Naples in 3 days
Covers hotels, areas, the islands, day trips and planning: rates for named dates, ferry and train fares, and the city tourist tax.
UpdatedThis page carries dated prices or seasonal dates checked on the date above, and that window has now passed. Re-check the sources at the foot of the page before you book anything.
Three days is the length we would choose for a first trip to Naples. It gives the old town a full day, puts Vesuvius and Pompeii together on one day by public transport, and leaves a third day for the Archaeological Museum and the Rione Sanità, the neighborhood above it with the city's oldest catacombs.
The plan costs about €447 for two before your hotel. Day 2 is the flexible one: the crater closes on days of an orange weather alert and shows you little on a hazy day, so be ready to swap it with day 3. Day 3 cannot be a Tuesday (the MANN is shut) or a Wednesday (the catacombs are).
At a glance
- The three days
- 1: old town and seafront. 2: Vesuvius crater and Pompeii. 3: MANN, Rione Sanità and the Catacombs of San Gennaro.
- Works on
- Day 1 not on a Tuesday; day 3 not on a Tuesday or Wednesday; day 2 any day. Thursday to Saturday is the easiest run.
- Book ahead
- Cappella Sansevero; the Vesuvius crater slot (online only, €11.68); Pompeii+ (named tickets); the catacombs tour.
- Tickets for two
- Day 1 €94; day 2 €73.36; day 3 €66.
- Transport for two
- About €28: Circumvesuviana €13.20, bus 808 €9.60, metro €5.20.
- Total for two
- About €447 before hotel: €191 + €124.66 + €131.20.
In this guide
Day 1: the old town, pizza and the sea
Follow Naples in 1 day: Gesù Nuovo, the Santa Chiara cloister (€7), Cappella Sansevero at a booked slot (€12), San Gregorio Armeno, Pio Monte della Misericordia (€10) and the Duomo in the morning; pizza at Da Michele at 1 p.m.; Napoli Sotterranea (€18) at 3 p.m.; Via Toledo, Plebiscito and the Lungomare at sunset; dinner at Osteria della Mattonella. About €191 for two. Not on a Tuesday, when Sansevero is closed.
Day 2, 7:27 a.m.: Vesuvius by bus 808
Book a crater slot around 9:30 a.m. on vesuviopark.vivaticket.it, the park's only authorized seller: €11.68, or €9.55 under 25. The gate lets you in from 40 minutes before your time to 100 minutes after it, so the bus below fits.
- 7:27 a.m. Circumvesuviana from Napoli Garibaldi to Pompei Scavi-Villa dei Misteri, arriving 8:01 a.m. (€3.30).
- 8:35 a.m. EAV bus 808 from the stop on Via Villa dei Misteri, outside the station. It reaches the Quota 1000 terminus at 9:25 a.m. EAV does not print the fare; the UnicoCampania single-company ticket for the Pompei to Ercolano band is €2.40, so budget that.
- 9:30 a.m. The crater path: loose gravel, steady gradient, an out-and-back walk capped at two hours. Wear shoes with grip and take a layer.
- 11 a.m. Bus 808 down. It does not call at Villa dei Misteri on the way back: ride to the Piazza Anfiteatro terminus, 11:55 a.m.
If the morning is hazy, or an orange alert has closed the trail (tickets are refunded automatically), skip the crater, go straight into Pompeii at 9 a.m., and swap with day 3 if you can. The 808 timetable is the one in force since May 1, 2026; check for winter changes before you travel.
Day 2, noon: lunch in Pompei and the ruins until closing
Noon. Lunch at Da Michele's Pompei branch on Via Lepanto, open daily from 11:30 a.m.: margherita €7, marinara €6.50, 75 cl water €2.50 on its July 2026 menu.
1 p.m. Pompeii, by the Piazza Anfiteatro gate. Buy Pompeii+ (€25) online for the afternoon: until October 14 the park holds 5,000 entries for after 1 p.m. Walk the city from east to west: the amphitheatre and the Great Palaestra, Via dell'Abbondanza, the theaters, the Stabian Baths, the Lupanar, the Forum, the House of the Faun. Finish outside Porta Ercolano at the Villa of the Mysteries, which Pompeii+ includes.
From October 15 the park closes at 5 p.m. and last entry is 3:30 p.m., so you still have four hours. Until October 14 it is open to 7 p.m. Leave by Porta Marina: the 5:17 p.m. train from Pompei Scavi reaches Garibaldi at 5:48 p.m.
Dinner at Sorbillo on Via dei Tribunali: margherita €7, marinara €5.50 (July 2026). It is closed on Sundays; then go to Starita, closed Mondays.
Day 3: the MANN, the Sanità and the catacombs
- 9 a.m. The MANN, €20. Metro Line 1 to Museo (€1.30). The entrance is temporarily at the western gate. Give it until about 11:45 a.m.: the Pompeii frescoes you walked past yesterday, the Farnese Hercules and Bull, the Villa dei Papiri bronzes. The mosaics and the Secret Cabinet are closed until November 30, 2026.
- 12:15 p.m. Lunch at Concettina ai Tre Santi. Walk about 1 km into the Sanità. Share the €18 pizza fritta and a €10 marinara; the margherita is €12 here, so it is not the one to order.
- 2 p.m. Catacombs of San Gennaro, €13. From the Basilica della Sanità it is 1.08 km uphill to Via Capodimonte 13. Tours are guided, about an hour, hourly from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; the site says to reserve. Closed Wednesdays. The same ticket covers San Gaudioso, under the basilica, within 12 months.
- 3:30 p.m. The Rione Sanità walk downhill. 2.6 km back to Museo station past Palazzo Sanfelice and the basilica. Stop at Poppella on Via Arena della Sanità for a fiocco di neve (€1.50 in 2024; no 2026 price published).
- 8 p.m. Tandem, Via Giovanni Paladino 51. Ziti with ragù or genovese €12, cover €2.50 (July 2026 English menu).
Which days to use
| Start day | Day 1 / 2 / 3 | Works? |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday | Thu old town, Fri Vesuvius and Pompeii, Sat MANN and Sanità | Yes |
| Friday | Fri, Sat, Sun | Yes; Sorbillo is shut Sunday, so eat at Starita on day 2 if it falls then |
| Saturday | Sat, Sun, Mon | Yes |
| Sunday | Sun old town, Mon MANN and Sanità, Tue Vesuvius and Pompeii | Yes, with days 2 and 3 swapped |
| Monday | Mon MANN and Sanità, Tue Vesuvius and Pompeii, Wed old town | Yes, reordered |
| Tuesday or Wednesday | Needs day 3 on Thursday or later | Start Tuesday with Vesuvius and Pompeii |
Flying in November 2026? Capodichino airport is closed for runway works from November 1 to 30, and some airlines have moved their flights to Salerno airport (QSR), about an hour's drive from Naples: see getting to Naples.
What three days cost for two
| Item | For two |
|---|---|
| Day 1 (see Naples in 1 day) | €191 |
| Day 2: Circumvesuviana, four singles at €3.30 | €13.20 |
| Day 2: bus 808, four rides at €2.40 (Unico band; EAV prints no fare) | €9.60 |
| Day 2: Vesuvius crater, €11.68 each | €23.36 |
| Day 2: Pompeii+, €25 each | €50 |
| Day 2: lunch at Da Michele Pompei (two pizzas, water) | €16 |
| Day 2: dinner at Sorbillo, margherita and marinara, before drinks | €12.50 |
| Day 3: MANN, €20 each | €40 |
| Day 3: Catacombs of San Gennaro, €13 each | €26 |
| Day 3: Concettina, pizza fritta and marinara, before drinks | €28 |
| Day 3: two fiocchi di neve at Poppella (2024 price) | €3 |
| Day 3: metro Line 1, four ANM singles at €1.30 | €5.20 |
| Day 3: Tandem, ragù and genovese pasta, cover €5 | €29 |
| Total, three days | €446.86 |
Metro and train prices are the ANM and EAV single-company fares, which stay unchanged from October 1, 2026; the new integrated Unico prices were unpublished on September 30. EU citizens aged 18 to 24 pay €2 at Pompeii and the MANN.
Tickets and tours you can book
Pompeii: Entry Ticket and Guided Tour with an Archaeologist
The ticket is Pompei Express (€20 at the park), so no Villa of the Mysteries. You make your own way to Pompeii. Headsets only for groups of 10 or more; the guide waits 10 minutes for latecomers.
Rating as shown on GetYourGuide
From Naples: Pompeii and Vesuvius Day Trip with Pizza Lunch
Meets at Starhotels Terminus, Piazza Garibaldi; bring a passport. Vesuvius, its €11.68 crater ticket and the lunch come only with the Full Day option, and the €49 from-price may be the shorter Pompeii-only option.
Rating as shown on GetYourGuide
Naples: Catacombs of San Gennaro Entry Ticket & Guided Tour
Sold by the catacombs' own operator, Catacombe di Napoli. Timed and non-refundable: be at the ticket office, Via Capodimonte 13, 15 minutes early. The San Gaudioso part is valid for 12 months.
Rating as shown on GetYourGuide
Booking through these links supports this site at no cost to you. Prices move by date, so we do not print them here; the official prices we checked are in the page above.
Frequently asked questions
Can I do Herculaneum instead of Pompeii on day 2?
Yes, and it is shorter. Take the 8:16 a.m. Poggiomarino-line train to Ercolano Scavi (18 minutes, €2.60; most Sorrento trains skip that station), see Herculaneum (€16) from 8:30 a.m., then go up Vesuvius from Ercolano station. Vesuvio Express lists a €20 return with the crater ticket, every 40 minutes from 9:30 a.m. Our two-day ruins plan fits all three.
Is Vesuvius worth it on a three-day trip?
On a clear morning, yes: the view takes in the whole bay. On a hazy day you pay for a gravel walk to a view you cannot see. Book the slot, but look at the sky before you leave.
What if an island matters more to me than Vesuvius?
Drop the crater, do Pompeii in the morning on day 2, and add Capri or Procida as a fourth day. Our 5-day plan shows both islands.
Do I need a tour for Pompeii and Vesuvius on the same day?
No. The train, bus 808 and two tickets you buy yourself come to €56.08 each with lunch, €112.16 for two. A tour saves you the timetables but usually gives Pompeii only about two hours.
Further reading
Official sources
- Parco Nazionale del Vesuvio - Gran Cono (official) – €11.68 and €9.55 on the only authorized seller, access window, hours by month, orange-alert closures and refunds, 2-hour cap; checked September 30, 2026
- EAV - bus timetables incl. line 808 (official PDF) – Line 808 from May 1, 2026: Villa dei Misteri 8:35, Quota 1000 9:25; down 11:00, Piazza Anfiteatro 11:55; return route does not call at Villa dei Misteri
- UnicoCampania - fare finder (official) – Pompei-Ercolano AC2 €2.40; Napoli-Pompei NA3 €3.30; Napoli-Ercolano NA2 €2.60; checked September 30, 2026
- EAV - Circumvesuviana timetables (official PDFs) – Garibaldi 7:27 to Pompei Scavi 8:01; Pompei Scavi 5:17 p.m. to Garibaldi 5:48 p.m.; Poggiomarino line 8:16 to Ercolano Scavi 8:34
- Parco archeologico di Pompei - timetables and tickets (official) – Pompeii+ €25, afternoon quota, hours from October 15
- Pizzeria da Michele - Pompei menu (official PDF) – Margherita €7, marinara €6.50, water €2.50; dated July 29, 2026
- Scatti di Gusto - Sorbillo, July 2026 – Margherita €7, marinara €5.50
- Gino e Toto Sorbillo (official) – Via dei Tribunali 32, closed Sundays
- MANN - timetables and fares; open rooms (official) – €20, closed Tuesdays; mosaics and Secret Cabinet closed to November 30, 2026
- Scatti di Gusto - Concettina ai Tre Santi, April 2026 – Margherita €12, marinara €10, pizza fritta €18
- Catacombe di Napoli - planning your visit (official) – €13; hourly tours 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed Wednesdays; San Gaudioso included within 12 months
- Gambero Rosso - fiocco di neve – €1.50 (May 2024)
- Tandem - English menu (official PDF) – July 2026: ziti with ragù or genovese €12, cover €2.50
- Vesuvio Express - price list – €10 return bus, €20 with crater entrance; undated; departures every 40 minutes from 9:30 a.m. per home page; checked September 30, 2026
- UnicoCampania - fare table (official PDF) – ANM single €1.30
- OSRM foot routing (routing.openstreetmap.de) – MANN to the Basilica della Sanità about 1 km; Sanità walk 2.6 km; computed September 30, 2026
