Sant Agnello, Sorrento - tips for trips to Vesuvius, Pompei and Naples?

[tellmewhentheLangshiplandscoz]

Afternoon lovely lot

Just that really ... staying in July with DD (14) and DH and looking at a few day trips so wondering if anyone has tips on the above. So, is it doable by train, best way to book tickets, tips when we're they're, that kind of thing.

I know Herculeum is a popular alternative to Pompei too.

Naples is a bit marmite too and we've never been so ideas on that would be good too.

I'm desperate to do Vesuvius (DD less so!) so wondering if we need to book through a local company or can we do it ourselves?

Thanks all

I second the recommendation to eat at O'Parrucchiano, it’s a must for its beautiful setting. Vesuvius is very safe and relatively easy. I would recommend a trip to Positano. In general eat in the tiny eateries that are less showy - much cheaper and better food. The best pizza we had was from a small takeaway -about 10 Euros for a pizza big enough for 4 of us. Watch out for rip offs - check your change when paying. And take long trousers/shirt sleeves and mosquito repellent - I got bitten about 30 times, everyone had huge red bites everywhere you went. An umbrella is a must for shade at Pompeii

OMG the mosquitoes. Take industrial strength insect repellant if you are a walking mosquito magnet. So many guests round the pool were covered in big red lumps from mosquito bites. The local pharmacy sells antibiotic cream if they go bad.

All the Japanese/Korean visitors had umbrellas at Pompeii.

Agree, lovely restaurant. Also recommend this photo exhibition...
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g187782-d523607-Reviews-Chiostro_di_San_Francesco-Sorrento_Province_of_Naples_Campania.html

If you get the opportunity to go to Capri, go! It's mental, but a real experience. DH and I stayed for a couple of nights when we did a 9 day Sorrento/Pompeii/capri/Naples trip, and I loved sitting in a cafe people-watching on Capri, it was fab.

I don't think I've laughed as much as when a very loud tourist argued for a good ten minutes with a waiter about why she should be able to drive back to the mainland and couldn't understand why it wasn't possible... he couldn't make her understand that she was SURROUNDED BY WATER and cars tend not to do well driving across the sea. She was having none of it.

Factor 50 is my advice!

It seems to have become incredibly busy since we went a few years ago - lots of online groups and reviews mentioning how rammed the ferries are, and restaurants booked up. Not sure I'm looking forward to it as much, hopefully it's exaggerated!

Okey dokey I've started googling everything and have some questions if you lot are happy to assist

• Vesuvius I know people have said easy to do yourself but when I Google I'm getting a bit lost (hypothetically speaking!) with options. Train seems easiest but is it true that the regular (not express) one isn't air conditioned?!!! Anyway ..:

1. What's the easiest/most budget friendly way to do it ourselves and get to the crater? I'm sorry to sound needy but can you give me idiot proof instructions!
2. Will it be cold even mid July at the top? If we take a hoodie or sweater in our bag will that be ok?
3. we're all fairly fit and DD while a lounge lizard most of the time, can do some serious walking when required. Is it realistic to get to the top?
4. Do we need a map?!! I realise this could be a stupid question I'm already looking forward to the probably overpriced wine on a plastic cup when we get down!!

• Naples

1. Am I right in saying that the part of the station we need there is Piazza Garibaldi?
2. At the moment we're looking at going to Castel St Elmo using the funicular up and down, Gesu Nuova church and possibly Naples Cathedral. How walkable is this from Napoli Centrale? If possible we'd love to walk it.
3. We'll need to get funicular tickets anyway and I keep seeing we can get some sort of ticket which allows us day travel for the lot for about €5. Is this true?
4. Metro wise, if we are sensible and have our wits about us, if we need to use it is it any more or less safe than subways?
5. Should we book metro and our main train tickets in advance?
6. Is it possible to get paper maps of Naples and an underground map before we go away? I'd prefer this to using our phones.

Any other practical tips for these two days out will be mucho appreciated!

Thanks all

Meant to say, especially with regards to Vesuvius, I know I've had heaps of advice from you all already but I think too much googling had made me feel nervous. Blogs and guides I've read have made it seem more complicated

Vesuvius is a national park type set up. Once you enter that space there is one way up and one way down (same way!). No chance of getting lost. I am pretty fit but would describe it as a strenuous walk but well worth it. It’s very dusty, and I ruined a pair of white trainers, stupid choice of footwear on my part.

Ahhh ok. That's helpful to picture, cheers.

Sorry about your trainers.

We went to that area last October half term and loved it! We stayed in Naples for the week, which we really enjoyed - it's certainly not pristine but it's so interesting and so much good food. Never felt unsafe walking around. Loads to see/do. Archeological museum is jaw dropping. Did a food tour which was really fun.

Metro: felt perfectly safe (went with children). Took normal precautions as in any large city.

Vesuvius: absolutely loved it once we got up the top. However, getting there was a nightmare. You have to book separate tickets for the bus up the mountain (Versuvio Express) and the national park (although you can get a combined ticket via a company called tiqets. We took the train to the nearest station (Erculano), but when we got to the bus they said the one we were booked on was full and there wasn't space until something like 2 or 3 hours time, after when our national park tickets were booked for. Basically your bus ticket is just for any bus that day (if you are lucky).

The most guaranteed way of getting up there is either to walk - but it's a long way from the station, all uphill (!)and I absolutely wouldn't want to do it in summer - or taxi from the rank outside Erculano - I think it might be 60e each way.

Read this for a bit more info:

here

Also went to Ischia in a boat for the day which was lovely.

Went to both Pompeii and Herculaneum - loved both (on different days) - don't think you necessarily need a guide (we didn't). Both places have audio guides, or we took a guide book to Pompeii to read as we walked round.

Crikey both those Vesuvius options don't sound appealing €60 each way? Jeepers!
That's helpful to be aware of, thanks.

Went last December and loved it.
Train from Naples to Pompeii was super cheap, about £3 (we bought the tickets on the day)
We visited the Bourbon Tunnel in Naples which we found very interesting - and I bet in summer its nice and cool.

One place we didn't manage to get to was Procida, a little island not as well known (or big) as Capri.
It sounds lovely - and part of Talented Mr Ripley was filmed there.

We stayed in Chiaia which wasn't as frantic as the Spanish Quarter for instance

We went to Pompeii and Herculaneum and it was absolutely worth visiting both. We didn't have a guide but we did have books. Pompeii was insanely hot with very little shade - take plenty of water.
We went to both by train and it was very easy from Sorrento.
Vesuvius was amazing. We got the bus from the station and then walked up from where the bus stops. It was fine - my 6 year old managed it easily. It wasn't cold at all at the top (August) and we were all just in shorts and t shirts.
We went to Amalfi which was very pretty and we loved Sorrento itself which is where we stayed.
The only thing we regretted doing was going to Capri which just didn't seem as interesting as everything else we saw. We didn't spend any time in Naples.
It was my favourite holiday by far - enjoy!

We did it ourselves; used trains, booked tickets for the attractions when there, trains where a bit delayed sometimes and busy from Sorrento to Pompeii; we did Vesuvius; just booked the bus when we got there.

For Vesuvius you may want to book the park tickets in advance as when we got there the bus operator was trying to get more entrains for the park:volcano as thy were limited; we managed to do it; easy walk from when the bus leave you.

Pompeii is busy and open; take hats, water, snacks, we had heavy rain for awhile; it was tiring but worth it. Went with 2 teens as well. We also did Herculaneum; didn’t go to Naples.

Got bused from Sorrento to Amalfi and Positano, long queues; arrived early and buy the tickets by the station before you get in the queue.

Got bused from Sorrento to Amalfi and Positano, long queues; arrived early and buy the tickets by the station before you get in the queue.

We took a boat to do this. We bought the tickets from the harbour in Sorrento as it was much cheaper than booking it as a tour. It was a ovely way to see the coast. We also got fed on the boat.

I also recommend the photo exhibition mentioned earlier. They have a wonderful balcony where you can sit, drink coffee and look out to sea. It’s stunning.
Get the earliest train to Pompei. We went in August. It was unbearably hot. We left about 11am when it was really starting to heat up and become busy. Take extra paracetamol! I ran out and paid 6 euros for a box at a local chemist!

This is great, thanks for the input. Here’s a sample itinerary… What tweaks would you make?

Ack, posted on the wrong thread, sorry!!

We were in Naples last month. I really liked it. My DH didn't like all the Maradona pics everywhere . You can get the funicular to the castle. We did the underground tour which was fascinating - and cool. Loved wandering round the Spanish quarter and the market.

Thanks so much everyone, so nice to hear about your lovely trips.

Having read some very mixed reviews about getting to Mt V from the station I had a qui look on my TUI app and am very tempted by their excursion. Air conditioned return mini bus from Pompei (I'm guessing they mean the station?!!!) and park entry (although I've read that no trips really include this but can't see that TUI would May a false claim) to entrance and guided tour to the top.

Works out £86 all in. Which I know is pricier than doing it ourselves. I'm picturing the hot sweaty stress it could be from reading some reviews!

Definitely going to do Naples one morning.

We've been to Capri so also considering a day at Ischia via ferry if it's fairly straightforward, not sure how much there will be to see?

Going to re read all your posts again for activity/places to go.

I've paid for the Tui Pompeii/Vesuvius trip for all of us. Cannot face trains in August and crowds.

Hi egg unfortunately the one I've seen doesn't include transport the entire way, just from and back to Pompei statio

Have a great time