Pompeii...then what?

[bella1979]

We are taking the ship's Pompeii tour in the morning and get back to the ship at 12:15...leaving a good 6 hours to do something else! Any advice? I would like to shop, possibly beach it, good resturaunts? Any thoughts at all are good!

[almitra]

we're doing the same thing....I'd LOVE to know what else we can do that day before we depart....

[cberge]

We are taking the ship's Pompeii tour in the morning and get back to the ship at 12:15...leaving a good 6 hours to do something else! Any advice? I would like to shop, possibly beach it, good resturaunts? Any thoughts at all are good!

There is a lot you could do...take train to Sorrento,go the Herculeum(smaller more perserved site like Pompeii),the Pompeii museum in Naples...do a search on this board using Naples as keyword and I am sure you will find lots of suggestions of things people have done and all kinds of train info etc.

[agabbymama]

I answered your other post, but I'll put it here too.

 

Naples has a Hop on/hop off bus at about 20 EUR. I plan to take the train independently to Pompei and back, then do the HoHo bus.

 

I plan to do the HoHo bus in Rome then you save your ticket and you get 10% off if you ride again. So plan to do that in Pisa and again in Naples.

 

This is the link to their website http://www.napoli.city-sightseeing.it/eng/index.htm

 

Not sure what the weather is going to be like for you, but when my husband and I went to Italy in '98, Naples was so hot and humid mid-May, we walked everywhere, they didn't have tours then, but we went into a local liquor store and bought two bottles of water. One to drink and one to pour over our heads. It was really miserable. So this time in Oct '08 I'm hoping it's not so hot, I wouldn't be able to walk much if it was. But have a hat and water with just in case.

[cruisemom42]

Naples is where pizza was invented. I suggest you go to one of the traditional brick oven restaurants for lunch, then maybe head to the Museum in Naples which has a fabulous collection of Greek and Roman art (some of the best sculptures), as well as most of the best mosaics and other items from Pompeii.

 

If you want more info let me know and I'll check out my notes from last year for restaurant suggestions and get back to you.

 

I wouldn't recommend walking, the traffic in Naples is scary! Much worse than Rome or any other city I've been in (except possibly Cairo).

[Hlitner]

I love this thread. Why? Because a few years ago (when we were truly novices) we did the morning tour to Pompeii and than tried to go to Capri on our own in the afternoon. We made it to Capri, but than had too little time to really see or do anything. Now, we are "travel pros" and routinely go to Europe on our own (we rent cars) and know the Italian roads like home. But, I still have a problem with giving a good answer to the OP. The downside to doing the morning tour of Pompeii is that they will get you back to the ship for lunch. Than what? Its why I do not like that particular tour. When in Pompeii you are already half way to Sorrento (which is a lot closer to Pompeii), relatively close to Herculanium (for those that can handle doing two "ruins" in a day, and of course closer to the entire Amalfi coast. So what does the tour do? It takes you back to the ship! Yes, you can spend your afternoon in Naples..which is a city liked by some, and not liked by many (me). Of course you could go to Pompeii on your own in the morning, continue on to Sorrento after Pompeii (same train line) and than walk around Sorrento of take a high speed jet boat over to Capri and than finish by taking the hydrofoil from Capri all the way back to Naples. So many options, but none work with that tour. Its part of the reason I hate tours (but that is another story). Back to the original question. If you really want to take that morning tour than spend your afternoon exploring Naples and perhaps you can tell us all some of the charms of Naples (it must be there somewhere).

 

Hank

[CountessP]

I agree with Hank... I think. If you don't mind doing it on your own, I would forget about the cruise tour and do that. We hopped the train out of Naples and did both Pompeii and Herculeum on our own. It was great, and it was easy. You can purchase audio tours at both sites, or hire a guide at the entrance. You'll save a ton of money and probably get a better tour. If you want the details on how to do it, e-mail me at CountessP@aol.com. However, if not, just hang in Naples after you get back. I will tell you I was not at all impressed with Naples and did not regret not having the chance to walk around the city or even eat it's pizza!!

[lambs2]

There is a great shopping mall within easy walking distance of where the ship's dock in Naples. Just ask some of the ship personnel and they will be able to direct you there easily, I am sure. Great Italian clothing and other items at good prices, even with the inflated Euro to our dollar! Nice shoes there, too!

[Jade13]

I love this thread. Why? Because a few years ago (when we were truly novices) we did the morning tour to Pompeii and than tried to go to Capri on our own in the afternoon. We made it to Capri, but than had too little time to really see or do anything. Now, we are "travel pros" and routinely go to Europe on our own (we rent cars) and know the Italian roads like home. But, I still have a problem with giving a good answer to the OP. The downside to doing the morning tour of Pompeii is that they will get you back to the ship for lunch. Than what? Its why I do not like that particular tour. When in Pompeii you are already half way to Sorrento (which is a lot closer to Pompeii), relatively close to Herculanium (for those that can handle doing two "ruins" in a day, and of course closer to the entire Amalfi coast. So what does the tour do? It takes you back to the ship! Yes, you can spend your afternoon in Naples..which is a city liked by some, and not liked by many (me). Of course you could go to Pompeii on your own in the morning, continue on to Sorrento after Pompeii (same train line) and than walk around Sorrento of take a high speed jet boat over to Capri and than finish by taking the hydrofoil from Capri all the way back to Naples. So many options, but none work with that tour. Its part of the reason I hate tours (but that is another story). Back to the original question. If you really want to take that morning tour than spend your afternoon exploring Naples and perhaps you can tell us all some of the charms of Naples (it must be there somewhere).

 

Hank

 

I had a bad experiance in Naples, but that was over 20 years ago and I was traveling alone.

 

However, the Museum s fantastic. Unfortunately we need to skp it this year or we will never get to the Amalfi Coast.

[SelectSys]

Take the funicular from the galleria up the hill to visit both Castle Saint Elmo (mostly modern art) and the San Martino muesum. Of the two the San Martino is much better and has fabulous views. Rather than eating on the ship, have lunch at a restaurant outside the San Martino. The view is fabulous and made for a nice half day outing.

 

See this link: http://maps.google.co.uk/?ie=UTF8&ll=40.843903,14.239719&spn=0.003636,0.01075&t=h&z=17&*****=1

 

I believe the restaurant we went to was the 2nd or 3rd building up from the end of road (Via Tito Angelini). It has a great outdoor patio and food.

[bella1979]

ok, Hank you have me thinking now...we canceled our Rome ship excursion and hired a private driver. We are novices too. Our first trip to Europe and our first cruise. Scary! I will let you know what we decide.

[Welshlady]

Most people speak English so you can always ask directions if not sure! We've just done our first Med cruise and first time we've used private drivers but it was excellent. We used private drivers in Villefranche and Naples as the geography of the land doesn't make it easy for getting around easily by bus & train, and there's so much to see. We did it on our own in other places but not these two ports. It seems a waste paying out for a trip just to Pompeii if you want to see other places too. Why not go by train to Pompeii - the station is right at the entrance -then on to Sorrento as others have suggested? Then get the hydrofoil back to the port if no time for Capri?? The hydrofoils go from right by the ship docking area so easy to get back to the ship from there. People we talked to loved Capri and well worth visiting if you have time. You could probably do all that for less cost than just doing the ship's Pompeii trip?

[Hlitner]

Bella, Just a small suggestion if you haven't already done this. Make sure you post your tour concerns on the appropriate "Roll Call" board for you specific cruise. You are very likely going to find other couples that have similar issues and some solutions. Its pretty common for small groups to form on these "Roll Call" boards and do some private tours (or self-tours) together.... and they often have get-togethers on the cruise where you can meet some other cruisers. As to Europe, you are going to find its less scary in person than in your mind. Many Europeans speak some English and you will find that most in the businesses that deal with tourists will be very friendly and helpful.

 

Hank

[Tyger350]

I love this thread. Why? Because a few years ago (when we were truly novices) we did the morning tour to Pompeii and than tried to go to Capri on our own in the afternoon. We made it to Capri, but than had too little time to really see or do anything. Now, we are "travel pros" and routinely go to Europe on our own (we rent cars) and know the Italian roads like home. But, I still have a problem with giving a good answer to the OP. The downside to doing the morning tour of Pompeii is that they will get you back to the ship for lunch. Than what? Its why I do not like that particular tour. When in Pompeii you are already half way to Sorrento (which is a lot closer to Pompeii), relatively close to Herculanium (for those that can handle doing two "ruins" in a day, and of course closer to the entire Amalfi coast. So what does the tour do? It takes you back to the ship! Yes, you can spend your afternoon in Naples..which is a city liked by some, and not liked by many (me). Of course you could go to Pompeii on your own in the morning, continue on to Sorrento after Pompeii (same train line) and than walk around Sorrento of take a high speed jet boat over to Capri and than finish by taking the hydrofoil from Capri all the way back to Naples. So many options, but none work with that tour. Its part of the reason I hate tours (but that is another story). Back to the original question. If you really want to take that morning tour than spend your afternoon exploring Naples and perhaps you can tell us all some of the charms of Naples (it must be there somewhere).

 

Hank

 

I'am taking my 16 yr old son in Nov. You suggestion sounds great to me. Where do we catch the jet boat? How often do they run? And the cost? Same 3 questions about the hydrofoil. Your help would be welcome.

 

Thanks, Tony

[toothpilot2005]

We used Giancarlo and had a truly wonderful ride down the coast. He also took us to Pompei. He was pleasant and knowledgable especially about his home city of Sorrento. I would recommend his services (or his Father's Giovanni) for anyone wishing to experience a good day out on the Amalfi coast. He even took us swimming in Amalfi (remember to bring a change of clothes so his seats don't get wet). We found him on tour of italy dot com.

[Hlitner]

Let me try to clear up some confusion about jet boats, hydrofoils, etc. There are several different companies that run boats to Capri, Sorrento, etc and depending on the route, time, etc they can be different kinds of boats. The jet boats (they are just very fast boats) and hydrofoils are the fast way to get anywhere. There are also slower ferries that are much larger and can be used to carry freight, cars, and passengers...but these take quite a bit longer and should be avoided for trips to Capri. The last time we took a boat from Naples to Capri they were on "jet boats" which are about as fast as hydrofoils but hold more people. The jet boats also have an open upper deck which is really great on a nice day (do not forget your sunscreen). As to your question about where to catch the boat here is the answer. When you walk off the pier in Naples you will see the ferry/jet boat pier complex immediately on your left (less than a 10 min walk from your ship). You simply walk off the cruise ship pier, make a left, and you are there. When you get to the ferry terminal you will see lots of ticket windows with the schedules posted above each window. Just look for the window that has the next jet boat going to Capri and buy your tickets. At this point you can also look at the return schedules, but I tend to wait until I get to Capri to deal with the returns. Once you buy your tickets you simply go to the appropriate pier (its all well marked) and wait in line until they board your boat. The jet boats take about 45-50 minutes to get to Capri. Do not be concerned about language barriers as English is very widely spoken by everyone involved with the tourist industry. You can buy your tickets using Euros or credit cards. Once you get to Capri you will see the ferry ticket office on your right as you walk off the pier. Make sure you check the return schedules and I normally buy my return ticket at that point so that I don't have to wait in line when we return to the pier. By the way, if you want to go to the Blue Grotto you can catch the boats at this same pier (you will see lots of signs for Blue Grotto and boat tours that go all the way round Capri. From the pier area on Capri (called Marina Grande) you need to take the funicular car up to the town of Capri (they main town) which is a lot of fun. However, keep in mind that if you are heading back to Naples late in the day (most head back to the cruise ships about 3) there could be a line to get on the funicular back down to Marina Grande...so do not wait until the last minute. We generally head back to Marina Grande about 45 min before our return jet boat since there are plenty of cafes and tourist shops at Marina Grande to kill the time while you wait for the boat. Now, here is my very very important tip. Many travelers do not know that there are actually 2 different ferry terminals in Naples. One is called Molo Beverello and this is the terminal right next to the cruise ships and where you need to go on your return to Naples. Make sure you take a jet boat that takes you to Molo Beverello. The other ferry terminal is Naples is called Mergellina and you do not want to go to this terminal. If by chance you mess-up and go to Mergellina you will be more than a mile from the cruise ship and would probably want a taxi to get you back to the ship (you can walk it in about 30 minutes by just keeping the water on your right. Now, if all this sounds complicated it really is not! In fact, there will be plenty of other folks from your ship (and others) doing exactly the same thing, and its all a lot of fun as long as the weather is good (its usually sunny in the summer months). Since you are traveling with a teen, I have a suggestion (have posted this many times). When you get up to the town of Capri (this is where you would spend most of the day) you can take the local bus further up the hill to the small residential town of Anacapri. When you get off the bus at Anacapri, there is a chair lift that starts right across the street from the bus stop. This chair lift (they are single chairs) takes you on a long ride (about 15 min) up to the top of the island where there are spectacular views. But, the chair lift is fun since you are in the open (your feet dangle over the countryside) and you get amazing views all the way to the top. There is a snack bar and rest rooms at the top where you can relax before taking the chair lift back down to Anacapri. This little journey takes a good 1 1 1/2 hours (from Capri) so give yourself enough time. Its a lot of fun. If you are afraid of heights take a tranquillizer before you get on this chair lift (smile).

 

Hank

[Tyger350]

Thank you Hank, you are a wealth of information. I think my son might get a little bored with Pompeii, and I have been there years ago. Your ideas for Capri seem just the ticket for us as boats and water are more his thing. What is your opinion of the Blue Grotto and how long does it take to tour. Would we have enough time to do it and Annacapri too. Thanks Tony

[Hlitner]

Well, we are having a little disagreement regarding your son (show him this message). I think he might find the Blue Grotto fun, and DW thinks he will hate it! In fact (this will give you laugh) she thinks Pompeii might make more sense for a teen boy. When you go to the Blue Grotto you simply get in a motor boat (very close to where you arrive on the island) and take the boat around part of Capri until you get close to the Blue Grotto. Than, you have to transfer to very small rowboats (about 6 to a boat), pay another fee, and than you get rowed into this cave where, if its sunny outside, there will be some blue rays shining up through the water (simply the sun reflecting through the water). Your rower will than row around the cave (its just one room) a couple of times, perhaps sing a tune, and than take you back to your motor boat where he will do everything imaginable to get a tip (this is on top of the pretty steep fees you have already paid). The entire experience (motor boat, row boat, grotto) will take about 1:15. As to Capri town, it has some very high-end boutiques (Rodeo Drive quality) and a lot of touristy shops as well as the usual cafes, restaurants, etc. Other than watching girls, its hard to imagine anything thrilling a 16 year old boy. Other than the chair lift (we think he would have fun) its hard to know what would please a teen boy (teen girls would love the boutiques). If he gets lucky and makes some good friends on-board, everything may simply take care of itself. As to your last question, assuming you go to Capri in the morning and intend to stay all day you would have time to go to the Blue Grotto and Anacapri. Simply do the Blue Grotto as soon as you arrive on Capri (you should be there by 10 am, and than head up to the chair lift. After you do all this you can go back down to Capri Town for lunch (you could also eat at the quieter cafes in Anacapri) and explore the town. Your son might be somewhat bored, but than what teen isn't bored unless they are with their friends?

 

Hank

[perthgirl]

I love this thread. Why? Because a few years ago (when we were truly novices) we did the morning tour to Pompeii and than tried to go to Capri on our own in the afternoon. We made it to Capri, but than had too little time to really see or do anything. Now, we are "travel pros" and routinely go to Europe on our own (we rent cars) and know the Italian roads like home. But, I still have a problem with giving a good answer to the OP. The downside to doing the morning tour of Pompeii is that they will get you back to the ship for lunch. Than what? Its why I do not like that particular tour. When in Pompeii you are already half way to Sorrento (which is a lot closer to Pompeii), relatively close to Herculanium (for those that can handle doing two "ruins" in a day, and of course closer to the entire Amalfi coast. So what does the tour do? It takes you back to the ship! Yes, you can spend your afternoon in Naples..which is a city liked by some, and not liked by many (me). Of course you could go to Pompeii on your own in the morning, continue on to Sorrento after Pompeii (same train line) and than walk around Sorrento of take a high speed jet boat over to Capri and than finish by taking the hydrofoil from Capri all the way back to Naples. So many options, but none work with that tour. Its part of the reason I hate tours (but that is another story). Back to the original question. If you really want to take that morning tour than spend your afternoon exploring Naples and perhaps you can tell us all some of the charms of Naples (it must be there somewhere).

 

Hank

 

Hank (or anyone else??)

 

We are inexperienced travellers with a 10 year old and had planned to do just Pompeii (cruise tour) because we would have just spent 4 days walking Rome and were concerned too much more would be too much for our daughter. But I had been to Capri (when I was pregnant with her in fact) and I remember it fondly. We are only in Naples from 7am to 6pm and will be very nervous about missing the boat. How would we do Pompeii and Capri and still be back on time without having to walk too much or navigate too many different forms of transport? Pompeii alone for the three of us is going to be $333 USD for the cruise tour.

[tom_uk]

Take the funicular from the galleria up the hill to visit both Castle Saint Elmo (mostly modern art) and the San Martino muesum. Of the two the San Martino is much better and has fabulous views. Rather than eating on the ship, have lunch at a restaurant outside the San Martino. The view is fabulous and made for a nice half day outing.

 

See this link: http://maps.google.co.uk/?ie=UTF8&ll...&t=h&z=17&*****=1

 

We did exactly this on our first visit to Naples, which was an afternoon-only call on an MSC cruise. The views from San Martino are indeed fabulous. Have a good look at the map first, though (I wish we had) - the entrance to San Martino was quite hard to find.

 

Here are some pictures we took that day:

http://www.*****/travelpage/aspgallery/view_ad.asp?Ad_ID=1919

 

Make sure you walk through the Galleria Umberto on the way (you probably will). It's a very early shopping mall (late 19th century?) - lovely marble & stone walls & floors, beautiful glass; a superb building, and some good shops too.

[Kindlychap]

Many Europeans speak some English and you will find that most in the businesses that deal with tourists will be very friendly and helpful.

 

Hank

 

Some Europeans speak nothing but English!

 

Matthew

[NYJean]

Hi

 

 

Just a quick question.. would it be possible to take the train from naples to pompeii then continue (after a stop at pompeii) on to sorrento.. is there a hydrofoil back to naples directly from sorrento or must you go on to capri?? thanks Jean

[perthgirl]

Hi

 

 

Just a quick question.. would it be possible to take the train from naples to pompeii then continue (after a stop at pompeii) on to sorrento.. is there a hydrofoil back to naples directly from sorrento or must you go on to capri?? thanks Jean

 

good question - anyone know the answer? It may be what we do as well!

[Kindlychap]

We are inexperienced travellers with a 10 year old and had planned to do just Pompeii (cruise tour) because we would have just spent 4 days walking Rome and were concerned too much more would be too much for our daughter. But I had been to Capri (when I was pregnant with her in fact) and I remember it fondly. We are only in Naples from 7am to 6pm and will be very nervous about missing the boat. How would we do Pompeii and Capri and still be back on time without having to walk too much or navigate too many different forms of transport? Pompeii alone for the three of us is going to be $333 USD for the cruise tour.

 

I think you're trying to do too much. Unless you charter a fast boat for yourself (which is very expensive) you'll have no time at all in Capri.

 

Especially as I think the best part of Capri is Anacapri......

 

Matthew

[gadaboutgal]

Hi

 

 

Just a quick question.. would it be possible to take the train from naples to pompeii then continue (after a stop at pompeii) on to sorrento.. is there a hydrofoil back to naples directly from sorrento or must you go on to capri?? thanks Jean

 

We did take the train from Naples to Pompeii and then on to Sorrento. It is easy to catch the train right where you get off at Pompei Scavi, aka "Villa dei Misteri" station. -just be sure you have a Sorrento ticket and validate it. We did not go on to Capri but returned on the train to Naples, stopping off to see Herculeum on the way back.