Campania

Campania, in Southern Italy, boasts a mild climate, beautiful coasts, rich art and history and lovely food. The coastlines in particular crawl with bays, coves and rock faces, and in the Gulf of Naples you can also find marvellous Capri and Ischia islands. Varied vegetation, olive and citrus trees, vineyards, the Vesuvius volcano, hidden beaches and more will enchant you. The province of Naples offers many cultural attractions (castles, villas, churches, museums and more), among which Pompeii shines and captivates. Naples is widely known as a popular holiday destination and there are many visitors throughout the year.

Official site of Tourism Board (in italian)

Anacapri BW 2013-05-14 13-31-45

Berthold Werner, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

How to get to Campania

The Campania region has two airports, in Naples and Salerno. The Airport of Naples (Aeroporto Internazionale di Napoli Capodichino) is connected to the city centre via a special bus line called Alibus shuttle.

From Salerno Airport, you can get to the city’s railway station via both fast and regional trains. The city of Naples has fantastic public transport and driving can be complicated, so it is best to leave the car at the airport or at the hotel where you will be staying, and use it to get out of the city towards farther destinations.

For more information, check the websites of the airports:
https://www.aeroportodinapoli.it/homepage
http://www.aeroportosalerno.it//default.aspx?idLingua=1&pagina=home_eng

Things to do in Campania

Pompeii

Pompeii was an ancient city that was buried under volcanic ash and pumice in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79.

Pompeii is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Italy, offering a unique snapshot of how life was like at the time. Under the ashes lies the tale of a wealthy Roman town, with fine public buildings and luxurious private houses with lavish decorations, furnishings and works of art. Numerous graffiti have been found as well, carved on the walls and inside rooms, showing examples of the Vulgar Latin spoken colloquially at the time.

Tempio di Apollo - Scavi di Pompei

Vincenzo Paolella, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Useful information

View location on Google Maps
Official site 
9.00 am – 7.00 pm (last admission: 5.30 pm)(from 1st November to 31st March)
9.00 am – 5.00 pm (last admission: 3.30 pm)(1st April to 31st October)
25th December, 1st May, 1st January
Standard ticket: € 16 + € 1.50 presale fee
You can purchase the ticket here
From Napoli Centrale railway station:

  • Car: A3
  • Bus: n. 1 (Ente Autonomo Volturno), or BUS (Torre Annunziata Centrale), or n. 5000 (Naples Ferraris Stazione Vesuviana)

Ercolano

Ercolano is a resort town close to Mount Venuvius and Naples, and the starting point for excursions to the excavations of Herculaneum and for the ascent of Vesuvius by bus. It is also popular for its leather goods, buttons, glass and Lacryma Christi (Tears of Christ) wine.

Since the time of Roman Herculaneum, the area has attracted famous artists, poets (e.g. Gabriele D’Annunzio), writers and philosophers.

The Villa dei Pisoni, for instance, was an international centre of Epicurean philosophy, and once the buried town of Herculaneum was discovered and excavations started, artists, scholars and authors from all around Europe came to admire and document all that resurfaced.

Neptune's House and Amphitrite - Ercolano

Sumit Surai, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Useful information

View location on Google Maps
Official site 
9.30 am – 7.30 pm (last admission: 6.00 pm)(from 16th March to 14th October)
8.30 am – 5.00 pm (last admission: 3.30 pm)(15th October to 15th March)
25th December, 1st May, 1st January
Standard ticket: € 13 + € 1.50 presale fee
You can purchase the ticket here
From Napoli Centrale railway station:

  • Car: A3 or E45
  • Bus: From Piazza Garibaldi, n. 1 of Ente Autonomo Volturno (towards Sorrento)

Royal Palace of Caserta

In the town of Caserta, you will find this magnificent former royal residence, which is the largest royal residence in the world, Palace-of-Versailles inspired, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

It boasts 5 floors, 1,200 rooms (including 24 state apartments), a large library and a theatre. The garden, a typical example of the Baroque extension of formal vistas, is also inspired by the park of Versailles. You will find the botanical garden, called “The English Garden”, in the upper part.

The stunning architectural skills shown by the fountains and cascades rivals that of Peterhof fountains outside St. Petersburg. Do not miss the Fountain of Diana and Actaeon and the Fountain of Venus and Adonis.

Reggia di Caserta, prospettiva dalla fontana di Venere e Adone - panoramio

Carlo Pelagalli, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Useful information

View location on Google Maps
Official site 
8.30 am – 7.30 pm (last admission: 6.30 pm)
25 December, 1 January
Weekly closing: Tuesday
Ticket including the Royal Palace (with Royal apartments) and the Park (and the English Garden): € 14
From Napoli Centrale railway station:

  • Train: Regional train (towards Caserta)
  • Car: A1/E45