How Long on the tour busses to Rome, Florence, Pompeii from ports

[courtneyMC]

Hello,

Hoping someone can help me out.  we are looking at a Western Med itinerary for the summer.  Ports include Naples, where we'd want to do Pompeii, Rome, but I know Rome isn't actually the port city, and Florence- same thing. 

 

The problem is my daughter gets motion sick on long bus rides... we would not want to do a cruise that involved several days of long bus rides to and from the sites we want to see.  Up to an hour, hour and a half tops would be my hope.  But I just don't have a clue and when I look at listed excursions it says things like 'ride the motor coach to Rome' but not how long the ride is.

 

Can anyone help me out with this- are these ports the type where to get to anything we'd really want to do we'd need to be willing to do bus tours with fairly long travel times?   The other ports are Cannes and Palma Majorca so if you happen to know about those even though this board is Italy I'd appreciate the insight there as well!

 

Also- traveling with my mom who is in her 70s so long walks to and from train stations to do things on our own aren't an option.  we could possibly do private tours but the drive time is an issue no matter how we get there.

 

thanks in advance!

[dogs4fun]

We have never taken the ship excursions in any of the ports you mention - we have enjoyed private/shared tours or DIY via train.

The drive from the port of Civitavecchia to Rome takes approximately an hour (depending on traffic).

The drive from Naples to Pompeii Scavi (I am assuming you want to visit the remains of the city devastated by the eruption of Vesuvius in AD 79) takes about 35 minutes.

You don't say where you will be docking for the visit to Florence. The drive from Livorno (where many ships dock) to Florence takes approximately 90 minutes (depending on traffic).

 

 

Edited January 10, 2020 by dogs4fun

[euro cruiser]

One of the difficulties with these itineraries is that you often wind up with three or four jammed packed days in a row, with two of them (Rome and Florence) requiring long drives to and from the port.  Depending on what you want to do in Naples that could also be another long drive.

 

I think an hour to Rome is optimistic, keep in mind that you are driving into the capital city of the country during rush hour.  It will be easier and faster if you are there on a Saturday or Sunday but I would still assume more like an hour and a quarter, even as much as 90 minutes each way, then be pleasantly surprised if the traffic breaks your way.  (Google maps estimates of driving time underestimates because it does not take traffic or traffic lights into account, it assumes you drive at the posted speed limit for the entire ride which simply isn't realistic.)

 

For Florence, again you've got rush hour traffic and a drive of about sixty miles.  Best case is more than 90 minutes each way.

 

Also remember that during the summer Italy is generally very hot and some areas are quite humid.

 

There are public transit alternatives that might be more comfortable for your daughter, at least in some cases.  Rome, for example, you could use the Frecce train to avoid the crowds on the regional trains and have an assigned seat, or you could use the Civitavecchia Express train, which guarantees you seats but does not assign them.

 

In Naples you can use the Campania Express train, which also guarantees seats but does not assign them, to get to Pompei and/or Sorrento.

Edited January 10, 2020 by euro cruiser

[Markanddonna]

I just wrote how to take the Naples special Pompeii bus directly to Pompeii and a general description of what you will see in Pompeii. I'll add photos at a different time. The 45 minute RT bus ride to Pompeii and the entrance fee was 60 Euro for two people. I give specific details:

 

https://wordpress.com/page/donnagawell.com/4366

[rdt10]

Another option from Livorno is Lucca. Very nice walled town and much closer than Florence.

[bennybear]

And you can take the train there and stop in Pisa coming or going.