We are making our second trip to Italy in October. After our rental villa in Tuscany, we have 3 days before flying out of Rome.(We'll be in Rome several days earlier in the trip, but have never been south.) If the main thing we want to do is see Pompeii, where should we stay? We will have a rental car in Tuscany and could keep it and turn it in somewhere in the south and train back to Rome. Suggestions?

Sorrento-easy to get to by train, charming and close to Pompeii by train.

I stayed in Sorrento which is only 30 minutes from Pompeii. Actually, Pompeii is mid way between Sorrento and Naples. If you're not interested in the sights in Naples then Sorrento is definitely the place to be. It's charming.

Anolher vote for Sorrento. Lots of hotel and restaurant choices and the Hydrofoil goes direct to Capri - as well as easy access to Pompeii.

Sorrento OR Salerno. We stayed in Salerno last summer and walked to the waterfront and took the 30 minute bus directly to the entrance of Pompeii - couldn't have been easier! While Sorrento may be a more charming city than Salerno, we found Salerno interesting with lots of nice people and some very good restaurants down by the waterfront.

Hi Lady,

I suggest Naples.

You could drive down and drop your car there.

See the archaeological museum and Pompeii in one day (or two if you wish).

Naples is very different from the North.

You might find my trip report helpful:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34451044

Staying in Salerno would also give you the opportunity to take a 40-minute drive to Paestum, where there are incredible Greek and Roman temples. I loved Paestum.

The other suggestions are wonderful and a great idea. If, though, you want to stay in Pompeii, we have stayed at the Hotel Forum. It was clean, wonderful and walking distance to the scavi. It was on the main street where you can buy cameos and a great restaurant I think the name was Caterina or someting like that.