Panicking - sorrento with teens

[Teakettletrio]

We are off to Sorrento for half term with three teenagers. We all want to go to Pompeii and Vesuvius so that’s easy. However the rest of the time my kids just want to swim. The weather forecast is not looking great - rainy and 18-20 degrees. My plan had been to go to the thermal baths on Ischia for the day but that worked out at £350 for us to go and that’s beyond our budget for a day trip. So that’s off the table. What can we do?
We have a hire car, so we can travel about a bit but what are we going to do with them? I’m now thinking I’ve picked the wrong place to go and it’s going to be a miserable holiday with lots of moaning. Help!

This is fairly irrelevant since the OP has since booked somewhere else, but you’re wrong on the ferry prices - I think you’re looking at single journeys not return. Here’s screenshots of ferry hopper for a day return in half term week - it’s about £21 one way and £19 back. Ish. So about £40 per person which is what she said. Several different ferry companies all charging about the same.

Your train costs are for the campania express I think which is a more expensive option than the circumvesuviana.

Naples is definitely not a no go zone.
I visited 2 years ago on my own and it was fine. Just take the usual precautions as you would in any city. In fact, I got quite lost and had to walk quite a bit in the dark but it was fine. You'll be fine.

To be fair (hopefully not a stereotype as my Italian friends agree) - Italians tend to dress for the season, not the weather. I’ve been in Turin during a winter heatwave and despite it being 15+ degrees the locals were still in their black puffa jackets and hats as per winter! So I’d take what the locals are wearing with a pinch of salt!

@CountryQueen I won’t be schlepping via Milan in the slightest 😂

That’s interesting about the seasons.
But to be fair the wind was whipping across the bay and if I’d had a woolly hat I would’ve worn it (with my shorts).

Yes I can recall visiting Rome in September once, DH and I in T shirts and the Italians all in their winter gear. It’s the same in Spain. Dressing for the season is definitely a thing.

On the booking for Vesuvius - why does one website say there are no tickets available but the other website say there is plenty of availability? Does the one sell in bulk to the tourist package company that runs the other? I’m very confused.

Bear in mind Vesuvius is just a big climb (longer than they say) and the volcanic ash is slippy and a bit treacherous. Anyone unsteady on their feet or unfit, don’t bother. When you get to the top it’s just a big hole. I don’t recommend it tbh.

For which days? Both looked like they had availability when I looked. But yes, I think the “main” site (the hard to use looking Italian one) has what is left after they’re sold to external ticketing companies. That’s how we managed to get tickets when they were sold out - booked on an expensive tour.

I really enjoyed the climb with my then 14 year old, it’s quite steep but not too much. Lots of gravel so you took one step forward and 2 back at times. Big sense of achievement when we reached the top, and the views were stunning.
The volcano in Lanzerote was horrendously boring for us, you can’t get out of the coach - they stuck a cassette on ‘to the left is rocks, to your right is more rocks!, in a million years it may be a spur that could create a plant ! Maybe’. I definitely prefer having a walk around but each to their own.

I’d not long had surgery so it was a struggle for me and I didn’t think the climb was worth it. We were going for lunch/wine tasting at a vineyard afterwards and were jonesing for that 😀 poor old Vesuvius wasn’t getting our full attention.

It’s about 900m walk from the bus car park bit to the first “edge of crater”, about 130m elevation. Then it’s just walking around the edge. Probably just over 3km there and back. Yes it’s a bit rubbly but it is a volcano. It was one of our favourite bits, especially looking down at Pompeii, Herculaneum etc. and amazing views across the bay.

Just by way of update. We got here fine. The drive from Naples was no bother. We even had to head into the centre a bit to get petrol as the hire car didn’t come with a full tank. I mean, the driving style was cheeky, but no worse than south London! Hotel in Bacoli is absolutely wonderful. Views are amazing, pools are heated and sea isn’t too cold to swim in. The sun has been shining today and 22 degrees. Kids are very pleased and I’m very happy to be here.

So pleased for you @Teakettletrio

That’s brilliant news @Teakettletrio
Useful info about the sea temperature for us for next year too.

Fabulous update. Enjoy!

Yay 🙌 have a fantastic holiday.

Lots of museums in Naples! Go, you’ll be surprised, and great pizza too.

@Timelineuk we have been into Naples, thanks. Just to note that the return bus fare for us was 33 euros, which was a bit of a shocker! Not sure I’ve ever paid that much to catch the bus in the UK

That’s only €6.50 each though, for a 90 minute journey.

@ShinyAppleDreamingOfTheSea it was 90mins to go 18 miles. The bus stopped everywhere and the traffic was very heavy. And there were no reduced fares for under 16s. I’m used to Transport for London prices which are much cheaper for greater distances.

Ah OK, yes I think public transport is perhaps cheaper in London than other areas, but I agree, I wouldn’t expect to pay full fare if your teens are under 16. Sounds like they sre an expensive age for you .

That's probably the issus, you are used to heavily subsidised fares. In other parts of UK we don't have that so 33 euros for a family sounds very cheap!
To be fair some of us don't even have public transport 🤣

@twistyizzy public transport in Italy is also heavily subsidised at a local and national level, unlike fares on London transport. TfL get a lump sum grant from the government and it’s used for capital expenditure. The fares pay most of the operational costs. And yes, I am aware how much more expensive bus travel is in other parts of the UK and how sparse it can be. I doubt there are many places though where you would pay £28 for a day return on the bus into your nearest local town.

But I don't think that £28 for a family to travel 20 miles is that expensive.....Heavy tourist areas like Sorrento etc are never going to be "cheap".
I pay £10 pp in UK to travel by train between my local towns which but I have to drive to the train station as there's no public transport to get me there. I live rurally but not the arse end of nowhere ie a 4 min drive to nearest bus stop but that doesn't take me to train station.
£6 pp isn't expensive.