Self-Launched Naples & Amalfi Coast: Vesuvius, Capri and the Walk of the Gods
8 days · Naples & Amalfi Coast
Explore! charges £1,280
No-markup version: ~£495 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
An independent, self-launched 8-day route from Naples to Amalfi covering the same ground as the Explore! group tour: the old city's castles and piazzas, Herculaneum and Pompeii, a day trip to Capri, the Walk of the Gods, and Ravello. You book everything yourself — Circumvesuviana trains and SITA buses instead of a private coach, hostels and family-run guesthouses instead of tour hotels, and self-booked guides or audio guides at the ruins instead of a tour leader. Distances are short and the public transport network is dense, so this is one of the easiest Italian itineraries to run solo. Costs are approximate backpacker/budget-to-mid rates in GBP and exclude flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Naples — pizza and the Spanish Quarter
Naples
Fly into Naples (NAP) and take the Alibus shuttle (€5, ~20 mins) or the Line 1 Metro to Garibaldi station, where most budget hostels and B&Bs cluster. Check in, then do an evening wander through the Quartieri Spagnoli and along Via Toledo. Naples is the birthplace of pizza — dinner at a classic pizzeria (L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele, Sorbillo or a queue-free local spot) costs around £8-12 for a margherita and a drink. Ask your hostel about a 3-day Artecard if you plan several museums.
🚌Alibus airport shuttle €5 or Metro Linea 1 from the airport area
🛏Hostel dorm or simple B&B near Piazza Garibaldi (approx. £22-30/night)
- →Evening walk through Quartieri Spagnoli
- →Via Toledo
- →Naples pizza dinner
Old Naples on foot — castles, piazzas and the underground city
Naples
Self-guided walking day. Start at Castel Nuovo (Maschio Angioino), continue to Castel dell'Ovo on the seafront, then Piazza del Plebiscito, the Galleria Umberto I and the Royal Palace (exterior free; palace apartments ~€10 if you want to go in). In the afternoon join the Napoli Sotterranea guided tour (€10, ~1.5 hrs, English tours roughly every two hours 12:00-18:00 — book online in summer) or the National Archaeological Museum (€12, +€2 to pre-book and skip the queue). Eat street food for lunch: fried pizza or a cuoppo fritto for £4-6.
🚌Everything walkable; single metro ride €1.20 if you're tired
🛏Same hostel/B&B near Piazza Garibaldi
- →Castel Nuovo and Castel dell'Ovo
- →Piazza del Plebiscito and Galleria Umberto I
- →Royal Palace
- →Napoli Sotterranea tour (€10)
- →National Archaeological Museum (optional, €12)
Herculaneum by Circumvesuviana, then on to Sorrento
Herculaneum & Sorrento Peninsula
Take the Circumvesuviana commuter train from Napoli Garibaldi to Ercolano Scavi (~20 mins, €1.80). Buy your Herculaneum ticket at the gate (€13) and rent the official audio guide (~€5) or join a small-group guide booked via GetYourGuide (~£22) — it's a compact site and 2-3 hours covers it well. Optional afternoon: local bus or a booked shuttle up Vesuvius for the crater-rim walk (~€12 bus + €12 park entry). Mid-afternoon, take the Circumvesuviana onward to Sorrento (~45 mins, €3) and check into a hostel or family guesthouse in the peninsula.
🚌Circumvesuviana Napoli–Ercolano €1.80; Ercolano–Sorrento €3; optional Vesuvius bus
🛏Hostel or family-run guesthouse in Sorrento/Sant'Agnello (approx. £28-35/night)
- →Herculaneum ruins with audio guide
- →Optional Mount Vesuvius crater walk
- →Evening stroll in Sorrento old town
Capri by hydrofoil — Anacapri, Villa San Michele and the Blue Grotto
Capri
Walk to Sorrento's Marina Piccola and catch the hydrofoil to Capri (~20 mins, €14 each way; buy a return to save queueing). On arrival take the local bus up to Anacapri (€2.20) and walk 1.5 km to Villa San Michele museum and gardens (€8) for the best views on the island. Ride the chairlift to Monte Solaro if you want the summit (€14). Come back down to Capri town, walk to the Gardens of Augustus, and if the sea is calm take a shared boat to the Blue Grotto from Marina Grande (~€18 plus grotto entry). Skip the €16.50 private island bus tour — the public buses reach the same places for a fraction of the price. Last ferries back to Sorrento are early evening, so plan your day around them.
🚌Hydrofoil Sorrento–Capri €14 each way; local Capri buses ~€2.20 per ride
🛏Same Sorrento guesthouse
- →Hydrofoil to Capri
- →Villa San Michele (€8)
- →Anacapri and Monte Solaro chairlift (optional)
- →Blue Grotto boat trip (~€18)
- →Gardens of Augustus
Pompeii ruins and Sorrento
Pompeii & Sorrento
Circumvesuviana from Sorrento to Pompeii Scavi (~30 mins, €2.80). Pre-book a Pompeii entry ticket online (€18, plus €3 if you want the skip-the-line option) and either hire the audio guide (~€6) or join a 2-hour small-group tour via GetYourGuide/Klook (~£25-30) — the site is huge and context makes a big difference. Highlights: the Forum and Temple of Jupiter, House of the Vettii, the brothel, and the theatre district. Train back to Sorrento for a late afternoon potter around Piazza Tasso and the Church of Saint Francesco cloisters, then swim or sunset-watch from Marina Grande.
🚌Circumvesuviana Sorrento–Pompeii return ~€5.60
🛏Same Sorrento guesthouse
- →Pompeii archaeological site with guide or audio guide
- →Sorrento old town and Piazza Tasso
- →Marina Grande sunset
The Walk of the Gods to Positano, ferry to Amalfi
Bomerano, Positano & Amalfi
Early SITA bus from Sorrento to Amalfi, change to the Agerola bus to Bomerano (total ~€4-5, 1.5 hrs; check current SITA timetables the day before). The Path of the Gods is waymarked and free — 8 km, roughly 5 hours with stops and 650 m of descent, mostly downhill, with drink/snack stops at Nocelle and Montepertuso. Bring 2 litres of water and grippy shoes; it's not one for vertigo sufferers. The 1,700 steps down into Positano are the cruellest part — the Montepertuso bus is a shortcut if your knees object. Reward yourself with beach time and a granita in Positano, then take the late-afternoon ferry to Amalfi (€8, ~25 mins; the last crossings are around 17:00-18:00 in season). Use luggage storage in Sorrento or send a bag ahead if you don't want to hike with it.
🚌SITA bus Sorrento–Amalfi–Bomerano ~€5; ferry Positano–Amalfi €8
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse in Amalfi or Atrani (approx. £30-40/night)
- →Path of the Gods hike (Bomerano to Positano)
- →Nocelle and Montepertuso
- →Positano beach
- →Ferry along the coast to Amalfi
Amalfi and Ravello
Amalfi & Ravello
Morning orientation of Amalfi on foot: Piazza del Duomo, the Cathedral of Saint Andrea and its cloister (€3), and the short walk up to the Valley of the Mills, the abandoned paper mills in the ravine behind town. Take the SITA bus up to Ravello (€1.50, 25 mins — sit on the left) and explore at your own pace: Villa Rufolo (€8) and Villa Cimbrone (€10) with the Terrace of Infinity. Alternatively walk the 1,000+ steps up from Atrani if you want the classic view along the way. Back in Amalfi for a proper dinner — lemon delizia and seafood pasta are the local order.
🚌SITA bus Amalfi–Ravello return ~€3
🛏Same Amalfi/Atrani guesthouse
- →Amalfi Cathedral and Piazza del Duomo
- →Valley of the Mills
- →Ravello and Villa Rufolo
- →Villa Cimbrone and Terrace of Infinity
Departure — bus back to Naples
Amalfi to Naples
Breakfast, then the SITA bus from Amalfi to Sorrento (~€4, 1hr 45) and the Circumvesuviana to Naples (~€5, 1hr), or take the direct SITA/Curreri bus to Naples Capodairport if it's running on your date (~€10-12) — check timings the night before, as the coastal buses are slow and busy in summer. Add a buffer of at least 3.5 hours before your flight, or extend a night in Naples if your flight is early.
🚌SITA bus Amalfi–Sorrento ~€4 + Circumvesuviana to Naples ~€5; or direct airport bus ~€12
🛏None (departure day)
- →Coastal bus ride with sea views
- →Last espresso in Amalfi
Self-launched vs. Explore!
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Explore! | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£495 | £1,280 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £785 per person (61%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Explore!-style trips? Check them out here.~£495
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
Customise with Tour BusterCreated by
Travel Crew
0 trips
Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched Naples & Amalfi Coast: Vesuvius, Capri and the Walk of the Gods cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £495 per person for 8 days in Naples & Amalfi Coast. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Explore!?+
Yes — Explore! charges around £1,280 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £495 — a saving of roughly £785 (61%) per person.
How long is the Naples & Amalfi Coast trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through Naples & Amalfi Coast.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, culture, hiking trip through Naples & Amalfi Coast, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
No comments yet — be the first to share your take.
Sign in to leave a comment.