Ride to Sorrento!?

[banness]

I am traveling with my elderly parents. My mom wants to visit Sorrento for a nice lunch and shopping. Has anyone used a cab to get there? Or should I prebook a scenic ride from a tour company? Any help will be appreciated,Thanks. :)

[Keith1010]

I think it would be helpful if you note what port you are beginning at. That wasn't mentioned in your post.

 

Keith

[Susan-M]

I am traveling with my elderly parents. My mom wants to visit Sorrento for a nice lunch and shopping. Has anyone used a cab to get there? Or should I prebook a scenic ride from a tour company? Any help will be appreciated,Thanks. :)

 

We prebooked a full day tour from Naples, but someone recently reported that they arranged for a taxi at the port and it was less expensive than had they pre-booked.

 

Here's a site with taxi fares (see the PDF link at the top for fares in 2009) ... if you scroll down, there is an English version, and in the bottom right hand corner it provides fares for 'beyond city limits'. (Note on the page with general info, the procedure if doing a trip with a set fare.)

 

If you are going as far as Sorrento and your parents are OK with spending more time in the car, continuing on past Sorrento to the Amalfi Coast provides some pretty spectacular scenery. If you want to keep it short you could just go as far as Positano.

[banness]

Thanks, that sounds great! I like the idea of adding the scenic drive along the Amalfi Coast. I will check into private tours that take us to Sorrento for shopping and lunch, followed by a scenic drive. That way I can get some sightseeing in also!

[banness]

I think it would be helpful if you note what port you are beginning at. That wasn't mentioned in your post.

 

Keith

We are docking in Naples, Haha, I forgot the most important part!:o

[Keith1010]

LOL. You did miss the key point. I thought Naples but was not sure. I would look into gettng a tour or a private car.

 

Keith

[shaynamaidel09]

It is very inexpensive to take the train from Naples to Sorrento (I think it cost us about $12 after we converted euros to dollars though we did pay in Euros). From the Sorrento train station, you are right in the thick of Sorrento. We found a couple of restaurants to choose from within 2 blocks and compared menus to pick one we liked. Then we spent the afternoon wandering in and out of shops, stopping for cappucino, etc.

 

The only challenge is getting from the Naples port to the Naples train station. It was about a 20 - 25 minute walk. We tried to get a taxi in the port, but they only want to be hired for the day, so you could try to find a taxi on the street to take you to the train station. You can buy your ticket from one of the booths or from an actual person in a cubicle (we chose to talk to a person who wasn't very friendly but spoke English and directed us where to go).

 

But, I can't imagine needing a tour of Sorrento - just enjoy the beauty.

[agabbymama]

There were at least 100 cabs at the pier in Naples when we arrived. I had originally planned to take the hydrofoil to Sorrento and the Circumvesuviana train back to Pompeii and on to Naples, then a cab back to the ship.

 

We were on the Grand Princess and docked at the far end of the pier. No easy way to get to the hydrofoil pier, as the first boat was at 9:00 and the shuttle from Princess wasn't going to start until 9:00.

 

We kept asking the taxi drivers to take us to the hydrofoil pier, but nobody wanted that short a fare. They wanted to drive us all the way to Pompeii and Sorrento.

 

There was one very persistent driver, that finally convinced us to hire him for 200 EUR. It ended up being the absolute best day of our 21 days in Europe. It was like watching "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" only we were living it. He drove where we wanted go, stopped when we wanted a photo, escorted us across busy streets, carried our purchases, recommended a restaurant for lunch. He was so concerned that two old ladies were traveling alone. Where were our husbands, fathers, sons, etc. At Pompeii, he couldn't park close, so made sure we were sure where he would pick us up. Almost to the point of how you would treat kids.

 

There were two very nice restaurants right in the main square of Sorrento. I don't recall the names, but both looked lovely, and we ate outside on the terrace of one.

 

It was a lot of money (approx $150 pp) when we were there, but the cruiseline was charging similar & more for their tours. And we weren't on a large bus. It was just my friend and I in the cab. With a mini-tour of Naples before returning to the ship.

 

I don't think you would have any problem getting a cab when you arrive at the pier. Have a great time in Sorrento.