Naples is one of those cities that evoke either love or hate in most travellers. In addition to the city itself, the surroundings of Naples also deserve the attention. Due to the great location of the city, you can do several great day trips from Naples to get to know unique landscapes, gems of the Antiquity and charming villages. Mount Vesuvius is one of the most famous volcanoes in the world, and the ruins of Pompeii or the glamourous island of Capri are only some of the marvels of the region of Campania. In this post we will present you 5 excursions to do from Naples. For all of them we will provide you the alternative to do the visit on your own or book an organized tour.
Amalfi Coast
We start presenting you the best excursions from Naples with the most colorful one – the Amalfi Coast, the wonderful coastline on the shores of the Tyrrhenian Sea is found South of Naples. Between Sorrento and Salerno there are 12 picturesque villages situated in a wonderful environment. High cliffs, picturesque coves, deep valleys and olive groves characterize the landscape you will never forget. The whole group of these 12 villages is a UNESCO World Heritage site. 
The route around the villages of the Amalfi Coast starts in Salerno and each village will bring you some kind of surprise. Starting the route in Salerno, the first village you will cross is Vietri sul mare that has a lovely historical center and is also famous for its beautiful beaches. Moving along you will cross Maiori with some of the best beaches in the area and Minori that has a beautiful maritime villa. The next villages are found somewhat away from the coast. You can’t miss either Scala with its spectacular cathedral and Ravello, known for its music festival.
After coming back to the coast, you will find Atrani, before arriving in Amalfi, a beautiful fishing village that gives its name to the whole area. Spectacular beaches, antique mills and the cathedral are its most remarkable attractions. Only three villages are left on your way to Positano, the final stop of the route. Conca dei Marini is famous for its Emerald Cave, whereas Furore is a small hidden village that will lead you to Praiano with the best sunsets of the coastline. Positano at the end of the route is one of the most popular villages of the Amalfi Coast, decorated with flowers, full of cobbled alleys and lovely beaches around. 
How to get to Amalfi Coast
By car
Renting a car is the best way to explore the Amalfi Coast, if you want to dedicate several days to the area and you want visit all villages. It’s important to consider that the roads get heavy traffic in summer and at almost every weekend, and the roads are quite narrow, therefore you’d rather rent a small car.
By bus
The bus is also an excellent option, since it covers the whole route between Salerno and Sorrento. The most important village is Amalfi, hence, you will probably have to change there. In high season the bus service has high frequency between 6 AM and 9.30 PM. SITABUS is a company that operates buses in the area. You have to take into account the same considerations as those we mentioned for renting a car, in high season the roads are congested.
By boat/ferry
Another interesting option is to visit the Amalfi Coast taking some of the boats that connect different points of the coastline. You can hop on a boat in the principal harbours: Amalfi, Positano and Sorrento, whereas you can visit the rest of the villages by bus. It’s a great way to avoid traffic jams in summer and also to see the coast from a different point of view. If you choose this form of visiting the area, don’t forget to book your boats in advance.
On an organized tour
If your time is limited, and you don’t have several days to dedicate to the Amalfi Coast, or you simply don’t feel like driving on the narrow roads between crazy Neapolitans, you can consider visiting this area on an organized day trip from Naples. You can book your full day guided trip to the Amalfi Coast.
Pompeii, the most essential excursion from Naples
There’s no doubt that the most essential day trip from Naples is the visit to Pompeii. For those who are interested in the history of Antiquity, it’s probably one of the main highlights in Europe. At 20 km from Naples you can find the ruins of Pompeii, a once prospering city of the Roman Empire that remained below the ashes of Mount Vesuvius during centuries. All people know the story how Vesuvius erupted and destroyed life in the city. 
After decades of archaeological work, now you can visit a fascinating complex of this ancient city. It’s important to remind yourself that although the volcano ended life in Pompeii, being covered with ash actually made possible the fantastic conservation of the city. Streets, monuments and even houses remained in very good conditions, since they were protected from the forces of erosion. You will need at least 5-6 hours to explore the essential places to see in Pompeii, since the complex is large and there are many small details that will make you stop and observe.
How to visit Pompeii from Naples
Using public transport
If you plan to visit Pompeii on your own, you can easily get there by train. The Circumvesuviana train line that connects Naples with Sorrento (the Amalfi Coast) stops in Pompeii. Trains run every 20-30 minutes and it takes less than an hour go to get there. You will have to get off at “Pompei Scavi” station, only a few hundred meters from the entrance. Don’t forget that at weekends or in high season there’s always long queue at the entrance, so it’s highly recommended to book your tickets to Pompeii in advance.
On an organized excursion
We think that the best way to visit Pompeii is an organized tour. It’s not only more comfortable, but your tour guide will explain lots of interesting stories and anecdotes about the city. The maps they offer you at the entrance don’t contain too much information, therefore a guided tour will let you understand more the place itself. You can book your guided day trip to Pompeii from Naples.
Opening hours
The site is open during the week in high season from 9 AM to 7.30 PM, whereas in low season the site closes sooner at 5 PM. At the weekend they open half an hour earlier at 8.30 AM. You will find information about the updated opening hours and entrance fees in the official web site.
Herculaneum, another excursion to the past from Naples
Herculaneum, another city that was the victim of the fury of Mount Vesuvius remains usually as a secondary destination for travellers. It’s understandable, since Pompeii is larger and more famous, nevertheless Herculaneum is also a must. It might seem less spectacular at first sight, but there are more taller buildings there that stayed almost intact than in its more celebre counterpart. It’s a highly recommendable to stop between Naples and Pompeii, since it also takes you on a trip to the life in the Ancient world, and you will see frescos that seem to have been painted yesterday. 
How to get to Herculaneum from Naples
By public transport
To get to Herculaneum, you will have to take the train that goes to Pompeii, the Circumvesuviana, connecting Naples with Sorrento. There are trains every 20 minutes, and the trip won’t take more than 20 minutes to “Ercolano Scavi”, the train station where you have to get off. From there the archaeological site is about a 1 km walk. You can also use a van service between the train station and the entrance.
On a guided tour
Just as we told you in the case of Pompeii, the most gratifying way of visiting Herculaneum from Naples is on a guided tour. In addition to being the most comfortable option, your guide will tell you dozens of interesting stories and anecdotes about the history of the place. Therefore, you will understand much better what you see.
Opening hours
The opening hours are similar to those in Pompeii. In high season you can visit from 8.30 AM till 7.30 PM, whereas in low season the site is open from 9 AM till 5 PM.
Day trip to Mount Vesuvius from Naples
Mount Vesuvius is the volcano that presides the views of Naples and the whole coastal area around. After visiting Pompeii and/or Herculaneum, the cities thar were erased from the surface by the largest eruption of Mount Vesuvius, it’s time to face the volcano itself. The volcano is still active, actually it also erupted in the last century. Nevertheless, it seems Neapolitan people don’t live their life worried about another devastating eruption. In fact, nowadays such eruption can be foreseen in advance, and therefore going up to the crater of the volcano doesn’t put your life in risk. In addition to being in such a special space while staring inside the crater of this mythical volcano, you will also enjoy some fascinating views of the Bay of Naples. 
How to climb Mount Vesuvius from Naples
By public transport
It’s somewhat complicated, but you can get to the crater of Mount Vesuvius using only public transport. First you have to get to Pompeii by train, and from there you will have to get on a bus operated by the EAV bus company. This bus will take you almost up to the crater, but the last 1 km you will have to walk. The bus will leave you at a gate where you will have to pay the “entrance fee” in order to get close to the crater. If you do the visit this way, don’t forget to check out the timetable for the return bus, since they are quite scarce.
On an organized tour
You can see that combining a train and a bus (not to mention the time you need to get from your hotel to the train station in Naples) makes getting to the crater of Mount Vesuvius from Naples by public transport rather time-consuming. For this reason, the much more comfortable and time-saving option is combining Mount Vesuvius and Pompeii in a single excursion.
Day trip to Capri from Naples
We conclude this article about the best day trips from Naples with a getaway to one of the most glamorous islands in Italy, the Island of Capri. Capri is all you need for a fascinating visit: interesting history, beautiful beaches, marvelous landscapes such as the Blue Grotto, and charming villages. Depending on your time available it’s possible to visit Capri in one day, but it’s worth spending a night there to enjoy its special atmosphere.
Boats arrive at the port in Marina and from there you can take a funicular that will leave you in the village called Capri. There you can get lost in the cobbled streets, which are incredibly picturesque. Amongst the best things to do in Capri, the main highlights are climbing Mount Solara to enjoy some amazing views and of course the world famous Blue Grotto (Grotta Azzurra).
How to visit Capri from Naples
By public transport
From Naples you can take a direct ferry to the island. There are several companies that offer this service, and the price correlates with the duration of the trip. If you are in a hurry, you can take a faster and more expensive boat or you can take a slower economy boat. Don’t forget that several companies only operate tourist boats and stop their service in low season. An interesting option that includes more changes, but can result in a quicker and cheaper trip is to take a train to Salerno and board a ferry to Capri from there.
On an organized tour
If you don’t like spending your time with the organization of transport, you can also visit the island on a guided tour. This is obviously the most comfortable option that includes all the transport, a guided tour on the island, lunch and an excursion to the Blue Grotto. If you want, book here your day trip to Capri and Anacapri.
We conclude here our article about the best day trips from Naples. We are sure that during your stay in Naples, you will find the occasion to do some of these great excursions.
A perfect glimpse of Naples culture. Stunning place