Day Trips from Naples, Italy: The Complete Local's Guide
- Amby Mathur
- 13 hours ago
- 12 min read
By Ambika Mathur | travelwithamby.com
Living in Naples since 2022 has given me something most travel guides don't have: time. Time to do these trips more than once, figure out which ones are worth the hype, which ones are best saved for a slower season, and which hidden gems most visitors skip entirely. This is that guide.
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Table of Contents
Why Naples Is the Best Base in Southern Italy
Naples might be the most under-rated city in Italy, and I will never understand it. Within two hours of my front door I can be standing in the ruins of a Roman city, sipping wine in a vineyard, floating above submerged temples, or watching the sun set over Positano with an Aperol Spritz in hand. No other city in Italy gives you this range.
If you haven't already read my full Naples Italy travel guide, that's a good place to start before you plan your day trips. And if you're deciding between the islands, I have a whole post comparing Capri vs Ischia vs Procida that will save you a lot of deliberation.
Now, here's where to go once you're ready to leave the city for the day.
The Amalfi Coast
The Amalfi Coast is probably why you came to Southern Italy in the first place. And yes, it lives up to it. It is worth spending a few days here if you can, but you can also do it as a day trip from Naples. If you are going as a day trip, please DO NOT just do the typical bus day tour to Positano/ Amalfi and then leave. That is such a lame way to visit the Amalfi Coast, you'll be trapped in loud hordes of tourist groups with their cameras and selfie sticks, and you won't be able to truly appreciate the essence of it.
The Amalfi Coast is about 50 kilometers of dramatic cliff roads, lemon groves, and cerulean water. Each town has a completely different character. Here's how to experience it like someone who actually knows it.
What to wear: Read: The Amalfi Coast for the Girl Who Wants to Look Good AND Actually Enjoy Herself
How to get there: Personally, I recommend hiring a private driver. It's the best way to get around to the less trafficked spots, and if you're coming all the way here, you may as well enjoy it properly. Alternatively, you can hire a private boat charter and arrive in style. A private boat is a great way to go, because you can swim in the best spots and it's the most scenic way to experience the Amalfi coast. You have your boat drop you off right outside the ports of the towns, and a water taxi takes you onto the land or to your restaurant (there are several restaurants that you can only arrive to via boat.)
If you're on a budget: in theory there is The SITA bus from Naples (via Salerno,) but I honestly haven't taken it myself once in the 4 years of living here, nor do I plan to. Ferries run seasonally from the port of Naples directly to Positano and Amalfi. If I had to choose between bus or ferry, I would choose ferry.
*Note: If you hire a private tour/ day trip, do your research (aka save this blog post) and tell your driver where you'd like to go, otherwise your driver will take you to the typical touristy spots.
Praiano
This is my personal favorite on the coast and the one I recommend to everyone who asks. It was the first place I visited in 2022, and it's where Marco proposed to me in 2023. Praiano sits between Positano and Amalfi, is walkable from both, and gets a fraction of the visitors. The small beach of Marina di Praia is one of those places that still feels like it belongs to the locals.
The hike along the Sentiero degli Dei (Path of the Gods) starts near Praiano and is one of the most spectacular walks in Southern Italy. Go early, bring water, and do not underestimate the descent.
Where to eat: M'ama at Hotel Margherita is a rooftop restaurant with panoramic sea views, seasonal Mediterranean cooking, and a wine list with strong local producers. Ristorante Franchino is the other essential stop: a family-run cliffside restaurant that has been serving fresh seafood and homemade pasta for nearly 55 years, with a terrace overhanging the sea that makes the whole meal feel cinematic.
Where to stay: Hotel Margherita is a beautiful family-run property on the Amalfi Coast, with terraced rooms, a pool, and that rooftop restaurant. Calm, well-located, and far less hectic than Positano.
Positano
Positano is the most photographed town on the coast and there's a reason for that. The cascade of pastel houses tumbling down to a dark sand beach is as beautiful in person as it looks on Instagram. It is also extremely busy from June through August, which means getting there early, or staying in the evening (after the hordes of day-trip tourists have left,) makes an enormous difference.
What I love about Positano beyond the obvious: the side streets above the main beach, where you'll find ceramic shops, small churches, and significantly fewer people. Walk up rather than down and you'll see a different town entirely.
Where to eat: Da Adolfo is a local institution. You take a little boat from the main beach to get there, which sets the tone perfectly. Simple, fresh seafood right on the water.
Where to party: If you want to end the night properly, Music on the Rocks is the spot: a legendary nightclub built into the cliffs that has been going strong for decades. (It's where Marco and I said those three little magic words for the first time <3.)
Where to stay: Hotel Punta Reggina and Hotel Montemare are both lovely options with their
own restaurants, so you don't have to go far after a long day on the coast.
Ravello
Ravello sits high above the coast and feels like a different world from Positano. It's quieter, more refined, and the views from Villa Rufolo and Villa Cimbrone are among the most beautiful I have seen anywhere in Italy. Wagner composed here. Gore Vidal lived here for decades. The town has that kind of energy.
If you want a break from beach crowds and an Italian moment that feels genuinely peaceful, Ravello is it.
Where to stay: Hotel Rufolo is the iconic choice, steps from the famous gardens and with views that justify every cent. For a splurge, Palazzo Avino is one of the finest hotels on the entire coast.
Where to eat: Giuliana's View Pizzeria is a lovely and romantic little gem, attached to a charming b&b, with a sea view.
Conca dei Marini
Conca dei Marini is tiny and frequently overlooked, which is exactly why I'm including it. The main draw is the Grotta dello Smeraldo, an emerald sea cave accessible by boat or lift from the road. The water inside is a shade of green that doesn't look real. It's genuinely one of those moments where you understand why people move to this part of the world.
Coffee Break: La Bottega del Corso is a charming ceramic bar worth stopping into, equal parts shop and aperitivo spot. It's the kind of place you duck into for five minutes and stay for an hour.
Where to eat: Le Bontà del Capo is the local favorite and a consistent top pick on the coast. Family-run, generous portions, reasonable prices by Amalfi standards, and views of the sea that make the whole meal feel like a reward.
Sorrento
Sorrento tends to get dismissed as a transit hub, the place you pass through on the way to the Amalfi Coast or the islands. That's a mistake. Sorrento is genuinely lovely in its own right: compact, walkable, beautiful, and with a personality that rewards spending a proper day rather than just a rushed hour between connections.
I've spent quite a bit of time here and it consistently delivers. The old town is easy to navigate without a map, the views over the Bay of Naples are stunning, and the pace feels relaxed in a way that some of the more tourist-heavy coastal spots don't.
How to get there: Take the ferry from Naples to Sorrento. It takes 45 minutes and is super easy. From the port of Sorrento, you can either take the stairs or the elevator to get up to the town. The elevator is just a few minutes walking to the right, past Peter's Beach. DON'T take the Circumvesuviana (unless hot, crowded, smelly trains are your thing, then sure go for it.)
During the day: Peter's Beach is the lido I keep coming back to. It's a proper beach club setup with sun beds, clear water, and the kind of relaxed atmosphere that makes you lose track of time. If you want to get off the beaten track for a few hours, Bagni Regina Giovanna is an interesting spot: a natural sea pool set among Roman ruins, reachable by a short hike along the cliffs or by boat. Not many people make the trip, which is exactly the point.
Where to shop: Stop into Balduccelli for handmade custom leather sandals. This is the real
thing, not a tourist trap version. You can choose one of the ready-to-wear options, or request a custom pair to be created for you. The turn around time is pretty quick, but they also ship if needed.
Where to eat and drink: For brunch, Radical is a cute spot that does it well (and the only place I can find matcha in Sorrento.) Soul & Fish is my go-to for lunch. Fresh seafood, good wine, relaxed vibe. And in the evening, the Skybar at Hotel Plaza is the move.
The views over the bay at sunset are the kind that make you want to stay another night. In the evening, the Pontile bar and beach club at Peter's Beach opens up and becomes a completely different atmosphere. Worth timing your day around if you can.
Where to stay: Hotel Plaza itself is a great option if you want to overnight in Sorrento.
Pompeii (and Herculaneum, the Quieter Alternative)
Pompeii is one of the most visited archaeological sites in the world, and it earns that. Walking through a city frozen in 79 AD is genuinely moving in a way that no photograph prepares you for. But it is also enormous and, in high season, intensely crowded. In the summer, it is also scorchingly hot, and just not enjoyable in the afternoon. Go early, book tickets in advance, and give yourself at least three hours.
How to get there: You can either book a private driver and tour package, or take the train. The Campania Express is a dedicated tourist train that runs in the high season from Napoli to the Pompeii ruins.
What most people don't know: Pompeii covers about 44 hectares and the tourist crowds concentrate heavily in the western section near the entrance. If you walk east toward the residential neighborhoods and the amphitheater, it thins out considerably.
Herculaneum: The Better-Preserved, Less-Crowded Alternative
Herculaneum was buried by the same eruption as Pompeii but by pyroclastic flow rather than ash, which means it was preserved differently and, in many ways, more completely. You can still see wooden furniture, carbonized food, and intact frescoes in colors that feel impossible for something 2,000 years old.
It's also about a quarter of the size of Pompeii, which means you can do it properly in two hours and leave without the sensory overload. If you're choosing between the two and you'd rather have depth over breadth, choose Herculaneum.
The Royal Palace of Caserta
Most people outside Italy have never heard of Caserta, which baffles me given that the Royal Palace of Caserta is the largest royal residence in the world by volume. Larger than Versailles. Built in the 18th century by the Bourbon kings of Naples, it has over 1,200 rooms, a private theater, and gardens that stretch for three kilometers up a hillside to a dramatic waterfall and cascade.
Fun fact: I actually was a background actress in a movie that was filmed here, directed by Michael B. Jordan!
The gardens are the real star. I recommend renting an e-bike and cruising around the gardens for a few hours- it's SO fun. Alternatively, you can walk the full length or take a shuttle. Give yourself a full day if you want to do the palace interior and the gardens. The palace alone could easily take two to three hours.
How to get there: You can book a private tour/ driver from Naples. Alternatively, direct trains from Naples Centrale to Caserta run frequently and take about 40 minutes. The palace is a 10-minute walk from the station.
Practical note: The gardens close earlier than you'd expect. Check the official site for current hours before you go, especially if you're visiting in shoulder season.
Irpinia: Wine Tasting in the Hills
This one is for the people who want a day trip that feels nothing like a day trip. Irpinia is a hilly inland region about an hour from Naples that most tourists never visit, which means it has stayed genuinely itself. It's the home of some of Italy's most serious wines: Taurasi, Greco di Tufo, and Fiano di Avellino are all DOCG wines from this area, which puts them in the top tier of Italian wine classification.
I did a wine tasting in Irpinia and it was one of those unexpectedly perfect days. We drove up into the hills, the landscape shifted from coastal to green and rolling, and we spent the afternoon at a family winery drinking wine, eating a delicious meal, and frollicking on the grounds. It was slow and unhurried and completely removed from the tourist circuit.
Where to go: Tenuta Cavalier Pepe is a standout. A beautiful estate winery with an excellent restaurant on site, so you can taste your way through their wines and then sit down to a proper meal without going anywhere. If you love wine and you want a day that feels genuinely local, this is it. (My puppy had so much fun here too, she loved running around the grounds.)
The region is best explored with a car or on a guided tour since public transport is limited.
What to drink: Fiano di Avellino if you prefer white, Taurasi if you want something big and age-worthy. Both are world-class.
Baia: The Underwater Archaeological Park
Baia is one of those places I tell people about and watch their eyes go wide. Ancient Rome's most decadent resort town, beloved by emperors and aristocrats for its thermal springs, is now partially submerged in the Bay of Pozzuoli due to volcanic activity that has been slowly sinking this stretch of coastline for centuries. There are Roman villas, mosaics, and statues sitting on the seafloor just off the coast.
You can visit by glass-bottom boat, by snorkeling tour, or by scuba. The Castello di Baia on the hill above also houses an exceptional archaeological museum with artifacts recovered from the underwater site, including some stunning marble sculptures.
I haven't done the underwater tour yet but it is very much on my list.
How to get there: Rent a car or hire a private driver. Alternatively, you can take the Cumana train from Naples Montesanto station to Fusaro, then a local bus to Baia. (However, local buses arent't always the most reliable.)
Where to eat: La Catagna nearby is stunning, delicious, and a great way to round out the day after your visit. It's where Marco and I had dinner after our civil wedding.
The Islands: Capri, Ischia, and Procida
The islands of the Gulf of Naples deserve more than a paragraph, which is why I wrote a full post on Capri vs Ischia vs Procida that breaks down exactly which island suits which kind of traveler.
The short version: Capri for glamour and dramatic scenery, Ischia for thermal spas and a more local atmosphere, Procida for a quiet, colorful, almost-untouched experience. All three are reachable by ferry from the port of Naples, and all three can be both day trip or multiple day trips, but Ischia is the one that you can spend the most time on (IMO.)
You can book a group or private tour from Napoli to the islands with my husband's company, Seaside Napoli. They have really fun tours to Sorrento, Capri, Procida, Ischia, and more. Mention my code AMBY26 for a discount.
Day Trips From Naples: Tips from a Local
A few things I've learned from doing these trips repeatedly:
Leave early. Most of these destinations get significantly more crowded after 10am, and they get HOT in the summer.
Book tickets in advance for Pompeii and Caserta. Both get long queues without pre-booked tickets, especially in summer.
Don't try to do too much in one day. The Amalfi Coast in particular tempts people into town-hopping that ends in exhaustion. Pick two towns, do them properly, and enjoy the journey between them.
Check ferry schedules before you go. Last ferries from the islands and Amalfi leave earlier than you'd think. Missing the last boat back is a more common mistake than it should be. (Speaking from experience, I literally did that last weekend in Sorrento lol.)
If you have specific questions about these day trips, drop them in the comments or come find me on Instagram @ambymathur.
Buon viaggio!
Un bacio,
Amby
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