Sorrento & Pompeii – From Lemon Groves to Lost Cities

24 October 2025 – Port of Naples, Italy

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Morning Departure

Our plan for today was to visit Sorrento and Pompeii, both located south of Naples. We had the option to start in Sorrento and visit Pompeii on the way back, or to reverse the order.

Our philosophy for shore excursions is simple: go to the farthest point first, then work your way back toward the ship. This way, you’re always closing the distance, reducing the risk of being stranded far away with little time to recover. Based on that logic, we chose to visit Sorrento first and Pompeii in the afternoon.

We purchased express line tickets for Pompeii with an entry window from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Our arrangements were made through MrCabDriverNapoli, who also arranged for a local guide to lead us through the ruins at Pompeii.

Our group of five met in the Deck 3 atrium at 8:00 AM, and the ship was cleared a few minutes later. Another cruise ship — Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas — shared the port with us that day.

We left the ship via the forward gangway, walked aft along an elevated walkway to the terminal, then doubled back through the building, passing several shops before descending the escalators to the main exit.

Outside the terminal, our driver-guide, Roberto, greeted us around 8:15 AM, and within minutes we were on our way in his comfortable van, ready for a full day of exploring Sorrento and Pompeii.

The drive south followed a scenic two-lane coastal road that wound along cliffs with sweeping views of the Bay of Naples and Mount Vesuvius. Morning traffic was heavy in the opposite direction, but we moved smoothly against the inbound commute.

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Photo Stop on the Sorrento Coast

Around 9:30, we stopped for photos near Meta and Piano di Sorrento, with spectacular views of the Sorrentine Peninsula. The day was slightly hazy — on a clearer morning, we might have seen Capri — but the coastal scenery was still stunning. After a few minutes, we continued, arriving in Sorrento around 10:00 AM

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Exploring Sorrento

Roberto dropped us off near Piazza Tasso in the center of town and gave us 90 minutes to explore before meeting back at 11:30 AM.

Our first stop was a small limoncello shop, where we sampled traditional limoncello and a creamy pistachio-cello. The owner’s 80-year-old mother, Adella, still made the jams and chocolates by hand. We bought a T-shirt, keychain, and ball cap before walking toward the Belvedere viewpoint above Marina Piccola, near Chiesa della Madonna del Soccorso. The overlook offered beautiful views across the bay toward Vesuvius.

Everywhere we turned in Sorrento, the color yellow seemed to shine — bottles of limoncello, soaps, candies, and hand-painted ceramics in every shade imaginable. The narrow lanes were lined with shops and cafés catering to visitors, yet the atmosphere remained cheerful and lively.

While Sorrento is a charming town with plenty of shops and restaurants, we agreed that, given the relatively short port day, the time spent here might have been better used exploring Pompeii more thoroughly or visiting other sites in Naples.

By 11:20, we were back near Piazza Tasso, ready to meet Roberto for the drive to Pompeii.

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Pompeii vs. Pompei – What’s the Difference?

Pompeii and Pompei refer to two intertwined but distinct places in southern Italy.

Pompeii (with two “i”s) is the ancient Roman city buried under volcanic ash when Mount Vesuvius erupted in AD 79 — now a UNESCO World Heritage archaeological site.

Pompei (with one “i”) is the modern Italian municipality of about 25,000 residents that developed around the ruins in the 19th century.

The spelling difference reflects Latin’s plural nominative ending “-ii” for the historical name versus Italian’s simplified form for the modern town, though geographically the ruins lie within today’s city limits of Pompei.

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Lunch at I Mati

The drive from Sorrento to Pompei took about an hour. Roberto dropped us off at I Mati Pizzeria Ristorante, a friendly pizza place just a few blocks from the archaeological park entrance.

We were seated quickly and each ordered a delicious wood-fired pizza — a simple but perfect meal before an afternoon of walking. Lunch lasted about an hour before we continued to the ruins.

 

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Exploring Pompeii

We met our guide, Giovanni, just before 2:00 PM. outside the main entrance and began a two-hour walking tour that took us counterclockwise through the southern and central parts of the site.

Even after two hours, we covered only a fraction of Pompeii’s 160 acres — but enough to glimpse nearly every facet of Roman life: leisure, faith, commerce, and tragedy.

Entrance & Ticket Office

We began near the Porta Marina gate and ticket office, with Mount Vesuvius visible in the distance — a constant reminder of the disaster that struck in AD 79.

Gymnasium (Palestra Grande)

Our first major stop was the Gymnasium, an open courtyard once used for youth athletics and military training. The volcano loomed beyond its walls — both beautiful and ominous.

Small & Large Theatres

Next, we visited the Odeon (small theatre), used for music and poetry, and the Great Theatre, which still hosts performances today. Giovanni demonstrated the superb acoustics — a sharp hand clap was easily heard everywhere.

Via dell’Abbondanza – Pompeii’s Main Street

Turning onto Via dell’Abbondanza, we passed rows of thermopolia — ancient snack bars where locals once grabbed food to go. Terracotta jars built into the counters held soups and stews, making them the Roman version of take-out.

Private Homes & Baths

We stepped into the footprint of a typical home, its central atrium and kitchen clearly defined. Nearby, the Stabian Baths displayed remarkable Roman engineering — complete with saunas, showers, and changing rooms.

The Brothel Street (Lupanare)

We walked up the street leading to Pompeii’s famous brothel, but the line was too long to enter. Giovanni instead showed us laminated photos of the interior frescoes — surprisingly vivid scenes that once guided patrons to individual rooms.

Public Fountains & Water System

Along the route, we paused at a stone fountain, its carved face still fed by the original aqueduct. These fountains were everyday gathering spots where residents filled amphorae on their way home.

The Forum & Temples

We emerged into the Forum, the civic and religious heart of Pompeii, surrounded by temples and public buildings that once framed the city’s most important square. Dominating the northern end stood the Temple of Jupiter, dedicated to the Capitoline triad of Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva, with Mount Vesuvius rising behind it. To the west side of the Forum stood the Temple of Apollo, one of Pompeii’s oldest sanctuaries, while nearby the Temple of Vespasian honored the deified emperor and featured a small marble altar used for sacrifices, still beautifully preserved today.

The Plaster Casts

Our final stop was the exhibit hall, which contained the haunting plaster casts — detailed impressions of men, women, and children frozen in their final moments. Seeing them up close was a powerful reminder that Pompeii was not just ruins, but a city of real lives abruptly ended.

We exited the site around 4:00 p.m., met Roberto, and began the drive back to Naples. Along the way, we noted that gasoline was €1.75 per liter — roughly $7 per gallon.

We reached the terminal around 4:30 p.m., browsed a few shops, and were back in our cabin by 5:00 p.m.

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Evening Onboard

Suzanne Godfrey was the featured performer this evening. Her flute performance, Flutopia, blended world and film music in a dynamic set that included Jai Ho from India, Lambada from Brazil, Michael Jackson’s I Just Can’t Stop Loving You, and Caruso by Lucio Dalla in tribute to Enrico Caruso.

The program closed with themes from Gladiator and Game of Thrones, finishing with A Sky Full of Stars by Coldplay.