POMEPII morning or afternoon the best

[kuddles 2008]

:) We have booked a private tour for the Amalfi Coast and visiting Pompeii. I have noticed that Pompeii is usually listed as a morning excursion vs the afternoon. It is my understanding that the shops are closed mid afternoon.

 

With daytime temperatures at 81 for the average in mid-September it doesn't seem as though it would be too hot to do in the afternoon.

 

Needless to say - I am a bit confused and really need some help here. Which would you say is best.

 

Thanks for your advice.

[Nora4sure]

We just came from doing a private tour. Pompeii is only about 15 minutes away from the port. Our tour guide suggested that we do Pompeii last as it was close to the ship in the event that we ran into traffic from town along the amalfi coast. It was on a sunday and traffic in the summer can be terrible(actually on this day there was NO traffic and we could have stayed longer). I had heard however that Pompeii was excrutiatingly hot in July/August in the afternoon and was best done in the morning.

 

I told our driver this and although he reiterated the afternoon was better....we insisted. SO glad we did.

After spending 2.5 hours on the ruins with little or no shade it was very VERY hot. When we left we asked one of the vendors how hot it was....and he said 40! Thats about 105. And it felt every bit as hot. Id have been REALLY irritated if i had been there at 2 and it was hotter.

 

If it will only be in the 80's then i dont see why you couldnt do it in the afternoon. We found however that it also started to get very crowded as we were leaving about 1030-11 oclcock. It was very cool to be able to take pictures of the streets with very few if any people in them. So for that id get it done in the morning and be ahead of the crowds.

 

As for the shops. We went to Sorrento and Positano from about noon till 4 and found very few shops to be closed in the main touristy shopping areas. Im not sure if this helps but may add to your decision making process.

 

Nora

[JCD62]

I second the recommendation for the morning. We were just there last week and it was hot. Also, I couldn't imagine going shopping etc (including lunch) and then going to Pompeii.

 

Nora, sounds like we did the same tour you did. Weren't Sorrento and Positano gorgeous? We had a great lunch in Sorrento that our wonderful driver from AP Tours recommended. All 5 of us (3 adults and 2 boys) had a great time

[cruisemom42]

Heat may not be such a factor in September, but crowds will. I suggest you either do Pompeii first thing in the morning (tour buses tend to start rolling in around 10:00 am) OR you can try the afternoon. There is something to be said for being relatively close to the port as I've heard of some close calls from people who left it a bit late to head back and hit traffic on the Amalfi coast drive....

 

However, IIRC the traffic into Naples from Pompeii was no piece of cake either.

[kuddles 2008]

It is really helpful for you all to have posted. The main reason we were going in the afternoon was because of the shopping so that is a great to know shops will still be open. I definitely would have thought that the crowds were worse in the morning as well.

 

on another note - is there any "must really make sure you stop and see" parts of the Amalfi coast drive. I think I am most excited about this portion of our trip - the pictures I have seen online are just incredible.

 

Thanks again everyone

[DancerOT]

We also went to Pompeii in the afternoon as the shops close around 1pm. We did hit some traffic both in the morning and the afternoon as the highway is still under construction (has been for about 15 years) which cause massive traffic delays. I will tell you it ws very very hot...around 110. However, I still thoroughly enjoyed it and would love to go back. I just felt that we did not have enough time but then again I think I could have spent about 4 or 5 hours there. Positano and Sorrento were fabulous and the drive was gorgeous.

[Travel to Ports]

From my friends and from my planning for next May, I suggest to all to take a look at a map. Is Sorrento on the amalfi coast, or is Positano, Amalfi, and Ravello?

 

I believe issues around Pompeii allow folks to either go first (coolness of the morning, getting there before the buses, doing this walking before being tired and after a too-large lunch in Ravello). My thought would be for Pompeii when it opens at 8:30 followed by a drive to Amalfi (see the church) have a light lunch (no alcohol) and then drive back, stopping at Positano if time/traffic allows.

 

The dear PO who is concerned re shopping, I don't exactly understand. If there is something that you want to buy, maybe Sorrento on the way back?

 

It would seem that few people talk about shopping on this tour!

 

Enjoy and post your experiences on the Mediterranean ports when you return.

David