From Rome: Pompeii and Sorrento – Sun, Stones and Flavours

This was an overall great experience! Giovanni was our guide and did an exceptional job of keeping us informed of what was going on and sharing insights about what we were seeing. Giovanni gets an A+ for his efforts. The tour is a 13-hour trip, but we wished that we had more time! Unfortunately, it does take a while to travel to and from Sorrento and Pompeii from Rome. This trip is great for those that want a taste of the area; we plan on going back to spend more time at each of the locations. Know that it is going to be a full day, so plan accordingly. The pick-up and drop off spot was easily accessible via Metro (only a couple of minutes walk from the train to the meeting location). There was no confusion about finding the tour group. The plaza was beautiful...arrive early if you can to get some photos and enjoy the area (although our pick-up was at 7:15 am...). Sorrento: Sorrento is a beautiful coastal town with much to explore and well worth the stop. We appreciated the free time to roam around Sorrento, although our total stay was only about an hour. Really enjoyed this stop and glad it was part of the tour. Limoncello Factory: The factory was not in operation during our visit due to a holiday. The tastings were nice, the gift shop was overpriced (in my opinion -- products were actually less expensive at the FCO duty free shops). Overall, the stop was appreciated and a new experience, but I would have rather invested the time in spending more time visiting Pompeii. Pompeii: This stop was a must see and an anticipated highlight of our trip to Rome. We spent about two hours in the Archeological Park with a tremendous guide who actually gave us some freedom to explore and get pictures. Again, I wish that we had more time, but you can only put so much into one day. The tour absolutely whetted our appetite about Pompeii and makes us want to go back for more. A+ experience given the time we had. Purchased Lunch at Pompeii: Adequate and a good value. The restaurant is set up to cater to tour groups, so don't expect a great ambience. The 15 euro lunch included: salad, choice of a main course (pizza, seafood, pastas, and "meat"), ice cream (lemon gelatto), and a drink. My wife enjoyed the seafood main course; I was a bit disappointed with the "meat". Break stops: The bus stops once on the way to Sorrento and once on the way back to Rome. Good opportunity for a bio-break and to grab coffee/drinks. High priced gift shop. Bus: The bus was clean, the driver was attentive, air conditioning worked, and the overall experience was good. My only negative comment is that the ad for this tour indicated there was WiFi -- but the bus was not equipped. Not a show stopper, but it would have been nice to have it. Overall grade: A.