itineraries
Rome to Naples: Coast & Ruins
8 days — Rome, Pompeii, the Amalfi Coast, Paestum, and the Cilento.
Curatorial note
The ruins-and-coast version of the south. Rome in, Pompeii and Herculaneum, the Amalfi Coast, then keep going past the crowds to Paestum's Greek temples and the Cilento for a quieter, cheaper coast.
Archaeological Site · Campania
Paestum
Essential if you are on the Cilento or Amalfi coast. The temples are more intact than Agrigento's and far less crowded.
Coastline · Campania
Amalfi Coast
The UNESCO cliffside coast — Positano, Amalfi, and Ravello, with the lemon groves and the blue sea. Worth a few days; avoid July-August (the crowds and the SS163 traffic are punishing).
Archaeological Site · Campania
Pompeii
Pompeii is worth a full half-day from Naples. Go early, bring water and a hat — there is little shade. Herculaneum is smaller, better preserved, and less crowded; do both if you can.
Archaeological Site · Campania
Herculaneum
Herculaneum is worth a half-day and is the better archaeological site than Pompeii if you can only do one. It is smaller, shaded, less crowded, and the preservation is more intimate.
Coastline · Campania
Amalfi Coast
The Amalfi Coast is worth two or three nights if you base in one town and ferry to the others. Driving the coast road in season is miserable — use the ferries. Positano is the photograph; Amalfi is the town; Ravello is the view.
Town · Lazio
Rome
Rome deserves at least three full days and rewards a fourth. It is the one Italian city where trying to see everything is the mistake — pick two major sites a day and leave time for wandering.
Town · Campania
Naples
Naples is worth two nights and rewards the traveler who doesn't need things tidy. It is the gateway to Pompeii, the Amalfi Coast, and Capri, and it has the best pizza in Italy. Skip it only if you need order and calm.
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