Italy - Sorrento. What to do

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Hi,
Mid 20's couple going away to Italy in September and we will be spending 4 days in Sorrento. We will have a rented car. Would like to know peoples thoughts on what to do!

Here is the provisional plan:
Day 1. Sorrento/Capri
Day 2. Vesuvius/ Pompeii (Climb Vesuvius)
Day 3. Amafli Coast (By Car)
Day 4. Naples

Is the above reasonable?
Could Day2/3 be considered half day trips?
Anything in this area that I'm missing?
Any place of interest in Naples/Amafli coast that we shouldn't miss?

Thanks for any input!

r3nu4l

Pompeii is absolutely massive and can take up to 8 hours to get around if you get the audioguide. Unless you studied ancient Roman history I'd advise getting the audio guide. Be aware that if you want an audioguide you will need to leave your passports with the office that hires them out.

Also there's a small town called Ercolona where the ruins of Herculaneum are located. This town was also buried under volcanic ash when Vesuvius erupted and it's far better preserved than Pompeii. I'd advise visiting it but if you only have time for one place then Pompeii is it imo. You can get to Ercolana and Pompeii by Circumvesuviana train from Sorrento.

Climbing Vesuvius is handy but it does take a couple of hours from top to bottom again.

You can do Pompeii and Vesuvius in one day no problem, depends on how long you want to spend in Pompeii. I'm a fan of Ancient Rome so spent 8 hours in Pompeii. You could easily get a good feel for the place in 4 hours but won't see 'everything' unless you enjoy whizzing around ticking boxes and saying 'Saw that. Next!', without spending time to admire it.

sweetie

Capri was a waste of a trip for me. Pretty but overpriced and touristy whilst the other things you have lined up are better imo.

ProudDUB

I don't think you could do both Vesuvius and Pompeii in just a half day trip, not if you are coming from Sorrento. If you find ancient history really boring, I suppose you could wander around Pompeii for half an hour and then leave and head to Vesuvius. But that kind of defeats the purpose of going there in the first place imo. I spent 2-3 hrs just wandering around and it still wasn't enough.

r3nu4l

sweetie wrote: »

Capri was a waste of a trip for me. Pretty but overpriced and touristy whilst the other things you have lined up are better imo.

I totally agree with this! Nice short ferry trip out there and it's pretty but there is nothing to do there except perhaps have lunch and even at that the food and beverage prices are absolutely astronomical even for 'tourist prices'. The food is also no better than that found in a good restaurant in Sorrento.

rossie1977

the views from the top of capri (which is easily accessible by bus and chairlift) are stunning, also the ferry ride over is lovely, the blue grotto is the main attraction

wouldn't bother with naples, better off staying in the amalfi area

sweetie

rossie1977 wrote: »

the views from the top of capri (which is easily accessible by bus and chairlift) are stunning, also the ferry ride over is lovely, the blue grotto is the main attraction

wouldn't bother with naples, better off staying in the amalfi area

I did like the view but it was a lot of effort from leaving the hotel in Sorrento to get to that point! Regarding Naples, my only experience was having my bag taken by a 'baggage handler' the minute I disembarked from the Rome train and running after him for ages and then wanting money for helping me!

r3nu4l

rossie1977 wrote: »

the views from the top of capri (which is easily accessible by bus and chairlift) are stunning, also the ferry ride over is lovely, the blue grotto is the main attraction

wouldn't bother with naples, better off staying in the amalfi area

I also agree with this The Blue Grotto is lovely but I was there in the height of the tourist season and it was chaos with at least 15 boat loads of people all queued up waiting to get in and the boat owners jostling for position and trying to compete with one another by shouting and singing at the tops of their voices. It ruined any sense of a 'serene' experience

I consider myself very streetwise and Naples made me feel uncomfortable because of the amount of eyes I could see sizing up my bags and how likely I would be to give chase or fight back if someone tried to take something from me. There is a museum with plenty of artefacts from Pompeii there too.

ProudDUB

Naples is perfectly fine to wander around for an afternoon, but I certainly wouldn't want to spend more than that there. Having to be constantly vigilant about little things (such as remembering to never walk on the part of the path closest to the street, or those nice men on the little Vespa scooters will snatch your bag off your shoulder before you even know its gone) is very draining.

crockholm

I adored Capri,once you walk towards the top of the taller summit,there are less people,and some lovely peaceful lanes where you are alone on a seat with great veiws and the sound of running water from a nearby fountain.

On the other end of the Island you have the Villa Jovis,which was,iirc,the Emperor Caligula's summer mansion,he used to swim in the water below with his "minnows"(pre-pubescent boys) who would then "nibble" at him,and as they got older/less attractive/whatever, he would have them thrown from the cliff!!

You should see Naples,but just beware,the reputation is well deserved.IMO it's so bad it's actually good-you will see crazy,crazy things there,and a break from the sterility of the holiday resorts.

Big thumbs up to whomever suggested Ercolano/Herculaneum,much smaller and easier to navigate than Pompeii,though,much better preserved(some of the wooden structures there petrified-thus allowing us to see what a Roman bed looked like,and the scene at the old harbour is still quite harrowing.

Loved Pompeii also,so big,that even with the crowd,you can still be alone.You may be surprised to find that most of the city is rendered brick and not Marble or stone,they had an earthquake a few years before Vesuvius erupted,and you have to visit the brothels,no Roman hang-ups on sexuality,other highlights- Villa of the mysteries,necropolis,and the street scenes(complete with graffiti)

Bon Voyage.(As the Italians won't say)

dinnyirwin

I would pick up a guide in Pompeii. You will get a much better feel for it with a real guide and not the audio tours. You'll see them collecting customers when you buy your ticket. They cost about a tenner. They show you arond for about 2 hours and then you go off on your own.

Naples is without a doubt the worst place I have ever had the misfortune to have to spend time in. Avoid.

obplayer

There is a train service from Sorrento to Pompei which leaves you at the entrance to Pompei. Give it a full day and a half day to Vesuvius is my advice.

The Real McCoy

If you are going to Sorrento I would go and visit Capri. Yes, it is expensive but thinks its worth having a look at.
Pompeii and Vesuvius is a long day and not possible to do in half. I would recommend getting a tour guide for this. You won't really know what you're looking at if you don't. It is amazing though..