Naples for 4 nights

Del007

We're off to Naples for 4 night before heading to Rome for 5 nights.

Has anyone done day trips to the likes of Capri/Sorrento/Pompeii etc? Or would you just organise it yourself?

We're going on the 1st of March,

Thanks

MIRMIR82

I've done day trips to all 3 of those places from cruises we have done.
I loved loved Capri and highly recommend it. I booked the days excursion with trip adviser. There are lots of tour operators in that area to go see all those places so have a look online, most will pick you up at your hotel too so will make it easier. I always find trip adviser great for days out like that, all sorted and no worrying about where to catch buses etc.

izzyflusky

You can easily do them yourself. Just have to say that if it's a women's trip only Naples can be a bit off putting which is a pity because it's a beautiful area.

johnire

We’ve been to Naples 3 times and love it.
All of the trips you mentioned are easily doable on your own. You definitely don’t need to go on an organised trip.
There’re frequent ferries to Capri. Be sure to get the fast one and check for the times coming back.
Pompeii is just a short train journey. Both trips are two full days each.

Mike3549

If youre going to pompeii and dont want to be in an overcrowded train, theres a SITA bus leaving docks approx every 30mins

Nigel Fairservice

I've been to all of them. I wasn't mad about Naples. I thought it was a bit rough but that could be more to do with the area we stayed in (around the train station). Most areas around train stations tend not to be great generally. I wished we had stayed longer in Sorrento instead of doing 3 nights in Naples. Capri and Sorrento are lovely. The train to Pompeii gets very crowded. Go early or get the bus as someone else suggested. We went to Capri from Sorrento. It's a lovely short boat trip over.

Watch out for the mopeds in Naples!

Tenzor07

Naples certainly has its own "Charm"... But if you're using it as a base to get to Capri/Sorrento/Pompeii then it doesn't really matter...

It's cheaper to eat out and have some wine/beers than Rome, so that's a positive..

The Rome/Naples high speed train is good, clean and fast...

Plenty of tour busses going out from the city and the trains out to the sites...


And yes, the Mopeds in Naples are lethal! :eek:

Doctors room ghost

The isle of capri is a rocky mountainous kip with one beach that you have to pay to go on.
Naples is one of the roughest kips I’ve ever been in. There was a rubbish strike when we were there.sh1t everywhere.
It’s a ghetto and an expensive ghetto at that.
You’d be better do a week in the bronx.at least you could watch a baseball game there.

Fitz*

FitzShane wrote: »

Naples is a great base for the area. Get ready to eat lots of pizza!

Personally, I did not feel threatened in Naples at all. I walked around alone all of the time as a solo traveller (27 at the time, male) but I do understand why people would feel that way. There are lots of people walking around with chips on their shoulder. I loved Naples myself, it's full of history and culture I thought. I stayed in a hostel down by the Port, but I imagine you don't want the same accommodation experience as me. The Port area is a nice base to stay in though. The place is full of graffiti on the outside, but beautiful inside. LOTS of rubbish just piled outside buildings. lots of Vespa's floating around. You can walk & metro your way around the city most of the time.

I had a couple of hidden gems in Naples, notably the Monastero di Santa Chiara, which is located just across the street from Gesù Nuovo Square. Both are really cool and colourful. The church is free to enter, I can't remember about the monastery but I think it might have been a couple of euro to enter. The Cloister of Santa Chiara is lovely.

Castel Sant'Elmo gives some unreal views of Naples the city from up high, with Vesuvius in the background. I think I went through the grounds of there too but the real highlight was the views of the city. There is a nice steps walkway up from the city level. It's uphill and up steps all of the way. constantly uphill. I enjoyed it anyways, but bring your own water again. There are a couple of houses along the way that sell 20c bottles of water for €2.00 if you get stuck!


I got a guided tour in Pompeii and preferred it to walking around aimlessly. You can get the Circumvesuviana train out there, which is the older local train and is only a couple of euro each way. It's an older train so be prepared for that and also be prepared to stand on it. The train station is basically beside the entrance to the Pompeii site, and you will have plenty of people offering tours there. The stop to get off on is Pompeii Scavi, not Pompeii.

You can get the same train to the base for Vesuvius (about half way between Pompeii & Naples so if you want, it's possible to do both in the one day, if you are able for all the walking). The stop for here is Hercolano Scavi, and again the tour buses are waiting for you right outside the train stop. I can't remember exactly how much but I think it was 20e per person return for the bus to drive you up about 75% of the way to the top of the Volcano and then park in a centre and you walk the rest of the way up yourself. It's a full on path and is easy to walk up. A small bit steep in places but very easily walk up. It's pretty much path all the way. For example Croagh Patrick is about 10 times tougher to walk up. I saw people of all ages walk it. There is a snack cafe near the top, but bring your own water. The view on top of the bay of Naples are lovely, especially on a clear day. The bus brings you back to the train station again.

If you have a spare 2 days, I would recommend going to Sorrento for a(nother) base for 2 days. It's a nice quiet little town, but from there you can go to both Capri for a day trip, but also Positano on the Amalfi Coast. As a solo traveller, one day in Positano was enough but you may want longer there. The views en route to the village and inside the village and extraordinary. The prices there to eat, drink & sleep are extortionate but there are little delis that serve cheap sandwiches, fruit & beer that you can eat outside on benches etc. The bus trip to Positano from Sorrento can be very very very busy in peak season, but March should be ok I would imagine.

.

Del007

Thanks for all the info people.

We have our train to Rome booked.

In regards to going down south to Sorrento/Capri etc. Do we have to book those train/bus tickets in advance or can we do it that morning? It's early March so I would imagine it's not going to be very busy

johnire

You’ll be absolutely fine getting the tickets on the day. Be sure when you’re getting the Capri ferry tickets to get the fastest ferry.

Del007 wrote: »

Thanks for all the info people.

We have our train to Rome booked.

In regards to going down south to Sorrento/Capri etc. Do we have to book those train/bus tickets in advance or can we do it that morning? It's early March so I would imagine it's not going to be very busy

Del007

We're supposed to be going on Sunday to Naples for 4 nights, followed by 5 nights in Rome.

I've really no idea what's going to happen. It's only in the north of Italy but who knows what'll happen this week