3 Days In Naples: The Ultimate City Of The Sun Itinerary

Naples, Italy, the city of the sun, is a popular tourist city and high on many traveler’s bucket list. And no wonder, its beautiful, sunny, and rich with history and culture. Not to mention the birthplace of many people’s favorite food, pizza! 3 days in Naples, the ultimate city of the sun itinerary is a great guide for your short but awesome visit.

My husband, toddler, and I enjoyed our visit and experienced both local and touristy places around the city. We enjoyed the castles, museums, and our favorite, the Capri Island Tour, more on that later!

3 Days In Naples: The Ultimate City Of The Sun Itinerary

If you only have 3 days to visit the City of the Sun, I’ve laid out what you should prioritize in this ultimate 3-day itinerary.

3 Days In Naples Overview

There is so much to experience in and around Naples. I laid out our favorite places that can be easily seen in three days without feeling like an over-stuffed itinerary.

➡️Day 1: Castles and Beach Day

➡️Day 2: Capri Tour

➡️Day 3: Pompeii

Day One: Castles and Beach Day

Explore historic castles, stroll down the scenic trail that follows the curve of the sea, to relax in the sand. Then end with a cooking class of pizza or pasta for dinner!

Morning

Start your day at a cafe, also called bars in Italy, near your accommodation. Then, make your way to Castle Nuovo. Be sure to check google for open days and times since it might change with the seasons. Purchase tickets and a guided tour there, or plan ahead and book a walking tour!

From there it’s only a ten minute walk to The Royal Palace of Naples. Click here for skip the line tickets!

Make your way to Fontana del Gigante to get on the beach walk and follow it to Castel dell’Ovo. Along the Beach Walk is plenty of “ristorantes” to stop and grab some lunch on your way to Mappatella Beach!

➡️Click Here To Book Your Castle Tours!

Afternoon

After lunch, stroll down the Beach Walk to Mappatella Beach! It’s a small two sided beach but there is plenty of room to lay out on a towel and swim in the water.

Evening

A beach day give you flexibility for dinner. This is the perfect day to book a street food walking tour, or a pizza or pasta making class!

➡️Click Here To Book Your Food Tour or Class!

Day Two: Capri Tour

The ferry to Capri is about an hour to an hour and half. So prepare for this to be a full day excursion! Book ahead for a tour that will make the most of your day. I’ll tell you what to look for below!

Morning

Most tour groups will meet at the dock around 8am to catch the ferry to Capri. So plan for an early or on the go breakfast.

Look for a tour that goes to the Blue Grotto in the morning and by bus. The blue grotto is a cave that glows blue on the inside from the way the sun hits the water. It’s an amazing experience and can only be accessed when the conditions are just right. This is because to enter the cave, you get into small lifeboats and have to laydown when going through the entrance.

This is also a very popular experience so you want a tour that will take you right away in the morning and by bus, not boat. The line to get in the cave gets long and the life boats tend to prioritize the people lined up on the stairs because they are much closer to the cave entrance.

Afternoon

Depending on the tour you book, you’ll have a stop for lunch and time to explore more of Capri. If you find yourself in Anacapri, then take time to take the chair lift up Mount Solaro for beautiful island views. Small children are allowed on the chair lift with an adult!

➡️Click Here To Book Your Capri Day Tour!

Evening

You’ll find yourself back in Naples in time for dinner! Pick a restaurant by the port or by your accommodation so you can freshen up before you eat.

Day Three: Pompeii

Don’t limit yourself on time at Pompeii. It is an entire city to explore, not just a few ruins left in the midst of modern life like you’ll find in Rome. The whole city is frozen in time and you get to see not only a glimpse of what life was like all those years ago, but also in the moment of an apocalyptic experience.

Pompeii from Naples is about 30 min by car (if you plan on renting a car) or up to an hour by public transit. There are also many tours you can book that would take you by bus from Naples and back.

Morning

Pompeii is a popular tourist site so if you are not going with a tour group, I recommend buying tickets in advanced and getting there as soon as it opens.

Be sure to bring a large water bottle, hat, sunscreen, and/or umbrella. The ruins offer little shade and the sun is unforgiving.

There is a little shop before the entrance that sells large frozen water bottles. GET ONE!

Afternoon

After exploring Pompeii, eat lunch at Shaval. It is a great restaurant with amazing pizza.

If you are renting a car, park at Shaval. It is conveniently right across the street from the entrance to Pompeii.

After lunch you can either go back to Pompeii or go hike up Mount Vesuvius!

Evening

There are many restaurants to find dinner around Pompeii or if your on a tour, you’ll probably be back in Naples for dinner. Enjoy your last night with a final stroll by the sea!

➡️Click Here To Book Your Pompeii Tour

Where To Stay

With a shorter Itinerary, I recommend staying close to City Center – Centro Storico and the port. This will minimize transportation time and needs. If you choose to stay further from city center (see the luxury option) the metro and city buses are still easy to get to.

📍Budget Option: Culture Hotel Centro Storico is centrally located between Centro Storico, Quartari Spangoli, the port, and the beach! It has high guest satisfaction and breakfast included!

📍Mid-Range Option: Hotel Royal Continental is located on the water and close to the port, perfect if you plan to do the boat tour to Capri! This hotel has a rooftop pool and beautiful views of the water, city, and Castel dell’Ovo.

📍Luxury Option: Grand Hotel Parker’s luxury hotel sits higher up in the city so you’ll have beautiful city and water views. It is a bit more “off the beaten path”, further away from Centro Storico and touristy sites. No worries if you’re not renting a car, its close to bus stops and the metro!

Getting Around Naples

Naples main public transportation is walking, bus, and metro. Be prepared to walk a lot no matter where you stay and plan extra time for public transportation between sites. Ride share options like Uber are good but you still need to plan for city traffic.

We found the metro took wide loops around the city and was typically a 20-30 min ride everywhere we went. It was cost efficient but timely.

The bus schedule was not accurate on google maps and not all bus stop signs were up to date. This made taking the bus challenging, we once waited an hour and a half for the bus, but it was also necessary because the metro doesn’t get everywhere. The bus is the most cost effective way to get around the city, you can tap to pay once on the bus which made bus fare easy if you are doing a single ride ticket.

You can purchase metro and bus tickets at local tobacco shops or kiosks at metro stations. You can get single fare tickets, daily, or weekly tickets. Currently, a daily ticket is 4,50 EUR and a weekly ticket is 12,50 EUR. These tickets work for bus, metro, tram, and trolly. For more information visit the official Italy transportation site.

FAQs

Still wondering about your trip Naples? Here are a few frequently asked questions!

Is Sorrento or Naples better?

Naples is a large city that’s hustling and bustling and lots to do. Sorrento is smaller but still supports many tourists with sights and activities. You can easily get to Pompeii and Capri from both cities.

Is Amalfi Coast a day trip from Naples?

The Amalfi Coast is about a one hour and a half drive from Naples. It could easily be a day trip by either renting a car, booking a tour, or taking public transportation such as bus, metro, or ferry.

Check Viator for Tours and Private Day Trips!

What is the prettiest part of Naples?

I loved the city views overlooking the sea. Since the city is basically on a mountain, is it not difficult to be on higher ground looking out over the city to the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Let’s Recap – 3 Days In Naples: The Ultimate City Of The Sun Itinerary

3 Days in Naples, Italy is good amount of time to see the city and surrounding areas. This ultimate city of the sun itinerary highlights the most popular and must see experiences that are worth visiting. Though, between the historical sites and city views, you can’t go wrong on your trip to Naples.

If you are looking for substitutes on any of the days, check out these activities:
-Instead of going to Pompeii – Head to the Museo Archeological Nazionale di Napoli
-In case of a rainy day – Check out the Catacombs of San Gennaro or the Naples Underground