Campania trip planner

A travel guide to help you plan the perfect trip to Italy's Campania region: From Naples to the Amalfi Coast, Capri to Pompeii, these are the glories of Southern Italy's Campania region

CampaniaThe Campania region around Naples was the Hamptons of ancient Rome, where the rich built sumptuous summer villas and emperors went to retire.

The province also boasts some of Italy's most gorgeous scenery, from the seductive island of Capri to the singularly beautiful Amalfi Coast and its famed fishing towns-turns-resorts of Positano, Amalfi, and Ravello.

In Naples, you can delve into the 18th-century court of the Bourbons at their royal palace and theater, or pay homage to Caravaggio in one museum and ancient sculptors in another in between visiting baroque churches and sampling pizza in the very restaurant that invented it.

Top sights of Campania
1) Naples
2) The Amalfi Drive
3) Pompeii
4) Capri
5) Positano
6) Ravello
8) Amalfi
9) Herculaneum
10) Paestum

From a base in Naples or resorty Sorrento, you can day-trip to visit one of the most destructive forces in western history, Mt. Vesuvius. A short train ride will take you to Pompeii and Herculaneum, two cities completely buried by the volcano's wrath in AD 79, frozen in time and offering an unparalleled glimpse into daily life almost 2,000 years ago.

To cycle back even further in time, head to southern Campania, where you can wander amid the columns of some of the most intact Greek temples in the world in the forgotten 5th-century BC colony of Paestum.

Featured article

Blogs - Reid's adventures in Campania
Up the Blue Grotto without a Paddle...or a Boat - An ill-advised swim in Capri's famous Blue Grotto.
The Saint & the Sea Monster - Sorrento's home-grown saint battles a sea serpent.
The Dangers of Dinner in Sorrento - Dining in a tourist town.
Sorrento: Equidistant from Everywhere You'd Rather Be - This popular Italian resort offers a great location...and that's about it.
The Road to Sorrento - A train ride through the Campagna heartland.

Hotels on the Amalfi CoastSecret Hotels of the Amalfi Coast & Capri - A few years ago for Budget Travel magazine, I scoured the fishing towns of the Amalfi Drive and the gorgeous nearby island of Capri to find and review a passel of hotels that charge two-star prices for million-dollar accommodations. I came up with nine outstanding hotels and B&Bs everywhere from the fabled coastal resorts of Amalfi and Positano to the vacation hotspots of Capri and Sorrento to smaller villages like Praiano and Anacapri. » book

Around the Bay of Naples

South of Naples along the coast

North of Naples and inland

The Palace of Caserta* The Reggia di Caserta - This sumptuous royal palace and ornate gardens are the Versailles of Italy, instantly recognizable to anyone who has seen it cast in recent films like Star Wars (Episodes I and II) as the royal palace on Naboo or—filling in for the Vatican both times—in Mission Impossible III and Angels & Demons... » more

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Details

Campania tourism information:
www.incampania.com

Region of Campania

Campania is a region that lends itself well to home-basing/day-tripping mode of traveling. The two most convenient bases are the capital city of Naples and package tour–resort town of Sorrento.

Sorrento offers very little to see in town itself, but is better positioned for the Amalfi Coast and Capri, and is considerably safer and cleaner than Naples as a city.

Naples has a wealth of sightseeing and is cheaper. Base in whichever is closer to your own day-tripping dreams, or spend a few nights in each for ultimate convenience.

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Details

Campania tourism information:
www.incampania.com


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