Hello, my friends,
We are leaving for Rome on the 21st of October! We rented a small studio from Realrome (Tim Pearson- a very nice, professional agent!) near Campo dei Fiori (if you remember my long discussion about avoiding a noisy place but with all your recommendations I finally rented in the heart of the most possible noise and have no regrets so far (though I am not in Rome yet!). Ami - you are renting this studio on via Cappellari after me, so, wait for my report!)
Now I have a question about some organized trip from Rome to Naples/ Pompei/Sorrento. Does anyone know about Romantica Tours in Rome? It is an agency located both in Chicago and Rome, or may be someone can give us any information about whether there is any affordable tours from Rome to Pompei without driving on our own.This tour in Romantica cost $120 per person. What do you think? It includes all travel, sites and lunch. I read a lot about these trips from Rome on your wonderful site, and got an impression that an organized tour would be better for us, deadly tired full time working over the hill couple!
Any advice will be greatly appreciated.
Also- going with Iberia airlines through Madrid- we heard many stories about such a mess over there... any way we can't way for our celestial day of departure to Rome for the first time!
Thanks,
Arnolda Dina

Hi AD,

Haven't used that company.

You might want to look into Enjoy Rome. They will take you to/from Pompeii for about 60E pp.

However you do it, it will be a loooooooong day.

Thanks, Ira,
I have just looked at Enjoy Italy, it is almost the same cost for the same trip but we certainly will look into both agencies.
My next question- does anyone know the best itinerary for one day trip from Rome to Capri? What is recommended the best- to go to Pompei, or to see Capri? We are nine days in Rome, and want to see around. We are thinking about going on our own, without any tours.

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Originally posted by Arnolda:
Thanks, Ira,
I have just looked at Enjoy Italy, it is almost the same cost for the same trip but we certainly will look into both agencies.
My next question- does anyone know the best itinerary for one day trip from Rome to Capri? What is recommended the best- to go to Pompei, or to see Capri? We are nine days in Rome, and want to see around. We are thinking about going on our own, without any tours.

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We loved seeing Pompeii. But if you have your heart set on Capri, consider a visit to Ostia Antica (just outside of Rome) instead of Pompeii - it is highly recommended by some of the experienced slow travellers. If you are considering Capri for a trip to the Blue Grotto, keep in mind that Blue Grotto tours are cancelled due to bad weather.

There are fabulous places to visit much, much closer to Rome. There are many past threads suggesting Ostia Antica, which is right outside Rome. Here's a good site about the place. Ostia Antica
Visiting Pompeii or especially Capri will involve more travel than sightseeing time. Capri is at least three hours each way!!! It's like going from Boston to New York City for a daytrip. Save it for another time when you can enjoy it.

Hi Arnolda,

If you have only 9 days in Rome, I suggest that you limit your daytrips to Ostia Antica for the ruins and Orieto for the hilltown experience.

Rome to Capri and back is a verrrry long day. Take the train to Naples, cab to Molo Belvedere and take the ferry or hydrofoil to Capri. I'm not sure about the schedules in late Oct.

If Capri and Pompeii are high priority items, I suggest that you spend 2 nights in Naples or Sorrento if you can arrange it.

My great thanks to all of you who responded! Now I have something besides my previous plans to think about, you gave me lots of hints. I am going to look into Orvieto and Ostia as well. Yes, Capri is a dream but if it is such a long trip I have to think about it, and that's why I was thinking about taking an organized bus tour (though we hate any organized tours, any sightseeing in a group, etc. but it can make our life easier this time!)
Great thanks, and we just can't wait till our day comes! I also heard many negative stories about Madrid connection (which we have), a terrible mess in there, just one detector, huge lines, etc. It might be better just to have one dream only- to reach Rome in time where a car from Tim Pearson is going to wait for us.
Arnolda