Campania

Campania is the Italy of your wildest dreams: a rich, intense, hypnotic ragù of Arabesque street life, decadent palaces, pastel-hued villages and aria-inspiring vistas.

History & Art

Few corners of Europe can match Campania's cultural conundrums. Should you spend the morning waltzing through chandeliered Bourbon bedrooms or the frescoed villa of a Roman emperor's wife? And which of Caravaggio's canvases should you see first: the multiscene masterpiece inside Naples' Pio Monte della Misericordia, the violent showstopper inside the hilltop Palazzo Reale di Capodimonte, or the artist's swansong inside the belle-époque Palazzo Zevallos Stigliano? Campania's blockbuster heritage will set your imagination alight with its chariot grooves, frescoes and heart-stirring sculptures.

Natural Highs

Mother Nature let loose in Italy's south, creating an adventure playground of rugged mountains, steaming fumaroles and ethereal coastal grottoes. Crank up the pulse rate cave-diving off the Capri coast or go mountain-bike riding and grotto roaming in the Parco Nazionale del Cilento, Vallo di Diano e Alburni. Need to bring it down a notch? Go horseback riding on the slopes of Mt Vesuvius, sail the Amalfi Coast or simply soak at a thermal beach on Ischia. The options may be many, but there's one constant: a landscape that is beautiful, diverse and undisputedly ethereal.

Culinary Riches

Campania is a never-ending feast; bubbling, wood-fired pizza in Naples, long lunches at Cilento agriturismi (farm-stay accommodation) and lavish pastries at celebrity-status Amalfi Coast pasticcerie (pastry shops). Should you tuck into coniglio all'Ischitana (Ischian-style rabbit) at an island trattoria? Pick up some famous colatura di alici (anchovy essence) in Cetara? Or just kick back with a crisp Falanghina and debate who has the creamier buffalo mozzarella – Caserta or Paestum?

Southern Lifestyle

Campanians have a way of making other Italians seem just a little uptight. Despite the demands of modern life, there is always time for an impromptu espresso at the local bar or a bite of juicy gossip on a sun-bleached piazza. One minute you're choosing produce at a street market, the next you're in the middle of a feverish discussion of the weather, the in-laws or Napoli's on-field performance. No one is a stranger for long, and a casual chiacchiera (chat) could easily land you at the bountiful table of your new best friend.

Must see in
Campania

  • Pompeii

    A once-thriving Roman town frozen for all time in its 2000-year-old death throes, the ruins of Pompeii are a haunting reminder of Mother Nature's merciless force and the fleeting nature of life itself. Wander Roman streets, the column-lined forum, the city brothel, the 5000-seat theatre and the richly frescoed Villa dei Misteri and ponder Pliny the Younger’s terrifying account of the tragedy: ‘Darkness came on again, again ashes, thick and heavy. We got up repeatedly to shake these off; otherwise we would have been buried and crushed by the weight.'

  • Grotta Azzurra

    Capri’s craggy coast is studded with more than a dozen sea caves, most accessible and spectacular, but none as justifiably famous as the Grotta Azzurra (Blue Grotto). Charted since antiquity, the cave is rendered especially ethereal by its iridescent blue light. What's the secret, you ask? It's all in the refraction of sunlight through the water, reflected off shimmering white sand. The result is an electric-blue marvel that Walt Disney could only dream of. Accessing the cave is an experience in itself: on a little wooden rowboat complete with singing captain.

  • Museo Archeologico Nazionale

    A treasure chest of ancient art and propaganda, Naples' Museo Archeologico Nazionale is one of the world's most important archaeological museums. It's here that you'll find the commanding Toro Farnese (Farnese Bull), the largest sculptural group to have survived from antiquity. The epic piece keeps fine company, from exquisitely detailed mosaics and glassware to vibrant frescoes that once adorned ancient villas. Of course, it just wouldn't be a Roman affair without a little debauchery, waiting for you in the museum's infamous Gabinetto Segreto (Secret Chamber).

  • Museo di Capodimonte

    It's just as well that Charles IV of Bourbon built big: his mother, Elisabetta Farnese, handed down one serious hoard of art and antiquities. The blue bloods may have gone but the collection remains – a sumptuous feast of commanding canvases and tapestries, elegant sculptures and dainty ceramics, with just a splash of contemporary paintings and installations. Museo di Capodimonte might be one of Italy's less-famous collections, but it's also one of its best, spanning over seven centuries of creativity and showcasing greats including Masaccio, Raphael, Caravaggio and Warhol.

  • Mt Vesuvius

    Guilty of destroying Pompeii and Herculaneum in AD 79, Mt Vesuvius looms over the Bay of Naples like a deceptively graceful beast. Though well behaved since 1944, it remains mainland Europe's only active volcano, soaring a lofty 1281m above three million Neapolitans. Its slopes are part of the Parco Nazionale del Vesuvio, a national park laced with bucolic nature trails. For the ultimate high, however, head to the summit, where you can peer into its eerily silent mouth and scan the land from the Tyrrhenian Sea to the Apennine Mountains.

Explore Campania

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Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Campania.

    Top experiences

    Whether it’s a guided tour of a historic landmark, private tasting of local delicacies, or an off-road adventure — explore the best experiences in Campania.