The Italian port of Naples is one that I’ve  been lucky enough to visit on numerous occasions and there’s so many different places to visit with The Bay of Naples that I never tire of going back. If your cruise ship is docking in Naples here’s a mini guide to some of the exciting places that are within easy reach.

Pompeii

Pompeii was an ancient Roman city which was mostly destroyed and buried after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. At this time it’s population was believed to have been around 20,000 people and it was so advanced that it had an amphitheatre, a complex water system, a gym and a port for trade purposes.

Now, visitors can explore the ruins, see the houses that people lived in and learn what life was like back thousands of years ago. It’s a fascinating place to visit and one I highly recommend.

Pompeii

Sorrento

Sorrento is just a 30-45 minute hydrofoil ride from Naples and is a seaside resort with beaches, cafes, restaurants and lovely boutique shops. It’s the perfect place to visit if you fancy a relaxing day enjoying the views overlooking The Bay of Naples, a leisurely lunch and some well-deserved down time.

Sorrento

Capri

Capri is just an hours hydrofoil ride from Naples and is an incredibly popular place for visitors. You can rent a boat and spend a relaxing afternoon sailing around the island and exploring the numerous caves that have been carved into the dramatic rockface, or take the cable car to the upper part of the island and enjoy browsing in the expensive shops.

Capri

Positano and the Amalfi Coast

Positano is one of those places that you visit that looks exactly like it does in the postcards. It’s absolutely stunning and well worth a visit for the views alone. It rises out of the water and climbs high into the steep hills of the Amalfi Coast. This area is just ridiculously stunning and it’s definitely the place I’ll be returning to next time I visit Naples on a cruise.

Positano

Herculaneum

Herculaneum was an ancient Roman town which was destroyed by the same volcano eruption in 79 AD that destroyed Pompeii. Herculaneum was buried deeper under the ash than Pompeii which meant that the upper storeys of many buildings have remained intact. Herculaneum was also a wealthier city at the time than Pompeii and thus had many beautiful houses and villas that used coloured marble cladding for its wealthy residents.

Herculaneum

So, with all these choices of places to visit within The Bay of Naples, plus many more, where will you decide to go?

There has also recently been the discovery of some 300 skeletons here – people who hadn’t taken the advice to evacuate the city during the time of the eruption and subsequently suffered a terrible fate.

Thanks Emma