Pompeii’s location at the foot of Vesuvius, between Naples and Sorrento, makes it one of the best-positioned bases in southern Italy for day trips. The Circumvesuviana railway — a regional commuter line — runs along the bay and connects the main sites without requiring a car. Most of the destinations listed here are reachable in under an hour from Pompeii Scavi station.
Plan around transport schedules: the Circumvesuviana runs frequently during the day but reduces service in the evenings, and the Amalfi Coast roads are extremely congested during July and August.
Naples
Journey: Circumvesuviana train from Pompeii Scavi to Napoli Garibaldi, approximately 34 minutes. Trains run every 20–30 minutes throughout the day. Fare approximately €3 each way as of 2026.
What to see: Naples is a full day. The single most important stop for anyone who has already visited Pompeii is the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli (MANN), which holds the majority of the portable finds from both Pompeii and Herculaneum — bronze statues, mosaics, silver tableware, and the notorious Gabinetto Segreto (Secret Room), which contains the erotic frescoes and objects recovered from the sites. Entry approximately €15. Allow 2–3 hours.
After MANN, Spaccanapoli — the long straight street that bisects the old city — is the most direct route through the historic centre. Street food (pizza al portafoglio, frittura, sfogliatella) is available from market stalls and small shops throughout. The Castel dell’Ovo on the seafront is free to enter and provides good views across the bay. The Spanish Quarter (Quartieri Spagnoli) north of Via Toledo is worth an hour on foot.
Naples has a well-deserved reputation for petty theft; keep bags close and be alert around Garibaldi station.
Herculaneum (Ercolano)
Journey: Circumvesuviana from Pompeii Scavi to Ercolano Scavi, approximately 15 minutes. Fare approximately €1.80 each way as of 2026.
What to see: Herculaneum was buried not by ashfall but by a volcanic surge that reached temperatures of 500°C and preserved organic materials that burned or rotted away at Pompeii. This means wooden furniture, doors, roof beams, food in jars, and carbonised written records survived. The site is smaller — approximately one-quarter the size of Pompeii — but significantly better preserved in many individual structures.
Entry is approximately €15 for Herculaneum alone, or €22 for a combined ticket covering both Pompeii and Herculaneum, valid over two consecutive days (as of 2026). Allow 2–3 hours. The site is far less crowded than Pompeii, which makes for a more comfortable visit.
The walk down from Ercolano Scavi station to the site entrance takes about 10 minutes through the modern town.
Mount Vesuvius
Journey: EAV bus from Pompeii Scavi station to the Piazzale Vesuvio car park at approximately 1,000m altitude. Journey approximately 40 minutes. Fare approximately €3 each way as of 2026. Services run from around 09:00 in season — check the current EAV timetable before going.
What to see: From the car park, a guided walk of approximately 30 minutes ascends to the crater rim at 1,281m. The guided walk is mandatory and costs approximately €10 per person as of 2026; guides are available at the car park. The crater itself is approximately 500m across and 300m deep — on clear days the view extends across the entire Bay of Naples to Capri and the Sorrento Peninsula.
Allow 3–4 hours in total including the bus journey. Go in the morning; afternoon cloud is common and reduces the view. The path is rocky and requires reasonable footwear — trainers are adequate, flip-flops are not. There is no water sold at the summit; bring your own.
The summit can be cold even in summer — bring an extra layer if you’re visiting between October and April.
Sorrento
Journey: Circumvesuviana from Pompeii Scavi to Sorrento, approximately 35–40 minutes. Fare approximately €3.20 each way as of 2026. The last stretch of the line offers sea views and passes through towns with good coastal scenery.
What to see: Sorrento is a cliffside town above the sea — the historic centre is compact and best explored on foot. Piazza Tasso is the main square and the natural base for an aperitivo or gelato. The old town streets west of the piazza (Via San Cesareo, Via Giuliani) are lined with limoncello producers, ceramic shops, and food stalls. The Villa Comunale gardens give good views over the port and Vesuvius.
From Marina Piccola and Marina Grande (reached by lift or stairs from the cliff), ferries run to Capri (approximately 25 minutes, ferries operate frequently in season) and to Amalfi and Positano on the coast. Capri is expensive; factor in approximately €20–25 for the ferry plus entry costs on the island.
Amalfi Coast (Positano, Amalfi)
Journey: The most practical approach without a car is to take the Circumvesuviana to Sorrento, then connect to a SITA Sud bus along the SS163 coast road. Positano is approximately 1 hour from Sorrento by bus; Amalfi is approximately 1.5 hours. From Salerno (train from Naples, approximately 45 minutes) ferries run along the coast to Amalfi in approximately 35 minutes.
Bus fares on the SITA Sud coast route are approximately €1.80–2.50 per segment as of 2026. Timetables are available at sita-on-line.it.
High season caution: In July and August, the SS163 is severely congested — buses can be delayed significantly (30–60 minutes) and standing-room only. Going in the early morning (before 09:00) substantially reduces both crowd levels and delays. May, June, September, and October are preferable months for visiting the Amalfi Coast.
What to see: Positano is the most photographed — vertically stacked pastel buildings above a small beach. It is extremely tourist-oriented in season. Amalfi town has the Cattedrale di Sant’Andrea (entry approximately €3) and a more active local commercial life. Ravello above Amalfi (bus connection, approximately 25 minutes) has the Villa Rufolo and Villa Cimbrone gardens with elevated views over the coastline.
Practical Considerations
All Circumvesuviana fares cited are approximate as of 2026 — validate tickets at the machines on the platform before boarding; inspectors operate regularly. The Campania Artecard (available at Pompeii ticket office and online) covers entry to multiple sites plus transport; check the current offer before purchasing to see if it covers your intended combination.
For Vesuvius and the Amalfi Coast, morning departure from Pompeii Scavi by 08:30–09:00 is strongly recommended to avoid heat and crowds at peak season.
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