The Complete Guide To: The Bay of Naples

MADCAP AND MAGICAL?

You bet. Southern Italy's Bay of Naples is a relatively small sweep of about 32km around an inlet of the Tyrrhenian Sea. But from its north-westernmost tip at Cape Miseno to the southern end at Campanella Point, the area is packed with great sights. Haunting Roman ruins, stunning views, volcanic drama: there's a staggering amount to take in. And you'll be among exuberant people who live life to the full.

Chaotic and ebullient, the city of Naples itself presents a kaleidoscope of vibrant street life and striking art and architecture. Straggling westwards, it pretty much absorbs the neighbouring town of Pozzuoli, encompassing on the way a (now) little-visited landscape of fumaroles and bubbling craters.

Southwards from Naples, development continues around nearly the entire bay, all the way to the pretty town of Sorrento. The urbanisation is hardly new. Two thousand years ago and more, the area was effectively the Riviera of the Roman Empire. From Misenum to Sorrentum, this was a rich playground peppered with ornate villas and well-populated towns. And looming large over it all was – and is – Mount Vesuvius, whose most notorious eruption, in AD79, destroyed yet preserved the bayside towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum.

HOW DO I GET THERE – AND AROUND?

Getting to the Bay of Naples is a simple enough matter. Naples airport is the most convenient gateway, and is served by easyJet (0871 244 2366; www.easyjet.com) from Stansted; by British Airways (0844 493 0787; www.ba.com) from Gatwick; by Air One (00 39 06 4888 0069; www.flyairone.it) from London City; and, in summer, by BMI (0870 6070 555; www.flybmi.com) from Heathrow.

Thereafter, getting around by road is a test of courage. The region's reputation for anarchic traffic is well deserved. Driving a car or even a scooter here is seriously scary unless you have nerves of steel, and even being a passenger can often be alarming. Fortunately for the most part there is an easy, calm and cheap alternative: take the train. The Circumvesuviana (00 39 081 772 2444; www.vesuviana.it) is a commuter service running between Naples and Sorrento. Trains trundle their way round the bay every 15 to 30 minutes during the daytime, making numerous stops, including at Ercolano Scavi, for Herculaneum, and at Pompeii. The full Naples-Sorrento journey takes 70 minutes and costs just €3.30 (£2.50).

THE CLASSIC WOW FACTOR?

Given the extraordinary wealth of Roman sites in the Bay of Naples, deciding what to focus on – particularly if your time is limited – could be tough. But if you've never been to the area before, then a day (or more) at Pompeii should top your list.

The great layer of stones and ash from Vesuvius that buried Pompeii in AD79 conserved the entire township, so here you get a remarkable, detailed insight into how people lived. The site extends over 66 hectares, with 12 hectares currently open to the public and much excavation ongoing in closed areas; what you are able to see will depend on archaeological work and routine conservation. But you will almost inevitably be able to walk down the high street, where drinking troughs still stand; visit theatres, temples, and marketplaces; take a look at a local laundry and a bakery; see at least one bath house; drop by a villa or two, where frescoed walls are still in place; and look in on the town brothel with its saucy wall paintings.

There's an almost tangible sense of how crowded it would all have been, how cheek-by-jowl the housing was. Perhaps most poignant of all is the outlook from the great Forum: stand looking towards the Temple of Jupiter on a clear day and the views of Vesuvius are spectacular.

Pompeii Scavi station is 40 minutes from Naples. You step off the train almost straight into the ticket office of the archaeological zone. The site (00 39 081 857 53 47; www.pompeiisites.org) is open daily 8.30am-7.30pm with last entry 6pm; admission €11 (£8.50).

Having some explanation of what you are looking at is, naturally, worthwhile. Excellent audio guides are available at the entrance (great value at €6.50/£5 for the day, but be aware that you'll need to leave some ID such as a passport as surety when you rent the equipment). Near the ticket office, authorised guides will tout for your custom – though with prices starting at €100 (£77) for a two-hour tour, this is an expensive option unless you are with a number of people.

HOW ABOUT HERCULANEUM?

Smaller and wealthier than Pompeii, and significantly closer to Vesuvius, the Roman seaside resort town of Herculaneum was buried under a mass of mud when the volcano erupted. This preserved the grand villas – complete with furnishings and fabrics – astonishingly well. As yet, less excavation has taken place here than at Pompeii, and you can gently take in this site in an absorbing morning or afternoon. The richness and detail of the villa decorations are the overwhelming draw. In particular, there are wonderful murals at Casa dei Cervi (House of the Deers) and great floor mosaics at Casa dell'Altrio a Mosaico.

Herculaneum's Ercolano Scavi station is 20 minutes by train from Naples. From there it's about a 500m walk to the archaeological site, which is open daily 8.30am-7.30pm with last entry 6pm; adults €11 (£8.50) (00 39 081 777 7008; www.pompeiisites.org).

OTHER ANCIENT WONDERS?

Three more sites are particularly worth seeking out in the commuterland around Pompeii. Torre Annunziata, to the north-west, looks an unappealing suburban development, but it is set on top of the Roman seafront resort of Oplontis. Here, Villa Poppea is open to the public. It is a magnificently grand house with especially glorious frescoes in the dining room.

Two other excavated Roman villas lie about 5km south of Pompeii at Castellammare di Stabia, a third town destroyed by Vesuvius. Villa San Marco is one of the largest Roman residences ever to have been unearthed; Villa Arianna contains fine wall paintings and mosaics.

About 2km north of Pompeii, Boscoreale was a Roman suburb notable for its country houses. Today, Villa Regina, complete with a reconstructed vineyard, is open to the public; the nearby Antiquarium of Boscoreale is a museum telling the story of Pompeii and the area.

A ticket for all three sites – Oplontis, Stabia and Boscoreale – costs €5.50 (£4.20) for visits over one day (see www.pompeiisites.org for more information and details of how to get there by train and bus). Alternatively, a three-day ticket giving access to these excavations plus Pompeii and Herculaneum costs €20 (£15.40).

I'D LIKE TO TAKE AN ORGANISED TOUR

Several UK travel companies offer classical packages from Britain, including expert guidance around various Roman sites on the Bay of Naples. Among them are Martin Randall Travel (020-8742 3355; www.martinrandall.com), which offers a five-day trip in October for £1,290 per person (based on two sharing, as are all prices shown), covering flights, transfers, entrance fees, guidance and accommodation; and the archaeology expert Andante Travels (01722 713800; www.andantetravels.co.uk), which has a variety of options in the area, including an eight-day Classical Campania tour in September and October from £1,295 per person covering meals as well as flights, u o entrance, guidance and accommodation.

CITY HIGHLIGHTS?

Head to Naples to see a stunning collection of ancient art. From exquisite mosaics to sculptures and classical erotica – of paintings and statues – most of the movable artworks from Pompeii and Herculaneum are housed in the Museo Archeologico Nazionale at Piazza Musea Nazionale, off Via Enrico Pessina (00 39 081 440166; www.marketplace.it/museo.nazionale; open 9am-8pm daily except Tuesday, admission €6.50/£5). The building also contains a fine display of Egyptian and Etruscan art.

There is, of course, a wealth of other sights in Naples. As well as wandering down Spaccanapoli, the historic artery of the old town, don't miss seeing something of the subterranean Graeco-Roman city that lies underneath modern Naples. Beneath the appealing French Gothic church of San Lorenzo Maggiore, at Via dei Tribunali 316, several ancient streets have been excavated and, complete with the discernible remains of a bakery, winery and laundry, are open to the public (Mon-Sat 9am-5.30pm; Sun 9.30am-1.30pm; €5/£3.80).

Naples makes an excellent base for cultural breaks in the area – particularly since the city offers easy access to the efficient rail service around the bay and also has beds for all budgets. For example, in the old town near hip Piazza Bellini, Costantinopoli 104 (00 39 081 557 1035; www.costantinopoli104.com; doubles from €220/£170, including breakfast) is a tranquil 19th-century villa with 18 chic bedrooms and a lovely courtyard garden with a small swimming pool. More upmarket still, the Grand Hotel Vesuvio at Via Partenope 45 (00 39 081 764 0044; www.vesuvio.it; double rooms run from €250/£192 per night, including breakfast) offers glittering opulence, its 167 rooms decorated with antiques while its roof garden restaurant presents stunning views across to Mount Vesuvius.

For jaw-dropping views of the Bay of Naples from the city, the Pinto Storey (00 39 081 681 260; www.pintostorey.it) is a charming three-star Art Nouveau hotel opened by an enterprising British couple in the late 19th century. Doubles with sea views cost as little as €62 (£48) including breakfast, if you stay for at least three nights.

CAN I CLIMB THE VOLCANO?

A well-established footpath leads through lava landscape up to the crater of Vesuvius. Standing near the edge, you can peer down into darkness through swirls of ash – and then look up to admire splendid views across the Bay of Naples. The ascent takes about half an hour from the highest carpark, with admission to the path costing €6.50 (£5) from the Parco Nazionale de Vesuvio ticket office (www.vesuviopark.it/grancono; open 9am-5.30pm and until 6.30pm during the summer). The price includes the services of a (mandatory) guide. Buses run to this departure point from outside Ercolano Scavi station, with tickets costing €7.60 (£5.80) for the 35-minute trip, or from Piazza Anfiteatro in modern Pompeii (just outside the archaeological zone) for €8.60 (£6.60) for the 90-minute journey (www.vesuvianamobilita.it).

Bear in mind that although Vesuvius won't erupt while you're up there, it is regarded as one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world. More than 3 million people live in its very fertile shadow, with farmers and wine producers particularly reluctant to consider leaving. Yet, vulcanologists are fairly certain that another eruption will take place – and the thinking is that it could be relatively soon. Quite apart from its dramatic outburst in AD79, Vesuvius has erupted many times – most recently in 1944.

ANY MORE SULPHUROUS SITES?

Not many tourists venture to the Campi Flegrei region – literally "fiery fields" – yet it is a phenomenal area. This large volcanic tract lies west of Naples, extending from what is now the suburb of Solfatara and into the town of Pozzuoli and beyond. The Greeks first established a settlement here; the Romans rebuilt and added to the development with thermal baths as well as villas, theatres and more. The most extraordinary of the sights is the Solfatara Crater (the entrance is at Via Solfatara 16; open daily 8.30am-7pm; adults €5.50/£4.20), which is a geothermal wonderland of hot spitting mud, jets of sulphurous steam and bubbling sands.

Pozzuoli contains some remarkable archaeological zones, too, including the Anfiteatro Flavio at Via Terracciano (open 9am until sunset daily except Tuesday; adults €4/£3.10), which is the third largest amphitheatre in Italy; and the Rione Terra quarter at Largo Sedile di Porto (open weekends only, 9am-6.15pm; adults €3/£2.30). At this excavated Roman settlement, you head underground, beneath the current street level of Pozzuoli, to walk along an ancient road dating from 194BC where you will see the remains of shops and taverns. For more details on the Campi Flegrei sites, see www.infocampiflegrei.it.

ALL QUIET ON THE SOUTHERN SIDE?

At the other end of the bay from the urban onslaught that is Naples, the town of Sorrento is a haven of charm that steadfastly retains an old-fashioned pace. It has been a popular seaside resort since the 19th century, but because it lacks decent beaches it also lacks brash development. Although most of the town is strikingly set upon a cliff, a few roads lead down to the seafront, where there are a few strips of sand, as well as private jetties that rent out deck chairs in the summer for about €18/£13.80 a day, and also two marinas.

Sorrento is, above all, a place for ambling. Its narrow streets seethe with tourists during July and August, but even then it remains appealingly civilised. In the network of lanes around its small old town area, you can look in on studios engaged in the local, traditional art of intarsia, or inlaid woodwork; visit the lovely 13th-century cloisters of the church of St Francis (open daily 8am-1pm and 2pm-7pm; free); and, on Via San Cesareo, pause by an open-sided frescoed cupola, known as the Sedile Dominova, which now functions as a flamboyant working-man's club but was originally the meeting point of the local nobility.

All in all, the Sorrento area makes a restful and – literally – palmy stopping point from where you can gently explore the outlying bay. Among the hotels is the splendid new Grand Hotel La Pace, at Sant-Agnello di Sorrento (00 39 081 807 4775; www.ghlapace.com; doubles from €90/£69, including breakfast), which opened last year complete with acres of marble floors, locally crafted furniture of inlaid wood in the 119 bedrooms, and an amazing first-floor terrace with sundecks, swimming pool and great views over the bay. Holiday property rental companies include Sorrento.CC (00 39 081 534 1600; www.sorrento.cc), which has a range of apartments in town, and also, further afield, a choice of particularly tranquil accommodation managed by nuns.

A BREATH OF FRESH AIR?

South-west of Sorrento, the coastal countryside has a network of picturesque paths. Local tourist offices at Sant'Agata Sui Due Golfi, Massa Lubrense and Sorrento (00 39 081 807 4033; www.sorrentotourism.com) will supply free maps. The Sorrento Peninsula also features in walking holidays arranged from the UK by Inntravel (01653 617949; www.inntravel.co.uk) and in trips to the Bay of Naples area with Explore (0845 013 1537; www.explore.co.uk).

HOW ABOUT ISLAND LIFE?

Sorrento, Naples and Pozzuoli are gateways to the three islands off the mainland of the Bay of Naples, each of them close enough to visit on day trips by boat. Glamorous Capri is 40 minutes from Naples by the fastest hydrofoil, while the speediest ferry takes 80 minutes. From Sorrento, a trip to Capri takes just 20 minutes by hydrofoil and double that by ferry (more information and links on www.capri.net). Rugged, colourful Ischia, the largest of the islands, takes about 45 minutes to reach by ferry from Naples or Pozzuoli. An onward hop from there to Procida, the smallest and locally most loved island, takes 15 minutes; for more details, go to www.infoischiaprocida.it.

WHERE CAN I FIND OUT MORE?

The Italian Tourist Board, 1 Princes Street, London W1B 2AY (020 7408 1254; www.italiantouristboard.co.uk).

See Naples and die?

In the 18th century, Naples was considered such an opulent city, and a pinnacle of Baroque achievement, that nothing more beautiful remained to be seen. Once you'd been here, what more remained in life? Hence the coining of the phrase vedi Napoli e poi muori (see Naples and then die). But by the 1880s, cholera and typhoid were so rife that the saying took on wry overtones. Fast-forward another 100 years and the adage had become even more ironic because of the level of crime both in Naples and around the outlying bay.

Today, bag-snatching and pick-pocketing are undeniably common, but violence is rare. Opportunists may be after your money but you are unlikely to come to mortal harm.