The Bay of Naples, the Amalfi Coast, and the Lucanian interior together form the classic first-timer half of southern Italy. The gateway airport is Naples (NAP); the region is heavily served by trains and ferries, with a car needed only for the Cilento and the Basilicata interior. It makes a self-contained 7–12 day trip across eleven base destinations — eight in Campania, three in Basilicata.
Campania
Naples →
The intense, layered gateway city: pizza's birthplace, the Spaccanapoli old town, and the launchpad for Pompeii, Vesuvius, and the islands.
Coastal BaseSorrento →
The practical, well-connected base for the Amalfi Coast, Capri, and Pompeii — the source-recommended place to not drive.
Amalfi CoastPositano →
The vertical, postcard-perfect (and priciest) Amalfi village; best visited, not based in.
Amalfi CoastAmalfi & Ravello →
The historic maritime town with its striped cathedral, paired with Ravello's clifftop villa gardens and the coast's best views.
IslandCapri →
Glamorous limestone island of the Blue Grotto, the Faraglioni, and Monte Solaro; quietest as an overnight.
IslandIschia →
The green thermal-spa and hiking island, a relaxed, local-feeling alternative to Capri.
IslandProcida →
The tiny, authentic fishing island, walkable in a day; far fewer crowds.
Coast & TemplesCilento Coast →
Amalfi's "lesser-visited cousin": sandy beaches, the Greek temples of Paestum, and buffalo mozzarella at source.
Basilicata
Matera →
The unforgettable cave city of the Sassi; UNESCO site, Bond filming location, and a must-do two-night highlight.
Mountain VillagesCastelmezzano & Pietrapertosa →
Twin stone villages in the Lucanian Dolomites, linked by the "Flight of the Angel" zipline.
Cliff TownMaratea →
Basilicata's pretty Tyrrhenian cliff town under a giant Christ statue; an easy scenic road-trip break.
Overall Insights
Region-wide Plan it right
- Don't drive the coast — let trains and ferries do the work. Naples and the Amalfi corniche are congested with costly paid parking, and driving in Naples is "a nightmare." Use the Circumvesuviana / faster Campania Express (~40 min, ~€3.60–4) between Naples and Sorrento, SITA buses along the coast, and ferries between the towns and islands. Rent a car only when leaving for the Cilento and the Basilicata interior.
- Go in the shoulder seasons. May–June and September–October are ideal everywhere. July–August brings heat, crowds, traffic, peak prices, and a summer alternating-licence-plate driving restriction on the coast; Matera's stone can hit ~120°F/49°C. Winter sees many closures.
- Ferries are the smart coastal move June–September — they dodge road traffic — but schedules change and seats sell out, so book ahead. The Naples–Capri service is called "erratic"; for reliability depart from Sorrento or join a tour.
- Base in Sorrento, not Positano. It is larger and flatter, has both a train station and a ferry port, offers a fuller range of hotel prices, and makes day-tripping to the Amalfi Coast, Capri, and Pompeii/Vesuvius easy without a car.
- Book timed-entry sights ahead. Vesuvius sells only ~50 tickets per 10-minute slot; Pompeii, the Veiled Christ, the MANN museum, Ischia's thermal parks, and the seasonal "Flight of the Angel" zipline all reward advance booking in high season.
Easily missed Avoid the traps
- Renting a car for the whole trip. It's dead weight on the coast and islands — rent it late, in Sorrento or at the airport on the way out, for the Cilento and Basilicata legs only.
- Writing off Naples as unsafe. Sources repeatedly call it "perfectly safe for tourists"; the real risk is petty theft, so wear bags in front and lock valuables in the hotel safe.
- Skipping the quieter alternatives. The Cilento offers "near-Amalfi scenery with far fewer tourists," Ischia and Procida are calmer, cheaper antidotes to Capri, cool hilltop Ravello relieves Positano's crush, and Bacoli's submerged Roman city is a crowd-free counterpoint to Pompeii.
- Giving Matera too little time. Every source treats it as a must — budget two nights and hike the Murgia Park ravine for the definitive Sassi view.
- Booking too little time in Naples. Even sources that trim it concede the city "takes time to appreciate" — give it 1–2 days minimum.