Sorrento- closed up from 1 to 4??

[flipflops84]

Hello everyone,

After reading so many threads on this site we have figured out how to DIY Naples, with visits to Pompeii and sorrento. My only issue is figuring out if everything will be closed in Sorrento if we go there in the afternoon, which would be approx 12 to 4. People seem to say different things on the threads I have read.

 

In sorrento I want to poke around the shops, eat lunch, buy some limoncello, etc. will everything be closed at the time we will be visiting? What exactly is closed during the afternoon? DH wants to visit Pompeii early to avoid crowds and the heat (we will be there in mid May, don't know if heat is an issue then), but we will go to Sorrento earlier if need be.

 

Please help us decide what to do! Thank you!

[lisiamc]

My experience in Sorrento is that other than one or two tourist shops, (and I'm speaking literally - I have seen one shop still open at 2, and one closing) everything is closed in the early afternoons.

[cruisemom42]

My experience in Sorrento is that other than one or two tourist shops, (and I'm speaking literally - I have seen one shop still open at 2, and one closing) everything is closed in the early afternoons.

 

Having just spent a week there, this was my impression as well. Granted, I didn't do a lot of shopping, but some days we'd be coming back to Sorrento around 4pm from sightseeing elsewhere and most every shop along the walk back to the apartment (on the main street) was just opening back up.

[euro cruiser]

Restuarants will be open, and some tourist focused shops. Other retail will be closed.

 

There isn't anything for sale in Sorrento that you won't find everywhere else in the area, so there's really nothing special or magic about shopping in Sorrento.

[TMLAalum]

We are on a half-day private tour to Pompeii & Sorrento. Anticipating arrival at Pompeii at 8:30, departure for Sorrento at 11:30 latest, I'm thinking having lunch sometime after 1. We were thinking about taking the 4:25 ferry back to Naples, but based on the info in this thread, wonder if aiming for the previous departure of 1:45 would be a better choice. Our group member's interests are photography, churches, and shopping. Returning to Naples via the Circumvesuviana is also an option.

 

Advice and thoughts are appreciated, thanks!!

[euro cruiser]

There's nothing wrong with a long, leisurely lunch in Sorrento followed by a nice walk from town down to the marina to work some of it off. I'd much prefer the boat to the train as a return option, both for the experience itself (the Circumvesuviana is, at best, just basic transportation) as well as for the location of the pier right next to the cruise port in Naples. There may be other boat options ... not every schedule is available on the internet.

[-Lew-]

 

...the Circumvesuviana is, at best, just basic transportation...

Even that statement is too kind. I've said it before...it's the train from hell. If I never ride the Circumvesuviana again, it'll be too soon.

 

Take euro cruiser's advise and take a boat back to Naples.

 

Lew

[cruisemom42]

Even that statement is too kind. I've said it before...it's the train from hell. If I never ride the Circumvesuviana again, it'll be too soon.

 

Take euro cruiser's advise and take a boat back to Naples.

 

Lew

 

My goodness; I rode it daily for a week under what could be called trying circumstances (slow downs, some trains cancelled) and I didn't think it was THAT bad!

 

Nevertheless, I would agree that the ferry is a nicer option.

[-Lew-]

In September 2009 we enjoyed a wonderful week in Sorrento. This was after a 14-day cruise on the Grand Princess from Southampton to Civitavecchia. We took a train from Civitavecchia to Naples and then changed in Naples for Sorrento.

 

Changing trains in Naples when fairly smoothly considering the entourage of low-lifes following us as we walked from Napoli Centrale to Stazione di Napoli Porta Nolana. After buying our tickets for the Circumvesuviana to Sorrento, it was a struggle getting our luggage through the turnstiles and then to the train platform where it must have been 120°.

 

It was standing room only until we were a few stops from Sorrento. To my relief, the four young men who were eyeing my expensive watch, got off near Pompeii...my fault as I shouldn't have been wearing it...but it certainly made us uncomfortable for most of the trip.

 

The entire experience was just not that good. I can understand how riding the Circumvesuviana may not be quite so bad if you limited your travels to the southern end of the line, but we just didn't want to take a chance of reliving that experience again.

 

Lew