Campania
Travelers come for Naples' food and old streets, Pompeii's ruins, and cliffside towns on the Amalfi Coast, then add islands for a slower stop.
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Campania is a region in southern Italy, with Naples as its capital and largest city. Its coast runs south of Naples along the Amalfi Coast, where towns such as Positano and Ravello sit on steep cliffs above the sea. Nearby you find major ancient sites, including Pompeii, buried when Mount Vesuvius erupted in AD 79, and the Greek temples at Paestum.
Campania suits travelers who want food, history and sea in one trip. Naples is the base for pizza and the narrow streets of the old centre, and Capri, Ischia and Procida are reached by ferry from the mainland. Plan at least a week to cover Naples, one or two coastal towns and a day at Pompeii. Late spring and early fall are the most comfortable months for walking and swimming, while July and August bring heavy crowds to the coast and to Capri.
Campania in five
- Get the Circumvesuviana train from NaplesThe regional Circumvesuviana line links Naples with Pompeii and Sorrento. Summer trains get packed, so travel with a small bag and keep your ticket in hand.Getting around
- Book Pompeii tickets before peak seasonSummer days draw large crowds to Pompeii. Buy through the official site, pompeiisites.org, and go in the morning.Pompeii
- Set up ferry times for Capri, Ischia or ProcidaFerries leave from Naples, Sorrento and Positano, and sailings change by season. Rough sea can cancel a crossing, so check the day before and keep a spare afternoon.Capri
- Avoid driving the Amalfi Drive in high seasonThe coast road is narrow, with buses and delivery vans, and parking in Positano and Amalfi is scarce. Use the SITA bus or a ferry between towns.Amalfi Coast
- Carry euro cash for small bars and marketsSmall bars, market stalls and some local buses still prefer cash. Keep a few euro notes and coins for coffee, snacks and short bus rides.Money and costs
Neighborhoods
Where to stay in Campania, the full guide
Naples
- Price band: $$
Sorrento
- Price band: $$
Positano
- Price band: $$$
Pompeii
Pompeii is the Roman town buried by Mount Vesuvius in AD 79. Its paved streets, shops and houses are still open to walk through, about 25 kilometers from Naples.
Need to know
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- Entry
- Schengen short-stay rules for most passports; check the Italian visa site Read more
- Emergency
- 112 general, 113 police, 118 ambulance
- Tipping
- Not expected; rounding up is common
- Time
- UTC+1, UTC+2 in summer (daylight saving)
Weather by month
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryQuiet, rainy
- FebruaryCool, quiet
- MarchMild, quieter
- AprilEaster, mild
- MayWarm, pleasant
- JuneHot, busy
- JulyHot, crowded
- AugustHot, crowded
- SeptemberWarm, fewer crowds
- OctoberWarm, quieter
- NovemberMild, rain returns
- DecemberCool, rainy
Right now in Campania
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
15
- Feels like
- 9°
- Humidity
- 79%
- Wind
- 33 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 100%
Naples
10:58 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today16°12°100%Monday: Rain. High 16°, Low 12°. Chance of rain 100%.
- Tue19°14°50%Tuesday: Cloudy. High 19°, Low 14°. Chance of rain 50%.
- Wed20°14°3%Wednesday: Cloudy. High 20°, Low 14°. Chance of rain 3%.
- Thu19°14°12%Thursday: Cloudy. High 19°, Low 14°. Chance of rain 12%.
- Fri19°15°25%Friday: Cloudy. High 19°, Low 15°. Chance of rain 25%.
- Sat18°14°20%Saturday: Rain. High 18°, Low 14°. Chance of rain 20%.
- Sun20°13°17%Sunday: Rain. High 20°, Low 13°. Chance of rain 17%.
Updated 07:15 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Every year
- Jun–JulNapoli Teatro Festival ItaliaNaples, a day trip
- SepFesta di PiedigrottaNaples, a day trip
Day trips by train
- Pompeiiabout 40 min by train from NaplesExcavated Roman streets, houses and frescoes below Mount Vesuvius, with plenty of walking.Read the guide
- Capriabout 30 to 60 min by ferry from Sorrento or NaplesBoat trips to the Blue Grotto, the Piazzetta and the island's terraced gardens. Go early to beat the crowds.Read the guide
- Ischiaabout 1 to 1.5 hours by ferry from NaplesThermal spas, a castle on a rock and beaches on a volcanic island, reached by ferry.Read the guide
- Paestuma short train ride from SalernoGreek temples from the 6th and 5th centuries BC in open fields south of Salerno.Read the guide
Before you go to Campania
Rules for Campania, checked
- Non-EU visitors can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period in the Schengen area. Check the Italian visa site before you book.
- Dial 112 for any emergency in Italy, or 118 for an ambulance.
- Cover shoulders and knees before entering churches, including the cathedral in Amalfi.
- Check with the Italian Ministry of Culture before you buy antiques or archaeological objects, since some need an export licence.
- Many towns charge a tourist tax per night at hotels, paid to the lodging when you leave. Ask your host before you book.
All Campania guides
How toHow to get to Positano: bus, ferry, car and airport transfers
ItineraryHow many days in Naples? A 2-day plan and how to add PompeiiHead to headPositano or Amalfi or Sorrento: which base for the coast?
Head to headCapri vs Ischia vs the Amalfi Coast: which should you pick?Where to stayWhere to stay in Positano: four bases, from the beach to Nocelle
How toPompeii tickets and how to visit: timed slots, prices, bags and gates
Where to stayWhere to stay in Sorrento: four bases, from Piazza Tasso to Sant'AgnelloItineraryCapri day trip from Naples or Sorrento: boats, plan and Blue Grotto
How toIschia day trip from Naples: boats, timing and what fits in a dayThings to doIschia thermal parks and spas: which one to pickHead to headPompeii or Herculaneum: which ancient site to visit, or bothHow toNaples to Pompeii and Herculaneum: trains, tickets and one-day timingWhere to stayWhere to stay in Naples: old town, Chiaia, the station or VomeroWhere to stayWhere to stay on Capri: three bases, from the Piazzetta to AnacapriItineraryWhat to see in Pompeii: a self-guided route and what to skipHead to headSorrento or Naples as a base: Pompeii, Capri and the Amalfi CoastHow toSorrento to the Amalfi Coast: bus, ferry or car to Positano and AmalfiWhere to stayWhere to stay in Ischia: five towns compared by ferry, beach and pricePlan around Campania
The usual start for a Campania trip and the main rail hub
Read the guideSorrentoA base on the Circumvesuviana line and the coast road
Read the guideAmalfi CoastCliff roads, hill towns and ferries on the south coast
Read the guidePompeiiAn excavated Roman city a short train ride from Naples
Read the guideCapriAn island day trip by ferry from the mainland
Read the guideGetting around CampaniaTrains, ferries and buses between the main towns
Read the guideCampania FAQ
How many days do you need on the Amalfi Coast?
Two or three nights covers one or two towns and a boat trip. Stay in one base such as Positano or Amalfi and use buses and ferries rather than moving hotels.
How do you get from Naples to Sorrento?
Take the Circumvesuviana regional train from Naples, which takes about an hour and passes Pompeii on the way. Ferries and hydrofoils run in season.
Is Pompeii worth visiting from Naples?
Yes, for Roman streets, houses and frescoes below Mount Vesuvius. It is a short train ride from Naples, and half a day covers the main streets.
Is Capri worth a day trip from Sorrento?
Yes, for the Blue Grotto and the Piazzetta, but the island is crowded at midday. Take an early ferry to see the main sights before the day crowds arrive.
When is the best time to visit Campania?
April to May and September to October bring warm weather and fewer crowds than July and August. In winter some hotels and ferries run reduced schedules.
Do you need a car on the Amalfi Coast?
No for most visitors, since buses and ferries link the main towns and parking in Positano and Amalfi is limited. A car helps only for inland stops and the Cilento Coast.