Visas & entry
Italy is in the Schengen Area: EU/EEA/Swiss citizens can enter freely, while US, Canadian, UK, Australian and many other short-stay visitors normally receive up to 90 days in any 180-day Schengen period without a visa. Passport validity and ETIAS requirements are changing; verify your nationality’s rules with Italy’s official visa portal before travel.
Getting in
- Naples International Airport / Capodichino: The main air gateway for almost every Campania itinerary. It is closest to Naples; reach the centre by Alibus, taxi or transfer, then continue by rail or ferry to the coast and islands.
- Napoli Centrale / Piazza Garibaldi: The practical rail gateway from Rome, Florence, Milan and elsewhere in Italy. High-speed trains make Naples the right arrival point for Naples, Caserta, Pompeii/Herculaneum and Sorrento.
- Salerno rail station and ferry port: Use Salerno when your trip is concentrated on the Amalfi Coast, Paestum or Cilento. It has fast north–south rail links and, in season, useful ferries to Amalfi Coast towns.
- Salerno Costa d'Amalfi Airport: A limited but growing alternative for Salerno, Paestum and the southern coast. Use it only if its flight schedule and ground transfer work clearly better than Naples; it is not a substitute for Naples for most first-time itineraries.
Getting around
Use trains for Naples–Caserta, Naples–Herculaneum/Pompeii, Naples–Salerno and Salerno–Paestum; they are usually faster and saner than driving. Sorrento/Pompeii corridor trains can be crowded, and the regular Circumvesuviana is functional rather than pleasant. Use ferries for Capri, Ischia, Procida and—in season—coastal hops, but keep a weather-flex day and do not schedule a flight immediately after an island transfer. Rent a car only for Cilento, Sannio, Irpinia or rural Casertano; skip it in Naples, on the islands and for a standard Amalfi Coast stay.
Money
Italy uses the euro (€). Cards and contactless payments are widely accepted in Naples, Salerno and tourist towns, but carry cash for small bars, market purchases, bus tickets, beach incidentals and rural stops. Service is usually included; round up or leave a small amount for notably good table service, rather than applying North American percentage tipping.
Daily budget · EUR (€), per person per day, excluding international transport; assumes two people sharing a double room.
- Value
- €95–145 in Naples, Salerno or Paestum; €125–180 in Sorrento or Ischia; €180–280 on the Amalfi Coast or Capri.
- Mid-range
- €170–270 in Naples, Salerno or Paestum; €230–380 in Sorrento or Ischia; €350–600 on the Amalfi Coast or Capri.
- High-end
- €400+ in Naples, Salerno or Paestum; €550+ in Sorrento or Ischia; €850+ on the Amalfi Coast or Capri.
- Lodging is the decisive variable: Capri and Positano routinely cost multiples of an equivalent room in Naples or Salerno. Solo travelers should budget materially more.
- Easter, June–September, Ferragosto and holiday weekends push coastal room rates sharply upward.
- Ferries, boat tours, taxis/private transfers and summer beach-club charges can turn an otherwise moderate itinerary expensive.
- Use Naples or Salerno as operational bases for better value; reserve an Amalfi Coast or island overnight only when the setting matters enough to justify the premium.
- Campania can be inexpensive for casual food, but fine dining on the coast, private guides and driver-based sightseeing quickly move a trip into high-end territory.
Eating well
- Order simply in Naples: a Margherita or marinara is the point, not a menu exercise.
- Treat buffalo mozzarella as a regional food worth seeking near the Caserta–Salerno plains and Paestum, rather than as a generic starter.
- On the coast, seafood, lemon dishes and pasta are the natural order; high-end coastal dining can quickly blow up an otherwise moderate food budget.
- Book serious coastal restaurants and Michelin-level dining ahead in the June–September period; Naples remains much easier to eat well on a modest budget.
Book before you land
Pompeii Archaeological Park timed entry, especially spring through autumn and holiday periods · Herculaneum Archaeological Park timed entry in peak periods · Vesuvius crater access, where the chosen operator requires a timed reservation · Ravello Festival concerts · Reggia di Caserta entry when visiting on a weekend, holiday or peak-season date
- Use two bases for a 7–10-night first trip: Naples for the city, Caserta and Vesuvian archaeology, then Sorrento or Salerno for coast/island access. Do not treat Naples as a convenient base for late Amalfi Coast evenings or early Capri ferries.
- On the Amalfi Coast, map distance is deceptive. A hotel move between Sorrento, Positano and Amalfi can consume most of a day because of stairs, bags, queues and road traffic.
- For islands, confirm the departure pier as well as the departure time: Naples fast boats commonly use Molo Beverello, while slower ferries often use Calata Porta di Massa.
- Avoid self-driving the Amalfi Coast in summer. Traffic, narrow roads, parking, seasonal plate restrictions and packed buses make a car more burden than freedom.
- Keep valuables secure around Napoli Centrale/Piazza Garibaldi, Circumvesuviana trains and dense sightseeing crowds. Naples is best handled with ordinary big-city awareness, not panic.
- Book coastal lodging, ferries and beach clubs early for Easter, June–September and Ferragosto (15 August). Late-October ferry timetables and winter coastal opening hours must be checked rather than assumed.
Entry rules change — verify visa requirements for your passport before booking this region.
Season by season
March–May
March is changeable and can be wet, while April and May bring green landscapes, comfortable archaeology and walking weather, and the return of much of the coastal boat network.
Naples city breaksPompeii and HerculaneumAmalfi Coast hikingscenic coastal travel
The sea is still cool, rough water can disrupt island plans, and Easter brings high domestic demand, museum crowds and coastal road pressure.
June
Long daylight, reliably warm weather and fuller ferry schedules make June especially good for combining culture with swimming, particularly in its first three weeks.
beach-and-culture tripsisland hoppingboat dayslate dinners
Capri, Positano and Amalfi are already crowded, and coastal hotel prices rise sharply.
July–August
This is hot, bright peak season, with Amalfi Coast temperatures often above 30°C and crowded beaches, ferries and archaeological sites.
beach timeboat excursionsnightlifesummer festivals
Expect expensive rooms, oppressive Pompeii heat, severe Amalfi Coast traffic, beach-club reservations and difficult self-driving; August is especially intense around Ferragosto.
September–November
September and early October retain warm sea temperatures and good walking weather; rain increases through October, while seasonal ferry schedules begin tapering in late October or early November.
swimming with fewer crowdsarchaeologyhikingharvest food and wine
Check current ferry timetables before relying on late-season coastal or island connections, and expect increasingly unsettled weather by November.
December–February
Naples remains lively for museums, churches, food and street life, while the coast is quieter, cheaper and often rainy, with short daylight and reduced sea transport.
Naples city travelChristmas traditionsmuseums and foodinland wine and dining
Many coastal hotels, beach clubs and restaurants close or reduce hours; this is not reliable weather for an island or Amalfi Coast resort trip.
Events worth planning around
Easter week · March or April, depending on the year · Across Campania, especially the Amalfi Coast
Italian domestic demand rises sharply, museums and roads are busier, and Amalfi Coast driving restrictions apply during the Easter period.
Ravello Festival · Usually summer · Ravello, Amalfi Coast
The classical-music program is a real reason to stay on the central coast; book official festival tickets and lodging well ahead.
Ferragosto · August 15 · Across Campania
Italy’s peak summer holiday period brings maximum demand for hotels, ferries, beaches and roads; reserve transport and lodging early.
Christmas–Epiphany presepe season · December through January 6 · Naples, especially Via San Gregorio Armeno
Naples’s nativity-scene workshops and holiday atmosphere are a genuine seasonal draw, while much of the Amalfi Coast is subdued or partly closed.
What to eat
Eat by geography rather than chasing a generic Italian menu: Naples for pizza and fried street food, the coast for lemons, seafood and pasta, the Caserta–Salerno plains for buffalo dairy, and the interior for legumes, cured meats, mushrooms and wine. Campania’s core ingredients are tomato, wheat, olive oil, fresh cheese, vegetables, pork, citrus and seafood.
Pizza napoletana, especially Margherita and marinaraMozzarella di Bufala CampanaPasta di GragnanoPiennolo tomatoesNeapolitan fried street foodCoastal seafood, lemon dishes and pastaInland legumes, cured meats and mushroomsCampanian wines, including Taurasi, Fiano di Avellino, Greco di Tufo and Falanghina
Naples and the Vesuvian area: Pizza napoletana · Fried street food · Piennolo tomatoes
Sorrento Peninsula and Amalfi Coast: Lemons · Seafood · Pasta
Caserta and Salerno plains: Mozzarella di Bufala Campana · Buffalo dairy products
Paestum and Cilento: Buffalo mozzarella near its source · Rural Campanian food
Benevento, Sannio and Irpinia: Legumes · Cured meats · Mushrooms · Taurasi · Fiano di Avellino, Greco di Tufo and Falanghina