SORRENTO OR NAPLES
 

We have one day/night before catching an early flight home from Naples. I have heard Sorrento is less bustling (and therefore preferable for us) to Naples - is it inconvenient for getting to Naples Airport very early in the morning? Any idea of taxi fare? Thank you.

http://www.curreriviaggi.it/
the Curreie bus goes to and from the Airport to sorrento,don't know if the timetable is suitable for you though.

I loved Sorrento! A day would be nice, but more time would be nicer. Try to take a bottle of lemonocello liquer home. They make it there and it's wonderful. My bottles broke on the way home. My luggage dripped, but smelled divine.

I hate Sorrento.
Vespas at neck breaking speeds with no regard for anyone.
I have been there 2 times and found this to be true both times. I will never go back there.

Sorrento by far. I second scarlettudor...pick up some limoncello.

Or you could use your day and go to Pompei.

My advice depends on what you are doing prior to arriving in Naples, and whether you plan on seeing Pompeii, Herculaneum, any part of the AC, etc. It really depends on what you want to do with your day.

I happen to love Naples - lots to do, excellent restaurants, easy access to Pompeii, ferries to Capri & AC, etc., and busy.
I also love Sorrento - great views, good restaurants, easy ferry access to AC, access to Pompeii - if you get a hotel that is quiet. That is possible, but jetsetj is right about the vespas.

I also prefer Sorrento, but just make sure it works for your schedule.

As far as picking up that limoncello (which is wonderful), check your local wine/liquor stores before buying any in Sorrento. I bought some and lugged it all over Florence and Rome only to find the liquor store about 2 mi from my house back in the US carried the exact same brand - and it was cheaper!!! AARRGGHH!

If you have an early flight out of Naples, then stay in Naples. You just need to pick the right neighborhood (and the right section within). The many neighborhoods are vastly different from one another. There are even some VERY quiet parts of the pedistrian Spaccanapoli.

ditto bardo

((I))

Sorrento! It's easy to get to the airport from there, and the limoncello is a MUST :) And people on mopeds in any Italian city will try to kill you or themselves, so there's really no point avoiding it.

THANK YOU EVERYONE. To answer a few questions, we will be finishing a week in Positano and Capri...the main reason we are spending the last day in either Sorrento or Naples is to take a day trip to Herculaneum. Since our flight out the next morning is at 8 a.m., I am wondering if Sorrento is inconvenient as our base for the our last night....or if we would be smarter to just stay in Naples. Any further thoughts? THANK YOU! (will definitely be enjoying limoncello to the max)!

I'm sorry I'm no help on the convenience of the plane arrangements, but I do know a good quiet hotel in Sorrento. At least, it was when I stayed there 10 years ago. The Aminta. It's a mile or so above the city, on the way the drive down the Amalfi coast. Very friendly staff, lovely big rooms overlooking the bay.

Oh, and on the limoncello, do check your local liquor stores before you go. Mine didn't have it. It was cheap in Sorrento.

jsetj, it you want to avoid Vespas, you must avoid the whole of Italy, not just Sorrento. When comparing Sorrento with Naples, it's hard to believe Naples is quieter, safer, and with no Vespas.

Sorrento will do you just fine -- and I love Napoli, you've been candid in nailing why it's not for you. Sorrento is also an urban space in many ways, but it nothing like the urban chaos Napoli. Plus, staying near the train station in Napoli is the worst part of town. (Almost.)

Tripadvisor should be a good resource for just finding a good hotel in Sorrento. Are you going to ask the hotel to call a taxi for you? I'd look on Tripadvisor and pick a place that is convenient to the train that goes to the ruins, is quite, safe and has a reliable desk in touch with a good taxi driver.

In truth, I wasn't impressed Sorrento either (though I didn't notice the Vespas any worse than elsewhere in Italy). I stayed a few nights and found Sorrento a bit overtouristed - and yes, I know there are tourists everywhere in Italy, but this place seemed too full of them. I would say the same of Venice, except the staggering beauty of the place makes up for it.

I didn't stay in Naples, but I ventured a day trip there - a little nervous about how dirty and scary it was supposed to be - and instead I found Naples charming, once I wandered away from the train station, and was very sorry I didn't stay there instead of Sorrento.

But - we all have different tastes and interests in the places we visit! No harm in that.

Andrew, I think for somebody who is looking to get to the ruins, and already said they don't want bustle, putting them on a direct path through the Napoli train station is not a great recipe.

Many, many, many people are surprised that they like Napoli, either despite its problems or because they manage never to encounter its problems. But if you don't like bustle -- I would say bustle part of Napoli's charm.

Sorrento has go the problems you say -- and maybe the original poster will decide that he'd rather face bustle that bus tours.

So glad to see this thread. I am facing the same question. I had about decided to do Naples instead of Sorrento for 3 nights Oct. 30-Nov.1 - as a base for Pompeii, Herculaneum, Naples museum and possibly Paestum. I recognize I can do all that from Sorrento, but the notion of taking the train from Rome, dropping bags at hotel in Naples, and then having the rest of the day for Herculaneum and the museum, seems like a good use of our time. If we go all the way to Sorrento, I don't know how much we will get done that day besides travel. In addition, the food and the bustle of Naples are sort of appealling. The thing that stops me is that each of our day trips will require that we go to the train station. In fact, staying near there would be ideal considering that we want to do day tripping out from there. But from this post, as well as other accounts, that sounds like the WORST place to stay in Naples. SOOO - maybe the better idea is just to go on to Sorrento. I know there is a place to leave luggage at Pompeii - maybe we could do that on our way to Sorrento. I had hoped to devote an entire day to that excurion however. Anything else I'm forgetting in making this decision? Oh - and at the end we will be renting a car. That might be easier in Sorrento too I suppose?

no, no, no, nancy! Stay in Napoli and take taxis to the train station. Okay? Your hotel will help you. Napoli is small. It's gonna cost you all of 5 euros per trip. It would be a shame if you are up for staying in Napoli to miss that. It's a fantastic experience of Italy.

Even staying in Sorrento, you are going to have to mind your wallet on the train to the ruins. The area surrounding the Napoli train station is unnerving for most tourists because there are so many poor people there, and open petty vice (druggies, hookers). It's like the old unDisneyfied Times Square, but much more of a chaotic swirl of people going every which way.

You'll be fine. Stay in Napoli! Or if you are really keen on spending all your possible time in at the ruins, stay in Pompeii. People deride the town as soulless, but it's go two great restaurants. Plus Pompeii! What more do you need in Italy. (I'll only add that Sorrento isn't as far as you think.)

nancy, I agree w/ zeppole. Stay in a nicer part of Naples (maybe at a hotel that is €10 less per night) and "splurge" on €5 taxis to the train station.

Naples sounds like a bit of an adventure. And since I will be there with my 27 year old son - he can "protect" me - I hope. The taxi seems like the answer. Any thoughts on favorite hotels? The top rated ones on Trip Advisor don't seem to be in the nicer areas. We don't need fancy, but a comfortable bed (hard to find in Italy apparantely)and near good restaurants for dinner at night would be nice.