How many days in Naples? 4 days: the old city, Pompeii and the coast
By Tony Panopoulos · travel-agency planner in Greece · Updated
Naples is a base, not a stopover. Give it four days: one for the UNESCO-listed old city and its pizza, one for the National Archaeological Museum and the hill of Vomero, one for Pompeii (with Herculaneum or Vesuvius), and one at sea, on Capri or along the Amalfi Coast. The city is loud, chaotic and far safer than its reputation, and it feeds you better than anywhere in Italy for the price.
Short answer
Two days covers the old city and Pompeii. Four days adds the museum that holds Pompeii's real treasures and a day on the water, which is what the Bay of Naples is for.
The 4-day plan, day by day
Day 1: Centro storico and Spaccanapoli
Morning. Walk Spaccanapoli, the dead-straight Roman street that splits the old city, from the Gesù Nuovo church to Santa Chiara, whose cloister is covered in 18th-century majolica tiles (cloister entry about €7). Book the Sansevero Chapel (about €10-12, timed) for Giuseppe Sanmartino's Veiled Christ, a marble figure under a 'transparent' marble shroud.
Afternoon. Turn into Via San Gregorio Armeno, the street of nativity-scene workshops, and go underground with Napoli Sotterranea (about €15-20, guided, 90 minutes) through Greek-Roman cisterns 40 metres below the street. Then walk the length of Via dei Tribunali.
Evening. Pizza on Via dei Tribunali or at L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele on Via Cesare Sersale, which makes only marinara and margherita (about €5-7). Take a number at the door and wait; the queue moves fast.
Naples' old centre is a working neighbourhood with scooters in every lane. Walk on the side, keep your phone in a front pocket and enjoy it.
Day 2: The Archaeological Museum, Vomero and the seafront
Morning. The National Archaeological Museum (MANN) opens at 9:00 (about €22, closed Tuesdays). It holds the best finds from Pompeii and Herculaneum: the Alexander Mosaic, the frescoes, the bronzes and the 'Secret Cabinet' of erotic art. Allow 3 hours, and see it before you visit Pompeii.
Afternoon. Take the Funicolare Centrale from Via Toledo up to Vomero (a normal transport ticket) and walk to Castel Sant'Elmo and the Certosa di San Martino for the classic view over the bay to Vesuvius. Walk down through the stepped Pedamentina path (about 400 steps) back into the centre.
Evening. Stroll the Lungomare seafront from Castel dell'Ovo, the egg-shaped castle on its rock (free), to Mergellina at sunset, and eat fried seafood in the Borgo Marinari under the castle. Stop at Toledo metro station, voted one of Europe's most beautiful, on the way back.
The Quartieri Spagnoli, the grid of lanes west of Via Toledo, has the Maradona mural and great cheap trattorias. Visit by day; it is lively and safe with normal care.
Day 3: Pompeii and Vesuvius (or Herculaneum)
Morning. Take the Circumvesuviana train from Garibaldi station to Pompei Scavi (about 40 minutes, a few euros; trains are old and crowded). Enter Pompeii at 9:00 (about €18 standard ticket, more with the outer villas). The site covers 66 hectares: plan a route of the Forum, the House of the Faun, the Lupanar, the Stabian Baths and the amphitheatre. Allow 4 hours.
Afternoon. Shuttle buses from Pompeii climb Vesuvius to a car park at 1,000 metres, from where a 30-minute gravel path reaches the crater rim (timed ticket about €13-15). Or, if you would rather see more ruins, go 20 minutes back towards Naples to Herculaneum, smaller and better preserved, with wooden beams and upper floors still standing.
Evening. Back in Naples, eat a light dinner: after Pompeii you will have walked 15 km.
Carry water and a hat. Pompeii has almost no shade, and the fountains along the streets are drinkable.
Day 4: Capri or the Amalfi Coast
Morning. For Capri, take a fast ferry from Molo Beverello (about 50 minutes, around €25 each way). From Marina Grande, the funicular climbs to the Piazzetta. The Blue Grotto rowing-boat visit is weather-dependent and closes when the sea is rough; check in the morning.
Afternoon. Walk 30 minutes to the Gardens of Augustus for the Faraglioni rocks and Via Krupp's zigzag path, or take the bus up to Anacapri and the chairlift to Monte Solaro, the island's highest point.
Evening. Take the late-afternoon ferry back, with Vesuvius lit by the sunset. Alternatively, for the Amalfi Coast, take the train to Sorrento and the SITA bus or ferry to Positano and Amalfi; it is a long day, best started at 7:30.
In July and August, Capri receives thousands of day visitors by 11:00. The first ferry of the morning is worth the early alarm.
Only have 2 days?
With 2 days, do Day 1 and Day 3. You lose the Archaeological Museum, which is a pity, because it holds Pompeii's most beautiful objects.
Got extra days?
On a 5th day, add the Royal Palace of Caserta, Italy's Versailles (40 minutes by train), or spend a night in Sorrento to explore the Amalfi Coast and Ravello without the day-trip rush.
Where to stay in Naples
| Budget | Area | Why | Typical double/night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | Centro storico | Cheapest, atmospheric, a short walk to the pizzerias and museums; noisy. | €70-110 |
| Mid-range | Via Toledo / Piazza del Plebiscito | Central, metro and funiculars, 15 minutes to the ferry port. | €110-180 |
| Mid-range | Chiaia | Elegant, near the seafront and its bars; quieter at night. | €120-190 |
| Comfort | Lungomare (Via Partenope) | Bay and Vesuvius views from the room. | €200-400 |
Getting around
Walk the centre, and use metro line 1 (Garibaldi, Duomo, Toledo, Dante, Vanvitelli) and the funiculars for Vomero; a single ticket is about €1.80. The Circumvesuviana to Pompeii, Herculaneum and Sorrento leaves from Garibaldi (underneath the main station). From Capodichino airport, the Alibus reaches the station and port in about 20-35 minutes for around €5. Do not rent a car in Naples.
What to eat in Naples
Naples invented pizza and still makes it best: a soft, puffy margherita with a wet centre, eaten with knife and fork, for €5-9. Try a pizza fritta (fried and filled with ricotta) and a portafoglio, a pizza folded in four to eat on the street for €2-3. For breakfast, have a sfogliatella (crisp shell pastry filled with ricotta and semolina) or a rum babà with a short, strong espresso; Attanasio near the station is famous for sfogliatelle. At lunch, look for pasta e patate con provola and genovese, a slow-cooked onion and beef sauce. On the seafront, cuoppo is a paper cone of fried seafood. Coffee is about €1.20 at the bar, and it comes with a glass of water.
Best time to visit
April to June and September to October, with highs of 20-28°C and warm sea from June. July and August are hot (around 31°C) and the coast is very crowded. The feast of San Gennaro (19 September) fills the cathedral. Winter is mild and rainy, the islands are quiet, and some ferries run less often.
Month-by-month weather for Naples →
What a day costs
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing a double) | €40 | €75 | €160 |
| Food & drink | €20 | €40 | €80 |
| Sights & tickets | €20 | €35 | €55 |
| Transport (trains, ferries) | €8 | €25 | €50 |
| Total per person, per day | about €90 | about €175 | about €345 |
Approximate 2026 prices. Naples charges a city tax of a few euros per person per night depending on the hotel category.
Before you go
Common questions
Is Naples safe?
Safer than its reputation. Pickpocketing and bag-snatching from scooters happen around the station and on crowded trains, so keep bags on the side away from the road. The old centre is busy and friendly until late.
Pompeii or Herculaneum?
Pompeii for its size and the full picture of a Roman city; Herculaneum for preservation, in half the time. With a full day, do both: they are 20 minutes apart on the same train line.
Is the Campania ArteCard worth it?
It covers transport and two or three sites, including Pompeii and the Archaeological Museum, and pays off if you visit both in three days.
Can I do the Amalfi Coast as a day trip?
Yes, but it is long: trains and buses or ferries take 2-3 hours each way in summer. A night in Sorrento, Positano or Amalfi is much better.
How this guide was made
Written by hand, without AI, from experience planning southern Italy trips. Prices are approximate for 2026; confirm on the official Pompeii, MANN, Sansevero Chapel, Vesuvius National Park and EAV (Circumvesuviana) websites before booking.
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