Vedi Napoli e poi muori. Translation: “See Naples and then die.”
Made famous by Goethe, this saying identifies the striking beauty of Naples, that because the beauty of Naples; so beautiful that you wouldn’t need to see any other city. While we love Napoli, we beg to differ.
Just outside the Parthenopean city you can find many different gorgeous views that are well worth seeing. Many of these locations like Pompeii, Capri, and Sorrento are all just a short trip from the city. Here’s a guide to our best day trips from Naples!
Day Trips from Naples to the Coast
The beautiful Sorrento and Amalfi Coast are just a short train or bus ride south of Naples. Many visitors might want to plan a few nights’ stays to fully experience all the beautiful twists and turns of the Coast. However, if you are short on time, you can easily plan a quick day trip from Napoli down to Sorrento or Positano.
Sorrento
Sorrento is one of the easiest day trips from Napoli, reachable with a direct regional train from Napoli’s central train station.
You’ll want to take the Circumvesuviana found on the lower floor of Garibaldi central station, to the final stop in Sorrento. The train runs pretty regularly, every half hour or so (but be warned, it sometimes runs late) and tickets can be bought on location. The trajectory costs €3.60 each way.
When in Sorrento, you’ll want to take some time to wander this adorable seaside city:
For lunch, enjoy a modern, creative seafood-centered meal at Soul & Fish, which serves the fresh catch of the day right along the seafront.
If you want to take a dip, there’s a local beach in Sorrento, or you can also take SITA bus 5070 to the nearby Bagni Regina Giovanna. This free rocky beach is on an ancient Roman villa, and you can jump off the rocks right into the blue water, or wiggle your way down to a small beach entrance.
Before you leave Sorrento, we also recommend indulging in an aperitivo at one of its fantastic hotel rooftop bars, like Bellavista Cocktail Bar.
Positano
If you can wake up a little earlier and would like to take a trip further into the famous Amalfi Coast, you can make a day trip to Positano!
For those who prefer comfortable travel, it is possible to hire a taxi or shuttle from Napoli direct to Positano, which is also a more efficient route. Nonetheless, you can also reach Positano with the Circumvesuviana to Sorrento, and then take a bus or taxi down to Positano. For the bus, you can grab a blue SITA bus right from the train station. Just keep an eye on the schedule here, and make sure you buy your ticket before getting on the bus!
While in Positano you can relax on the timeless beach with its great views of both the sea and the surrounding cliffs. The city is also beautiful to wander, and if you get a reservation, grab a scenic lunch at Caffe Positano!
Day Trips from Naples to Islands
What is more dreamy than the glistening islands off the Campanian coast? These islands have been frequented since the Romans built getaway villas and baths to use their healing waters, and today they are popular spots for locals and visitors alike.
Capri
One of the most popular island destinations, Capri is the perfect size for a quick day trip. You can reach it via a private boat tour, but there is also a public ferry that leaves directly from Napoli’s port.
The ride takes approximately one hour and costs about €20. Look for the most recent schedule, and book your tickets online here.
Capri is beautiful to visit by land and by sea. Hop off the ferry and take a short ride up to the main town, where you can wander small streets lined with stores. We also recommend taking a walk out of the busy streets to catch some of Capri’s many beautiful views.
Grab lunch at Pescheria Le Botteghe, an unsuspecting little find on the island. It is a fish market that transforms into a small restaurant, serving up the fresh catch of the morning. You can enjoy everything from tartar, to pasta, or even fried dishes, all paired with delicious local wine.
To take in all of Capri’s beautiful sights, we recommend hopping on a small boat tour to circle the island. This way, you’ll be able to catch views of the Arco Naturale, Faraglioni Rocks, as well as Capri’s many grottoes.
Ischia
Ischia tends to be a bit less busy than Capri, but it’s just as beautiful and is known for its healing natural springs. From Napoli it also takes about an hour, and tickets cost between €16-€20.
While visiting the volcanic island, you can enjoy the natural hot springs, swim above ancient Roman remains at Cartaromana Beach, visit the Aragonese Castle, and learn about the island’s fishing tradition at their Sea Museum.
A must-try is the Coniglio all’Ischitana – a roast rabbit dish featuring a delicious tomato and wine sauce! We also highly recommend trying some local wine, which comes from the island’s cliffed vineyards.
Procida
Another nearby island getaway from Napoli is Procida, a colorful island made famous by various films, such as The Postman or Cleopatra. Most ferries headed to Ischia make a stop in Procida, and the ticket will cost you about €15 each way.
Go for a walk to enjoy the picturesque colorful houses, but make sure to bring your bathing suit because Procida has many beaches to lounge on for the day. We recommend bringing walking shoes, so you can cross the bridge to the adjacent island of Vivara, which is also a nature reserve.
For lunch, order the local specialty: spaghetti ai ricci di mare, a pasta that features sea urchin pasta.
Insider Tip: Procida was named the Italian Capital of Culture in 2022, so be sure to check out its many new events and establishments.
Culture & Historical Day Trips from Naples
The sea along Campania’s gorgeous coastline is what draws thousands of visitors each year, but there’s more a lot more to the region than beaches and coves. The warm southern climate with a fresh sea breeze created the perfect location for nobles and ancient aristocrats to build up their countryside getaways. And luckily you can still visit a few!
Pompeii
Most famous of all is of course the city of Pompeii. Completely covered by ash and lava after the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD. This is a place frozen in time, where you can wander through the streets, shops, and villas of the Ancient Romans, seeing a town exactly as they left it when attempting to flee the volcano.
Pompeii is definitely a whole day trip, if not longer, depending on how in-depth you want to experience the city. It is very easy to reach directly from Naples: Just grab the Circumvesuviana train from Napoli’s Central Train station and within about an hour you’ll be right at the admissions gate.
Know when planning a day trip here, there is only one bar within the archaeological park. You’ll want to bring a water bottle (which can be refilled at many of the city’s fountains) and probably a snack or two, if not a full picnic lunch. If it is a sunny day, be sure to bring a hat and sunscreen, as the park is very exposed.
Paestum
Another incredible archaeological site, though many times overlooked, is the temple site of Paestum. Unlike Pompeii, which shares what daily life might have looked like, Paestum is a series of impressive temples, representative of what ancient religious life consisted of.
And believe it or not, Paestum was actually a site built by the ancient Greeks, rather than the Romans. Constructed during the 5th century BC, it was then left abandoned and left untouched from the Middle Ages to the modern era.
A day trip here allows you to experience a beautiful open location, and dig into a different ancient culture, with much fewer crowds than Pompeii. You can reach Paestum from Napoli by way of the regional train, which takes about an hour and costs around €12. There is also a bus for about the same cost that takes closer to 2 hours, which also leaves from the central station in Napoli.
An Italy local for nearly 10 years, Evelyn has traveled to nearly every region getting overly excited about cute doors and nonni cafes. She’s an archaeology and art history major who fell in love with Italian wine, getting her Sommelier and Italian Wine Scholar certifications. She’s transformed her passion for La Bel Paese into a travel planning and relocation consultancy with Colline Alle Montagne. You’ll find her on Instagram @collinemontagne, always sipping a glass of wine and sharing the authentic life in Italy.