🌏 What are we gonna see?
On this route we will visit the Bay of Naples and the Amalfi Coast, located on the Tyrrhenian Sea, in southern Italy. It is a short route, which can be done in three or four days, since here the distances by road or rail are not long. Of course, it is best not to travel in high season, since it is a very busy area with tourists in summer. So let's go!
1. Naples, capital of southern Italy.
Whether you arrive in Naples by train, for example from Rome it is only 2 hours, or by plane, the arrival point is Piazza Garibaldi. This is where the Central Station is located and where you take the bus to go to the airport, since the railway does not go there.
When you arrive at Piazza de Garibaldi, in the center of the city, you have the feeling of suddenly appearing in another world. Noise, uncontrolled traffic, honking of cars, motorcycles that circulate without sense... Naples is a chaotic and somewhat neglected city, but it has an immense charm. Its streets, its buildings, its markets, its people, of course its gastronomy and also its history and geography are impressive.
It is the most inhabited city in southern Italy. It has wonderful buildings from the Baroque period, which demonstrate the grandeur and importance of Naples in the past. But that today, sadly they are neglected like its streets, lacking some type of planning. It is in stark contrast to northern Italian cities, where everyone rides a bike. Here, as in other cities in the south of the country, everyone rides a motorcycle.
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| Views of Naples, with Vesuvius in the background |
The old town is a World Heritage Site. There are numerous palaces and churches, altars with virgins and saints on the walls of the buildings, and of course souvenir shops and restaurants, all mixed up. In addition, strolling through its narrow streets we can find open-air markets where everything from fish to shoes is sold. And sometimes, under the hanging clothes that people hang in between buildings, something that draws a lot of attention to tourists, while they are raffled off by motorcycles.
Naples has a Mediterranean atmosphere that is noted for its great life in the streets, in contrast to Northern Europe, with more home life. The subways are full at rush hour and people speak loudly even though it is crowded. It is the happy, messy and warm life of Southern Europe.
If we go up to the higher areas of the city, where there are some hostels to stay, we can enjoy the views of the city, the sea and the Vesuvius volcano.
2. The ruins of Pompeii, observing Vesuvius.
A few kilometers by train, are the ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum. The trains are not the most modern in Europe but they run between the coast and Mount Vesuvius, so just for the landscape alone, it is worth the trip.
Vesuvius, is visible from certain parts of the city and was the main culprit for the ruins of Pompeii, a city Roman that was devastated after its famous eruption. One has no idea of the grandeur of this ancient city until one sees inside it, walking through its streets and imagining what it would be like during its splendor before the volcano catastrophe, and it is necessary to imagine what the tragedy would be like.
Pompeii has all the remains of a Roman city arranged according to social areas. The high-class area with old palaces, the shopping area, the area of political and religious buildings (the forum), the theaters, the amphitheater, the circus, the cemetery... is amazing. I recommend you dedicate a day to visit it calmly and wear comfortable shoes, it is large and you need to walk through its cobbled streets. You won't be able to order a taxi here!
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| Ruins of Pompeii, with Vesuvius in the background |
3. The Amalfi Coast, from Sorrento to Salerno.
A short distance from Pompeii is one of the most beautiful coastal areas in Italy and also one of the most famous, the Amalfi Coast. To get there you have several options, you can get to Sorrento by train from Pompeii and the next day choose a route by road or by boat. You can also leave by boat from the port of Naples if you decide to always stay in that city, since it is not far.
Without a doubt, the perspective is different if you travel the coast by boat or by road, so you can do both, take the outward trip by boat and the return trip by bus, or vice versa. In addition there are also boat tours to visit the amazing Island of Capri.
If you decide to do the route by road by renting a car, it is important to know that this area is full of tourists in summer and the road is narrow, since it is an area of cliffs. So you will find traffic and buses that will surely make you maneuver and demonstrate your skills behind the wheel.
But if you can, I recommend traveling in autumn or winter, because in addition to the fact that there are fewer people (and the same in Pompeii), the Mediterranean climate in this area is not cold at all and the prices of accommodation, flights, etc ... they are cheaper.
The Amalfi coast is not too long to go around. You can visit picturesque villages nestled in a mountain area with lush vegetation and next to the Mediterranean Sea. You will enjoy views with an incredible landscape.
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| Amalfi village (Amalfi Coast) |
Click on the box at the top left of the map to choose the layers you want to see.
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