Can you do Pompeii & the Amalfi Coast in one day?

Sparkling southern Italy is full of Mediterranean elegance and history, with the Amalfi Coast and Pompeii just two of the incredible places and attractions that await you in the region!

The Amalfi Coast is beloved for its gorgeous coastline, opulent architecture, world class seafood and awesome nightlife, whilst the more somber Pompeii is any ancient history lover’s dream visit, with the ruins of a Roman city buried under ash and pumice spewed from the top of the raging Mount Vesuvius in AD 79.

It isn’t the best idea to attempt to see both the Amalfi Coast and Pompeii in one day. For starters, you need a few hours alone to wander around the mesmerising Pompeii, where ancient colonnades and ornate manors stay well-preserved despite its having been nearly 2000 years since their burial.

Next, the Amalfi Coast is exactly that – a coast! Naturally, it’s not all centralised around the one town, and there are plenty of gorgeous little stops along the coastline and off it, with the island of Capri deserving of a day’s exploring itself!

So, we recommend allotting a full day to Pompeii and, if possible, at least a couple of days for the glittering Amalfi Coast.

Here’s what awaits you at both…

Pompeii

Pompeii is like nowhere else on Earth: an incredible ancient city frozen in time by nature’s relentless spontaneity. Today, travellers can take their time to explore the eerie yet stunningly picturesque ruins, taking the most minute details (think jugs and cutlery) to the grand (amphitheatres, The Forum and grand villas).

Be sure to check out the Antiquarium, where plenty of artefacts from the time are housed within interactive exhibits, as well as the Villa dei Misteri, a bizarre testament to what archaeologists believe was a cult that existed around the time.

The Amalfi Coast

Now that you’ve got the sobering Pompeii stuff out of the way, it’s time to let your hair down with a little sun, fun and limoncello on the sublime Amalfi Coast! There is nowhere else on Earth that can make you feel at the height of elegance, and it makes perfect sense why the coast was such a hotspot for celebrities and jetsetters back in the day.

Be sure to head to Positano’s world famous beach, the island of Capri and the beautiful Sorrento, complete with one of the world’s most opulent cathedrals.

Related article: Discover the best of Sorrento