Naples

Naples is the base for Pompeii, Herculaneum, Vesuvius and the Amalfi Coast, and most visitors treat it as a hub rather than a destination. That’s a mistake — the city itself has the best archaeological museum in Italy and the food that pizza was invented for.

This page compares live ticket prices and availability for Naples attractions across our booking partners.

When to visit Naples

April to June and September to October are ideal. Warm without the summer extremes, and the archaeological sites are walkable.

July and August are hot — often above 33°C — and Pompeii in particular has almost no shade. If you go in summer, be at the gates when they open.

November to March is mild and wet, with much lower prices. Sites are quiet, though winter opening hours are shorter and some Amalfi Coast services reduce or stop.

Pompeii

The site is enormous — around 44 hectares — and most visitors underestimate it badly. Half a day is the minimum; a full day is better.

Entry is ticketed with timed slots in high season.

There is very little shade and the ancient paving is uneven. Sturdy shoes, water and sun protection are not optional in summer.

A combined ticket covers Pompeii, Herculaneum, Oplontis and two other sites over three days. If you’re doing more than Pompeii alone, it’s substantially better value.

Certain houses open on rotation and some are closed for restoration at any given time. The site map at the entrance shows what’s open that day.

Getting there: the Circumvesuviana train from Naples takes around 35 minutes to Pompei Scavi. It’s cheap, frequent, and often crowded.

Herculaneum

Smaller than Pompeii, better preserved, and far less visited.

Buried under volcanic mud rather than ash, which preserved wooden structures, upper floors and organic material that didn’t survive at Pompeii.

Two to three hours is enough for the whole site, which makes it the better choice if you only have half a day.

Vesuvius

The crater rim is reachable by a marked path from a car park partway up.

The walk from the car park to the rim takes around 30 minutes on loose volcanic gravel — not difficult, but not flat either.

Access requires a timed ticket and is closed in bad weather without warning.

Combining Vesuvius with Pompeii in one day is common and makes for a long, hot day. Doing Vesuvius first, in the morning, is the better order.

The Archaeological Museum

Naples National Archaeological Museum holds the finds from Pompeii and Herculaneum — the mosaics, the frescoes, the bronzes.

Visiting it before the sites makes the sites make sense. Most people do it after, or not at all, and miss the point.

The Secret Cabinet of erotic material from Pompeii is included in the ticket and has its own room.

Closed Tuesdays.

Booking ahead vs walking up

Day trips beyond the ruins

Capri is a 45-minute ferry from Naples. Day trips work but the island is at its worst when the day boats arrive — going early or staying overnight is better.

The Amalfi Coast — Positano, Amalfi, Ravello — is a long day by road and the coastal drive is spectacular and slow. Tours handle the driving, which is worth paying for on those roads.

Sorrento is closer and easier, an hour on the Circumvesuviana, and a reasonable base in itself.

Getting around

The metro Line 1 is useful and several stations are decorated as public art installations — Toledo station is regularly listed among the most beautiful in Europe.

The Circumvesuviana serves Pompeii, Herculaneum and Sorrento. Basic, crowded, and the practical option.

Naples traffic is chaotic and crossing roads requires commitment. Scooters do not stop for hesitation.

The historic centre is walkable and best explored on foot, but keep valuables secure — petty theft is a real issue in crowded areas.

A first-timer’s three days

Day one — the city. Archaeological Museum in the morning, then the historic centre, Spaccanapoli, and pizza where it was invented.

Day two — Pompeii and Vesuvius. Vesuvius early, Pompeii from mid-morning through the afternoon.

Day three — coast or Herculaneum. Ferry to Capri, or Herculaneum in the morning and Sorrento in the afternoon.