Offbeat Naples and Campania: 7 Days
A full week based in Naples is enough to cover every genuine day-trip angle in Campania, without a rental car and without an overnight bag: two archaeological sites, two islands, the Amalfi Coast, and the Greek temples at Paestum. Days one through six follow Pompeii, Herculaneum-Vesuvius, Capri, Sorrento-Amalfi, Paestum, and Procida in that order; day seven closes on Ischia, sampled one area at a time rather than oversold as a full-island day. Shorter trip? Work back through the 6 day and 4 day versions, or read the full Campania base guide first.
Book these before you go
- Pompeii tickets are VivaTicket-only from 2 March 2026 , the park’s exclusive vendor
- Reserve a Vesuvius crater slot , nominative, timed, and online-only, no gate sales
- SITA bus tickets to Positano and Amalfi sell only at a Sorrento tabaccheria, never on board
- Book a Capri day tour if you want the boat and Blue Grotto sorted together
- Check hotel rates near Napoli Centrale for the easiest access to Molo Beverello and both rail lines
| Day | Focus | Distance/train time from Naples |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pompeii, the full site | Circumvesuviana, about 30-40 min |
| 2 | Herculaneum plus Vesuvius crater | Circumvesuviana, about 20-25 min, then a connecting shuttle bus |
| 3 | Capri by ferry | Molo Beverello, roughly 45 min to 1h15 by ferry |
| 4 | Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast | Circumvesuviana/Campania Express, about 1h to Sorrento, then SITA bus onward |
| 5 | Paestum’s Greek temples | Direct regional train from Napoli Centrale, about 1h15 |
| 6 | Procida, the quieter island | Molo Beverello, roughly 40-60 min by ferry, or a cheaper hop from Pozzuoli |
| 7 | Ischia, one area only | Molo Beverello, roughly 50-70 min by ferry, or about 35-50 min from Pozzuoli |
Day 1: Pompeii, properly
Take the Circumvesuviana to Pompei Scavi-Villa dei Misteri, roughly 30-40 minutes from Naples. Standard entry is EUR 20, Pompeii+ is EUR 25, and EU citizens 18-25 pay a reduced EUR 2. Budget 2-4 hours minimum across the 44-hectare site, and buy only through the official VivaTicket channel, never a station tout.
Day 2: Herculaneum, then the volcano
Ercolano Scavi is one stop further, about 20-25 minutes out. Herculaneum’s EUR 16 entry buys a smaller, mud-preserved site that a half-day covers comfortably. The connecting shuttle bus reaches the Vesuvius crater trail, a nominative, timed, online-only ticket at EUR 10 full or EUR 8 reduced.
Day 3: Capri, the island day
Ferries from Molo Beverello run roughly 45 minutes to just over an hour, around EUR 20-25 one-way. The Blue Grotto is a separate cash-only EUR 18 add-on that closes without warning in rough seas; confirm the last return sailing before you leave Naples.
Day 4: Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast
Sorrento is about an hour out by Circumvesuviana or Campania Express. SITA bus tickets onward sell only at a tabaccheria, never on board, and summer departures fill by mid-morning; go early or expect standing room.
Day 5: Paestum’s temples
A direct regional train from Napoli Centrale, about 1h15, opens straight onto Paestum’s Porta Sirena gate. Entry is EUR 15 March-November, EUR 10 in winter, for three of the best-preserved Greek temples outside Greece.
Day 6: Procida, the quieter island
Ferries to Procida leave from Molo Beverello, roughly 40-60 minutes, around EUR 19-22, or a shorter, cheaper crossing from Pozzuoli, roughly EUR 9-16. Small, colorful, and genuinely walkable in a day, without Capri’s crowds.
Day 7: Ischia, sampled honestly
Ferries reach Ischia from Molo Beverello in roughly 50-70 minutes, around EUR 19-22, or from Pozzuoli in about 35-50 minutes for roughly EUR 9-16, whichever port suits your last morning better. Ischia is a genuinely large island, big enough that a single day only samples one area properly, so pick either the thermal-spa side or Ischia Ponte’s castle and harbor rather than trying to cover both.
Is one day enough for Ischia, or should it have been an overnight? One day works for a sample, not the island. Ischia rewards an overnight far more than Procida does, since the thermal parks and the Ponte side sit far enough apart that a single day genuinely forces a choice; treat day seven as a taste rather than the definitive Ischia trip.
After a full week of day trips, is there anything left in Campania worth adding? Realistically, no, not without repeating a region already covered: this seven-day spine hits the two archaeological sites, both accessible islands, the coast, and the Greek ruins. A second week would mean returning to one of these seven for an overnight, not adding a new name to the list.
Pick Ischia’s thermal side over Ischia Ponte if this is a one-time visit and your legs are worn out from six straight days of ferries and ruins; the thermal parks reward tired travelers far better than another castle.