2 Weeks in Italy - Pompei area
Discussion
Looking for 2 weeks next year to goto Italy. Would be flying into Naples with BA and want to stay quite local, so Sorrento, Ravello etc.
Trying to think how to spread the holiday, so say 4 days in Naples, the rest in Sorrento for a beach-y break. We like to keep active, see all the sights, not just sit on a beach, but there seems to be a lot about which is close, Capri Island, Pompei, Mt. Vesuvius etc.
Just after ideas really, where to go, where to avoid, hotel advise etc.
Trying to think how to spread the holiday, so say 4 days in Naples, the rest in Sorrento for a beach-y break. We like to keep active, see all the sights, not just sit on a beach, but there seems to be a lot about which is close, Capri Island, Pompei, Mt. Vesuvius etc.
Just after ideas really, where to go, where to avoid, hotel advise etc.
The whole coastline is pretty rugged and has no real beaches, so if your looking for a nice sandy beach you'll be disappointed.
Naples is a big sprawling city, noisy and not very nice, IMHO. Sorrento is a lovely town and a great place to stay for a few days. Amalfi, Positano, Ravello are all worth a trip. If I was staying for two weeks then I would want a car, you really need to get out and about and visit all the sites.
Oh and take lots of money, it isn't cheap!
Naples is a big sprawling city, noisy and not very nice, IMHO. Sorrento is a lovely town and a great place to stay for a few days. Amalfi, Positano, Ravello are all worth a trip. If I was staying for two weeks then I would want a car, you really need to get out and about and visit all the sites.
Oh and take lots of money, it isn't cheap!
Illmonkey,
Wife and I always have a week or so in Italy each year usually in September.
Responding to your specific enquiries we’ve done the following:
2007: Stayed at Ravello for 10 days in September
2010: Stayed at Sorrento for 7 days in September
2011: Stayed at Ravello for 7 days in September
Starting with Sorrento:
We’re not likely to go again! Each day there’s at least one, sometimes two, cruise ships there so the town gets swamped with tourists off the ships. It’s too busy and inflates the prices. A pasta based lunch plus salad and wine for two was around €70-€80, and a reasonable evening meal around €100-€130.
Sorrento is good for visiting Pompeii: get the local train right to the entrance. Pompeii is worth a visit but you need a whole day and take the guided trip when you’re there.
Also good for an organised day trip to the island of Ischia: consider it Naples on Sea !
We stayed at the Tremantano Hotel: well located, really nice hotel, arranged a room with a balcony overlooking Naples Bay, lovely. Hotel also has its own private bathing area off pontoons below the hotel…there are no beaches in Sorrento.
Transfer was arranged by the Hotel: an extortionate €170 each way from/to Naples Airport.
Ravello:
We like Ravello. Some ask how we can spend so much time at a very small town, well there’s quite a lot to do in the Amalfi vicinity.
Ravello does get day trippers from maybe 10:00 to 16:30 but somehow it rarely seems overrun, unlike Sorrento.
There are some things to do in Ravello, otherwise you can get the bus down to Amalfi (takes around 25 minutes and somewhat hair-raising), which is a major transport hub, and then get a bus somewhere or, better still, a ferry to nearby Maori, Minori, or Portofino, or further afield to Naples, Sorrento, Salerno, and Capri. On our first visit in 2007 we probably went to Minori for the beach 5-6 times: nice place, short ferry journey, spectacular scenery etc.
In 2007 we stayed at Hotel Bonardies, this year at Hotel Graal. The latter was chosen for several reasons, mainly because it’s very near where the bus turns round for Amalfi, the main square, restaurants etc. and it has a good pool. At either hotel make sure you get a room with a balcony and a view, as the view is stunning!
Hotel Graal arranged transfer for us from/to Naples Airport: €110 each way which was good compared to the Sorrento rip off.
Other
Personally we didn’t think much to Naples although I imagine there’s probably a lot you can do there. It is a very large city. In 2007 we took the Herculaneum tour which was really good. Being much smaller than Pompeii it is more manageable.
As for hiring a car, it’s worth considering. I know several people that have done so. Be aware that the Amalfi Coast and are roads are extremely narrow, twisty, and busy, with lots of accidents. Although I’ve hired cars all over the world I’ve never done so from Naples, preferring to get a transfer to the hotel and then use local transport (cheap in Italy generally) and maybe the occasional taxi (not cheap!).
See also my post here:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Hope this helps.
R.
Wife and I always have a week or so in Italy each year usually in September.
Responding to your specific enquiries we’ve done the following:
2007: Stayed at Ravello for 10 days in September
2010: Stayed at Sorrento for 7 days in September
2011: Stayed at Ravello for 7 days in September
Starting with Sorrento:
We’re not likely to go again! Each day there’s at least one, sometimes two, cruise ships there so the town gets swamped with tourists off the ships. It’s too busy and inflates the prices. A pasta based lunch plus salad and wine for two was around €70-€80, and a reasonable evening meal around €100-€130.
Sorrento is good for visiting Pompeii: get the local train right to the entrance. Pompeii is worth a visit but you need a whole day and take the guided trip when you’re there.
Also good for an organised day trip to the island of Ischia: consider it Naples on Sea !
We stayed at the Tremantano Hotel: well located, really nice hotel, arranged a room with a balcony overlooking Naples Bay, lovely. Hotel also has its own private bathing area off pontoons below the hotel…there are no beaches in Sorrento.
Transfer was arranged by the Hotel: an extortionate €170 each way from/to Naples Airport.
Ravello:
We like Ravello. Some ask how we can spend so much time at a very small town, well there’s quite a lot to do in the Amalfi vicinity.
Ravello does get day trippers from maybe 10:00 to 16:30 but somehow it rarely seems overrun, unlike Sorrento.
There are some things to do in Ravello, otherwise you can get the bus down to Amalfi (takes around 25 minutes and somewhat hair-raising), which is a major transport hub, and then get a bus somewhere or, better still, a ferry to nearby Maori, Minori, or Portofino, or further afield to Naples, Sorrento, Salerno, and Capri. On our first visit in 2007 we probably went to Minori for the beach 5-6 times: nice place, short ferry journey, spectacular scenery etc.
In 2007 we stayed at Hotel Bonardies, this year at Hotel Graal. The latter was chosen for several reasons, mainly because it’s very near where the bus turns round for Amalfi, the main square, restaurants etc. and it has a good pool. At either hotel make sure you get a room with a balcony and a view, as the view is stunning!
Hotel Graal arranged transfer for us from/to Naples Airport: €110 each way which was good compared to the Sorrento rip off.
Other
Personally we didn’t think much to Naples although I imagine there’s probably a lot you can do there. It is a very large city. In 2007 we took the Herculaneum tour which was really good. Being much smaller than Pompeii it is more manageable.
As for hiring a car, it’s worth considering. I know several people that have done so. Be aware that the Amalfi Coast and are roads are extremely narrow, twisty, and busy, with lots of accidents. Although I’ve hired cars all over the world I’ve never done so from Naples, preferring to get a transfer to the hotel and then use local transport (cheap in Italy generally) and maybe the occasional taxi (not cheap!).
See also my post here:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Hope this helps.
R.
I agree with the above. Naples is a complete sh
t hole and can be very dangerous if you accidently get lost. Sorrento is OK but very 60's and early 70's "old school". Not a great deal to do either. Positano is beautiful but crowded and very busy. Capri is worth doing as it's likely you won't see it from the Amalfi due to the smog that sits on the coast (from the refineries in Naples). Spend at least a day on Capri and even stay on there a night if you can. Definately get a car as 2 weeks is a long time to spend just on the Amalfi. There really isn't a great deal to do. Take a trip to Monte Cassino (scene of a great WW2 battle), it is serene, the views are outstanding and the monastery is spectacular. Personally, I got bored very quickly on the Amalfi and drove east to Puglia. Best choice I made as Ostuni, Lecce and Otranto were the highlight of our trip. It's a long drive but well worth it. Lastly, as mentioned above.... take plenty of spending money as they charge you through the nose for everything. If you do find a sliver of beach in Amalfi, the locals will charge you 20 euros for a bed & sunbrella! Picture of Positano to wet your appetite here:
t hole and can be very dangerous if you accidently get lost. Sorrento is OK but very 60's and early 70's "old school". Not a great deal to do either. Positano is beautiful but crowded and very busy. Capri is worth doing as it's likely you won't see it from the Amalfi due to the smog that sits on the coast (from the refineries in Naples). Spend at least a day on Capri and even stay on there a night if you can. Definately get a car as 2 weeks is a long time to spend just on the Amalfi. There really isn't a great deal to do. Take a trip to Monte Cassino (scene of a great WW2 battle), it is serene, the views are outstanding and the monastery is spectacular. Personally, I got bored very quickly on the Amalfi and drove east to Puglia. Best choice I made as Ostuni, Lecce and Otranto were the highlight of our trip. It's a long drive but well worth it. Lastly, as mentioned above.... take plenty of spending money as they charge you through the nose for everything. If you do find a sliver of beach in Amalfi, the locals will charge you 20 euros for a bed & sunbrella! Picture of Positano to wet your appetite here:Was in Sorrento this year.
As above, the occasional cruise ship to sorrento can liven the place up a little.
Unfortunately we chose to go to Capri on the same day a yank cruise ship pulled up - that made for a rather stressful day. Capri is OK but just full of tourists all lost and wondering aimlessly. Wish we'd tried Ischia instead (similar island nearby).
At the time I thought I'd like to come back cometime to travel down the amalfi coast:
- 3 or 4 nights in Sorrento (you could take in pompei and Ischia / capri).
- I think you'd be lucky to get accomodation in positano but if you could: 1 or 2 nights.
- 3 or 4 nights in Amalfi. Relatively large town and far more pieceful than Sorrento.
- 2 or 3 nights in Ravello.
I'd personally avoid Naples.
As above, the occasional cruise ship to sorrento can liven the place up a little.
Unfortunately we chose to go to Capri on the same day a yank cruise ship pulled up - that made for a rather stressful day. Capri is OK but just full of tourists all lost and wondering aimlessly. Wish we'd tried Ischia instead (similar island nearby).
At the time I thought I'd like to come back cometime to travel down the amalfi coast:
- 3 or 4 nights in Sorrento (you could take in pompei and Ischia / capri).
- I think you'd be lucky to get accomodation in positano but if you could: 1 or 2 nights.
- 3 or 4 nights in Amalfi. Relatively large town and far more pieceful than Sorrento.
- 2 or 3 nights in Ravello.
I'd personally avoid Naples.
Thanks for all the feedback so far. Seems I'm getting a better idea: Avoid Naples, goto Ravello instead of Sorrento etc
The idea was always to get a car, so not to worried about moving about too much. A car for 9 nights is £200... I figure by the time I've paid for taxis etc, I may as well have hired a car. It also means we don't sit on a hot crowed coach to go everywhere.
We want to be able to go out and about, see something each day, but are happy to come back and just admire the view over a nice glass of wine at the hotel or a local restaurant.
Not so much after sandy beeches, it'd be nice for a day trip maybe, but isn't a problem if we don't see one.
Lots more to research then!
The idea was always to get a car, so not to worried about moving about too much. A car for 9 nights is £200... I figure by the time I've paid for taxis etc, I may as well have hired a car. It also means we don't sit on a hot crowed coach to go everywhere.
We want to be able to go out and about, see something each day, but are happy to come back and just admire the view over a nice glass of wine at the hotel or a local restaurant.
Not so much after sandy beeches, it'd be nice for a day trip maybe, but isn't a problem if we don't see one.
Lots more to research then!
Thanks for all the feedback so far. Seems I'm getting a better idea: Avoid Naples, goto Ravello instead of Sorrento etc
Anywhere south of Naples is better than Naples itself!
The idea was always to get a car, so not to worried about moving about too much. A car for 9 nights is £200... I figure by the time I've paid for taxis etc, I may as well have hired a car. It also means we don't sit on a hot crowed coach to go everywhere.
It will test your driving skills to the max - driving up and down the coast, but rewarding in views. If you get the option to take out extra protection/insurance I'd strongly consider it
We want to be able to go out and about, see something each day, but are happy to come back and just admire the view over a nice glass of wine at the hotel or a local restaurant. Shouldnt be a problem
Not so much after sandy beeches, it'd be nice for a day trip maybe, but isn't a problem if we don't see one.
Not many beaches around. I'm a beach person and really didnt miss them. The views and settings more than compensate for a beach
Lots more to research then!
Anywhere south of Naples is better than Naples itself!
The idea was always to get a car, so not to worried about moving about too much. A car for 9 nights is £200... I figure by the time I've paid for taxis etc, I may as well have hired a car. It also means we don't sit on a hot crowed coach to go everywhere.
It will test your driving skills to the max - driving up and down the coast, but rewarding in views. If you get the option to take out extra protection/insurance I'd strongly consider it
We want to be able to go out and about, see something each day, but are happy to come back and just admire the view over a nice glass of wine at the hotel or a local restaurant. Shouldnt be a problem
Not so much after sandy beeches, it'd be nice for a day trip maybe, but isn't a problem if we don't see one.
Not many beaches around. I'm a beach person and really didnt miss them. The views and settings more than compensate for a beach
Lots more to research then!
Illmonkey,
You and partner seem to like holidays doing things similar to my wife and I.
I suspect that some time we'll go back to the Amalfi area again, maybe staying in Ravello for 3-4 days, and then somewhere south, and I think we'll hire a car to see much more of what is around both areas. I think I'd want to hire something with already battered bodywork though!
By the way, we've booked Lake Como for a week in May 2012, staying at Bellagio.
R.
You and partner seem to like holidays doing things similar to my wife and I.
I suspect that some time we'll go back to the Amalfi area again, maybe staying in Ravello for 3-4 days, and then somewhere south, and I think we'll hire a car to see much more of what is around both areas. I think I'd want to hire something with already battered bodywork though!
By the way, we've booked Lake Como for a week in May 2012, staying at Bellagio.
R.
The Leaper said:
Illmonkey,
You and partner seem to like holidays doing things similar to my wife and I.
I suspect that some time we'll go back to the Amalfi area again, maybe staying in Ravello for 3-4 days, and then somewhere south, and I think we'll hire a car to see much more of what is around both areas. I think I'd want to hire something with already battered bodywork though!
By the way, we've booked Lake Como for a week in May 2012, staying at Bellagio.
R.
Lake Como was a idea for us too. But, it seems any place is mega bucks, even more than Sorrento etc. Our original plan was a week in Como then a week in/around Naples. We've since knocked that idea on the head, after seeing a small villa costing north of £2k/week.You and partner seem to like holidays doing things similar to my wife and I.
I suspect that some time we'll go back to the Amalfi area again, maybe staying in Ravello for 3-4 days, and then somewhere south, and I think we'll hire a car to see much more of what is around both areas. I think I'd want to hire something with already battered bodywork though!
By the way, we've booked Lake Como for a week in May 2012, staying at Bellagio.
R.
As has been said, Naples is a complete st-hole (more immigrants than Birmingham, and it felt even edgier) and you really need to avoid it. We made the mistake of hiring a car at the airport and then driving back at the end of the holiday, and it was the most stressful bit of driving I have ever done. Book your transfer in advance, hire a car from your hotel (if you need one) and book a transfer back to the airport when you go home.
Herculaneum is much better than Pompeii, and well well worth the visit. If you do need to go to Pompeii then do Herculaneum first as you will better understand the larger town once you have seen the smaller one. (Pompeii is more than 1km end-to-end, and it's a lot to take in.)
We really enjoyed Capri actually. Took the ferry over for the day and got off the (very expensive) beaten trail, ending up wandering along a very small residential street ('street' seems like a hugely inflated term for it!) some way above the main shopping street, with wonderful views and a very nice pizzeria half-way along. I also recall that there was a mozerella factory just below the main square (can't remember the name of it) and we saw a sign and wandered down some stairs and were in the middle of it ... not sure we could find it again but if you can then it's recommended!
Oli.
t-hole (more immigrants than Birmingham, and it felt even edgier) and you really need to avoid it. We made the mistake of hiring a car at the airport and then driving back at the end of the holiday, and it was the most stressful bit of driving I have ever done. Book your transfer in advance, hire a car from your hotel (if you need one) and book a transfer back to the airport when you go home. Herculaneum is much better than Pompeii, and well well worth the visit. If you do need to go to Pompeii then do Herculaneum first as you will better understand the larger town once you have seen the smaller one. (Pompeii is more than 1km end-to-end, and it's a lot to take in.)
We really enjoyed Capri actually. Took the ferry over for the day and got off the (very expensive) beaten trail, ending up wandering along a very small residential street ('street' seems like a hugely inflated term for it!) some way above the main shopping street, with wonderful views and a very nice pizzeria half-way along. I also recall that there was a mozerella factory just below the main square (can't remember the name of it) and we saw a sign and wandered down some stairs and were in the middle of it ... not sure we could find it again but if you can then it's recommended!
Oli.
Illmonkey,
Unusually for us we're going to Lake Como on a package deal. Staying in Bellagio, B&B basis, including transfer and a day trip on the Beninia Express, all up for two is just over £1500 which seems reasonable compared to the total costs of recent DIY holidays to Italy. Only downside is we're flying with EasyJet, but it's only a couple of hours each way (hopefully!).
R.
Unusually for us we're going to Lake Como on a package deal. Staying in Bellagio, B&B basis, including transfer and a day trip on the Beninia Express, all up for two is just over £1500 which seems reasonable compared to the total costs of recent DIY holidays to Italy. Only downside is we're flying with EasyJet, but it's only a couple of hours each way (hopefully!).
R.
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