How to Plan the Best Day Trip to Naples from Rome

A day trip to Naples from Rome isn’t typically at the top of the list for travelers to the Italian capital, but I’d argue it’s still worth the hike.

Naples is a different type of Italian city.

When you’ve been to Tuscany or Milan, it can be a bit shocking at first. Naples is loud and incredibly busy. It’s imperative that you have your wits about you as scooters whizz past within inches of your ankles.

It’s also kind of dirty, plastered in graffiti, and home to some of the thirstiest restaurant workers in the country. 

Naples is also delicious. It’s home to Italy’s most impressive pizza masters. This is where pizza was born, a driving factor for my own trip there.

I didn’t love it, but I’m so glad we visited a few different times on our last trip to Italy. Let’s get into all of that and more as you plot your own day trip from Rome to Naples.

You can do a day trip to Naples from Rome.

It’s pretty easy to do a day trip to Naples from Rome, especially if you take the high-speed train.

Naples is about 140 miles, or 225 km, from Rome. The fastest routes from Roma Termini train station to Napoli Centrale take just over an hour. That makes Naples one of the easiest day trips from Rome.

We took this trip twice as part of longer days, checking out Pompeii and Herculaneum. I’d highly recommend the two historic archaeological sites with more time in the region.

READ MORE: Love the sound of that? Here’s my guide to visiting Pompeii from Rome.

Is Naples worth a day trip from Rome?

It’s worth going to Naples for a day if you’d like to experience a different side of Italy, eat some really good Italian food, and tour one of the best archaeological museums in Italy.

The city is also generally safe, with a few commonsense precautions for a safe Naples visit, and easy enough to navigate.

A Naples day trip is enough time to enjoy one of the city’s panoramic viewpoints to check the region out from above.

The Best Way to Get From Rome to Naples

The best way to get from Rome to Naples is on the high-speed train. At just over an hour from train station to train station, it’s by far the fastest way to travel the distance between Rome and Naples.

Choose between Trenitalia or Italotreno based on availability and cost.

The train ride isn’t super scenic, especially if you take the high-speed train. Much of what you’ll see is farmland, but you could get some glimpses of Mount Vesuvius on a clear day.

We took the Rome to Naples train twice in one week to get a better feel for those Naples vibes, and it was all very easy. We tried both trains and the cost was comparable for both.

I would recommend that you book your train tickets ahead of time, especially during busy travel times. Tickets get more expensive the longer you wait, too. 

If you find train prices prohibitive, regional trains and buses are also an option, but you’ll be paying with your time. Regional trains can take up to three hours. The bus from Rome to Naples can take up to four hours, but it is quite affordable.

If you’re thinking about a scenic drive from Rome to Naples, expect to sit in the car for up to three hours. That’s no longer feasible for a day trip in my book.

You also need to be a confident driver. Naples is one of the most chaotic cities I’ve ever visited, and we’ve traveled all over the world.

I would NOT want to drive there. 

READ MORE: Lingering in Rome for a bit? Use my three-day itinerary to plan your trip.

Things to Do in Naples With One Day

There is plenty to do in Naples. Just make sure you budget enough time for multiple pizza stops on your day trip. You will not regret it.

Visit the Naples National Archaeological Museum.

If you love all of the Pompeii things, you’ll want to visit this monster of a museum. 

There is a lot to see here, and we admittedly got some museum fatigue after about 90 minutes. It was still fascinating to see the well-preserved frescoes, statues, and everyday items on display from Pompeii, Herculaneum, and other ancient sites around Italy.

This is one of Italy’s best museums, and it should top your list of things to do in Naples whether you’re visiting those archaeological sites or not.

Eat all of the pizza.

A big reason I wanted to make the trip to Naples twice was because I wanted to try multiple pizza spots. I just wasn’t confident enough in my eating abilities to make it all happen in one day, but honestly, I didn’t give myself enough credit.

The pizza in Naples is delicious and VERY easy to eat.

We started with Antica Pizzeria Port’Alba, supposedly the first pizza shop in the world. It’s been here since 1738, so I’m going with the claim. We made a reservation for this one, but it was wide open when we arrived. 

Note: We arrived with a group of eight after meeting some new friends on the train ride over, and it was no problem. I can see this one getting busy in the high-season, though. Our trips were in November.

Brian and I shared their pizza amatriciana, but they have an extensive menu that is sure to satisfy whatever you’re after. 

If you love a good pizza challenge as I do, we also tried these two:

• L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele: This one is featured in Eat, Pray, Love as worthy of Julia Roberts’ muffin top. You don’t have many options, but we loved our half-and-half marinara and Margherita. We had a short wait.
• Gino e Toto Sorbillo: Pizza master Gino Sorbillo runs several pizzerias worldwide, but this is his pizza headquarters. Put your name in with the cranky lady up front and settle in. We only waited 15 minutes in the off-season.

Sorbillo’s version was Brian’s favorite. The pizzas there had a nice chew and everything came out hot and quick. Just make sure that you’re at the right spot, as there are quite a few imitators in the area.

I found the three pizzerias different enough that it’d be hard to nail down a favorite. I loved the simplicity at L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele, but the charming service at our first stop may have put the experience there over the edge.

Honestly, you can’t go wrong. Antica Pizzeria Di Matteo and Pizzeria Brandi, supposedly the originators of Margherita pizza, were also on our list. They’ll have to wait for next time.

Walk Spaccanapoli, the city’s splitter.

Spaccanapoli is the casual name for the city’s splitter, and I mean that literally. It translates to “Naples splitter” thanks to the good job it does traversing through the historic center.

If you’re a drone guy or gal, you can see the split effect more obviously from above.

From below, it serves as a hub of shopping, dining, and dodging mopeds and normal-sized vehicles that you didn’t think fit down these alleyways.

Spaccanapoli more officially is composed of several streets that include Via Benedetto Croc, Via S. Biagio dei Librai, and Via Duomo. 

Note: Via Duomo is where you’ll find the Cathedral of Naples, a worthwhile stop on any Naples itinerary.

We spent some time traversing the streets here but it all felt quite touristy. I know. Naples isn’t supposed to be touristy.

This is where we encountered the most aggressive restaurant workers in town. Like, I couldn’t tell where some of them worked. That’s how far from “home” they were. 

If you need to sell your cacio e pepe that hard, sir, I don’t want it!

Celebrate the holidays year-round on Christmas Alley.

You’re already down this way, so you may as well enjoy some of that Christmas spirit no matter when you’re here. This is where you can buy ornaments of popes, your favorite soccer player, or Michael Jackson if you so desire.

Apparently, this is where people get pieces for their nativity scenes and buy what look like red chili peppers to ward off evil spirits. 

We didn’t actually see anyone buy anything during our walk-through, but it has to happen, right?

Take a ride to Toledo. 

I’m talking about the Metro station. Toledo is one of several Art Stations on the Naples Metro designed to dazzle and impress.

It’s done a good enough job that The Daily Telegraph called it the most beautiful station in Europe. 

It’s showing some wear and tear these days, but it’s definitely pretty good. You need to buy a ticket to see the goods along the escalators. If you’re near Spaccanapoli, I’d suggest popping on at Dante to ride one stop to Toledo.

Get a taste of Milan in Naples.

Make a quick stop at Galleria Umberto I, a shopping gallery reminiscent of Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan. Just don’t get distracted by the McDonald’s.

Keep walking until the space opens up with the dome above. Lovely, right? 

Taste Napoli’s best sweet treats.

You won’t be hurting for sweets while traveling anywhere in Italy, and Naples is no exception. We prioritized the Gran Caffè Gambrinus for its history. The place was shut down during the Mussolini era for suspected anti-fascist activity.

Fun fact: It made sense. This cafe had been a meeting place for all of the biggest names of the day. Oscar Wilde, Ernest Hemingway, and Jean-Paul Sarte all hung out here at one point, and only dummies are fascists.

Admittedly, it’s definitely overpriced as a result, especially if you sit outside for waiter service. Those waiters are all wearing cute little white coats and bringing out delicious sweet treats, though, so forget about that for a second.

Have a least a cappuccino here for the history or behave like animals and try their sfogliatella, a specialty in these parts that is like a moist version of a fruitcake.

I preferred their zeppole thanks to its custard topping. It was delicious. 

For cheaper treats, try Cuori di Sfogliatella. You’ll find a few in the city. We also loved Leopoldo, a pastry shop that pulled us in with their window display. There are a few locations for that one, too.

Visit Piazza del Plebiscito.

This popular square is home to the Royal Palace of Naples and the Basilica Reale Pontificia San Francesco da Paola, a mouthful of a church known by its grand dome. 

This is a popular gathering spot for locals and tourists, and an event space if your timing is lucky. There was a military band playing there during our visit, so we paused for a bit to take in those precise rhythms.

Catch the views on the Naples waterfront.

Find yourself a nice spot to relax near the water and marvel at the size of Mount Vesuvius. Continue along to Ovo Castle, or Castel dell’Ovo, if you’re feeling aggressive. We were.

We didn’t enter this one as we wanted to hit another viewpoint before sunset, but you can. Unless you book a guided tour, it’s free to visit during operating hours.

This is one of the lovelier sections of the city, but I imagine it gets quite crowded during beach season.

Even so, is it the most beautiful waterfront in Italy? Not a chance. There was still plenty of litter, including old beach chairs thrown onto the rocks just below those beautiful views.

If you’re here for just the day, though, it’s worth it to walk down to the water and get away from the yellers in the city center.

See the sunset at Castel Sant’Elmo.

This was my favorite activity in Naples. We walked to the funicular from the waterfront to take a ride up to this military fortress and castle that had it all. 

I describe it that way because the castle’s informational signage did so, too. They love pointing out that those who lived here wanted for nothing. They even had a tavern!

Fun fact: The funicular in Naples works the same way as the Metro. You buy the same tickets, get those stamped, and hop on when it arrives. Each ticket is good for a single tram ride.

We were lucky enough to arrive right at the magic hour for the best views of the city at the top. Unfortunately, the clouds wouldn’t cooperate to show off the volcano, but it was still stunning up there. The fort itself was fun to wander around, too.

If you’re interested in this one, grab tickets at the entrance with your cash. This one doesn’t take credit cards, so you’ll need some money handy. (It was €7 during our visit, but have some extra in case they raise rates from the time of this post.)

You can ride the funicular back from whence you came or take the Metro instead. That’s what we did to shave off some time getting back to Napoli Centrale for our trip back to Rome.

More Things to Do in Naples

With more than one full day in Naples, you have more time to linger over pizza or fill your itinerary in different ways. Here are a few options that were still on our list:

• Go on a DIY tour of The Sopranos filming locations. I’m shocked we didn’t do more of this, as it was one of my favorite shows. Next time!
• See the city’s churches. Chiesa del Gesù Nuovo and Chiesa di San Domenico Maggiore are two standouts if you don’t have church fatigue.
• Visit Complesso Monumentale di Santa Chiara. This is more than a church but a monastery complex with what are described as lovely gardens.
• Honor a legend at Largo Maradona. The locals are obsessed with Diego Maradona. Check out this mural dedicated to the Argentine footballer.
• Tour the Sansevero Chapel Museum. Lose the crowds and wander among striking religious relics at this atmospheric museum.
• Go underground. Tour the Catacombs of San Gennaro to explore what went on underneath the city.

Naples and Safety

Naples is generally safe, even at night, as long as you take the necessary precautions. Don’t flash your valuables and stick to more populated, well-lit areas of the city. Walk with a purpose.

That said, we did have one later evening in Naples that would have given me pause if I were a solo female traveler.

I found the men in the city to be quite pushy, even with Brian at my side, and groups of them in the city’s parks after dark don’t make me feel comfy about solo travel prospects there.

It’s important to note here that you shouldn’t keep your head glued to your phone while navigating the city, no matter the time of day. I’m not even talking about the possibility of petty theft here.

The traffic in Naples is wild, and that pedestrian thoroughfare you thought you were on can quickly become a road for motorists if you’re not paying attention.

Where to Stay in Naples

We spent just about a full day in Naples over our two trips there. While there are certainly some things we left on the table, we didn’t feel we missed out on anything by not staying overnight. 

That said, Naples is a pretty good base for additional exploration in the region. A day trip from Rome to Pompeii is very doable — we did it! — but it’s even easier from Naples. Herculaneum, the Amalfi Coast, and Sorrento are all within easy reach.

If you’d like to spend a night in Naples, peruse the map below for both hotels and apartment-style options:

Is a day trip to Naples from Rome worth it?

Day trips to Naples are worth if you like pizza, even if they come with a side of aggressive motorbikes. One day in Naples is enough to fit in the city’s main historical sites and panoramic views while you’re at it.

While it wasn’t my favorite stop compared to all of our Italy adventures, I don’t have regrets about our time spent in Naples. In fact, I wouldn’t put it past us to visit again to tick off some more of the pizzerias I mentioned.

Day trips from Rome to Naples are easy enough to plan and see for yourself.

Want more Italian adventures? Check out these guides:

• Booking a Gondola in Venice: How to Do It
• Best Things to Do on Trips to Verona
• Should You Plan That Trip to Venice?
• A Guide to the Best of Bologna, Italy
• How to Visit Colorful Burano, Italy

I’m not done yet. Here are more guides in and around Italy:

• How to Plan a Trip to the Venetian Lagoon
• Parma, Italy: How to Plan the Perfect Day
• A One-Day Itinerary to Italy’s Vatican City
• It Doesn’t Get Much Better Than a Weekend in Nice
• How to Plan Three Busy Days in Venice

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