Sea-Guy Posted February 18, 2012 #1 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Most threads discuss docking at Naples, but we are docking at Sorrento. I would like to know if our plan is reasonable. We would like to take the Circumvesuviana train to Pompeii and to Herculaneum and back to Sorrento for the day. Is this a reasonable plan? :o We are hoping to dilly dally in Sorrento before or after. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricki Posted February 19, 2012 #2 Share Posted February 19, 2012 Most threads discuss docking at Naples, but we are docking at Sorrento. I would like to know if our plan is reasonable. We would like to take the Circumvesuviana train to Pompeii and to Herculaneum and back to Sorrento for the day. Is this a reasonable plan? :o We are hoping to dilly dally in Sorrento before or after. Thanks! You might try posting this question on the Ports of Call-Europe-Italy board: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=595 There are some very helpful and knowledgeable people who respond. Ricki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billy.qc Posted February 19, 2012 #3 Share Posted February 19, 2012 Most threads discuss docking at Naples, but we are docking at Sorrento. I would like to know if our plan is reasonable. We would like to take the Circumvesuviana train to Pompeii and to Herculaneum and back to Sorrento for the day. Is this a reasonable plan? :o We are hoping to dilly dally in Sorrento before or after. Thanks! The train ride to Pompeii is not expensive, easy and well indicated. I would also hire a guide once you are inside the gates...you do not have to book the train or guide in advance. Try to get an early morning start & choose to visit only one site(they are similar). If you have a late departure time book an Amalfi drive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare jpalbny Posted February 19, 2012 #4 Share Posted February 19, 2012 It certainly seems feasible. We're there in June on Silversea, and we're planning to try it. We have 2 days though, as the ship is in port for an overnight, so we have more time to play with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mura Posted February 19, 2012 #5 Share Posted February 19, 2012 We were there on Marina in October and booked an all-day tour with Drive Amalfi (Sorrento to Pompeii for a guided tour and then the Amalfi drive). Before booking the tour, I'd planned on doing the train to Pompeii since so many people said it's easy to do as long as you are on the RIGHT train. I don't know if you can do Herculaneum as well in one day ... that would bear checking out. We loved our visit to Pompeii. It's quite a fascinating site. We had a private guide for our 8-person group hired through Drive Amalfi but I understand you can hire a guide when you get there if you want one. Someone told me that they'd used the audio guides and were disappointed -- they really didn't know what they were seeing or doing. Our guide was fabulous although not cheap. I think we paid him €100 for two hours, but divided 8 ways that was fine. A family was eavesdropping on our guide and finally the wife asked if she could join us, but of course she couldn't ... they were very disappointed. Have a great day! Mura Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wineart Posted February 19, 2012 #6 Share Posted February 19, 2012 I have been to both Herculaneum and Pompeii using the Circumvesuviana, and IMO it's too much to do in one day, especially if you want to spend time in Sorrento. If you're willing to spend a short time at each site and aren't overly interested in archaeology, then you could squeeze both in, but I don't think you'll get to see much. I've used the audio guides in both sites, and thought they were very well done. If you do take the Circumvesuviana to Pompeii, make sure you get off at the "scavi" stop, otherwise you'll be in the town, not the ruins! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CintiPam Posted February 19, 2012 #7 Share Posted February 19, 2012 I would choose one and visit either Pompeii or Herculaneum using the train from Sorrento. We are huge ruin fans, and went to Pompeii from Sorrento in June 2009 and spent about 4-1/2 hours there. It is a very large site and it is tough walking on the cobbles there. BTW, the booklet describing the sites on the provided map (more than 100 stops) is excellent if you do not want a guide. The following May 2010, we went to Herculaneum from Sorrento, planning to go on to the Archaeological Museum in Naples in the afternoon, and also found this smaller and easier to walk around site so fascinating, we ended up spending many hours there as well and did not have the time to go on to Naples. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sea-Guy Posted February 25, 2012 Author #8 Share Posted February 25, 2012 It sounds like the collective wisdom says that we should just do one. That's fine--that's why we asked. BTW, we are in Amalfi the day before, and have hired RomeInLimo to give us a private drive of the Amalfi Coast. So excited! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swifs Posted February 27, 2012 #9 Share Posted February 27, 2012 We docked in Sorrento a year ago and went to Pompeii by Circumvesuiana. It was quite easy. You walk from the central square (Tasso) over to the train station (15 minutes max) and buy your tickets at the window. The train was mostly full of local people (on the way back there were schoolboys coming home from school who were playing an interesting card game that we couldn't figure out). I had been in Pompeii before so we just took our Rick Steves guide and the map they give you at the ticket booth (the entrance is very close to the train). I thought about going to Herculaneum but decided I didn't want to try to pack them both in, so we returned to Sorrento and had a nice time walking around town and tasting the limencello. In fact, we lucked out because the entrance to Pompeii was somehow free the day we went so we really saved big time doing this on our own. Next year we are docked at Naples with Disney Magic and we will go to the Museum (at long last!) and then take the train the (shorter) distance to Herculaneum. I am looking forward to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billy.qc Posted February 28, 2012 #10 Share Posted February 28, 2012 It certainly seems feasible. We're there in June on Silversea, and we're planning to try it. We have 2 days though, as the ship is in port for an overnight, so we have more time to play with. when we were there on a similar overnite this is how we did it: day 1: Pompeii by train (hired guide on site) & late day visit to Capri took a (convertible taxi tour) day 2: Amalfi drive incl Ravello & Positano Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GJH123 Posted February 29, 2012 #11 Share Posted February 29, 2012 Another option that you may want to consider is pre-booking a guide and having her meet you at the Sorrento train station. I found Lucia Pompeii Guide on Trip Advisor and she was very prompt in replying to my e-mails and making recommendations for extra admissions. Two years ago, she was just establishing a business, as she was one of guides used by Rome In Limo. Her cost was less that Gaetano Manfredi (the guide mentioned by Rick Steves). G M's website will give you a limited preview of Pompeii. We spent three hours with her in the pouring rain and didn't mind a bit as she made the ruins come alive for us. She lives in Sorrento and so it was convenient for her to meet us at the station. At the conclusion of our tour, she helped us find an authentic Italian restaurant and then we explored Sorrento on our own. We found her to be one of the best private guides we have encountered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lalique Posted February 29, 2012 #12 Share Posted February 29, 2012 It sounds like the collective wisdom says that we should just do one. That's fine--that's why we asked. BTW, we are in Amalfi the day before, and have hired RomeInLimo to give us a private drive of the Amalfi Coast. So excited! This past Oct./Nov. we also used Romeinlimo for Sorrento and to take us to Pompeii where they had a private guide waiting for the 6 of us. Our RIL guide, Giovanni, was wonderful. After visiting Pompeii for a few hours - and definitely use a private tour guide there - Giovanni took us into Sorrento for a few hours. The next day Giovanni again was our guide for the Amalfi Coast. We went to Amalfi, Positano and Ravello. Having 2 days in that area when on a cruise is great because you can't possibly due all that in one day. Pompeii is amazing and the guides really give you so much info that you would not otherwise have. Enjloy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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