Naples is a whirlwind. Loud, vibrant and endlessly captivating. But whether you fall in love with it, like we did, or find that one day exploring its historic centre is simply enough, one of Naples’ greatest strengths is its location, surrounded by unforgettable day trip options.
Here are 12 of the best day trips from Naples – including what each offers, and how to get there.
What’s in this blog:
The best day trips from Naples
The islands
Dotted around the Gulf of Naples are three lovely, picturesque islands: Capri, Ischia and Procida. All three are easy to reach, and offer different experiences.
Capri
Why Capri is one of the best day trips from Naples
The word ‘beautiful’ is overused. But in the case of Capri, it really applies. It’s the best known of the islands in the Gulf of Naples, and has long been a playground of the rich and famous. Not just in modern times, either: Roman Emperor Tiberius had 12 villas built on the island.
When you get there, you’ll see why. Majestic, dramatic cliffs. An impossibly blue sea. Breathtaking views just about everywhere you look.
Naturally, Capri attracts crowds, and due to its small size it can feel quite busy. If you spend a night on the island, many of the day-trippers will go home, and you’ll experience a much more relaxed atmosphere. Find hotels here.
What to do in Capri
Capri’s most famous sight is the Blue Grotto. A number of boat trips will take you around the whole island, including to the Blue Grotto. You can book one of the most popular boat tours of Capri here, but note that tours don’t include the entry cost to the Blue Grotto – tickets are bought at the entrance to the cave.
Our highlight on the island was the Monte Solaro chairlift, which takes you to the top of Capri’s highest mountain. As someone who is a little scared of heights, I was quite apprehensive and wouldn’t recommend it to someone with serious vertigo. But if you’re comfortable doing it, it’s a truly unforgettable experience.
For a historic sight, visit Villa Jovis, the largest of Emperor Tiberius’ villas on the island which is in an utterly spectacular location.
Finally, try and get off the beaten path a little bit. The Phoenician Steps (more than 1,000 steps leading from Marina Grande to Anacapri) make for a beautiful, historic walk, but utterly knackering. Once in Anacapri (slightly quieter than Capri Town), head to San Michele Arcangelo, a Roman catholic church with an astonishing mosaic floor.
Read a full guide of things to do in Capri here.
How to get from Naples to Capri:
Visit independently: Ferries and hydrofoils depart regularly from Molo Beverello, Naples’ main port, to Capri. They take around 45-60 minutes, and a return will set you back about 50 Euros.
You can either book tickets at the port’s ticket office (Google Maps), or online in advance. Booking at the ticket office will be cheaper, but there can be queues, and in high season, ferries can sell out. If booking online, use an aggregator like FerryHopper or Direct Ferries to see the options from all of the different ferry providers.
Take a tour: Plenty of tours leave from Naples to Capri, often including scenic tours around the Bay, with swimming opportunities and plenty of time to explore the island. You can find a couple of popular options on Get Your Guide here. Another option (though a fair bit more expensive) is to go on a private tour. You can find options here.
Ischia
Why go to Ischia?
The largest island in the bay of Naples, Ischia has plenty to offer. As a volcanic island, it’s famous for its many thermal baths and spas. With six towns across the island, you could easily spend a night or two here. But if you just want to nip over, relax in one of the thermal spas, and then head back to Naples, that’s easy to do too.
What to do in Ischia
After a few days exploring the vibrant streets of Naples, Ischia stands out as one of the best day trips you can take because of its many relaxing thermal spas. The two biggest spas are Poseidon and Negombo. I’d especially recommend Negombo, a beautiful space with 13 pools of varying temperatures and features, a private beach, and a lovely hilltop garden path. Free thermal springs can be found at Baia di Sorgeto (which understandably gets very busy).
Ischia is also famous for its beaches. Sweeping Spiaggia dei Maronti is one of the most popular beaches, with sand warmed by natural geysers.
For a more historic experience, visit the Aragonese Castle on a small islet just off the island. You’ll get an excellent view of the castle from your ferry to the island, but can also visit the castle, which is the island’s most famous landmark (12 euros for adults).
Ischia is a large island, so you might opt to spend a night or two there. You can find plenty of hotel and accommodation options here.
How to get to Ischia from Naples
Visit independently: Take one of the regular ferries or hydrofoils from Naples to Ischia, which take about 50 minutes to an hour and a half, depending on the service (some stop at Procida).
There are three ports on Ischia: Casamicciola, Forio and Ischia Porto. Once there, Ischia Porto has the best connections to the rest of the island.
A return will cost about 50 Euros. Get tickets at Naples port’s ticket office (Google Maps), or online in advance. Booking at the ticket office will be cheaper, but booking online avoids queues. If booking online, use an aggregator like FerryHopper or Direct Ferries to see the options from all of the different ferry providers.
Take a tour: There are relatively few group tours from Naples to Ischia, so if you want to visit via a tour, you may opt for a private tour such as this one. Once on the island, a number of tours are available such as a Vineyard Tour, a bus tour, and this highly rated boat tour.
Procida
Why go to Procida?
Procida is the smallest of Naples’ islands. It’s also its quietest, and easy to visit in just a day. It offers beautiful vistas, a pretty harbour, and the simple pleasure of laid-back southern Italian life and a pretty little fishing village.
What to do in Procida
As a small island, there aren’t loads of sights on Procida. It’s popular for its main beach, Lido di Procido. You can also cross a small bridge to Vivara, an islet made of the remains of a volcanic crater, home to interesting wildlife. The island can be explored quite easily on foot.
How to get to Procida from Naples
Ferries and hydrofoils cost about 50 euros for a return from Naples. They take about 30-40 minutes (Procida is the closest of the three islands to Naples) and can be bought at the ticket office at the port (Google Maps).
Can you visit more than one island in a day?
No, I wouldn’t recommend it. Each island offers something slightly different, and probably warrants a day on its own. If you want to, you can visit both Procida and Ischia in a day as they are close together, but you’re likely to not get the best out of either place.
Sorrento
Why visit Sorrento?
Sorrento has a long history of tourism. Throughout the 17th-19th centuries, it was often a stop on the historic ‘Grand Tour’ taken by upper-class Europeans. Due to its location, it’s an excellent jumping off point for the Amalfi Coast and Capri, and features a charming old town, dramatic cliffs and panoramic views. It’s also, of course, the town of lemons and limoncello.
I’ll be honest, we didn’t love Sorrento. To us, it felt far too busy and touristy. But I know that many people love it because it’s bustling, and filled with restaurants, bars and shops, with plenty of wonderful vistas. It also serves as an excellent base to explore the Amalfi Coast.
What to do in Sorrento
Sorrento claims to be the birthplace of Limoncello, and you’ll find plenty of lemon trees (and merch!) in the area. One of the best things to do is visit one of its many lemon groves. I Giardini di Cataldo offers a cafe, with limoncello and lemon sorbet, as well as a lemon garden that you can visit for free. Alternatively, there are a number of lemon farm tours in the city. Three of the top rated tours can be found below (listed from lowest price to highest):
- Sorrento: Lemon Garden Tour with Marmalade Tasting
- Sorrento: Limoncello Experience in a Farmhouse with Tastings
- Sorrento: Lemon, Olive Oil and Wine Tasting Tour with Lunch
Elsewhere, you can explore the old town’s pretty, narrow alleyways filled with boutiques and shops. Villa Comunale is a popular park with genuinely breathtaking views and a bar (a lovely place to watch the sunset). Close to the town you’ll find Bagni Regina Giovanna, a popular free swimming cove, with Roman ruins above.
How to get to Sorrento from Naples
Travel independently: Sorrento can easily be reached by public transport from Naples. The Circumvesuviana rail line takes about 70 minutes from Naples central station, and leaves every 30 minutes. This is the cheapest way.
Alternatively, you can take the fast, more expensive and comfortable Campania Express service, which only leaves a few times a day. You can buy tickets on the Trailine.
The quickest option is the ferry, which takes about 20 minutes and will cost about 25 euros for a return. Book at the ticket office in Naples (Google Maps), or using an aggregator like FerryHopper.
Take a tour: A number of tours visit Sorrento from Naples, often combining the Amalfi Coast. One of the most popular is this day tour, leaving from Naples and visiting Sorrento, Positano and Amalfi.
The Amalfi Coast
Jawdropping vistas, terrifying clifftop drives and cascading, whitewashed towns rolling into bright blue seas. The Amalfi Coast is the stuff of dreams, and definitely one of the most amazing day trips from Naples.
It’s also extremely busy and overtouristed, especially in peak seasons, which can make travelling by public transport a bit of a nightmare. There are three main places you might want to visit in the Amalfi Coast, plus the path of the gods.
Positano
Positano is the Amalfi Coast’s headline town. Endlessly photogenic, with steep streets and colourful houses tumbling down into the mediterranean. The main sight is the town itself, but it also has two free beaches close to the port.
Amalfi
Once a major naval power, Amalfi is now a charming small seaside town. The main sight is its cathedral, Cathedral di Sant’Andrea, an architectural hotchpotch of styles that reflects the town’s former power. The building has been added to and modified over the centuries, and its 19th century facade is stunning.
Ravello
High up in the mountains above Amalfi, Ravello is slightly less touristy than the seaside towns, and arguably even more beautiful. It was our favourite place along the coastline. I know I’ve spoken about amazing vistas a lot in this blog, but the views in Ravello are really something else. You’ll also find a pretty main square, and two villas with famous gardens: Villa Rufolo and Villa Cimbrone. In the Summer the town also hosts a music festival, with classical concerts held in dramatic settings.
The path of the gods
The Amalfi Coast’s best known walk. It’s relatively flat (at least for the Amalfi Coast – there are still plenty of stairs) and is a great way to see much of the beautiful coastline. It starts from the town of Bomerano, which can be reached from Amalfi by bus, and goes for about 7km.
How to get to (and around) the Amalfi Coast
The Amalfi Coast is a fair distance from Naples, and once there there can be a lot of travelling, especially if you want to visit more than one town. For this reason, I’d strongly recommend booking a tour instead of travelling independently.
Many tours operate from Naples to the area, with varying prices and experiences. This top rated tour will take you to all three towns mentioned above, as will this option which also leaves from Sorrento. Other tours will combine Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast in a day trip from Naples, such as this tour.
However, if you do want to travel independently, the below sets out how.
Getting to the Amalfi Coast from Naples independently:
Again, if you’re planning visiting the Amalfi Coast from Naples as a day trip, I’d recommend taking a tour, such as this top rated one.
If you do decide to travel independently, the only real option is to take a ferry. Several ferries go daily from Naples to Positano (around 1 hour 30 minutes) and Amalfi (around 2 hours), in Summer only. Book at the ticket office in Naples (Google Maps), or using an aggregator like FerryHopper.
Theoretically, you could also take the Circumvesuviana to Sorrento, and then a bus onwards. This is the cheapest option, but it will take a long time, with plenty of opportunities for queues, delays and overcrowding, so I wouldn’t recommend it – especially if you’re only going to the Amalfi Coast for the day.
Getting around the Amalfi Coast
Once you’re in the Amalfi Coast area, you can either use the bus or ferries to get around. There are no trains.
The bus is the cheapest way, operated by SITA. As of September 2024, 10 euros will get you a 24 hour pass to explore the region. However, we found the buses to be relatively unreliable and extremely overcrowded. Expect lots and lots of queuing and sometimes having to wait for the next bus.
The ferry is more expensive, but slightly less stressful, and operates between Amalfi and Positano. As the queues can get very long at both destinations, I’d recommend booking online in advance using FerryHopper.
As Ravello isn’t on the coast, you’ll need to travel by bus. Buses depart from Amalfi relatively frequently, and it’s quite a short journey (about half an hour).
For a full guide of things to do on the Amalfi Coast, read this guide from Zutell Travels.
Pompeii
Why go to Pompeii?
One of the world’s most famous historic sites, Pompeii hardly needs an introduction. In 79A.D., the city was buried in ash following a devastating eruption of Mount Vesuvius. It is, in many ways, frozen in time. You can stroll through the same stone streets its ancient inhabitants once did, and marvel at incredibly well preserved mosaics and frescoes. Highlights include the 5,000-seat Teatro Grande and the well-preserved ancient brothel.
Pompeii was a reasonably big town, with between 10-20 thousand inhabitants. This means there’s a lot to see. And without a guide (or at the very least, an audioguide) you often may not know what you’re looking at.
How to visit Pompeii from Naples
Pompeii is one of the most popular day trips from Naples. It’s one of the main reasons many people even set foot in the city at all. This means there’s plenty of options to get there, and it can easily be reached by public transport.
Travel independently: The easiest way to get to Pompeii from Naples is to take the train. There are two main options: the Circumvesuviana, which takes about 35 minutes, and the Campania Express, which takes the same amount of time. The Circumvesuviana leaves from Naples central station every half an hour – the Campania Express only leaves a few times a day, is much fancier, and much more expensive.
Go on a tour: Many tours operate from Naples to Pompeii. This one is particularly high rated. Many also combine a trip to Pompeii and Vesuvius, which, while a long day, is definitely possible. The top rated tour offering both can be booked here.
Another option is to travel independently using the above instructions, and book a guide to meet you on site. For example, this highly rated tour with an archaeologist.
Herculaneum
Why Herculaneum is one of the best day trips from Naples
Smaller than Pompeii, much less busy, and in many ways better preserved, Herculaneum is a brilliant day trip. Because of its smaller size than Pompeii, it can also be digested easily in a few hours. This means you can easily pair a trip to Herculaneum with one to Vesuvius.
Like Pompeii, Herculaneum was buried under ash after the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 A.D.. Around 5,000 people lived in the town. It was much wealthier than Pompeii, meaning you’ll find many large villas with lavish decorations, and excellently preserved mosaics and frescoes. It also features ruins which are much better preserved than Pompeii – with some buildings that are almost entirely intact.
How to get to Herculaneum from Naples
Travelling independently: Like Pompeii, Herculaneum is easy to reach from Naples by public transport. Both the Circumvesuviana service (every 30 minutes from Naples central station) and the more expensive, less frequent Campania Express stop at Ercolano Scavi, which is a 15 minute walk to the site. Herculaneum is closer to Naples than Pompeii, so the train takes only about 20 minutes.
Go on a tour: If you prefer a guided tour from Naples to Herculaneum, there are a few (but not loads) of options, such as this one which is combined with a trip to Vesuvius. I’d probably recommend making your own way to Herculaneum, as it’s so quick and easy, and booking a guided tour to meet you on site. This tour with an archaeologist is especially highly rated.
Vesuvius
Why go to Vesuvius
Wherever you go in the Bay of Naples, you can probably see it. Looming ominously over the whole region, there’s nothing quite like going up Vesuvius – the volcano that buried Pompeii and Herculaneum.
The steep, tiring walk from the car park to the crater is worth it for the views – whichever way you look. In one direction, an unbelievable panorama of the Bay of Naples. It looks different from this high. In the other, the volcano’s crater. Pictures (like the one below) don’t do it justice.
How to get to Vesuvius from Naples
Travel independently: Vesuvius is best visited as part of a trip to Pompeii or Herculaneum. From Pompeii, you can catch a public bus from outside Pompeii Scavi station to the summit car park – around 50 minutes.
From Herculaneum, you can take a Vesuvio Express bus (operated by a private company). It leaves every hour from just outside Ercolano-Station and costs about 30 euros for both the ticket and your entry to the national park. If you do want to travel from Naples, the same company offers a Naples to Vesuvius tour.
Take a tour: If you prefer to take a tour, there are a few options – though from what I can tell, they mostly just include transfer to and from the site, such as this one.
I’d recommend choosing a tour that includes one of the two ruins above. If you want to visit Pompeii and Vesuvius, this tour is top rated. If you want to visit Herculaneum and Vesuvius, book this one.
The Royal Palace of Caserta
Compared to some of the other trips in this list, this monumental palace (Reggia di Caserta in Italian) is a relatively little known day trip. Described as the ‘swansong of Baroque’ and built in the 18th century to rival the Palace of Versailles, it’s one of the largest palaces in the world. Bigger than Versailles, in fact.
As well as the large, elegant and opulently decorated palace, the grounds are home to a 3km landscaped park.
How to visit the Royal Palace of Caserta
Caserta is served by regular trains from Naples, which take 30-50 minutes, and drop you off just outside the palace grounds. You can also take a guided tour of the palace, either leaving from Naples, or starting at the palace itself.
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