Pompeii, Vesuvius and Capri

Pompeii and Vesuvius work best as one story told in two places: the excavated city shows daily life before the eruption of AD 79, while the volcano gives the ruins their scale and setting. Capri is a separate island day or overnight, with ferries, buses, a funicular and steep walking routes shaping every transfer.

Pompeii and Vesuvius: the landscape remembers

Pompeii and Vesuvius are best treated as one story told in two places. The excavated city shows daily life before the eruption of AD 79; the volcano explains the force that sealed it and still shapes the settlements around the Bay of Naples. Put them together only if you can start early and tolerate a long day on foot.

Pompeii lies 22 km southeast of Naples and 17 km southeast of Herculaneum. By car, take the A3 Napoli-Salerno to the Pompei exit and follow the signs for Scavi. Guarded parking lots cluster near the Porta Marina, Piazza Esedra and Anfiteatro entrances. By train, the Naples-Sorrento Circumvesuviana stops at Pompei Scavi-Villa dei Misteri, about 100 yards from the Porta Marina ticket office. The Naples-Poggiomarino line stops at Pompei Santuario, which is more convenient for the modern town, its sanctuary, hotels and restaurants. An FS station south of the centre is useful when arriving from Salerno or Rome.

The excavated city

Ancient Pompeii covered about 170 acres at the seaward end of the Sarno Plain and held perhaps 10,000 to 20,000 people. More than two million visitors now arrive each year, so a late-afternoon visit can be calmer than the morning rush. Build a route around the Forum, the city's cultural, political, commercial and religious centre; the House of the Tragic Poet with its chained-dog mosaic; the wealthy House of the Vettii; the frescoed Villa of the Mysteries; and the Amphitheatre, built around 70 BC. The archaeological park suggests two-hour, four-hour and six-hour itineraries at Porta Marina, and an audio guide can help connect the separate streets and houses. Use the official Pompeii site for the current entry system.

Climbing Vesuvius

Vesuvius rises 16 km east of Naples and 8 km northeast of Herculaneum. The volcano appears to have two peaks: Monte Somma on the north, possibly part of the older crater wall, and the present cone to the south, formed inside that ancient crater. The upper slopes still show the marks of nineteenth- and twentieth-century eruptions, including the 1944 lava flow beside the approach road from Ercolano. Clear air can reveal the curve of the coast and the small houses among orange and lemon groves; cloud can erase the view completely, and the summit often clears later in the day.

Drive to the Torre del Greco exit on the A3, then follow Via E. De Nicola and the signs for Parco Nazionale del Vesuvio. Vesuvio Express sells a shuttle and timed entrance package for €30 from Ercolano Circumvesuviana station, with eight round trips each day, and one daily departure from Napoli Centrale for €40. The vehicle reaches the top in about 20 to 40 minutes. Crater admission is €12, requires a timed ticket bought in advance through the park's official ticket portal, and includes a compulsory guide. The climb is steep over volcanic stone, so sturdy or athletic shoes are essential; sandals are a poor choice.

Pompeii: the city beneath the ash

Pompeii is 22 km southeast of Naples and 17 km southeast of Herculaneum. Its ancient streets, villas, shops and public buildings were sealed by the eruption of Vesuvius in AD 79. The site covered about 170 acres and held perhaps 10,000 to 20,000 people; more than two million visitors now arrive each year.

Getting to Pompeii

Drivers should use the Napoli-Salerno A3, leave at Pompei and follow the signs marked Scavi. Guarded parking lots operate near the Porta Marina, Piazza Esedra and Anfiteatro entrances. Leave time to park and walk to the correct gate, especially in the busiest months.

Two Circumvesuviana lines serve Pompeii's central stations. The Naples-Sorrento service calls at Pompei Scavi-Villa dei Misteri, about 100 yards from the Porta Marina ticket office. The Naples-Poggiomarino service calls at Pompei Santuario, a better choice for the Santuario della Madonna del Rosario and the modern town's hotels and restaurants. A third FS station south of the center is useful mainly for arrivals from Salerno or Rome. Circumvesuviana publishes the regional rail information.

The archaeological park

The Forum was the center of civic life, trade, worship and public culture. Among the most useful landmarks for orienting a long walk are the House of the Tragic Poet, a middle-class home with a chained-dog mosaic; the House of the Vettii, an unusually rich merchant residence; the frescoed Villa of the Mysteries; and the Amphitheater, built around 70 BC. The park offers two-hour, four-hour and six-hour itineraries from Porta Marina. An audio guide can connect the separate houses and streets, while anyone hiring a private guide should settle the tour length and price in advance.

Late afternoon can feel calmer than the morning rush, but the site remains physically demanding. Bring water, protect yourself from the sun and wear shoes that can handle uneven ancient paving. Advance tickets are available through TicketOne, linked from the official Pompeii site. The archaeological park information number is 081/8575347.

Vesuvius: walk the crater rim

Vesuvius rises 16 km east of Naples and 8 km northeast of Herculaneum. From across the bay, two peaks are visible: Monte Somma on the north, possibly part of the older crater wall, and the present cone to the south, formed inside that earlier crater. The upper slopes still show scars from nineteenth- and twentieth-century eruptions, including the 1944 lava flow beside the approach road from Ercolano.

Getting to the park

Drivers should leave the Napoli-Salerno A3 at Torre del Greco, continue along Via E. De Nicola and follow the signs towards Parco Nazionale del Vesuvio. Vesuvio Express sells a shuttle with timed entrance included for €30 from Ercolano Circumvesuviana station, making eight daily return runs. One departure from Napoli Centrale each day costs €40. The ascent takes roughly 20 to 40 minutes by vehicle.

Weather, admission and the climb

On a clear day, the summit looks along the shoreline arc to small white houses set among orange and lemon groves. Mist can erase the view entirely, and the summit often becomes clearer later in the day. If possible, visit the volcano after Herculaneum or Pompeii so the buried cities give the eruption a human scale. Crater admission includes a compulsory guide, and the volcanic stone makes the climb tiring for anyone unused to steep paths. Sturdy hiking footwear is essential and beach sandals are unsuitable; a walking stick is offered at the bottom and a modest gratuity is customary when it is returned.

Entry costs €12 and requires a timed ticket bought in advance through the Vesuvius ticket portal, unless it is included in a Vesuvio Express package. The park information numbers are 081/7775720and 081/8653911.Check Parco Nazionale del Vesuvio for current access conditions before setting out.

Herculaneum and the secondary sites

Herculaneum: a shorter, deeper archaeological day

Herculaneum was buried by the same eruption as Pompeii, but the pyroclastic flow covered it in roughly 16 m of ash and mud. The smaller site preserves more two-storey houses, wooden beams, furniture, food and interior decoration, so a visitor can understand the domestic architecture without crossing a city-sized grid. Allow around two hours for the main route, then add the recently accessible ancient beach if it is open. The park is a short walk from the Ercolano Scavi Circumvesuviana station. Buy tickets through the official archaeological information before you arrive.

Oplontis, Stabiae and Boscoreale

If you have more than one day around Vesuvius, do not squeeze Pompeii and Herculaneum into the same visit. Use the multi-site Pompeii ticket instead for Oplontis, Villa Arianna, Villa San Marco, the Museo Libero D'Orsi at Stabiae and Boscoreale. These smaller sites change the question from the public life of Pompeii to villas, gardens, painted rooms and the rural settlements around the volcano. Check the current Pompeii ticket information because admission combinations and shuttle arrangements can change.

Capri: an island built for looking outward

Capri has drawn escape-seekers for roughly 2,500 years. Augustus called it Apragopolis, the City of Sweet Idleness; emperors, artists and twentieth-century stars followed. The island's hotels and restaurants can be among the region's most expensive, but the views, rock formations and walking routes cost nothing. That balance is the key to enjoying Capri without turning every hour into a purchase.

Arrive at Marina Grande, then choose your town

Hydrofoils, Sea Cats and similar fast craft leave Naples from Molo Beverello; slower car ferries use Calata Porta di Massa. Capri is also linked with Sorrento's Marina Piccola and Salerno's Masuccio during the appropriate sailing seasons. Marina Grande feeds arrivals towards the funicular, which climbs to Capri Town several times an hour. From there, buses continue to higher Anacapri, while a 13-minute chairlift from Piazza Vittoria reaches Monte Solaro. Within both towns, walking is easier and more pleasurable than bringing a car. Check Capri Tourism for changing departures and remember that a late return can be impossible: the last Naples sailing may be 11 pm in high season but 8 pm or earlier in low season.

The island's viewpoints and ruins

Anacapri is the quieter upper town and a starting point for walks, including the roughly 80-minute round trip to Migliara Belvedere. Capri Town gathers around Piazza Umberto I, the Piazzetta, the island's social stage. From the Giardini di Augusto, admission €2.50, the terraces look down to Marina Piccola and the rock-cut Via Krupp. The Certosa di San Giacomo costs €10 and closes Monday. Further out, Villa Jovis, the best-preserved and largest of Capri's twelve Roman villas, costs €6 and closes Monday, January and February, plus weekdays in March.

The Grotta Azzurra owes its intense blue to a hidden opening that bends the light. Reaching it involves one boat from Marina Grande or Anacapri's northwest embarkation point, then a transfer to a small rowboat. The boat journey from Marina Grande starts at €24, followed by €18 for the rowboat; even slight rough seas can close the grotto. The three Faraglioni rise almost 350 feet above the water off Punta Tragara, while Marina Piccola offers swimming platforms and paid bathing lidos. From Anacapri, the Monte Solaro chairlift costs €11 one way or €14 return and closes in adverse weather. Villa San Michele costs €12 and leads through Axel Munthe's collections to a pergola and Sphinx parapet over the Bay of Naples.

Capri's tables lean towards seafood, handmade scialatielli and paccheri, local lemons and the island's own version of Neapolitan cooking. The most memorable meals often combine a view with a simple dish, but high-season closures and reservations matter. Main-course prices below are the published averages for dinner, or lunch where dinner is not served.

Capri: the island beyond the harbor

Capri is about 50 minutes from Naples by hydrofoil and 50 to 85 minutes by car ferry. The island has drawn visitors for roughly 2,500 years, from Roman emperors to modern celebrities. Hotels and restaurants can be among the most expensive in Campania, but the views, rock formations and walking routes are free, and many of the island's best hours cost nothing.

Capri Town occupies the island's central saddle between Monte Tiberio and Monte Solaro; Anacapri sits higher, about 902 feet above sea level. Buses use the connecting road. Arrivals at Marina Grande usually continue by funicular to Capri Town, while a chairlift from Anacapri's Piazza Vittoria climbs to Monte Solaro. Within both towns, walking is the most convenient way to move and the best way to experience the flower-fringed lanes.

Ferries, last departures and island timing

Fast craft, including hydrofoils and Sea Cats, leave Naples from Molo Beverello beneath Piazza Municipio. Less frequent car ferries use Calata Porta di Massa, about 1,000 yards east. There is also seasonal service to Sorrento's Marina Piccola and Salerno's Masuccio. Sailings run in every season but increase from April through October. Capri Tourism publishes updated departures; the Infopoint Isola di Capri is at Piazza Umberto I and can be reached at 081/8370686.

Do not plan to return after the last sailing: the final Naples departure may be around 11 pm in high season and 8 pm or earlier in low season. A round-trip ticket can tie you to one company's return time, so compare the schedule before buying. If a Sunday mainland return matters, arrange it in spring or summer well ahead of time. The island is largely pedestrianized and a car is more hindrance than help.

Anacapri and Capri Town

• ✦Anacapri - the upper town is about 3 km from Capri Town. Crowds gather along Via Capodimonte towards Villa San Michele and around Piazza Vittoria for the Monte Solaro chairlift, but the Le Boffe quarter and the streets beyond remain quieter. Walks begin here, including the 80-minute round trip to Migliara Belvedere on the southern coast.
• ✦Capri Town - the funicular from Marina Grande costs €2.40 one way and reaches the town about 450 feet above the harbor. From the upper station, walk into Piazza Umberto I, the Piazzetta and the island's social hub. The tourist office at the port distributes a useful island map.

Capri sights

• ✦Certosa di San Giacomo - a monastery founded between 1371 and 1374, with occasional exhibitions in the Quarto del Priore and the Museo Diefenbach's restored paintings. Via Certosa, Capri Town; phone 081/8376218; admission €10; closed Monday.
• ✦Giardini di Augusto - terraces look down to Marina Piccola and the steep, rock-cut Via Krupp. Via Matteotti, Capri Town; phone 353/4523908; admission €2.50.
• ✦Grotta Azzurra - the intense blue comes from a hidden opening that bends the light. Reach the cave from Marina Grande or the embarkation point below Anacapri, then change from the first boat to a small rowboat. The trip from Marina Grande starts at €24, followed by €18 for the rowboat with Coop. Battellieri. The cave closes if the sea is even slightly rough; afternoon light is traditionally favored from April to June and morning light in July and August.
• ✦I Faraglioni - three pale limestone rocks rise almost 350 feet off Punta Tragara. Faraglione di Terra is attached to land, Faraglione di Mezzo has the famous boat passage, and Faraglione di Scopolo is home to a blue-bellied wall lizard. Reach the viewpoint at the end of Via Tragara.
• ✦Marina Piccola - a sheltered inlet with swimming platforms, beaches and paid bathing lidos. La Canzone del Mare is the best-known lido, while the small Scoglio delle Sirene recalls the island's ancient myths. Via Marina Piccola, Capri.
• ✦Monte Solaro chairlift - the 13-minute ride from Piazza Vittoria reaches Capri's highest point at 1,932 feet, with views towards both the Bay of Naples and the Bay of Salerno. A one-way ticket costs €11 and a return costs €14; the chairlift closes in adverse weather.
• ✦Villa Jovis - the best-preserved and largest of Capri's twelve Roman villas, set on the Rocca di Capri above the strait towards Punta Campanella. Via A. Maiuri, Capri; phone 081/8374549; admission €6 with audio guide; closed Monday, January and February, and weekdays in March.
• ✦Villa San Michele - Axel Munthe's former home in Anacapri has Roman-style courtyards, antiquities, marble walks and a pergola leading to the Sphinx Parapet above the Bay of Naples. Viale Axel Munthe 34, Anacapri; phone 081/8371401; admission €12.

Eating on Capri

Capri's cooking leans towards seafood, handmade scialatielli and paccheri, local lemons and Caprese versions of Neapolitan classics. Average main-course prices below are for dinner, or lunch where dinner is not served. High-season reservations matter, and many restaurants close for part of the winter.

• ✦Al Grottino - a family-run restaurant in a fourteenth-century building near the Piazzetta, with scialatielli, mussels, clams, shrimp and gluten-free choices. Via Longano 27, Capri; phone 081/8370584; average main €23; closed November to late March.
• ✦Aurora - Capri's oldest restaurant, with a light pizza all'Acqua, gnocchetti al pesto, homemade sweets and an extensive wine cellar. Via Fuorlovado 18/22, Capri Town; phone 081/8370181; average main €42; closed November to Easter.
• ✦Da Gelsomina - a restaurant among terraced vineyards in Anacapri, known for chicken grilled under bricks, local rabbit and produce from its gardens. Via Migliara 72, Anacapri; phone 081/8371499; average main €26; closed November to March.
• ✦Il Geranio - layered terraces near the Giardini di Augusto face the Faraglioni, with meat and seafood dishes and a Caprese cake with lemon. Via Matteotti 8, Capri Town; phone 081/8370616; average main €35; closed mid-October to mid-April.
• ✦Il Solitario - a relaxed family restaurant in a vine-dappled garden, with ravioli, grilled fish and meat. Via Giuseppe Orlandi 96, Anacapri; phone 081/8371382; average main €21; no dinner Sunday.
• ✦La Canzone del Mare - a Marina Piccola bathing lido with seafood and vegetables in a covered pavilion, two seawater pools and a view of the Faraglioni. Via Marina Piccola 93; phone 081/8370104; average main €38; no dinner; closed October to late April.
• ✦La Capannina - family-run since 1931 near the Piazzetta, with ravioli capresi, linguine with scorpion fish and whole sea bream with potatoes. Via Le Botteghe 12b, Capri Town; phone 081/8370732; average main €37; closed November to mid-March.
• ✦La Fontelina - a seafood restaurant and lido beside the water, reached on foot from Punta Tragara or by a ten-minute boat from Marina Piccola. The boat costs €40 for up to four passengers. Via Faraglioni 2, Località Faraglioni, Capri; phone 081/8370845; average main €32; no dinner; closed mid-October to Easter.
• ✦Le Grottelle - an informal trattoria near the Arco Naturale, with a cave kitchen, cliff views, seafood, rabbit and mezzi paccheri with swordfish and eggplant. Via Arco Naturale 13, Capri; phone 081/8375719; average main €29; closed Tuesday and November to March.
• ✦Villa Margherita - a terrace and late bar serve changing Caprese and Neapolitan dishes, including seafood, vegetarian pasta and substantial meat courses. Via Campo di Teste 4, Capri; phone 081/8377532; average main €34.
• ✦Buonocore - a Capri Town stop for breakfast, gelato, small pizzas, panini and almond-and-lemon Caprilu biscuits. Via Vittorio Emanuele 35, Capri Town; phone 081/8377826; average main €9.

Sleeping on Capri

• ✦Capri Palace Jumeirah - a design-led Anacapri resort with a spa, art collection and high-end dining. Via Capodimonte 14, Anacapri; phone 081/9780111; 67 rooms; rooms from €1,083; closed mid-October to mid-April; breakfast included.
• ✦Capri Tiberio Palace - near the Piazzetta but away from its busiest center, with luxury rooms and views. Via Croce 11-15, Capri Town; phone 081/9787111; 54 rooms; rooms from €1,211; closed November to mid-April; breakfast included.
• ✦Il Gatto Bianco - a central hotel with a blue-and-white bar, majolica stairs and a classic Caprese atmosphere. Via Vittorio Emanuele 32, Capri Town; phone 081/8370203; 40 rooms; rooms from €350; closed November to mid-March; breakfast included.
• ✦La Minerva - a small, intimate luxury hotel with panoramic terraces, bougainvillea and garden views. Via Occhio Marino 8, Capri Town; phone 081/8377067; 18 rooms; rooms from €1,290; closed November to March; breakfast included.
• ✦La Tosca - a simple, quiet hotel above the Certosa, with terrace views and reasonable rates. Via Birago 5, Capri Town; phone 081/8370989; 11 rooms; rooms from €239; closed November to February; breakfast included.
• ✦Punta Tragara - a former private villa on Punta Tragara with views of the Faraglioni, two pools and rooms combining sumptuous and relaxed details. Via Tragara 57, Capri; phone 081/8370844; 43 rooms; rooms from €1,380; closed mid-October to mid-April; breakfast included.
• ✦Quisisana - a landmark Capri Town hotel near the Piazzetta, with a large lobby, spa and a 1930s theater-convention space. Via Camerelle 2, Capri Town; phone 081/8370788; 140 rooms; rooms from €1,050; closed late October to April; breakfast included.
• ✦Villa Sarah - a family-run hotel among gardens in a quiet residential area, with a pool and simple, home-like rooms. Via Tiberio 3/a, Capri Town; phone 081/8377817; 20 rooms; rooms from €250; closed November to March; breakfast included.