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My Best Day In Italy: Port of Call in Naples

ajtraveler66

By ajtraveler66,
in Italy Ports

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ajtraveler66

ajtraveler66

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I normally do the cruise ship tours, but this time I was with a large group and the tours were arranged by our leader through a tour group independent of the ship.

 

All of our days in Italy, Monte Carlo, and Palma were wonderful, but now that the trip is over--if someone asked: "If you could only do one tour, which one would it be?" I would tell them my day at Naples.

 

As for my shore excursion, I would pick one that includes Pompei and the Amalfi Drive.

 

Here was our day. [i would find an excursion that comes close to matching it].

 

We spent the first part of the morning in Pompei. And trust me when I say that pictures do it no justice. Pompei is about preservation. It is not about ruins.

 

After Pompei we spent about an hour in Sorrento. Had my one and only scoop of gelato here, and it was marvelous.

 

After that we headed up along the Amalfi Drive to Positano for a WONDERFUL lunch at a restaurant that our driver chose for us. It was "Trattoria la Tagliata". It was a local restaurant owned and run by a family. And the experience was most memorable. Great food, wonderful views, service topped by no one. And in the end it was here that I sampled that famous lemincello.

 

After the meal we went back down to the town of Positano and there we strolled around the various shops. We got back to the meeting point a bit early. And there we had some very refreshing "lemon ice" type 'beverage.'

 

The drive along the Amalfi Coast is absolutely breath-taking. I tend to dislike mountain drives. But in the mini-van with a driver who knows what he is doing, I felt very, very comfortable.

 

......

 

As for the rest of my cruise.

 

While in Monte Carlo, our driver took us to Nice, Eze, St. Paul de Vince, and to the Casino in Monte Carlo. Due to time constraints we missed the palace, but I didn't care. (We ate in Nice. But if you have control over where you go to eat, insist that the driver give you time to eat in Eze or St. Paul de Vince....on your own. Lots of neat looking restaurants there).

 

While in Livorno: We did Pisa and Florence. So glad we did Pisa. (I had heard it's not worth going to because all there is is the leaning tower.... Might be true, but WOW to see it in person). On the outskirts of Old Florence, the panoramic view of the city from St. Michelangelo Square is a MUST. This view does pictures no justice at all...(sort of like Grand Canyon in person vs. seeing pictures). The Duomo was also very nice. And the statue of "David" was more impressive than I thought it was going to be.

 

While in Civi? (Rome): Without question make sure you go INTO the Colusseum if you get a chance. And try to get your ticket in advance as the lines did look bad. We also went to Trevi Fountain, which is nice....but it seems to be 'out of place'....... Then, of course, we saw the Vatican and that most popular of places the Sistine Chapel. Our tour guide was fantastic, but the crowds were unbelievabe, and keeping up with her was a challenge in itself. Trying to keep up with her kept me from being able to spend time studying this magnificent piece of art. [Our tour guide was fantastic, but if I ever return to Rome on a cruise, I will probably do a "Rome on Your Own" type cruise, buy my ticket to the Sistine in advance....and then go to the Chapel and just study without having to keep up with a group]. While in St. Peter's Cathedral....just make sure you make a point to see Michelangelo's "La Pieta".

 

While in Palma: All we did here was walk to the cathedral in the old part of town. [We could have and probably should have taken the shuttle bus--because it was a VERY long walk]. But by all means spend the $4 Euro's to view the inside of this beautiful cathedral. Palma was a pleasant surprise, and it was more relaxed than the other sites while we were at port.

 

Hope this helps those of you who are planning to take a West Mediterranean cruise in the near future. It is a wonderful experience, and I would do it again in a minute.

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euro cruiser

euro cruiser

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If you can't feel comfortable without the tickets in hand ahead of time, I understand using a service like the one above. However, be aware that you are paying a 50% increase over the price of the ticket (18 Euro vs. 12 Euro on site), and that's before any service or handling charges.

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euro cruiser

euro cruiser

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I understand that if you purchase the tickets at the Forum's Palatine Hill Entrance, the lines are much, much shorter.

Yes, to the point of no line at all. We bought tickets there last July, in the height of the season, around 9:00 AM or so, and there were two people ahead of us.

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ajtraveler66

ajtraveler66

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Would you please share the name of the tour company you used for Naples? . . as well as the name of your driver. Thanks!

 

 

Not really sure. It was all done through our travel agent (Cruise and Travel Partners--I believe) who worked through the group leader. But my credit card was charged to "Shore Trips" and the name of the driver, I believe, was Nello.

 

I did my cruise on NCL and our tour matched one of their tours almost to the letter (Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast). Had we not done this group thing that is probably the one I would have chosen.

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LittleMissS

LittleMissS

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Thanks for the review! Ajtraveler66...do you know how much time you spent in Pompeii? I'm trying to determine how much / little I can do in Naples for the day, and am curious to know how much time you spent there. Did you have a tour guide or do Pompeii on your own? Thanks so much!

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ajtraveler66

ajtraveler66

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Thanks for the review! Ajtraveler66...do you know how much time you spent in Pompeii? I'm trying to determine how much / little I can do in Naples for the day, and am curious to know how much time you spent there. Did you have a tour guide or do Pompeii on your own? Thanks so much!

 

 

We were just there in the morning....probably about 2 1/2 hours. It was ample time for me (although we did not see everything). I think that especially in the summer it is recommended that you go in the morning. We were with a tour guide that had been arranged through our tour group. His name was Nello....that's all I know. He was great and without him I don't think I would have enjoyed it as much.

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