Italy Essentials: Choose Your Journey

At 4 days of activity the company cancelled the expedition to Pompeii with a meagre refund of 50 euros on a total bill of more than 1000$. We took this package mainly to go to Pompeii and add the chance to see Capri. But at 4 days there is no longer any possibility of being reimbursed and no ability to have explanations. They came to take us to the hotel (when all the others on the bus that had booked with another company went there them) and no alternative activity for us we had to arrange by ourselves to visit Pompeii, so extra costs. But the rest of the trip was perfect hotel and very professional guides

I will start off by saying that our guide, Sasha, was fantastic! Great knowledge of all the history! Each location was great - Pompeii, Sorrento, Capri. However, I am going to call out the hotel that they put my husband and I in. Hotel Villa Maria. Not sure why we were not with the rest of the group but the hotel at best deserves MAYBE a 1. MAYBE. The walls were paper thin, we could hear everything going on in the room on either side of us. Not a good night for sleeping and I personally would not recommend the hotel to anyone. Beds were hard, pillows hard as well. And while some of those two items are personal preference it didn’t make for a comfortable stay. I should add that we were growing concerned that the bus wasn’t going to pick us up on the second morning. We were where we were told to be 15 minutes before we were supposed to be there waiting and the bus finally arrived 30 minutes + later than what we were told. Add to all of this four people who were not in our tour jumping on the bus leaving no seats (this was on day 1). So got on the bus and no seats were left for actual paying customers. No one bothered to check the list as folks got on the bus. But Sasha was fantastic. Probably would not book a tour from any company like this again. Too many people which makes it difficult to do much of anything in the locations you visit.

The trip to Pompeii was incredible. The tour guy , forget his name, was picked up in Naples and works at the archeological site at Pompeii. After that tour, it went downhill. We payed for one night in Sorrento and then a tour of Capri and the Blue Grotto. We waited on a parking lot for 2 hours. None of the tour guides could figure out what bus to put us on. Finally, after we had to keep asking the various staff, we were put on a bus to Sorrento. Arrived late. 7pm, sun had already set and couldn’t walk around the town. Picked up the following morning and taken to Capri. Unfortunately waters did not allow for the Blue Grotto per Coast Guard. Understandable. However we went on a 1 hour ferry ride, and were then told to explore the shops. Everyone was complaining that we weren’t guided on a tour and that there was way too much time spent just mulling around a crowded port. We had to be very assertive trying to figure out where to get our bags and make sure we were on the feeey back to Naples, in order to get us to Rome that night. Thank goodness for Marcello! Anyone should take a day trip to Pompeii and forget about Capri. Disorganized, a lot of money, and not worth the trip.

Lots of time on the bus which is to be expected. There were a few others that made it annoying, nothing the company can do about that. The hotel was more 3 star than 4, bit that can be because of different country’s understanding. I would do it again.

A 2-day guided tour of southern Italy leaving from Rome is just too much in too short of time. Four different tour guides over the two days. There was a lot of time on the bus, too much time moving luggage around, and not enough time to enjoy the locations. Naples was a quick drive through the city on a big bus (the city is not much to look at, except for the waterfront). Pompeii was the highlight of the tour and is something to see, but I would suggest going on your on to really appreciate it and to have more time to explore it. Sorrento is pretty but the time there is very short through the tour. The hotel in Sorrento was nice and the food good. Capri was extremely crowded in June and there was too much time standing around waiting for a bus. The Blue Grotto trip was just not worth it given the several hours in the boat in the hot sun waiting for your time to get in to see it. We were extremely exhausted after those two days, and looking back on it, I would not do it again, especially after being on the tail end of a 17-day trip to Greece and Rome.

We booked an 9 day trip to Italy .It was beautiful and the locals friendly but the whole trip was poorly run.In the 9 days it was not explained that guests would be sat in a coach seat for 2 whole days going to Italy and 2 days returning. There were infrequent breaks and not enough time to move around. Most clients legs swelled up through inactivity. Our Shearings tour guide who took us to the hotel confessed he knew nothing about Italy. The hotel food was very basic (pork or omelette and chips, 2 pieces of lettuce and 2 tiny tomatoes) and the same every night.No vegan or vegetarian options. Coach toilets were locked (unable to use for 3 hours) because staff couldn’t be bothered to empty. Toilet was Rodded then tea and coffee served(fingers stuck inside cups). Driver and workers were very unprofessional and indiscreet- talking loudly about clients who had decided to move hotels as they were unhappy , and making personal comments about them.The price of tours was very confusing - The website and printed sheets varied for exactly the same trip and it was not clear with the price what was and wasn’t included. I loved Italy and the hotel staff were lovely but it was spoilt by the Shearings staff.

Overnight stay was in Visuvio Hotel with the most amazing views. We have to go back some day and stay longer in this hotel. Bus driver from Rome to Pompeii and van driver, Carmine (not sure of spelling) were the best drivers I've seen. Francesca, and Sasha were the best tour guides. Our tour guide in Amalfi needs to brush up on St Andrew of Amalfi Cathedral. She told us that the Jerusalem 2+feet cross was curved from only ONE mother-of-pearl which is impossible if she knows what is a mother-of-pearl. She also told us that St Andrew was crucified upside down, and when I said it must be a different saint, she corrected herself.

Very thoughtful arrangement, with hotel picked up and dropped off. Worry free. The program was full of fun, from the archeological site in Pompaii to the fun filling activities in Sorrento and Capri. This is the best way to cover so many areas in just two days. There were a lot of coordinations in this trip and handled by a number of guides. They are all professionals and very helpful. Highly recommended.

They toured inner city Naples, not Sorrento. The food venue was in the basement of a hotel with no windows, stark white walls, tile and ceiling. Loud, very few food options. No pasta was offered. Capri was the best part of the tour. We sat in the bay for several hours on a boat waiting to board a small rowboat to be taken into the Blue Grotto. Fortunately the weather was beautiful. The food and restaurant in Capri was great. We felt herded like a bunch of sheep during this entire experience.

The views were breathtaking. The organization was very good. Simona is the best tour guide so far. she was very nice, very caring, always checking upon us and ask if we needed anything, smiling all the time She was so lovely and gave us lots of good advices. Michaela was nice and very polite. Just in my opinion that this tour is overpriced. We didn’t go to the basilica on the 2nd day as written in the itenary and we were a group of 8, 4 of us went to another hotel that was very highly rated ($300/night) while our hotel was around ($100/night) although we paid the same amount !!!! For the price we paid, we expected more