Elvira

You don't know me as I used to post mainly in the US forum and have been AWOL for quite a while, but I hope I can pick your brains about my upcoming 1-month stay in Rome.

My husband and I will be chaperoning a small group of college students and taking them to various sites of architectural interest. I am looking at guide-books and my head is spinning - so much to see! Any suggestions re prioritizing, bearing in mind that we'll be there for a month? (They'll have classes most days, but 'fieldtrips' are an important part of the the course.)

One thing I am struggling with is arranging a visit to Pompeii. How easy is it to go there by train, and is it realistic to get there from Rome and back in a single day? I hear the Italian train system can be somewhat difficult to navigate, so I'd be extremely grateful for any hints, tips, websites, et cetera.

Any other information and suggestions about easy day trips out of Rome that might appeal to American students would be gratefully received. Particularly places that are of (ancient Roman) architectural and/or engineering interest. For instance, what would be the best place to appreciate the aqueducts?

I would be particularly interested if any of you could suggest some 'extracurricular' activities and places to go that 19-21 year old students would enjoy. But keep it decent... Also any potential risks that we might need to be aware of?

Also good places to eat and drink - not too expensive as these are students. Any places where they might get to know local young people? Good websites? Ways of saving money or getting deals?

I realise this is quite a long list - sorry. Thank you so much for any bits of information you might be able to provide!!

Garbatellamike

Ok where to start?

First my number one rule for eating places is: if you can see a monument don't eat there go back a block or 2 and you will find a place with better food, better service and better prices.

My mate's 19 year old daughter and her mates tend to go out for evenings in Trastevere so that is a good starting place.

If they fancy an Irish pub with live music and sport try googling Scholars lounge.

Day trips by train:

Not done Pompeii by train. Have you considered Herculanium instead?

Orvieto is very doable in a day by train and funicular.

Have a look at Villa Adriana and Villa D'Este at Tivoli - both recommended.

You can also take the overground metro to Ostia Antica (the Pompeii of the north).

How's tha for starters?

BRIAN 1

hi,try goeuro.com,you can go from rome to naples and back several times a day in 1hr38 mins.from naples there is the private rail service circumvesuviana.it might be best to prebook that train as i think it gets quite busy,just google that name and you should find a booking service somewhere.good luck,cheers, brian.

Garbatellamike

Trenitalia and Italo also do Rome-Naples trains in just over an hour and can be booked at reasonable prices too.

The issue is not likely to be getting a group to Naples from Rome (which is easier than a very easy thing), the more difficult, but still doable part, would be getting to Pompeii from Naples and then back again afterwards.

garfagnino

TrenItalia for Rome to Garibaldi (Central Station in Naples).

Garibaldi / Central Station Naples
Central Station (Stazione Centrale) is the main Naples train station just to the east of the city centre. The Circumvesuviana Trains stop at a physically separate set of platforms to the main train station with their own separate ticket barriers. (on the lower level).
Although you never leave the Central Station building the Circumvesuviana platforms are called Garibaldi Station which can be confusing to strangers. Once you get off your train at Central Station you just turn left at the end of the platform and keep going following the signs above.
Stations on Circumvesuviana (of interest to you)
Ercolano Scavi (for Herculaneum and Mount Vesuvius)
N.B.There is more than one Ercolano Station so be sure to get off at Ercolano Scavi.

The station is in the middle of town, be prepared to be greeted by touts as you leave the station. If you are heading for Herculaneum, the site is a 5-10 minute walk down the main street that is periodically signposted. The touts may try and persuade you otherwise and tempt you onto their shuttle bus.

This is a traditional point to hire a taxi to Mount Vesuvius. The sticking point is the return journey, an awkward decision whether to pay waiting time or ask the taxi to return, but at what time? and pre-payment?. If this makes you nervous there are more organised excursion vehicles that run to a timetable from Pompeii.

Pompeii (And Tour Vehicles to Mount Vesuvius)
Pompeii Station is a very pleasant little station.
There is a tourist office and the tours to Mount Vesuvius are parked outside the station.

The entrance to the Pompeii archaeological area is just a few yards down the street.

The Circumvesuviana Train is a regional network of lines running out of Naples to the east of the city around Mount Vesuvius. It is not part of the Italian national rail network so you cannot buy tickets from TrenItalia on-line or from rail stations nationally.

For visitors the line that is used extensively is the Naples to Sorrento via Pompeii and Herculaneum line, a journey that takes just over an hour with countless stops along the way. Frequencies are very good, around every 30 minutes all day.

The stations that are most of interest to tourists between Sorrento and Naples are Castellammare di Stabia (cable car to Monte Faito), Pompeii (archaeological area and bus connection to Vesuvius), Torre Annunziata (for Oplontis) and Ercolano Scavi (for Herculaneum archaeological area).

garfagnino

P.S. Just a note of warning!! Make sure you get the correct Circumvesuviana train. You want the Torre del Greco/Ercolano Scavi route to Sorrento, NOT the Vesuvio de Meis/Ottaviano/Poggiomarino route otherwise you'll end up doing a left turn and going round the back of Vesuvius - I made that mistake once by jumping in haste on the first train that came along!
I've attached a Circumvesuviana route map listing all the stations.

BRIAN 1

hi,goeuro is just an online travel firm,so the trains are trenitalia and italo the same as you said.circumvesuviano starts near napoli station and timetable can be googled to see if practical in 1 day,cheers,brian.

Garbatellamike

Thanks for clarifying Brian. I think Garf has provided the answer in detail.

ononno

Hope you all have a wonderful time in Rome; I'm sure you will.
The main point of a day trip to Pompei has got to be Pompei itself,so don't be distracted by the other numerous excavations in the same area.
The Circumvesuviana trains from Napoli Centrale Garibaldi level are basically local commuter trains, so can't book seats on them.
The train you want is the SORRENTO train, and your station is POMPEI Villa dei Misteri, about 35 mins after leaving Napoli.
So yes, easily done in a day from Rome.
If you decide to do further trips down Napoli way, since the trains from Rome are fast and frequent, using the same Sorrento bound Circumvesuviana train you can visit, in order from Napoli,
Ercolano (Herculaneum and/or Mount Vesuvius)
Bosco Tre Case (Villa Regina)
Torre Annunziata (Oplontis Villa Poppea)
Just a note about Castellamare di Stabia mentioned in an earlier post - the cable car to Monte Faito is kaput indefinitely.
Also keep an eye on Circumvesuviana web site - they sometimes run a classic 'archeotrain' direct Napoli to Pompei, and this has to be booked.
ciao for now,
'o nonno

modicasa

Just a point. Dont be a 'tour guide' with your charges, as you are not, presumably, a blue badge guide and will run into trouble if you are 'guiding' either in Rome or Pompei - not only from legal guides but also the mavericks who wont appreictae you on their patch.

Elvira

Thank you so much everyone! You've certainly given me a lot to get my teeth into.

And, as I suspected, the train journey to Pompeii is not entirely straightforward - <sigh>..........

Any more suggestions on how to keep these young people entertained whist in Rome - preferably without getting into trouble...

Or any other useful hints or websites.

Mille grazie :-)

Pulaski

Rome to Pompeii and back in a day will be a challenge, I have been a chaperone on several highschool trips to Rome and Pompeii, and it is a long slog there and back with only limited yime to tour Pompeii.

Obviously there is serious cachet in visiting "Pompeii", but objectively speaking you can get the same experience from Ostia Antica, which is right there, just outside Rome.

Take them up to the catacombs and the Fosse Ardeantine on the Appian way. I dare anyone to not be moved by the story behind the Nazi massacre at the Foss Ardeantine.

BRIAN 1

hi,another tip if you have limited time in rome is to prebook and pay online a timeslot for sistine chapel,they have their own website.we done this on a long connection layover at fco airport,we jumped straight in at front of line and straight into museum.cheers,brian.

Garbatellamike

Good tip that Brian - you can also do this for Vatican Museums, Coloseum, Roman Forum, Palatine Hill etc much better than queing for 2 or 3 hours in peak season.

Agree with Pulaski on the catacoombs well worth a visit.

ononno

Actually a day trip by train to Pompei from Roma by train is not all that challenging really. When you come off the platforms onto the concourse at Napoli Centrale just turn left without leaving the station, and you can't go wrong following signs to 'Circumvesuviana'. However, should it all seem too much, bear in mind also that there are regular fast schedule bus services between Rome and Sorrento, which also make a stop at Pompei scavi. Fast, comfortable air con buses, with a short comfort stop en route.
Smistamento
Whilst in Rome, well worth considering trips also to Tarquinia, Cerveteri, and Viterbo. And of course a walk along the Appia Antica.
bye bye dicette l'inglese