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Top Reasons to Go | Getting Oriented | Planning | Eating and Drinking Well in Naples and Campania
Updated by Fergal Kavanagh
A kinetic gust of 3-D garlic-and-basil aromatherapy, Campania is a destination that no one ever forgets. More travelers visit this region than any other in Italy’s South, and it’s no wonder.
An area of evocative names—Capri, Sorrento, Pompeii, Positano, Amalfi—Campania conjures up visions of cliff-shaded, sapphire-hue coves, sun-dappled waters, and mighty ruins. Home to Vesuvius, the area’s unique geology is responsible for Campania’s photogenic landscape. A spectacular coastline stretches out along a deep blue sea, punctuated by rocky islands.
Through the ages, the area’s temperate climate, warm sea, fertile soil, and natural beauty have attracted Greek colonists, then Roman emperors—who called the region Campania Felix (“the happy land”)—and later Saracen raiders and Spanish invaders. The result has been a rich and varied history, reflected in everything from architecture to mythology. The highlights span millennia: the near-intact Roman towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum, the Greek temples in Paestum, the Norman and Baroque churches in Naples, the white-dome fisherman’s houses of Positano, the dolce vita resorts of Capri. Campania piles them all onto one mammoth must-see sandwich.
The region’s complex identity is most intensely felt in its major metropolis, Naples. Exasperating both critics and defenders, Napoli is lush, chaotic, scary, funny, confounding, intoxicating, and very beautiful. Few who visit remain ambivalent. You needn’t participate in the mad whirl of the city, however. The best pastime in Campania is simply finding a spot with a stunning view and indulging in “il dolce far niente” (“the sweetness of doing nothing”).
Top Reasons to Go
Naples, Italy’s Most Operatic City: Walk through the energy, chaos, and beauty that is Spaccanapoli, the city’s historic district, and you’ll create an unforgettable memory.
Exploring Pompeii: The excavated ruins of Pompeii offer a unique, occasionally spooky glimpse into everyday life—and sudden death—in Roman times.
“The Living Room of the World”: Pose oh-so-casually with the beautiful people on La Piazzetta, the central crossroads of Capri—a stage-set square that always seems ready for a gala performance.
Ravishing Ravello: High above the Amalfi Coast, this place is a contender for the title of most beautiful village in the world.
A world made of stairs: Built like a vertical amphitheater, Positano may very well be the best triathlon training ground imaginable. The town’s only job is to look enchanting—and it does that very well.
Getting Oriented
The Golfo di Napoli (Bay of Naples) holds many of Campania’s attractions, including Italy’s greatest archaeological sites—Pompeii and Herculaneum—and the city of Naples itself. Geological stepping-stones anchored in the bay, the islands of Capri, Ischia, and Procida tip the two points of its watery crescent. Just to the south stands the Sorrento Peninsula, home to the town of Sorrento. Over the Lattari Mountains lies the Amalfi Coast, famed for such beauty spots as Positano, Amalfi, and Ravello.
Naples. Italy’s third-largest city is densely packed with people, cafés, pizzerias, and an amazing number of Norman and Baroque churches.
Herculaneum, Vesuvius, and Pompeii. Two towns show you through their excavated ruins how ancient Romans lived the good life—until, one day in AD 79, Mount Vesuvius buried them in volcanic ash and lava.
Procida and Ischia. Though they lack Capri’s glitz, these two sister islands in the Bay of Naples share a laid-back charm.
Capri. The rocky island mixes natural beauty and dolce vita glamour.
Sorrento. Perched over the Bay of Naples with an incomparable view of Mt. Vesuvius, this Belle-Epoque resort town is sheer delight.
The Amalfi Coast. The most shockingly beautiful coastal drive in the world links together Positano, Amalfi, and Ravello, all magically set against a bluer-than-blue sea and sky.
Planning
Making the Most of Your Time
In Campania there are three primary travel experiences: Naples, with its restless exuberance; the resorts (Capri, Sorrento, the Amalfi Coast), dedicated to leisure and indulgence; and the archaeological sights (Pompeii, Herculaneum, Paestum), where the ancient world is frozen in time. Each is wonderful in its own way. If you have a week, you can get a good taste of all three. With less time, you’re better off choosing between them rather than stretching yourself thin.
Pompeii, being a day trip, is the simplest to plan for. To get a feel for Naples, you should give it a couple of days at a minimum. The train station makes a harsh first impression (a recent overhaul softens the blow), but the city grows on you as you take in the sights and interact with the locals.
That said, many people bypass Naples and head right for the resorts. These places are all about relaxing—you’ll miss the point if you’re in a rush. Though Sorrento isn’t as spectacular as Positano or Capri, it makes a good base because of its central location.
The Campania Artecard
The Campania Artecard is a big boon for museum lovers. This pass offers free or discounted admission to almost 50 museums and monuments over a three- or seven-consecutive-day period for the city or the whole region, plus discounted services ranging from audio guides to theater tickets and car parks.
The benefits depend on the pass: a three-day version gets you free entry to the first two sites you visit, half-price entry for the others, and free transport—including the Alibus from the airport. The main passes are: Naples historic center, €12 (access to five sites); Naples and Campi Flegrei, €16; Naples and Caserta, €20; Archeologia del Golfo including Pompeii, Herculaneum, Caserta, and Paestum, €30; and Naples and Campi Flegrei, €20 (access to 12 sites). In addition, there are generous youth discounts. As sites and discounts are frequently updated, check | www.campaniartecard.it for the latest details. Cards are available at all major participating museums and archaeological sites, at main city hotels, as well as at the airport and train station.
Getting Here and Around
Bus Travel
Within Campania there’s an extensive network of local buses, although finding information about it can be trying.
SITA buses.
SITA buses bound for Salerno leave every 30 minutes between 6 am and 9 pm, Monday through Saturday, from its terminal in the port near the Stazione Marittima. There are also four departures from the airport. There are no services on Sunday. SITA buses also serve the Amalfi Coast, connecting Sorrento with Salerno. | 199/730749 | www.sitabus.it.
Car Travel
You can get along fine without a car in Campania, and there are plenty of reasons not to have one. Traffic in Naples is even worse than in Rome; you can’t bring a car to Capri (except in winter, when everything’s closed); and parking in the towns of the Amalfi Coast is hard to come by and expensive.
Italy’s main north–south route, the A1 (also known as the Autostrada del Sole), connects Rome with Naples and Campania. In good traffic the drive to Naples takes less than three hours. Autostrada A3, a somewhat perilous continuation of the A1, runs south from Naples through Campania and into Calabria. Herculaneum (Ercolano) and Pompeii (Pompei) both have marked exits off the A3. For Vesuvius, take the Ercolano exit. For the Sorrento Peninsula and the Amalfi Coast, exit at Castellammare di Stabia. To get to Paestum, take the A3 to the Battipaglia exit and follow the road to Capaccio Scalo–Paestum. Roads on the Sorrento Peninsula and Amalfi Coast are narrow and twisting, but they have outstanding views.
Train Travel
There are up to three trains every hour between Rome and Naples. The Alta Velocità Freccia Rossa (the fastest type of train service) makes the trip in just over an hour, with the Intercity taking two. All trains to Naples stop at the newly-refurbished Stazione Centrale.
The efficient (though run-down) suburban Cicumvensuviana runs from Naples’s Stazione Circumvesuviana and stops at Stazione Centrale before continuing to Herculaneum, Pompeii, and Sorrento. Travel time between Naples and Sorrento on the Circumvesuviana line is about 75 minutes.
Circumvesuviana.
Circumvesuviana | 081/7722444 | www.vesuviana.it. Stazione Centrale.
Piazza Garibaldi | 80142 | 892021 | www.trenitalia.com.
For ticketing purposes, the region is divided into travel zones depending on distance from Naples. A Fascia 2 ticket (€2.10 for 120 minutes) takes you to Herculaneum, Fascia 3 (€2.80 for 140 minutes) includes Pompeii, and Fascia 5 (€4 for 180 minutes) covers trips to Sorrento. If you’re traveling from Naples to anywhere else in Campania, there’s no need to buy a separate ticket for your subway, tram, or bus ride to the train station. Your train ticket covers the whole journey.
Restaurants
Please note that restaurant prices listed as “Average Cost” include a meal consisting of first course (primo), second course (secondo), and dessert (dolce).
Hotels
Most parts of Campania have accommodations in all price categories, but they tend to fill up in high season, so reserve well in advance. In summer, hotels on the coast and the islands that serve meals often require you to take half board.
Eating and Drinking Well in Naples and Campania
Think of Neapolitan food and you conjure up pasta, pizza, and tomatoes. The stereotype barely scratches the surface of what’s available in Naples—to say nothing of the rest of Campania, where the cuisine reflects an enormously diverse landscape.
The region is known for its enclaves of gastronomy, notable among them the tip of the Sorrento Peninsula and the Campi Flegrei, west of Naples. You may well come across cucina povera, a cuisine inspired by Campania’s contadino (peasant) roots, with all the ingredients sourced from a nearby garden. Expect to see roadside stalls selling stellar local produce, including annurca apples (near Benevento), giant lemons (Amalfi Coast), roasted chestnuts (especially near Avellino), and watermelons (the plains around Salerno). Try to get to one of the local sagre village feasts celebrating a prodotto tipico (local specialty), which could be anything from snails to wild boar to cherries to, commonly, wine.
A Tipping Tip
Neapolitans are easily recognized in bars elsewhere in Italy by the tip they leave on the counter when ordering. This habit does not necessarily ensure better service in bars in Naples, notorious for their fairly offhand staff, but you do blend in better with the locals.
In restaurants, service is usually included unless stated otherwise (in which case 5%–10% is reasonable). In pizzerias, tips are given less often unless you’ve splurged on side dishes or sweets, or have had particularly good service.
Pizza
Naples is the undisputed homeland of pizza, and you’ll usually encounter it here in two classic forms: margherita and marinara. Given the larger-than-your-plate proportions of standard pizzas it’s legitimate to ask for a mignon (kids’ portion), or even share, divided on two plates. Take-away outlets in most town centers sell pizza by the slice, along with the usual range of fried arancini (rice balls) and crocchè di patate (potato fritters).
Coffee
Given the same basic ingredients—coffee grounds, water, a machine—what makes caffè taste so much better in Naples than elsewhere remains a mystery. If you find the end product too strong, ask to have it with a dash of milk (caffè macchiato) or a little diluted (caffè lungo). Many bars serve with sugar already added, so if you want it without, request senza zucchero.
Buffalo
Long feted for the melt-in-your-mouth mozzarella cheese made from its milk, the river buffalo—related to the Asian water buffalo—is also the source of other culinary delights. Throughout the region, look for buffalo ricotta and mascarpone, as well as buffalo provola and scamorza, which may be lightly smoked (resulting in a golden crust). Caserta has more mature nero di bufala (aged like sheep’s cheese), while around Salerno you’ll find smoked caciocavallo cheese as well as carne di bufala (buffalo meat), which can be braised to perfection.
The Oral Tradition
Locals in Campania like to bypass the restaurant menu and ask what the staff recommends. Take this approach and you’ll often wind up with a daily special or house specialty. Though you’re unlikely to get multilingual staff outside the larger hotels and main tourist areas, the person you talk to will spare no effort to get the message across.
Wine
Wine in Campania has an ancient pedigree. Some say fancifully that Campania’s undisputed king of reds, the Aglianico varietal, got its name from the word “Hellenic”; and Fiano, the primary white grape, closely resembles the Roman variety Apianus. Horace, the Latin poet, extolled the virtues of drinking wine from Campania. A century later, Pliny the Elder was harsher in his judgment: wine from Pompeii would give you a hangover until noon the next day, and Sorrento wine tasted of vinegar.
In recent decades though, Campania has gained respect for its boutique reds. Due to the rugged landscape, small farms, and limited mechanization, prices can be relatively high, but the quality is high as well.
Campania through the Ages
Ancient History. Lying on Mediterranean trade routes plied by several pre-Hellenic civilizations, Campania was settled by the ancient Greeks from approximately 800 BC onward. Here myth and legend blend with historical fact. The town of Herculaneum is said—rather improbably—to have been established by Hercules himself; and Naples in ancient times was called Parthenope, the name attributed to one of the sirens who preyed on hapless sailors in antiquity.
Thanks to archaeological research, some of the layers of myth have been stripped away to reveal a pattern of occupation and settlement well before Rome became established. Greek civilization flourished for hundreds of years all along this coastline, but there was nothing in the way of centralized government until centuries later when the Roman Republic, uniting all Italy for the first time, absorbed the Greek colonies with little opposition. Generally, the peace of Campania was undisturbed during these centuries of Roman rule.
Foreign Influences. Naples and Campania, like Italy in general, decayed with the Roman Empire and collapsed into the abyss of the Middle Ages. Naples itself regained some importance under the rule of the Angevins in the latter part of the 13th century and continued its progress in the 1440s under Aragonese rule. The nobles who served under the Spanish viceroys in the 16th and 17th centuries enjoyed their pleasures, even as Spain milked the area for taxes.
After a short Austrian occupation, Naples became the capital of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, which the Bourbon kings established in 1738. Their rule was generally benevolent as far as Campania was concerned, and their support of papal authority in Rome was important in the development of the country as a whole. Their rule was important artistically, too, contributing to the architecture of the region, and attracting great musicians, artists, and writers who were drawn by the easy life at court. Finally, Giuseppe Garibaldi launched his famous expedition, and in 1860 Naples was united with the rest of Italy.
Modern Times. Things were relatively tranquil through the years that followed—with visitors thronging to Capri, Sorrento, Amalfi, and, of course, Naples—until World War II. Allied bombings did considerable damage in and around Naples. At the fall of the fascist government, the sorely tried Neapolitans rose up against Nazi occupation troops and in four days of street fighting drove them out of the city. A monument was raised to the scugnizzo (the typical Neapolitan street urchin), celebrating the youngsters who participated in the battle. With the end of the war, artists, tourists, writers, and other lovers of beauty returned to the Campania region.
As time passed, some parts gained increased attention from knowing visitors, while others lost the cachet they once had. Years of misgovernment have left their mark, yet the region’s cultural and natural heritage is finally being revalued as local authorities and inhabitants recognize the importance the area’s largest industry, tourism.
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