Sorrento, Capri, Pompeii, Naples

[jascarb]

We are arriving on Oceania end of July into Sorrento. I have a desire to go to Pompeii for a couple of hours and to go to Naples to find the pizzeria (Pizzeria da Michele) from the book "Eat, Pray, Love". I haven't looked into what else to do in Naples and my thought is really just going to lunch or maybe a museum with the artificats from Pompeii if time permits but not necessary. I realize that is probably odd to go all that way for pizza but it is important and will be a fun excursion to search for what has been called "the greatest pizza in the world".

 

That leaves Capri to explore and sorrento iself. Ship docks at 8 and I have no idea what the means as far as getting off the boat. Ship departs at 11:30 pm so I guess we would need to be back an hour before.

 

Idea I had was sorrento to capri via hydrofoil, explore, then hydrofoil to naples to have lunch at the pizzeria and explore. Train from Naples that stops in Pompeii for a couple of hours then onto sorrento by sunset and dinner somewhere great then back on the ship.

 

Is that too ambitious? If you had to cut one out (Naples not an option-I want that pizza!) would you cut out capri or sorrento? I've been to pompeii when I was younger but would like to show my husband so I think it is a "must do", even if for just a few hours. I'v heard some say capri not anyting spectacular and others say it is worth it.

 

We are 30 so have energy and don't mind trains, boats and running around a bit. I think that makes it fun but I don't want to overdo it if we are literally running around and not seeing anything or going to capri when nothing worth it. We will be doing the "mad dash" day in Rome just to see the highlights and for this port, I don't want to have to do that.

 

Besides tourist shopping and such, is there some good local places in sorrento that would be better to spend time at?

[sebritish]

My advice is do Pompeii in the AM one to miss the crowds and two the heat...we were there the begining of June and it was very hot. We then did the Amalfi Coast, totally worth seeing...it is hard to do Capri too though you do not sail till late.

 

We have never done Capri we have heard it gets extremely crowded...we will be in Naples this June and will be going to Sorrento this time.

 

We love Italy...all of it... have a great cruise.

[GSPLover]

We are arriving on Oceania end of July into Sorrento. I have a desire to go to Pompeii for a couple of hours and to go to Naples to find the pizzeria (Pizzeria da Michele) from the book "Eat, Pray, Love". I haven't looked into what else to do in Naples and my thought is really just going to lunch or maybe a museum with the artificats from Pompeii if time permits but not necessary. I realize that is probably odd to go all that way for pizza but it is important and will be a fun excursion to search for what has been called "the greatest pizza in the world".

 

That leaves Capri to explore and sorrento iself. Ship docks at 8 and I have no idea what the means as far as getting off the boat. Ship departs at 11:30 pm so I guess we would need to be back an hour before.

 

Idea I had was sorrento to capri via hydrofoil, explore, then hydrofoil to naples to have lunch at the pizzeria and explore. Train from Naples that stops in Pompeii for a couple of hours then onto sorrento by sunset and dinner somewhere great then back on the ship.

 

Is that too ambitious? If you had to cut one out (Naples not an option-I want that pizza!) would you cut out capri or sorrento? I've been to pompeii when I was younger but would like to show my husband so I think it is a "must do", even if for just a few hours. I'v heard some say capri not anyting spectacular and others say it is worth it.

 

We are 30 so have energy and don't mind trains, boats and running around a bit. I think that makes it fun but I don't want to overdo it if we are literally running around and not seeing anything or going to capri when nothing worth it. We will be doing the "mad dash" day in Rome just to see the highlights and for this port, I don't want to have to do that.

 

Besides tourist shopping and such, is there some good local places in sorrento that would be better to spend time at?

 

Given you longer than usual day, what you want to do can be done with a little pre-planning. Keep in mind that the time of the year that you will be there is near peak tourist time for the Europeans. Capri is a very popular spot and will be quite crowded. For me, Capri was OK but nothing spectacular.

 

By the way, you do not dock in Sorrento. You tender. This adds to you time getting to/from shore in Sorrento. Given that fact, and again the time of the year, you might want to reverse your plans and hit Pompeii first. There is virtually no shade there and it will be very hot by the afternoon.

[nparmelee]

One of the beauties of Oceania is they often do the long Sorrento day followed by the Amalfi day, we have similar hours at Sorrento in a few weeks followed by an 8:00-15:00 day in Amalfi the next day. Sorrento and Amalfi both are tender ports, be prepared that if the water or weather is too rough, you may dock at Naples instead so have a back up plan. Our plan for Sorrento is that once we tender, we're going straight to the Circumvesuviana train station and getting tickets to to Pompeii Scavi stop and going to Pompeii for as long as we feel the need (we have been before), then depending on what time we leave Pompeii we may also stop at Herculaneum on our way to Naples. We're also going to walk to Da Michele from the train station for some pizza and then we plan on going to the Archaeoligical Museum. After that we'll be taking a hydrofoil or ferry back to Sorrento and then wandering there for a while and having dinner somewhere. Since you are not planning on also possibly doing Herculaneum, you should have no problems. It will be roughly 30 minutes from Sorrento to Pompeii and then roughly 30 minutes from Pompeii to Napoli in train travel time.

 

In our experience with O tenders, if you get down to where they gather for the ship tours early, if they are not filling up the tender with the folks from a tour, they let you on with the tour groups so you can get off in the early tenders fairly easily, maybe not the very first tender, but within the first few. Less than 700 pax on the cruise ship so you can usually get off the ships for either tender or docks pretty quickly.

 

I can't comment on Capri for worthwhile or not, many people love it, for some reason it doesn't draw us so we won't be visiting it this trip, maybe in a future trip. We do plan on wandering and shopping and limoncello tasting in Sorrento though (we love limoncello). We're doing this on May 8th so will be back in plenty of time to report back how it all goes before you leave for your trip.

[jascarb]

What fantastic information. This really got my thinking changed that it does make sense to do Pompeii first...that's what I am going to do. Breakfast on ship, pompeii, Naples for lunch and the museum. After that I am on the fence to try and do Capri or stay in Sorrento for the rest of the evening. My guess is sorrento. Will be a busy day but then we have the next day for the Amalfi coast.

 

Great advice everyone. Thanks!

 

P.S. I haven't been on a cruise in 9 years and before that I was 12 (I am 30 now) and I don't recall what time we have to be back on the ship before it leaves. Also, how quick I can expect to get off after docking time. I have no problem getting down to get on the tenders or walk off the ship early...I just have no concept of what "early" means...if they say dock at 8, be there at 7?

[nparmelee]

For getting off, in dock ports its easier to tell when you can get off, if you look at the side of the ship against the port you can see the works in place for people to get on and off. Sometimes you get in a little late, some times a little early so exact times are tough. For tender ports, we wander by wherever the ship excursions are supposed to gather (listed in the evening newsletter) on our way to breakfast and see if anybody is there yet handing out the early tender tickets (once the ship excursions are off, the need for tender tickets goes away pretty quickly), if not, we go by there again after breakfast on our way back to the cabin to get our gear for the day.

[EV2008]

One of the beauties of Oceania is they often do the long Sorrento day followed by the Amalfi day, we have similar hours at Sorrento in a few weeks followed by an 8:00-15:00 day in Amalfi the next day. Sorrento and Amalfi both are tender ports, be prepared that if the water or weather is too rough, you may dock at Naples instead so have a back up plan. Our plan for Sorrento is that once we tender, we're going straight to the Circumvesuviana train station and getting tickets to to Pompeii Scavi stop and going to Pompeii for as long as we feel the need (we have been before), then depending on what time we leave Pompeii we may also stop at Herculaneum on our way to Naples. We're also going to walk to Da Michele from the train station for some pizza and then we plan on going to the Archaeoligical Museum. After that we'll be taking a hydrofoil or ferry back to Sorrento and then wandering there for a while and having dinner somewhere. Since you are not planning on also possibly doing Herculaneum, you should have no problems. It will be roughly 30 minutes from Sorrento to Pompeii and then roughly 30 minutes from Pompeii to Napoli in train travel time.

 

In our experience with O tenders, if you get down to where they gather for the ship tours early, if they are not filling up the tender with the folks from a tour, they let you on with the tour groups so you can get off in the early tenders fairly easily, maybe not the very first tender, but within the first few. Less than 700 pax on the cruise ship so you can usually get off the ships for either tender or docks pretty quickly.

 

I can't comment on Capri for worthwhile or not, many people love it, for some reason it doesn't draw us so we won't be visiting it this trip, maybe in a future trip. We do plan on wandering and shopping and limoncello tasting in Sorrento though (we love limoncello). We're doing this on May 8th so will be back in plenty of time to report back how it all goes before you leave for your trip.

If you are doing the Amalfi Coast, I heard that south of Sorrento there is some road construction, when you get back can you please report on that also, what the delay was etc. I heard that they close the street and only open the road for 15 min every hour.

[jdvmd]

We did all four of these cities a few years back with a shore excursion booked through Celebrity. On top of it all, our ship left at 6 p.m. so it is great that you have so much more time. Made for a very long day but it was nice to know all the transportation was included as well as the food. We left very early in the morning, took the hydrofoil over to Capri, then the hydrofoil to Sorrento for lunch and then were bussed to Pompei. Personally, we loved Capri and wouldn't hesitate to return. Pompei was incredible as well as the pizza.

[nparmelee]

EV2008, the road construction near Praiano was a concern for us, Salvatore from Drive Amalfi has told me it should not be an issue, but I will report back about that as well.

[oldscottie]

We are hoping to take the train on a Sunday in mid-May from Sorrento to Herculaneum and then stop at Pompeii on the return to Sorrento.

 

Is there a daily pass available to cover going and returning ? If yes, how much approximately?

 

Does the Circumvesuviana follow the same practices as the major Trenitalia -- you buy the ticket and then validate it before boarding?

 

 

 

Kathy

[kingart55]

Last year we were in Naples on a Sunday and a day pass was about 3 euros and I think that you could travel on the whole length of the Circumvesuviano which would include Sorrento. That includes all transit in Naples and the surrounding region. We validated it the tram from the pier to the Circumvesuviano station

[harrodsfan]

So glad you are going here..It is fabulous.

No valuables in Naples are suggested. Watch your purse.

Still worth seeing.

See the Paper Factory in Amaphi..Very interesting.

[CathyCruises]

We had 8 people on our Amalfi/Pompeii tour and it was 150 E per couple and that included tip. Lunch was fabulous, way up in the hills overlooking the Med, and was 20 E with all the red and white wine and limoncello and meloncello you cared to drink! What a bargain!!

[luvmy3girls]

We had 8 people on our Amalfi/Pompeii tour and it was 150 E per couple and that included tip. Lunch was fabulous, way up in the hills overlooking the Med, and was 20 E with all the red and white wine and limoncello and meloncello you cared to drink! What a bargain!!

 

That sounds great! What tour company did you use for this tour?

[PersistenzaretiniKa]

i'd like to remind to everyone that wants to have pizza da michele that u need to ask for the number for queueing and that queueing can take MORE THAN TWO HOURS, so forget it because da michele is far from the port and on foot it takes more than 30 minutes and by bus it can take at least 20 consider the traffic.

 

going to pompei with circumvesuiviana it takes at least 45 minutes and the scavi is not doable at all in 2 hours because it was a city so i don't think u could tour a city in two hours unless u want to say u've been there not caring about what u have been able to see.

 

consider that traffic in naples is terrible and that trains and bus in italy, usually, are never in time.

 

if u really do want to go da michele for a pizza, that really deserves believe me, i can suggest u something to do or to see in the center of naples in order not to loose the ship. if decide to remain in naples u can tour the main monuments churches and museums on foot or with funicolare and be on time for the ship.

[CathyCruises]

That sounds great! What tour company did you use for this tour?

 

One of our fellow travelers booked with Marcello, here: marcellomaresca@tiscali.it, but he had another tour and we went on the same itinerary with his buddy Marco. Really recommended--worked out very well. The lunch was in Pontone, whixh has been around since about 500AD as a Greek market and sheep-trading center!

 

Cathy

[rnmpharm08]

My wife and I are trying to plan our day as well. I'm not sure if what we are thinking about is too ambitious. We will be there at the end of October, with disembarkation at 7 AM and embarcation at 7 PM.

 

1) Hydrofoil to Capri and ride the chair lift on Mt. Solaro ~ 3 hrs

 

2) Ferry from Capri to Sorrento and catch the Circumvesuviana to Pompeii to see the ruins ~ 4 hrs

 

3) Circumvesuviana from Sorrento to Naples to have pizza and walk around (Perhaps Rick Steves' "A Slice of Neapolitan Life" walk - ends at the pizzaerias)

[COCONUTMONKEY00]

My advice is do Pompeii in the AM one to miss the crowds and two the heat...we were there the begining of June and it was very hot. We then did the Amalfi Coast, totally worth seeing...it is hard to do Capri too though you do not sail till late.

 

We have never done Capri we have heard it gets extremely crowded...we will be in Naples this June and will be going to Sorrento this time.

 

We love Italy...all of it... have a great cruise.

We will be on our first cruise this June. Looking to do what you did. Was wondering if you did Pompeii and Amalfi Coast on your own or did you book a tour?

 

Any info would be extrememly helpful. Will be in port from 8am-7pm. Would like to do on our own if feasable. Thanks!!

[jascarb]

Given you longer than usual day, what you want to do can be done with a little pre-planning. Keep in mind that the time of the year that you will be there is near peak tourist time for the Europeans. Capri is a very popular spot and will be quite crowded. For me, Capri was OK but nothing spectacular.

 

By the way, you do not dock in Sorrento. You tender. This adds to you time getting to/from shore in Sorrento. Given that fact, and again the time of the year, you might want to reverse your plans and hit Pompeii first. There is virtually no shade there and it will be very hot by the afternoon.

 

We've decided to do Pompeii first for a couple of hours then to Naples for pizza and probably not much else then back to Sorrento and skip Capri.

 

Do I need to take a taxi from where the ship tenders to the train station to go to Pompeii?

 

 

I am assuming we then take the train from Pompeii to Naples.

Taxi from train station to Pizza De Michlele or??

 

Better to take the train from Naples back to Sorrento or hydrofoil?

 

Once we arrrive back in Sorrento, I assume we are going to be hot sticky from all that traveling around during the day, expeically the very hot Pompeii. Our ship doesn't depart until 11:30 pm that night so I am considering being able to go back on the ship to change clothes then maybe walk around Sorrento/have dinner (not sure what to do in Sorento yet). Will the area where the train station is (or hydrofoil, depending on which method is best to take from Naples back to Pompeii) be close enough where it makes sense to go back on the ship for a "quick change"?

 

Now that I have the basic idea of what we are going to do, I am trying to figure out the logistics of it all.

 

Side note...sure would help to have a guide in Pompeii...seems like I read on here that you can get a guide at the entrance? Or better to reserve this? I am afraid to reserve any tour because of the complication of just tendering, then train etc....not sure what time I'll end up in Pompeii.

[truffles68]

Has any one taken the bus from the top of Capri ( near Piazza Umberto I) to Anacapri ? Where exactly is the bus stop & how long does it take to go over to Anacapri's Piazza Vittoria ? Which bus do I take (bus #) ? Does the chair lift take you up to Mt. Solaro and take you down for the price of Euro 7 (round trip )? I read somewhere that you have to walk down for 50 minutes. I just want to get the details for I want to do Capri, Anacapri & Sorrento during the upcoming cruise. I am in port from 7am to 7pm.

 

Thanks for helping.

[wethereyet]

Personally, I would opt for Sorrento over Capri but I am sure many will have a different opinion.

 

BTW, has anyone heard/or used a tour called Unique Costiera based out of Naples. I am considering them this summer for an Amalfi Coast tour.

 

Thanks for any info.

[H2Otstr]

Just got back from an Italy land tour. We were very disappointed in Capri and Anacapri. Both places are very commercial - Prada, Louis Vuitton, Ferragamo, etc. and very expensive. The view from the top was fantastic, but that was it to me.

 

We stayed in Sorento for a week and it was fantastic. Lots to see, walking around, shopping and great restaurants.

[beachnative]

We will be on a Royal Caribbean ship and are considering doing the ship's tour that includes Capri, Sorrento, and Pompeii. I remember reading some posts saying that this tour was a disappointment because of poor tour company product. Before I book this 10-hour ship's tour I would appreciate any input that I might get from someone who has done a Capri/Sorrento/Pompeii ship's tour. (We prefer private tours but due to the time constraints we want to book a ship's tour to guarantee that the ship will be waiting for us if the tour returns late).

[KCcruisin07]

I'm probably one of the ones who said the product was poor. We barely scratched the surface at Pompeii, as some people had to walk slowly and the tour guide had low energy. Would have preferred to spend more quality time there than 2 commercial stops. As noted Amalfi hwy traffic is heavy and Capri overcommercialized. Best part: saw all 3 sites and they held the ship 1/2 -1 hour after deadline. This was in April 2008. Maybe someone who went recently can comment.

[truffles68]

Just got back from an Italy land tour. We were very disappointed in Capri and Anacapri. Both places are very commercial - Prada, Louis Vuitton, Ferragamo, etc. and very expensive. The view from the top was fantastic, but that was it to me.

 

We stayed in Sorento for a week and it was fantastic. Lots to see, walking around, shopping and great restaurants.

 

Did you take the chair lift in Anacapri ? Was it a return ride or do you have to walk 50 min back to where you got onto the chair lift. How much was it ?

Thanks