Naples in 1, 2 and 3 days: hour-by-hour itineraries

Naples in 1, 2 and 3 days is organised around a simple rule: the first day is the city on foot, the second is Pompeii by train, the third is the Amalfi Coast or an island. Each plan runs hour by hour, with the line to take, the ticket to buy in advance and the day trip that fits without rushing. Official prices from the individual sites’ websites, tour prices checked regularly.

Before you leave: the four tickets that sell out

Four tickets genuinely sell out; leave them to the last minute and the itinerary falls apart.

Guided tours include the ticket: if you book one of those, the operator sorts out the slot.

Naples in 1 day: historic centre and the MANN

A single day means no day trips: the historic centre on foot and, to finish, the museum that explains Pompeii better than Pompeii itself. You get around on foot and on metro Line 1 (Museo, Dante, Toledo, Municipio).

Transport for the day: metro Line 1 and your feet. Book ahead: Sansevero Chapel, Napoli Sotterranea in high season. Day trip that fits: none in full; if you already know Naples, see “Pompeii in half a day” further down.

If your only day is a Tuesday, the Sansevero Chapel and the MANN are closed: swap in the Catacombs of San Gennaro (€13) and the Royal Palace. More ideas in the guide to things to do in Naples.

Naples in 2 days: add Pompeii

The second day is Pompeii, and for Pompeii the train wins. The Circumvesuviana (Naples–Sorrento line, run by EAV) leaves from Porta Nolana and stops at Garibaldi, beneath Napoli Centrale; a single Naples–Pompeii fare costs €3.30 according to the Unicocampania fare table, and in 35–40 minutes you’re at Pompei Scavi–Villa dei Misteri, two minutes from the Porta Marina entrance.

When it is in service there is also the Campania Express: a tourist train with reserved seating, €15 one way and €25 return for all stops according to EAV. EAV has currently suspended it until further notice, so check eavsrl.it and otherwise count only on the regular train.

Transport for the day: Circumvesuviana Naples–Sorrento. Book ahead: named Pompeii ticket; Gran Cono slot if you choose Vesuvius. Day trip that fits: Pompeii with a 2:30pm return, or Pompeii and Vesuvius in good weather.

The organised tour makes most sense for the combination: the Pompeii and Vesuvius shuttle from Naples with priority ticket starts at €51 and solves the awkward leg between the excavations and the crater. Figures on the page about Pompeii and Vesuvius; train versus tour for the excavations alone in the guide to Pompeii.

Pompeii in half a day (if you only have one day)

The 8am train, inside at 9am, out at 12:30pm, at Piazza Garibaldi by 2pm: the afternoon is left for Spaccanapoli and the Sansevero Chapel, open until 7pm. When the Campania Express is in service, the 8:22am from Porta Nolana arrives in Pompeii at 8:59am and leaves again at 2:01pm (at Garibaldi at 2:34pm), according to the EAV timetable.

Naples in 3 days: Amalfi Coast, Capri or the Royal Palace of Caserta

The third day is decided by the season and the sea. Three options, one choice.

Option 1: Amalfi Coast on a tour (April to October)

Here the tour wins. Doing it yourself means the Circumvesuviana to Sorrento (€4.60, about 70 minutes) and then the SITA bus along the SS163 (Sorrento–Positano €2.40, Sorrento–Amalfi €3.40 each way according to the Unicocampania fare table, or the 24-hour Costierasita at €10), with queues and standing room only in summer. The minivan from Naples does Sorrento, Positano and Amalfi in 8 and a half hours with no changes: the premium Sorrento, Positano and Amalfi tour starts at €58.50.

Alternatives and the summer Naples–Positano ferries in the guide to the Amalfi Coast and Sorrento.

Option 2: Capri on your own (in calm seas)

Hydrofoil or fast ferry from Molo Beverello in about 50 minutes; slow ferry from Calata Porta di Massa in about 80. Caremar fares: ferry €14.80, fast ferry €21.50 each way; SNAV and NLG have their own fares. On the island: funicular Marina Grande–Capri, bus to Anacapri, chairlift up Monte Solaro. The Blue Grotto opens only in calm seas and at low tide, with the paid rowing boats: entry and boatman are paid on the spot, about €19 per person, with reductions for EU under-25s and free under 6; the price list isn’t published online, check at the ticket office.

The full tour with Anacapri and the Blue Grotto from Naples starts at €161.50: only worth it with boat and guide included. Comparison in the guide to Capri.

Option 3: Royal Palace of Caserta (in rain or in winter)

Regional train from Napoli Centrale, 40–45 minutes, €4 each way (Unicocampania); the palace is opposite the station. Royal Apartments plus Park and English Garden €18 plus a €1 online booking fee, according to the official website (reggiadicaserta.cultura.gov.it); closed on Tuesdays. Allow 4–5 hours and you’re back in Naples by 5pm. Full guide on the page about the Royal Palace of Caserta.

What it costs: DIY versus tour, day by day

Tour prices per person, checked regularly; official entries from the websites cited.

Is the Artecard worth it for 2 or 3 days?

According to campaniartecard.it, the Napoli Artecard costs €27, the 3-day Campania Artecard €41 and the 7-day Campania Artecard €43; depending on the pass you visit 2, 3 or 5 sites of your choice for free, then enter with a reduced ticket, and travel on Unicocampania transport included. Under 25 there are “young” versions at €16 and €30.

The sum: with the 2-day plan you enter Pompeii (€20) and the MANN and use the Circumvesuviana and the metro (about €10 in fares). Pompeii (with the Pompei Express ticket) and the MANN are both on the list of two free entries with the 3-day Campania pass, according to campaniartecard.it: the €41 pays for itself on the second day. With the 1-day plan, on the other hand, the Sansevero Chapel and Napoli Sotterranea are privately run and not part of the circuit: the Artecard is no use.

The full break-even, pass by pass, is on the page about the Campania Artecard.

The three tours to book if you don’t want to organise anything

Three products, three days: the underground of the historic centre for day 1, Pompeii with priority entry for day 2, the Amalfi Coast by minivan for day 3.

How to adapt the itineraries

• Arriving by plane: the Alibus links the airport to Napoli Centrale and Molo Beverello; if you land after 11am move the MANN to day 2.
• Arriving from Rome: high-speed train, about 1 hour 10 to Napoli Centrale; day 1 starts from Garibaldi on Line 1.
• With children: Pompeii until noon and back; Città della Scienza instead of the MANN.
• In the rain: day 3 at the Royal Palace of Caserta; the Amalfi Coast and Capri can wait.
• In high season: Pompeii at 9am sharp; Capri on the first hydrofoil; the Amalfi Coast with a 7:30am departure.
• Closing days: Sansevero, the MANN and the Royal Palace of Caserta close on Tuesdays, the Catacombs on Wednesdays. Pompeii closes only on 25 December and 1 January; the first Sunday of the month is free, but crowded.

Timetables, integrated tickets and departure points in the guide to transport in Naples.

In short

Naples in 1, 2 and 3 days works like this: first day on foot in the historic centre with the Sansevero Chapel booked, second day at Pompeii with the Circumvesuviana and a named ticket in your pocket, third day on the Amalfi Coast with a tour or on Capri by hydrofoil. Book the four tickets that sell out and keep Tuesday for Pompeii or for the day trips.