epoggi

Hello
I am planning a trip with my 19 year old twins this May to Rome and Amalfi Coast. Just wanted to reach out and see if anyone had some suggestions for us. We had gone to Italy and visited in 2019. During that visit we went to Milan, Lake Como, Pisa, Cinque Terre, Civita di Bagnoregio, Florence, Assisi, and Rome. It was a wonderful, memorable trip. Since we did not have a chance to travel south of Rome we thought this is what we can do in May. We are flying in and out of Rome. We arrive in the morning on Wed. and will be in Italy for 11 days. Flying out the morning of the 11th day. I was thinking of spending 3 days in Rome then traveling to Sorrento. We would spend 5 days in Sorrento, using it as a base. I would welcome any other suggestions and/or recommendations. We would then go back to Rome for the remaining time.

I was hoping the group can give me suggestions on hotels and things to do in Sorrento. We stayed at Hotel Manfredi the last time we were in Rome. It was a nice stay but I wouldn't mind looking at other hotel options. If anyone has specific tour guides they recommend that would be very helpful.

Thank you for your time,

dreamon

Sounds like fun! So you have 10 nights, is that right?

Personally I would prefer to not split my time in Rome. As you have to be there for departure home, I'd travel to Sorrento on arrival in Italy and then end your Italian stay in Rome. You may be tired on arrival and so it's an easy day to travel onwards and then stroll around Sorrento.

I think it would be best to stick with two places but if you are okay to move hotels an extra time (and have visited Rome before) then you could consider Sorrento - Amalfi - Rome. Or Naples - Sorrento - Rome. However, both Amalfi and Naples could be visited as day trips from Sorrento if you wished. There's a heap of places to visit from Sorrento, including the islands nearby.

epoggi

Thank you for your suggestions. I think I will head over to Sorrento right when we arrive. Do you have any suggestions on hotels in Sorrento and Amalfi?

AJPeabody

Deja vu! In 2012 Mrs. P and I had a same length trip for Rome and Sorrento. We flew into Rome and toured there. Took the fast train to Naples, changed to the Circumvesuviana to Sorrento and used Sorrento for a base, flying home from Naples with a plane change in Rome. Trying to go directly to Sorrento from Rome on arrival day could be both exhausting and fraught with the risk of a major mess up if any leg has a problem or if there is a strike. Here is my trip report:

The Peabody Papers: A Mostly True Tale of AJ and Mrs. P's Visit to Italy

kybourbon

** Trying to go directly to Sorrento from Rome on arrival day could be both exhausting and fraught with the risk of a major mess up if any leg has a problem or if there is a strike.**

It's really not difficult. I've done it several times. Many trains in Italy are guaranteed to run even if there is a strike.

Upon arrival you would take the Leonardo Express into Rome Termini station (14€) and change to a fast train to Naples. You can choose a Trenitalia Frecce train or an Italo train from Rome to Napoli Centrale. Trenitalia runs 2-3 Frecce fast trains per hour taking a little over 1 hour. Italo runs 20+ trains per day taking the same amount of time. There is talk of Trenitalia starting a fast train from Fiumicino airport to Naples w/o change as they do a couple of those type trains to Florence/Venice already. Perhaps that will happen by May, but the departure times might not suit you.

https://www.italotreno.it/en
https://www.trenitalia.com/en.html

In Napoli Centrale you go down a level to catch the Circumvesuviana train to Sorrento. Usually there are 2 trains per hour with journey time of about 1 hour (4.50€).

You can stop in the infopoint at Napoli Centrale and buy the 3 day Campania Artecard for the region that includes transport (32€ adults, 25€ 18-24). First 2 museums/sites visited are free plus transport. This card is for 3 consecutive days and time starts at first scan so you might not want to use it arrival day for the train to Sorrento. It would cover the train to/from Pompeii (about 6€ r/t) plus admission (15€). The next day you could take the train to Naples (9€ r/t) and metro (1.50€ each trip - lines 1,2,6 included in pass) to the National Archaeological Museum in Naples (15€ - closed Tuesdays). It's easy to get the value of the pass if you plan your days accordingly and visit higher priced museums first (the pass will auto deduct the 1st two visited, you can't choose). After your two free museums, you get 50% off of most others.

https://www.campaniartecard.it/campania-3-days/?lang=en

https://www.campaniartecard.it/campa...young/?lang=en

Basically the pass covers local/regional transport to reach museums/sites on the pass, not fast trains or express trains/buses. You can travel all the way to Caserta on it to see the Royal Palace if your kids like Star Wars (filmed inside and reflecting pools). There have been other movies filmed there such as Angels and Demons, Mission Impossible, the new series with Elle Fanning - The Great. The palace is right across from the Caserta train station. You can also go as far south as Paestum on the pass with the right transport covered (not so simple to figure out) if a visit to the GreekTemples interests you.

geetika

Following, for a probable visit this April/May, have saved kybourbon’s suggestions for the pass, though we may base in Naples for 3 nights and then go to Amalfi. Anyway, thanks for the tips!

annhig

That's a great tip about the 3 day Campania Artecard, kyb.

epoggi - here's another vote from going straight from Rome to Sorrento when you land, and spending all your time in Rome at the end.

alandavid

This is what we did.
Pretty much the way kybourbon describes for the trains. If you're not travelliing light, it will require you to schlep your luggage on/off trains and some stairs.
If you search the site, there used to be a step by step in pictures on getting to Sorrento from Rome that was very helpful.
Be vigilant in the Naples train station though!

We had our 2 kids with us as well and really enjoyed the Hilton Sorrento Palace.
The family room is giant and has 2 bathrooms (but not a view).
The pool and dining balcony have awesome views of the water and Vesuvius though. Our kids still rant about that multi-level pool with easy access to the gelato bar!
Your teens will love wandering into Sorrento on their own in the evening. Everything is walkable.

I'm a big fan of doing Pompeii first, then the archeological museum after (to see everything that missing from the ruins).
If you're pressed for time, hiring a car/driver for the day is a great way to see the Amalfi Coast in one big day.

epoggi

I am so happy that I posted. Thank you for your suggestions. The three day pass is something we will do. I had a similar pass in Florence and it worked out for us. I will look into the hotel suggestion in Sorrento. I have spent the day reading other threads and enjoyed reading AJPeabody's. I will also look at the Hilton in Sorrento. I think we may be up to going directly to Sorrento after we land. We are landing in the am and most hotels will not let us check in until later in the afternoon. I remember when we arrived in Milan on our last trip we walked around and didn't experience jetlag. That happened on the second day. If we fly into Rome and head to Sorrento then we will be at our base when we start feeling tired. The second day of the trip we can just take in the town and gear up for our adventures. I do want to see Amalfi and maybe either hiring a driver or taking a boat to the town for a day may be enough. I want to see the islands and so some snorkeling. I heard Capri was nice to visit but also not to skip the boat tour
around the island. I was thinking about looking for a hotel in the Trastevere area of Rome. We did not see the Vatican at our last visit. Any thoughts or suggestions? Thank you all for taking time to help.

bon_voyage

Epoggi, what a great time you’ll have! My trip report to the area is several years old now, but it may give you some ideas,
https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...s-rome-1066671.

alandavid

Trastevere is a great for getting away from the crowds & close access to Vatican. Staying near Campo de Fiori/Piazza Navona will be a little closer to the action.
Personally, I like staying near Termini station to avoid lugging baggage/getting a cab. It does mean a llonger walk for some sites, but we catch a cab or take the subway @ Termini if tired.

For Vatican, I always book the earliest possible tour. You get through the Vatican Museum twice as fast, & smaller crowd in the Sistine Chapel. Your teens will love climbing to the top of the Dome @ St Peter's. (you can take elevator part-way). Unique vIew & be sure to stop on the way down for coffee/wine @ the small shop on the roof of the cathedral.

epoggi

Your trip report has some good ideas. I enjoyed reading it also. Thank you

isabel

Completely agree with advice to go straight to Sorrento using the trains as described above.

Here's my trip report (I've actually done three trips to Sorrento, but this trip I wrote the most detailed report). Includes hotel info.
Amalfi Coast, Rome and Croatia - Images of three hot but wonderful weeks

Photos - https://andiamo.zenfolio.com/p266655284

portobelloB

I hope this link comes through. It is my trip report that I did many years ago when we visited Rome, Sorrento and Amalfi Coast. The hotel we stayed at in Sorrento is very closed to the train station. You might be interested it taking the Sita bus to see some towns on the Amalfi coast. I included hotels websites that we stayed out. If you have any further questions, feel free to send me a private message.

Sorrento, Capri, Positano, Amalfi, Orvieto & Rome visit: October 2009

Bringing back some wonderful memories. Have a fantastic trip!

Positano


Ferry to Capri from Sorrento



Amalfi

Pompei

Ravello - Terrace of Infinity

dreamon

I would give an awful lot to be on the Amalfi coast and not stuck at this desk working and trying to dodge Covid! Thanks for everyone's photos - the stuff of dreams right now.

annhig

Same here, Dreamon.

Sassafrass

Yes, Dreamon! I remember the first time being there. I kept telling DH we had died and gone to heaven.