ITALY Readers's Tips - We're doing a similar cruise in May.My friends, who have been in Rome and southern Italy several times, highly recommend going to Capri rather than Naples on the side trip.aples is a very poor, rundown city.Capri is, they say, beautiful and the Blue Grotto is spectacular.

Where you go on your trip is a matter of taste.While Naples is a bit grubby, it has a spectacular archaeological museum with stunning mosaics and frescoes from Pompeii and a fabulous sculpture wing, among other interesting sights.I found Capri a snooty tourist trap, and the Blue Grotto is a lot of bother for your three minutes in the striking grotto.I'm not exaggerating, either: three minutes. We thought the Blue Grotto excursion a most enjoyable afternoon. It's not just the few minutes in the Grotto (and it was quite beautiful the day we went, but also the lovely boat ride to and from the Grotto.And we particularly enjoyed the spectacle of getting all those tourists out of the tour boats and into the rowboats to get into the Grotto, and vice versa. Our boatman had had a bit of wine and was in fine voice as he displayed his pleasant, though a bit thin, tenor in the Grotto.

We did a similar cruise last year.t did not include Messina.t will be very very HOT First, check the shore excursions on your cruise ship's website.hese tend to be a little pricey, but they offer you the peace of mind that the ship will not leave without you if the excursion is running late.he trains were on time for the most part, and very reasonable.ww.enitalia.m That said, when docked in Naples, we took a cab to the train station and then went to Pompeii, (Sciavi station, not the town of Pompeii.hookedup with a tourguide there for 10 euros a head (plus cost of admission just outside the ticketbooth for a 1 1/2 tour which was enjoyable.they will have badges with a tourist guide designation on them.then we took another train to Sorrento.a beautiful coastal town.then the hydrofoil back to Naples just for the opportunity to say we took one.it was just as fast the train.es, Naples is dirty and it looked a little rough, but I've had freinds who spent time there and they just loved it. Took a train from Civatavecchia into Rome.took the metro from there to the Colloseum, walked through the Forum, the Arch of Constantine through to Piazza Navona, then over to Trevi fountain where we easily spotted a pickpocket following us.so beware and use a moneybelt.gain, transportation takes about an hour or so each way.he city was beautiful FLorence.we again took a train into town.there was a shuttle bus in the port of Livorno to the station.it takes over an hour by train or bus to Florence.I reserved tickets for the Accademia gallery (Mich's David on line and bypassed the long queue to get in.then walked around and had lunch at the Gola Piccola Cantina on the other side of the Arno.try the Tuscan bread salad if you have a chance.gettting to and from the port is time c

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