83118/original
Although not on your original list, that's an interesting city in its own right...
http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/salerno33
... but does of course cut the time you'd have amongst the temples:
http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/paestum
................................................
If making one's own arrangements, the slow but simple and cheap DIY plan would be to sit on an early CV train to the Piazza Garibaldi station in Naples, and then swap to a Trenitalia service direct to the one near the Paestum site - but each way some 2 1/2 hours travel, plus the change and probably a wait!
The departure times on this are out of date now, but do show the big gap after the morning's 'to work or school' trains:
http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/image/133086074
.... hence the need to leave Sorrento quite early!
By sea, the first Alicost departure would see you at Amalfi at 11:30, with then a 75 minute bus ride to Salerno... from where there's an hourly bus to Paestum, so you'd arrive well into the afternoon?
Although these people don't go as far as Sorrento, their various other routes may be useful for leapfrogging along the AC...
http://www.coopsantandrea.com/eng/se...ervizi_eng.asp
Lastly, particularly if going to Naples, but also for the museum at the Paestum site and elsewhere, do watch out for the 'staggered' pattern of closing days here in Campania:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic..._Campania.html
Peter
May 13th, 2012, 02:43 AM
#34
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No 'appears' about it!
As on many other rail routes in this area, that <<<big gap after the morning's 'to work or school' trains>>> is very much a reality...
A possible alternative from Sorrento, for those OK with a bit of a walk, might be to go to Pompei Scavi on the CV, and then get across to the town's Trenitalia station, from where there are Paestum trains until 09:02.... it's the one marked in red, on this:
http://www.unicocampania.it/files/mappe/pompei.pdf
Or, for the times of the CSTP #34 bus line, with the Concordia departure point being as shown here:
http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/image/132810174
- fairly frequent on week days:
http://www.cstp.it/linee/34fe.pdf
- but far fewer of them on Sundays:
http://www.cstp.it/linee/34fs.pdf
Peter
As on many other rail routes in this area, that <<<big gap after the morning's 'to work or school' trains>>> is very much a reality...
A possible alternative from Sorrento, for those OK with a bit of a walk, might be to go to Pompei Scavi on the CV, and then get across to the town's Trenitalia station, from where there are Paestum trains until 09:02.... it's the one marked in red, on this:
http://www.unicocampania.it/files/mappe/pompei.pdf
Or, for the times of the CSTP #34 bus line, with the Concordia departure point being as shown here:
http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/image/132810174
- fairly frequent on week days:
http://www.cstp.it/linee/34fe.pdf
- but far fewer of them on Sundays:
http://www.cstp.it/linee/34fs.pdf
Peter
May 13th, 2012, 07:06 AM
#36
I've walked from the Pompeii Scavi station to the Pompeii Trenitalia station. It's a flat walk, but a good distance so allow plenty of time (or taxi between them).
The Sita buses arrive at the train station in Salerno so to catch the bus on to Paestum you have to walk to Piazza della Concordia.
The Sita buses arrive at the train station in Salerno so to catch the bus on to Paestum you have to walk to Piazza della Concordia.
May 13th, 2012, 08:03 AM
#37
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AJP, thanks - and for those codes:
D is for Diretto... in the sense of no changes required, rather than non-stop!
DD is for.... who knows - Double Diretto? But those all skip some of intervening stations, and take slightly less time to do the trip!
FER is working weekdays only, Mon to Sat unless a public holiday - and never on a Sunday!
Not sure that all of the CV's problems are over, so perhaps allow a little slack in your itinerary?
......................
But unless things have changed, the SITA buses in Salerno do this...
- the one-way traffic system sees those heading northwards from the Via Vinciprova depot there (on their way to Vietri, Amalfi etc) pass by the train station in piazza Vittorio Veneto, where their stop is immediately in front of the station exit.
- those coming from Amalfi etc use the waterfront Lungomare Trieste in passing southwards through the town - with a stop at Piazza Concordia... to end that depot, off to the SE of this:
http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/image/132810174
... although I wasn't able to get Googlemaps at the correct enlargement for all of the white arrows to show up!
Peter
D is for Diretto... in the sense of no changes required, rather than non-stop!
DD is for.... who knows - Double Diretto? But those all skip some of intervening stations, and take slightly less time to do the trip!
FER is working weekdays only, Mon to Sat unless a public holiday - and never on a Sunday!
Not sure that all of the CV's problems are over, so perhaps allow a little slack in your itinerary?
......................
But unless things have changed, the SITA buses in Salerno do this...
- the one-way traffic system sees those heading northwards from the Via Vinciprova depot there (on their way to Vietri, Amalfi etc) pass by the train station in piazza Vittorio Veneto, where their stop is immediately in front of the station exit.
- those coming from Amalfi etc use the waterfront Lungomare Trieste in passing southwards through the town - with a stop at Piazza Concordia... to end that depot, off to the SE of this:
http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/image/132810174
... although I wasn't able to get Googlemaps at the correct enlargement for all of the white arrows to show up!
Peter
May 14th, 2012, 11:39 AM
#38
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Peter and kybourbon: your info is really helpful, mille grazie.
We'll be staying in Amalfi in October and will make a day trip to Paestum and the 36th division monument -- I'm thinking that on the way there, we might walk around Salerno a bit since we'll have to change buses there anyway. It sounds like we should just use a SITA bus from Amalfi to Salerno, and then go by bus also to Paestum. Can you think of any reason not to do this? If we leave Amalfi early in the a.m. on a weekday morning, travel by bus to Salerno, walk around and maybe grab a snack or light lunch, then head to Piazza Concordia for the bus to Paestum, does that sound reasonable? I'm quite fond of ceramics and like to bring a piece home from our travels; am thinking we could stop on the way back to Amalfi in Vietri to check out some of the pottery there. Again, any reason you can think of not to do this?
I appreciate your input very much.
gailw
We'll be staying in Amalfi in October and will make a day trip to Paestum and the 36th division monument -- I'm thinking that on the way there, we might walk around Salerno a bit since we'll have to change buses there anyway. It sounds like we should just use a SITA bus from Amalfi to Salerno, and then go by bus also to Paestum. Can you think of any reason not to do this? If we leave Amalfi early in the a.m. on a weekday morning, travel by bus to Salerno, walk around and maybe grab a snack or light lunch, then head to Piazza Concordia for the bus to Paestum, does that sound reasonable? I'm quite fond of ceramics and like to bring a piece home from our travels; am thinking we could stop on the way back to Amalfi in Vietri to check out some of the pottery there. Again, any reason you can think of not to do this?
I appreciate your input very much.
gailw
May 14th, 2012, 11:55 AM
#39
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well, I apologize, but having printed Peter's map and re-reading the above directions, I am now totally confused: if I am coming by bus from Amalfi and going to Paestum, will our bus stop at Piazza della Concordia BUT CONTINUE ON TO PAESTUM? Or, do we have to get over to the train station to continue to Paestum? The above descriptions seem to indicate that it would be Amalfi-bound buses that depart from the train station stop, so we wouldn't have to go there until we are on our way back to the hotel at the end of the day. I'm sorry if I'm being dense about this, but I am directionally impaired.
grazie
gail
grazie
gail
May 14th, 2012, 02:00 PM
#40
>>>if I am coming by bus from Amalfi and going to Paestum, will our bus stop at Piazza della Concordia BUT CONTINUE ON TO PAESTUM?<<<
AFAIK the Sit bus from Amalfi stops at the train station, not Piazza della Concordia. I can't find the online schedules (perhaps Peter can), but this schedule only shows one stop in Salerno.
http://www.amalficoastweb.com/orari_...imetables.html
I used the CSTP bus from Paestum (CSTP #34) to Salerno which I caught at Piazza della Concordia and it dropped us there on the way back. We then had to walk to the station to catch the Sita bus as did other travelers. I didn't take the Sita bus from Amalfi to Salerno (I arrived by train) so it's possible it could stop. Just watch for the area on Peter's last link and hop off if it stops. It will save you a bit of a walk if it does stop.
I would not wander Salerno on the way to Paestum. I would plan that for the route back in case buses aren't so frequent in Oct. That way, you can skip it if you don't have enough time or if you are too tired from Paestum.
AFAIK the Sit bus from Amalfi stops at the train station, not Piazza della Concordia. I can't find the online schedules (perhaps Peter can), but this schedule only shows one stop in Salerno.
http://www.amalficoastweb.com/orari_...imetables.html
I used the CSTP bus from Paestum (CSTP #34) to Salerno which I caught at Piazza della Concordia and it dropped us there on the way back. We then had to walk to the station to catch the Sita bus as did other travelers. I didn't take the Sita bus from Amalfi to Salerno (I arrived by train) so it's possible it could stop. Just watch for the area on Peter's last link and hop off if it stops. It will save you a bit of a walk if it does stop.
I would not wander Salerno on the way to Paestum. I would plan that for the route back in case buses aren't so frequent in Oct. That way, you can skip it if you don't have enough time or if you are too tired from Paestum.
