Pompeii
is a wonderful place
to visit, a kind of dream trip especially when combined with other
destinations in Italy. The key is to spend at least one full day at
Pompeii, which means that you should plan on spending the night in the
vicinity.
If you wish to stay in modern Pompeii, there is only one
hotel to consider: Hotel
Amleto (on a side street near the Porta di Nocera entrance).
Typically Italian with its tiled rooms and wonderful breakfast (would you
believe Nutella-filled croissants?) and a small roof-top terrace, this is no cookie-cutter Holiday Inn.
It also has a private garage (parking is included in the room rate). And
the staff, including Marika and Antonio, is first-rate. I highly recommend
it, having stayed there some five times myself.
You can also stay in Naples or
Sorrento. Both Sorrento and Naples are appealing bases. Sorrento
is somewhat quieter and more sedate; Naples is bustling and lively. In both cases, you can either drive to Pompeii and park (there
are many parking lots across from the main entrance for about 5
euros a day, plus at least two
cameo factory outlets). On the other hand, it is very easy to hop on the
Circumvesuviana train to get there. There are two Circumvesuviana stations in Pompeii,
each serving a different line of the train:
If you come to Pompeii from
Sorrento (or if you take the Sorrento line from Naples), your stop will be
the Villa of the Mysteries station (Pompeii Scavi), which is directly across
the street from Porta Marina, the main tourist entrance to the archaeological
site.
If you come from Naples on the Poggiomarino line, your stop will be
the Pompeii City station, which is located more in the center of the town
(and much closer to the Hotel Amleto). In this case, you will walk
straight out of the train station until you reach the cathedral square
(you can't miss the imposing spire). Then turn right and walk along the
main street until you reach the Piazza Anfiteatro, a much quieter entrance
to the ruins (my preference). If you are at this entrance when the ruins open, you
can avoid the crowds for an hour or so as you explore the eastern ruins.
Train fares are low and very
reasonable (for example a daily ticket from Naples to Pompeii costs about
€4.50 and includes unlimited metro rides as well).
As
for a wonderful Italian meal in Pompeii (especially if you like seafood), do not
miss the family-run President
Ristorante on the Piazza Schettini (a block from the Hotel Amleto). It's
not only the best restaurant in Pompeii (which isn't saying much, I'm
afraid), it's one of the country's best (which is). It is an expensive
restaurant (closed on Sundays and Mondays in the summer) but well worth one
visit, if your budget allows.
As for more reasonable fare, Pompeii is
filled with tourist restaurants and one McDonalds (between the cathedral
and the Piazza Anfiteatro entrance);
I recommend that you avoid these. One moderately priced restaurant is Carlo
Alberti restaurant on a street of the same name, just off the
cathedral square. The pizza and pasta dishes are excellent. If you are on
a budget, there is an adjoining storefront where you can order pizza to
go; almost all pizzas were under €5.
You can check air fares
and hotels at Travelocity.com:
For
Books about Pompeii, Click Here
