Sorrento - Must sees, in half a day?

[elsplace2]

Well I THINK, we decided to cut Capri from our 1 day visit in Naples. I was just stressing too much hoping we can get, Capri and Pompei in one day. Hopefully we will be back again and do just Capri.

 

Anyway, now I think we will do Pompei and Sorrento. We will go to Pompei in the morning, then head over to Sorrento via the train. Here are my questions.

 

1. How long of a train ride is it from Pompei to Sorrento?

2. What are the must sees in Sorrento? Seeing we only have half a day, I want to get the best sights or places in and where to find them....we are not big shoppers, (but will so some shopping along the way). We will be walking, so things walkable from the train station/town and if possible the walking directions. (I assume the train drops you off right in the middle of town, if not where does it drop you off?)

3. We will be having lunch there, preferably a good pizza place.....any suggestions?

4. Thinking of taking the ferry back to Naples, can't find the schedule of the ferries/hydrofoils that I have seen posted...found one with schedules, but Sorrento to Naples wasn't an option. Well and while we are at it....the website for the trains as well.

(I think I'm just having a bad day on my searches)

 

(Also, I heard something about Limoncello is made in Sorrento, not sure if there is a place to see them made and bottled? If anyone has info on that, that would be great!)

 

Thanks in advance!

[corkpopr]

good choice. we were just there in may 09 and previously in may 04. did pompei with a guide. 90 euros for the six of us. well worth it and much better than being in a group of 20. also the headsets with a self guided tour cannot compare. we had a driver from the ship who took us from the ship to pompei, then on towards sorrento stopping for photos. a visit at a woodworking shop (worth the 45 min) then on to sorrento. fantastic lunch (pizza) at Aurora. back to Naples and wandered around part of the city and then back to the ship 150 euros for the day

 

last year we decided to skip capri the hydrofoil times, waiting etc we went back south with a driver we picked up at the dock (same as the previous time) went down the amalfi coast to Positano. Drink at the HSP hotel san pietro (what a view) back up to sorrento and lunch at Aurora again (excellent again) walked accross the street to a porcelin shop and my wife and SIL bought and had it shipped back. heavy afternoon traffic back to the ship and a crazy ride.

 

haven't taken the train but i am sure it will work for you

[Keith1010]

I would go visit Pompeii and plan to spend a few hours there. Would be better to tour Pompeii with a tour guide.

 

Keep in mind that you tender to and from Sorrento from the cruise ship.

 

The town is nice to walk around. Very scenic with lots of stores and restaurants.

 

Lots of places to enjoy pizza and nice to sit outside.

 

Keith

[aquilegia]

Keep in mind that you tender to and from Sorrento from the cruise ship.

 

Keith

 

The OP is docking in Naples, not Sorrento.

[Keith1010]

Thank you. I read this too fast.

 

Given that the OP is docking in Naples, I would recommend going to Pompeii. Regardess of how one gets there I would be sure to have a guide in Pompeii to get the most of it.

 

Keith

[dalgirl]

We did this last year. We walked to the train station, met up with others also walking to the train station. Met another group on the train. When we got to Pompeii we all went in together and got a guide - 10 people, 10 euros each - great bargain. Guides are standing at the entrance waiting to put groups together. We toured Pompeii until around 12pm, then caught the train to Sorrento. The train was around 30-40 minutes??? Had lunch in Sorrento (really good food), looked around in the shops away from the train station and near the old town (narrow alleys, lovely shops). Took the 4:20 hydrofoil back to the ship. It was a really great day and later we toured Florence dyi with some of the people me met that day. Your decision for just the two stops is a good one.

[Hlitner]

You need to be aware that most of the shops, stores and boutiques in Sorrento close during the afternoon. If you are thinking about doing a lot of shopping you might want to reverse your plans and head to Sorrento in the morning. Then after lunch you just grab the train from Sorrento to Pompeii Scavi station. The only down side is that it can be very hot at Pompeii.....especially in the afternoons...but it is less crowded.

 

Hank

[elsplace2]

Thanks everyone for your advice....

 

Dalgirl - sounds like you had a great day, almost exactly what we are planning, one of my concerns, as Hiltner mentioned, is that most of the shops would be closed.....even though we are not big shoppers, we would like to go in a few....what was your experience? Was there enough shops open to get a few souveniers? What about the restaurants do most of them close too?

 

We have considered doing the reverse....but I guess it will depend on how hot the day is....but also I want to make sure we have enough time in Pomepei, so if we do it first and are enjoying it, we can do less time in Sorrento. Decisions, Decisions!!

When you got the tour guide at the entrance, how long of a tour is that?

 

Do any of you have the link to the hydro/ferry schedule in Naples? I just can't seem to find it.

[euro cruiser]

Do any of you have the link to the hydro/ferry schedule in Naples? I just can't seem to find it.

What schedule are you looking for? There are several, but each doesn't necessarily cover everything.

 

Here are two you might check: www.metrodelmare.net and http://www.capri.net/en/ferry-schedule

[elsplace2]

I'm looking for the ferry/hydrofoil from Sorrento to Naples? The schedules you posted are some of the ones I have found, (also finding some in Italian), I thought I had seen others on these boards and have done google seaches.... but unless I am losing my mind....I can't seem to find any schedules from Sorrento to Naples, unless its there and I'm just losing my mind and don't see it?

 

I also checked on the metro line link you sent and again...I don't see the schedule for Pompei to Sorrento...unless its not on that metro link....and again...I'm just losing my mind and am terrible at these transportation schedules!

[euro cruiser]

I'm looking for the ferry/hydrofoil from Sorrento to Naples? The schedules you posted are some of the ones I have found, (also finding some in Italian), I thought I had seen others on these boards and have done google seaches.... but unless I am losing my mind....I can't seem to find any schedules from Sorrento to Naples, unless its there and I'm just losing my mind and don't see it?

 

I also checked on the metro line link you sent and again...I don't see the schedule for Pompei to Sorrento...unless its not on that metro link....and again...I'm just losing my mind and am terrible at these transportation schedules!

Okay, take a deep breath. It's there, but it's not always all that obvious.

 

There are at least two different services that cover the Naples - Sorrento route, maybe three. Here are the two web sites I have at the moment: http://www.alilauro.it/orari.pdf and http://www.metrodelmare.net/orari-tratte-e-tariffe/. Look for "Beverello", that's the Naples stop next to the cruise port.

 

As for a schedule from Pompei to Sorrento, are you referring to the bus schedule we were talking about on another thread? Because there isn't a water route to Pompei, it's inland.

 

The bus site is http://www.sitabus.it/wps/portal/OrariCampania, but if you're just looking at the best way to get to Sorrento from Pompei Scavi, the circumvesuviana train is really your best bet: http://www.vesuviana.it/web/en

[elsplace2]

Thanks Euro Cruiser....OK, I think I got it....I was thinking the Metro was the train, like they call it in Barcelona....I should have figured it out when I read del Mare...which is by the sea. (and the few glasses of wine, I had last night didn't help either!) :D

 

Anyway, I assume one is the ferry and the other hydrofoil or just 2 different companies? Anyway, this definitely helps.

 

And yes we are planning on going by train, from Pompei to Sorrento....I was considering the bus if it went by the Amalfi Coast, but it doesn't, so the train it is.

 

As usual you are a great source of information!! Thanks!!

[dalgirl]

we cruised in October and did not have a problem with the shops closing. We headed for the coast down from the train station, and ate at a nice little restaurant near the tourist bureau. Our waiter even checked the ferry schedule for us to make sure we had no problems getting to one. Then we walked around the tourist shops, down little alleys, etc. It was really lovely. After shopping, we took the stairs down to the hydrofoil - I think the last ferry was around 4:20. Bought our ticket - tickets were very reasonable, and ate gelatto while we waited for the ferry:) It was really easy and we were glad that we got to Pompeii in the morning - I would not want to do it in the afternoon, even in October it was warm.

[kpitch]

We were in Sorrento in June, and encountered no problems with shops being closed. We were there from Noon to 4pm, walked the lovely narrow streets and shopped plenty. I don't recall seeing any closed stores, but maybe we were in the tourist area of town. It's a lovely city, don't miss it.

 

Kathy

[elsplace2]

Glad to hear the shops will be open...we will be there the first week of June....so hopefully they will be open then too.....

 

Thanks everyone for your input! This really helps in our planning!

[jen1206]

I have tried to look at the schedule for circumvesuviana train and every time I put in Napoli Garibaldi to Sorrento I get a message that says no solution found. What am I doing wrong?

[euro cruiser]

Try the Porta Nolana station for Naples.

[jen1206]

Thanks for your help.

[jen1206]

We did this last year. We walked to the train station, met up with others also walking to the train station. Met another group on the train. When we got to Pompeii we all went in together and got a guide - 10 people, 10 euros each - great bargain. Guides are standing at the entrance waiting to put groups together. We toured Pompeii until around 12pm, then caught the train to Sorrento. The train was around 30-40 minutes??? Had lunch in Sorrento (really good food), looked around in the shops away from the train station and near the old town (narrow alleys, lovely shops). Took the 4:20 hydrofoil back to the ship. It was a really great day and later we toured Florence dyi with some of the people me met that day. Your decision for just the two stops is a good one.

 

How long is the walk to the train station?

[euro cruiser]

How long is the walk to the train station?

From the Naples cruise port at Molo Beverello to the Porta Nolana circumvesuviana station on Corso Giuseppe Garibaldi is 1.3 miles, most people take between 20 -30 minutes to cover it, depending on how quickly you walk.

[jen1206]

Thanks

[mrmac]

 

Here are two you might check: www.metrodelmare.net and http://www.capri.net/en/ferry-schedule

 

Euro Cruiser, I used this page to find the schedule for Capri to Sorrento and some of the times say "per/to C.mmare di Stabia". I did a search and I guess there is another town with this name. Does this mean they will not be going to Sorrento at those times or are they are stopping at both places? Hope your Italian is better than mine! Thanks.

[euro cruiser]

Castellamarre di Stabia is another town, up the coast from Sorrento nearer to Pompei.

 

The metro del mare site isn't particularly easy to use, but if you stick to the Capri page you'll see the routes.

 

For Capri, I think the other site is much, much easier. The only reason to use the metro del mare site is to get the arrival times.

[dalgirl]

The walk was about a mile, and not pleasant - streets are not very clean, lots of traffic, ect. Although we were heading in the right direction (rt from the ship), we did stop and ask directions a few times - people were very nice and spoke English. It was easier to just walk than to find a taxi willing to take you on such a short trip, or to try to figure out which bus to take. But that is how we met up with our new friends and put together our Pompeii group. And we enjoyed their company the rest of the cruise. You've got to be adventurous:)

[mrmac]

Castellamarre di Stabia is another town, up the coast from Sorrento nearer to Pompei.

 

The metro del mare site isn't particularly easy to use, but if you stick to the Capri page you'll see the routes.

 

For Capri, I think the other site is much, much easier. The only reason to use the metro del mare site is to get the arrival times.

 

I only looked at the Capri site. So it looks like we'll have to leave by 16:20 or 4:20pm because the next 2 ferries don't actually go to Sorrento? Too bad. I love Capri!