The first stop on our Mediterranean honeymoon was Southern Italy, and we couldn’t have picked a better place to begin.
We spent four days exploring Naples, Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi, and Pompeii before continuing on to the next destinations on our trip. From eating authentic Neapolitan pizza in Naples to cruising along the Amalfi Coast and walking through the ancient streets of Pompeii, every day offered something completely different.
For our first night, we stayed in Naples before moving to Sorrento, which became our home base for exploring the Amalfi Coast.
This itinerary covers how we spent four days in Naples and the Amalfi Coast, including where we stayed, what we did, and tips to help you plan your own trip.
Naples & Amalfi Coast Itinerary at a Glance
Day 1: Explore Naples
- Historic Center
- Via Toledo
- Quartieri Spagnoli
- Castel dell’Ovo
- Authentic Neapolitan pizza
Day 2: Explore Sorrento
- Ferry from Naples
- Shopping and sightseeing
- Piazza Tasso
- Vallone dei Mulini
- Sunset in Sorrento
Day 3: Amalfi Coast Boat Tour
- Cruise along the Amalfi Coast
- Swimming stops
- Explore Amalfi
- Visit Positano
Day 4: Pompeii & Olive Oil Tasting
- Guided Pompeii tour
- Olive oil tasting
- Final evening in Sorrento
Where We Stayed
Naples: Palazzo Salgar
We spent our first night in Naples at Palazzo Salgar before continuing to Sorrento the next morning.
The hotel was a convenient base for exploring the historic center and waterfront before catching the ferry to Sorrento the next morning.
Sorrento: Hotel Plaza
We spent the remainder of our stay at Hotel Plaza in Sorrento, which turned out to be an excellent location. It was within easy walking distance of the ferry terminal, train station, restaurants, and shops. Plus, the rooftop pool (photo above) offered incredible views of Mount Vesuvius.
If you’re planning to explore the Amalfi Coast, we highly recommend using Sorrento as your home base.
Why we loved Hotel Plaza:
- Central location
- Rooftop pool with views of Mount Vesuvius
- Wonderful staff and concierge services
- Great restaurants nearby
Things to Know Before Visiting Italy
A few things we learned that made traveling around Italy much easier:
- Bring a European outlet adapter. Italy uses Type C and Type L plugs, which are different from those used in the United States. We like this universal adapter.
- Carry a small amount of cash. Many places accept cards, but cash is still useful for taxis, tips, public restrooms, and small purchases.
- Ferry schedules can be flexible, so arrive early and allow extra time.
- Restaurants often don’t open for dinner until later in the evening. Locals typically eat around 8–9 PM.
- Many shops close for part of the afternoon, especially in smaller towns.
- Public drinking fountains are common and safe to use. Bring a reusable water bottle to refill throughout the day. We love the Brita water bottles with a filter in the straw, so we can drink tap water from nearly anywhere, without worrying about taste.
- If taking regional trains or buses with paper tickets, make sure to validate them before boarding.
- Cappuccinos are traditionally considered a morning drink. After lunch, most Italians switch to espresso.
- Emergency number: 112.
Day 1: Exploring Naples
After landing in Naples, we checked into our hotel and headed straight out to explore.
Naples feels completely different from many other Italian cities. It’s energetic, a little chaotic, and full of character. Laundry hangs from balconies, scooters zip through narrow streets, and there’s incredible food around every corner.
Our first stop was pizza, and when you’re in Naples, that’s basically a requirement. We went to Gino e Toto Sorbillo and had the best pizza of our lives.
Travel hack: You can order takeout from Gino e Toto Sorbillo through Glovo and skip the long wait for a table. We ate our pizza while watching street performers and then continued on our way.
After lunch, we explored the Historic Center (Centro Storico), wandered through Quartieri Spagnoli, and spent time walking along Via Toledo, one of Naples’ most popular shopping streets.
As the sun started to set, we walked along the seaside promenade with views of the Bay of Naples and Castel dell’Ovo. It was the perfect way to shake off the jet lag and settle into vacation mode.
Highlights
- Authentic Neapolitan pizza
- Naples Historic Center
- Via Toledo
- Quartieri Spagnoli
- Royal Palace area
- Santa Lucia waterfront
- Castel dell’Ovo
Day 2: Exploring Sorrento
The next morning, we took a ferry from Naples to Sorrento and checked into our hotel. We stayed at Hotel Plaza, which had a rooftop pool and restaurant with amazing views of Mount Vesuvius. Sorrento felt more relaxed than Naples and turned out to be an excellent home base for exploring the Amalfi Coast.
Our original plan was to take another ferry to Positano that afternoon, but rough seas caused all ferries to Positano and Amalfi to be canceled, while routes between Naples and Sorrento continued operating. This is one of the reasons we think Sorrento makes such a great home base: you still have reliable transportation even when weather affects parts of the coast.
Instead of heading to Positano, we spent the day exploring Sorrento, shopping, and settling in, which was a blessing in disguise. Sorrento is full of charming boutiques, leather shops, lemon-themed souvenirs, and fantastic restaurants, and having an unplanned day gave us time to enjoy it all without feeling rushed.
We spent the afternoon shopping and enjoying pasta, limoncello, and incredible local wine while taking in the views. It ended up being one of the most relaxing days of our trip.
One thing worth noting: even if your hotel looks close to the ferry terminal on a map, there are a lot of stairs between the waterfront and downtown Sorrento. You can always take a taxi, but if you prefer to walk and don’t want to drag large suitcases up the stairs, check out our guide to traveling Italy with only carry-on luggage.
Highlights
- Ferry ride to Sorrento
- Boutique shopping
- Sorrento’s historic center
- Sunset along the waterfront
Day 3: Cruising the Amalfi Coast
This ended up being one of our favorite days of the entire honeymoon.
We joined a small-group boat tour along the Amalfi Coast, which gave us a completely different perspective of the region. Seeing the dramatic cliffs, colorful villages, and hidden coves from the water was incredible.
The day included swimming stops, time to relax on the boat, and visits to both Amalfi and Positano.
In Amalfi, we wandered through the town, explored the streets around the cathedral, and tried some of the region’s famous lemon desserts. In Positano, we browsed local boutiques and simply enjoyed the views.
One thing we realized is that both Amalfi and Positano can get quite crowded during the day. Having the flexibility to spend some time exploring each town and then return to the boat was the perfect balance.
Our favorite moments were cruising along the coast and enjoying the amazing views away from the crowds.
Highlights
- Amalfi Coast boat tour
- Swimming in the Mediterranean
- Amalfi
- Positano
- Lemon desserts
Day 4: Pompeii and Olive Oil Tasting
For our final day, we took a guided tour of Pompeii. We met our guide in Sorrento and took the train together as a group, which made navigating the local train system much easier.
Even if you’re not usually someone who loves historical sites, Pompeii is hard to compare to anywhere else. Walking through the preserved streets and buildings gives you a real sense of what daily life looked like nearly 2,000 years ago before Mount Vesuvius erupted.
Having a guide made a huge difference because it helped bring the city to life in a way we never could have experienced on our own.
After returning to Sorrento, we spent the afternoon at an olive oil tasting at Frantoio Gargiulo. This was a completely spontaneous decision, but we would do it again in a heartbeat. The experience included transportation from our hotel, a tour of the olive mill, and plenty of tastings (both olive oil and limoncello).
We loved the olive oil so much that we ended up shipping several bottles home.
That evening, we wrapped up our time on the Amalfi Coast with a waterfront dinner overlooking the sea.
Highlights
- Pompeii Archaeological Park
- Olive oil tasting
- Waterfront dining in Sorrento
Is 4 Days Enough for Naples & the Amalfi Coast?
For a first visit, we think four days is an excellent amount of time.
Four days gave us enough time to:
- Experience Naples
- Explore Sorrento
- Visit Positano and Amalfi
- Tour Pompeii
- Enjoy some downtime along the coast
If you have additional time, Capri and Ravello would make great additions to the itinerary.
Final Thoughts
This itinerary provided the perfect introduction to Southern Italy.
Between Naples’ incredible food scene, Sorrento’s relaxed atmosphere, the stunning Amalfi Coast, and the fascinating history of Pompeii, every day felt completely different from the last.
While there are still plenty of places we’d love to explore on a future visit, four days gave us enough time to experience many of the highlights without feeling rushed.
If you’re planning your first trip to Southern Italy, we highly recommend using Sorrento as your base and dedicating at least four days to the region.