Italy and Croatia via Switzerland 2025

[Ayjay]

@Bigsidavies You shouldn't miss the opportunity of a visit to Napoli while you're at Pompeii. I've spent a lot of time there (on the job and vacation visits) and I love the place even though it's a bit tatty and dodgy in places. The National Archaeological Museum is a must see and worth the price just for the Alexander the Great mosaic (you'll recognise as soon as you see it) and The Farnese Bull. BUT under no circumstances drive there if you value the van. The train (Circum Vesuviana) to the central station from Pompeii is easy, quick and cheap. Another must see is Herculaneum - weirdly, I prefer it to Pompeii as it's smaller and in some ways easier to understand - again, it's easy to get the train from Pompeii.

 

[Bigsidavies]

@Bigsidavies You shouldn't miss the opportunity of a visit to Napoli while you're at Pompeii. I've spent a lot of time there (on the job and vacation visits) and I love the place even though it's a bit tatty and dodgy in places. The National Archaeological Museum is a must see and worth the price just for the Alexander the Great mosaic (you'll recognise as soon as you see it) and The Farnese Bull. BUT under no circumstances drive there if you value the van. The train (Circum Vesuviana) to the central station from Pompeii is easy, quick and cheap. Another must see is Herculaneum - weirdly, I prefer it to Pompeii as it's smaller and in some ways easier to understand - again, it's easy to get the train from Pompeii.

Unfortunately I’ve booked a campsite now for the next three nights in Sorrento. I was planning to do Naples and everyone I know said don’t go it’s a sh*thole so I binned it from the plan.
Wasn’t aware of Herculaneum.

 

[cgtmiles]

@Bigsidavies You shouldn't miss the opportunity of a visit to Napoli while you're at Pompeii. I've spent a lot of time there (on the job and vacation visits) and I love the place even though it's a bit tatty and dodgy in places. The National Archaeological Museum is a must see and worth the price just for the Alexander the Great mosaic (you'll recognise as soon as you see it) and The Farnese Bull. BUT under no circumstances drive there if you value the van. The train (Circum Vesuviana) to the central station from Pompeii is easy, quick and cheap. Another must see is Herculaneum - weirdly, I prefer it to Pompeii as it's smaller and in some ways easier to understand - again, it's easy to get the train from Pompeii.

We were there last year (not in the van) and the second Herculaneum, much more compact than pompeii but all there (included the people in the vaults!). We didn’t go to Naples as we had enough on our agenda but multiple people have said before that we missed out on the museum. We also used the train (right next to your site) and that was great for getting about 90% of the time, it did break down in a tunnel and we nearly died from the heat but apart from that it was great.

The first ther place you can go is up the mountain and there you can take your van. If you get there early (or maybe now it’s not
So busy) you can park really easily along the road. Great views of naples

 

[cgtmiles]

Unfortunately I’ve booked a campsite now for the next three nights in Sorrento. I was planning to do Naples and everyone I know said don’t go it’s a sh*those so I binned it from the plan.
Wasn’t aware of Herculaneum.

You can still get the train from sorrento, same line if I remember correctly

 

[Bigsidavies]

Sorrento is a chill out pool afternoon tomorrow.
Amalfi coast by bus then return by water taxi on Saturday and nothing planned for Sunday yet, but thought we might do Capri.
@cgtmiles are you saying we can drive up Vesuvius in the van?

 

[cgtmiles]

Sorrento is a chill out pool afternoon tomorrow.
Amalfi coast by bus then return by water taxi on Saturday and nothing planned for Sunday yet, but thought we might do Capri.
@cgtmiles are you saying we can drive up Vesuvius in the van?

Yeah, not all the way though. You need, something much more hardcore and high tech for that, one of these:

 

[cgtmiles]

Park here, minibus to the start of the path

https://maps.app.goo.gl/cUvBww5umT2fsVbJA?g_st=ipc

 

[Bigsidavies]

In other news, just sat here reading the forum and heard a rather loud crunch. Some guy has overswung on the corner of my pitch to get to the service area and removed the top rear corner of his big hire camper on a lime tree.
He’s not looking happy. I can’t take a picture as the Czech gentleman is not looking like he’d appreciate it somehow.

 

[Bav]

You can still get the train from sorrento, same line if I remember correctly

You do.

 

[Badjamin]

In other news, just sat here reading the forum and heard a rather loud crunch. Some guy has overswung on the corner of my pitch to get to the service area and removed the top rear corner of his big hire camper on a lime tree.
He’s not looking happy. I can’t take a picture as the Czech gentleman is not looking like he’d appreciate it somehow.

I got so tense reading that until I realised your van was undamaged

 

[DXX]

In other news, just sat here reading the forum and heard a rather loud crunch. Some guy has overswung on the corner of my pitch to get to the service area and removed the top rear corner of his big hire camper on a lime tree.
He’s not looking happy. I can’t take a picture as the Czech gentleman is not looking like he’d appreciate it somehow.

It’ll fit in with the majority of Italian vehicles now, smashed to hell.

 

[Bigsidavies]

Today we were in the Pompeii archaeological site when it opened at 9. Plan was the morning there and the afternoon maybe up to Vesuvius.
Anyway, left Pompeii around 3pm and still missed bits out.
Mind-blowing place.
So had a chill out back at the site, drinking wine and editing the last few days photos.

 

[Ayjay]

@Bigsidavies. IMHO Napoli it's still worth a visit for the museum and a stroll around Specca Napoli. You just have to be streetwise.

 

[fax001]

Sorrento is a chill out pool afternoon tomorrow.
Amalfi coast by bus then return by water taxi on Saturday and nothing planned for Sunday yet, but thought we might do Capri.
@cgtmiles are you saying we can drive up Vesuvius in the van?

The boat trip from Sorrento to Capri is lovely, but the prices in Capri are something to behold. Food and drink all seems to be about twice the price of the mainland.

 

[DXX]

The boat trip from Sorrento to Capri is lovely, but the prices in Capri are something to behold. Food and drink all seems to be about twice the price of the mainland.

Like with VWs, people keep paying it!

 

[Bav]

Like with VWs, people keep paying it!

Once you're there you don't have much choice in the matter - the very definition of a captive audience.

 

[Bigsidavies]

Today was a short drive from Camping Zeus in Pompeii down to Camping Nube Argento in Sorrento. Only 17 miles but it was moped madness.
Anyway the site is stunning. Had a lazy afternoon in the pool and now sat on the bar/pizzeria terrace having a beer.
Had a bbq tonight to help clear out the fridge. Pizza here tomorrow night for sure.

Great view over the bay of Naples.

 

[Jonesy68]

Loving this thread @Bigsidavies what an amazing trip.

 

[Bigsidavies]

Loving this thread @Bigsidavies what an amazing trip.

Thanks @Jonesy68 hopefully it inspires a few people to venture further afield in their vans.

 

[cgtmiles]

Thanks @Jonesy68 hopefully it inspires a few people to venture further afield in their vans.

Inspiring me, I’m going to wait until you go away first next year then follow your example