Sorrento

[June1966]

I wonder if anyone can help - we are keen to visit Pompeii. Herculaneum etc and after a bit of research, it seems Sorrento is the place to stay. We are trying to keep costs to a minimum, so I'm thinking of booking flights into Naples and making our own way to Sorrento and finding an airbnb or something there.

Can anyone tell me (in detail if possible) how to get from Naples airport to Sorrento on our own? Is it do-able or should I really be looking at booking a package holiday?

I know it will be very hot in July and August but flight prices seem to be so much cheaper for those months than for May half term.

Thank you - any recommendations on places to stay would be great too.

We got a pre-booked taxi from Naples to Sorrento, it took about 50 minutes if I remember rightly. Can't remember the cost but wasn't the cheapest although I think it was our only real option as public transport didn't seem great for that journey at the time we needed it.

I would go with a prebooked taxi too - or stay in Naples which is far more interesting!

Are you or dh confident drivers? The drive to sorrento from naples is easy enough. Hire a car. The hire car place isnt right in the airport. You can get a shuttle or its only a short walk.

The Amalfi coast is fab but the drive is apparently not for the faint hearted. We found it fine. Comedy when you are trying to squeeze past a bus and a moped shoots through the gap.

Taxis cost an arm and a leg. So be warned that if you do go with a tour then you might end up walking which is hard work in some of the steep coastal towns.

I know you have only talked about being around naples coast but amalfi coast is just round the corner and is great. From sorrento you could get a boat to positano or amalfi. From amalfi you can go inland to ravello.

I got a ferry from sorrento to capri. Did aboat tour round the island then got a taxi up to anacapri to get cable car up mount solero. It was such a beautiful sight. I highly recommend it.

Thank you both. Both of us are confident drivers but dh is slightly over-confident, shall we say, so actually I think it's best we don't drive - if we have a car he'll want to drive and there will be arguments!!! I was hoping you might say it was easy to catch a train from Naples airport to Sorrento centre.....!!

Love the idea of the cable car up mount solero. Zen - the ferry to Capril, the boat tour round the island, then the taxi and cable car, and then return trip - did you do all that in just a day, or did you need to stay overnight on Capri?

Allegretto - any recommendations on places to stay in Naples?

We were in sorrento last year.
We got a cab from Naples and it was easy - about 50 minutes.
Going back we got the ferry. That was fun - a really nice way to leave.

Staying in sorrrnto was perfect for doing Pompeii and Capri

Hey there's a bus that leaves from outside the airport, takes you into sorrento. By far the cheapest option, google curreri viaggi. You pay the driver dont need to prebook

You can get the circumvesuviana train from the main train station, which is just by where you get dropped off by the airport Alibus. Definitely the cheapest way to get to Sorrento from Naples.

If you're wanting to visit all the sights you might want to think about staying in Pompei (not the ruins, the modern town!) it's a lovely little place, I've stayed there quite a few times. I like it better than Sorrento (more authentic - Sorrento is a bit touristy) and it's cheaper. Book somewhere at the end of the town with the big church rather than at the end with the ruins which is more touristy.

Pompei is better placed to travel everywhere than Sorrento, which is quite far from the sights in the area. It has three train stations and is nearer Naples and Herculaneum.

While you're down that way, go and visit Paestum - it's amazing.

If it's just two adults then I would absolutely recommend public transport between Sorrento and Naples it's fantastic! As a PP says, the Circum (train) is great and the trains in general are fab. You can also easily get coaches and boats in and around the bay/coast.

Another vote for the train - but is your heart set on Sorrento?! It's beautiful along the Amalfi coast but Sorrento (personally) wasn't any kind of highlight. It's very touristy and full of not especially attractive hotels. It's just my opinion but there are much nicer places along this stretch of coastline. Naples is worth a night or two - it's pretty rough and ready & not my favourite Italian city but is definetely worth some time.

I found Sorrento underwhelming. It is too busy and loud, with nowhere nice to walk. It is built up right to the cliff edge so the only walking is along the very busy and noisy streets that have narrow pavements.

I am a confident driver, but there is no way I would enjoy driving in Italy, especially along the Amalfi coast.

We stayed in Sorrento and got the train from Naples, and took the train one or two stops to Pompeii for the day trip. Very, very easy.

I don't quite recognise that description of Sorrento as nowhere to walk. We stayed close to the railway station. Every morning we took a short cut through a gorgeous orange orchard and found a different cafe for breakfast or for dinner. It was nice to stroll round the old town, look at the wisteria, check out the museum. We didn't bother with the beach at all.

Don't drive! It's terrifying.

My daughter did the regular coach service from Naples to Sorrento and said it was very hot and long. We had an arranged coach transfer as part of a package holiday which was much more pleasant. Maybe Google search for a pre-bookable transfer. We've used Viator in Europe a lot and found them very reliable and easy, though I don't know whether they do this trip.

I do take the PP's point about Sorrento but because it's a popular tourist hub you are more likely to find reasonably priced accommodation than some of the more exclusive towns along the Amalfi coast. I liked it. It is busy and hot but there are plenty of nice restaurants and amazing views. The smaller of the two port areas, which I think was called Grande because it used to be the biggest, has some picturesque cafes and fish restaurants right on the shoreline.

From Sorrento it is half an hour on the train to Pompei so we did that independently. Very easy to do as the train basically shuttles back and forwards all day. We did Herculaneum with Viator and it was an excellent tour: minibus with about 10 of us and a brilliant tour guide. We also used Viator for a minibus tour along the coast to Amalfi, via Positano and Ravello which was also excellent.

Capri wasn't so great. Fabulous views but too hot and too crowded IMO.

Been to sorrento for the day on a cruise and we docked in Naples and got the train. We also did Pompeii in same day and got boat back to Naples from sorrento. I can’t remember the details but was all really easy!
I loved sorrento, to this day i ate the best pizza I’ve ever had there!

Thank you all. Lots of ideas!

Definitely don’t drive the roads are really really hairy. Narrow windy and Italians drive like crazy especially the coach drivers.
We loved Sorrento, Amalfu coast and Pompei.
I would book a private transfer info on Trip Adviser.

I did Capri in one day. The boat trip included the famous blue grotto (very funny, such hoopla). I didnt get to go to capri town by funicular as was too busy. We got taxis up and back to anacapri which meant we did it all in one day. I thi k on balance thats cheaper and less hassle than staying on Capri.

I too found Sorrento underwhelming- unless you like lemons. We much preferred Naples itself as it offered more choice, was more vibrant and direct train to both sites. If you like history Naples is so much more interesting than Sorrento with amazing renaissance buildings hidden behind graffitied facades.
Ischia was nice too as an add on to Naples.
You’d have to be over confident to drive in Naples. Not quite as bad as Mumbai but not much better.

Yet another vote for the train! We did it years ago when we weren't confident travellers and it was fine. We did the Circum Vesuviano and it was a bit old and rattly - I'm sure there must be a faster train too. I'd go by train again though.

Sorrento is touristy, but it still has lovely places to eat and a nice buzz-y vibe. And it's well placed for exploring the Amalfi coast/volcano sites.

Hey, if you are after good value, I recommend here...www.santafortunata.eu/en/...it's a camping village in Sorrento with beach, pools, activities, shuttle bus....there's bungalows and mobile homes. My bungalows there in August are around £850.

They also do excursions from the village to Capri, Pompeii and Herculaneum. THEY WILL ALSO ARRANGE TO PICK YOU UP FROM NAPLES....SORTED!!

Let me know if I can help.....www.facebook.com/bestfamilyholidays/

Sorry meant to say it is significantly more expensive than that if you book on the website there...£1032 for a bungalow..so don't get caught out..🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔

loads of cheap and reliable buses from Naples to Sorrento. The trains are also brilliant. I definitely would book accommodation in advance at that time of year. It gets very busy!

We went in 2916 and got the hydrofoil (ferry) from the port in Naples - was about £11 per person and a glorious way to travel. No need to prebook.
Info here

2016 obvs 😳

Thank you feelslikethewaltons. I will have a look at those. Like the look of the hydrofoil too Casmama. Thank you all.