Capri addtl excursion and early arrival.
We always do well arriving for these trips two nights early as jet lag really gets us. We usually spend the extra time exploring, resting, sleeping and getting acclimated so the tour starts off right. I’m wondering what is interesting to do in sorrento? We arrive on a Friday afternoon, that’s our zombie time. But Saturday and Sunday (the tour officially starts at Sunday dinner) we’d like to explore, is there enough to do in Sorrento?
Tauck offers an excursion for early arrivals to Capri, any comments on Tauck’s excursion to Capri for the day?
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Sorrento is a charming town with lots of shopping, restaurants, several interesting churches, etc. - a great place to just wander. Capri is one of the most beautiful islands in the Mediterranean and not to be missed. I would go to Capri on Saturday when you will not be rushed (you can easily get there on your own by taking the hydrofoil - high speed ferry) and the trip is about a half hour). You can easily explore the island on your own (including the upper part of the island called Anacapri). Just pay attention to the time for the last departing ferry or two and if visiting during the busy summer months, I advise buying your return ticket when you get off the ferry and before you start exploring - the late afternoon tickets can sell out. There is lots of info about the ferry service and things to do in both Sorrento and Capri on the internet and the hotel concierge can help as well.
There are some detailed posts with good suggestions in the Classic Italy and Classic Italy, Small Groups forums. After arriving and resting we spent a bit of the afternoon before dinner, and a bit of the evening after eating, walking around Sorrento- that was more than enough!- mostly light retail, souvenir shops, restaurants/bars, gelato stands, then repeat half a dozen times until the end of the street.
) Capri was not offered as a Tauck pre-tour option, so we made arrangements before leaving the states for a tour there with a "city Guide" one day. The next day we toured Herculaneum (not visited on the tour), the National Archaeological Museum of Naples, and Solfatara a shallow volcanic steaming crater, and the Colosseum in Pozzuoli, etc. and stopped for the "best" Pizza in Naples, with a driver and guide. Having licensed guides on both days dramatically improved our experiences, from both information and efficiency (seeing a lot of things in a limited amount of time) standpoints. Without a guide we wouldn't have been able to see as much as we did in Naples and on Capri. On Capri we got off the ferry, our guide went in the back door and quickly got tickets, and just a few minutes later we jumped on the around island boat which made a stop at the Blue Grotto (yes it is blue! Touristic, yes, but hey, why not?!?). Then we rode the funicular from the Marina Grande to the town of Capri, visited a few places there, rode one of the island's open-topped taxis to Anacapri, visited a number of spots including the Church of St Michael the Archangel and saw its majolica floor mosaic, rode a chairlift to Mt. Solaro, the island's highest point, where we had a light lunch with the most incredible views of the island, Naples Bay, Vesuvius, Sorrento, etc. Both days were fantastic!
We also did Classic Italy before Tauck offered Capri as a pre-tour - we booked a similar tour of Capri as Alan. I would also recommend visiting with a guide - if we had explored on our own, we would have missed many of the sites. Once on the island we had a guide and driver so could make the most of our time. Sorrento is a lovely little town and we spent some time exploring it. I would also suggest enjoying a glass of wine on your hotel's terrace. We found it to be a relaxing time with beautiful views. We also met a few other Tauck travelers there before our tour officially began.
Thanks guys. Sounds like several days in Sorrento is a little too much and Capri is very worthwhile so we booked the Tauck excursion over for the day. Hope the weather cooperates, but can’t control that. Thanks again.
Besides shopping and dining, there are a few attractions in Sorrento you could visit the half day before the welcome dinner. Here is a link to some. We didn't go to any of them and the descriptions don't sound all that exciting. I am a woodworker, but unfortunately, we didn't have time to visit the marquetry (a Sorrento specialty) museum- there are a number of shops that sell fabulous examples, however, if you are interested in that sort of thing.
And don't miss joining the locals and tourists alike to watch the sunset from the terrace by the Villa Comunale, a park near the cloister of San Francesco. We were on the small groups tour and stayed at the Grand Hotel La Favorita, just a block from the park and the elevator that goes down to the marina. (I believe you stay at the Excelsior, across the canyon) Use Google Maps to get familiar with the layout of Sorrento. Don't forget, the town is on a high cliff above the waterfront/marina.
View from the marina/ferry landing.