Travel Guides Crafted by Experienced Archaeologists & Historians

Naples in 3 Days with a Campania Museum Pass

Naples is a city that has so much to offer: history, culture, archaeology, art and good food. I have always wanted to visit the city and its surroundings, home to some of the world’s most significant archaeological sites, such as Pompeii and Herculaneum. Recently I covered Naples in 3 days by using the Campania Museum Pass (there are other passes). Which sites and museums are included? How much do you save compared to single entries? Is the number of sites that can be visited adequate for the days the Pass is valid? Do you have to wait in queues before entering? If you are curious about the answers to these and other questions, read on.

Recommended Pass For 3 Days in Naples

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Day 1: Pompeii & the Royal Palace of Naples

Royal Palace of Naples, Italy
The façade of the Royal Palace of Naples on the Piazza del Plebiscito.

Day 2: Herculaneum, a Chapel and a Museum

Herculaneum Street
A street in Herculaneum.

Day 3: Royal Palace of Caserta and the Capodimonte Museum

Reggia di Caserta Royal Palace and Gardens, aerial view. Caserta, Italy.
An aerial view over the Royal Palace of Caserta to the fountain of Venus and Adonis at the end of the long park.

Was the Campania Museums Pass Worth it?

Attractions Included in the Campania Museum Pass

Capodimonte Museum

In 1738 King Charles of Bourbon ordered the construction of the Royal Palace that today houses the Museum. It was initially founded as a hunting reserve, but ended up becoming one of the residences of the royal family, in which part of the Farnese Collection was exhibited from the very beginning. Already in the 18th century it was an obligatory stop for visitors to Italy, given the importance of the works on display. The Museum, opened on 5 May 1957, is one of the most important picture galleries in Europe, and houses in its 124 galleries numerous works by great names such as Botticelli, Michelangelo, Raphael, Caravaggio and Titian. In addition to these are extraordinary collections of porcelain and decorative arts, tapestries and royal furniture, as well as Roman sculpture.

Herculaneum

The ancient city of Herculaneum, buried under 30 metres of ash and volcanic material in the eruption of 79 AD, was brought to light in 1738 under the reign of Charles of Bourbon. Excavations of the site were extremely demanding and concentrated on the area that once overlooked the sea. The visit allows you to move between the ancient streets on which the various craft and commercial activities opened, and the entrances to the domus. Some places such as the Palestra, which remains partly buried and accessible through a gallery, or the College of the Augustales, in which painted scenes of the myth of Hercules survive.

National Archaeological Museum of Naples

The Museum is the most important in the world for Roman painting, and was founded in 1816. The original nucleus of the collection is due to King Charles of Bourbon, who promoted excavations in Pompeii and Herculaneum and brought part of the Farnese collection inherited from his mother to Naples. There are many famous finds to admire, such as the Alexander Mosaic or the bronzes from the Villa of the Papyri, while the collections display Roman mosaics and frescoes, Egyptian artefacts and those from Magna Graecia, as well as entire sections dedicated to prehistory and protohistory, epigraphy and numismatics, concluding with the Farnese Collection, which includes the famous sculptures of Hercules and Bull.

Pompeii

The archaeological site of Pompeii is one of the most well-known and much visited sites in the world. Pompeii was a Roman city that was buried under four to six metres of volcanic ash from the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. The site has been a tourist destination for about 250 years, and today over 2.5 million people visit each year making this one of the most popular attractions in Italy. For conservation reasons, only a fraction of the site is open to the public – but there is still much to see of the Roman city, including theatres, the amphitheatre, the forum, bath houses and residences with exquisite wall paintings.

Royal Palace of Caserta

When people think of the most majestic and imposing Royal Palaces, they cannot but think of the Royal Palace of Caserta. King Charles of Bourbon commissioned the architect Luigi Vanvitelli to design a residence that would surpass even the Palace of Versailles in beauty. The foundation stone was laid on 20 January 1752, and it was completed in 1845. Inside, all the rooms that hosted the royal family and animated court life can be visited, such as the Apartments, the Throne Room, the Theatre, the Palatine Chapel and the Royal Staircase, while outside, visitors can stroll and relax in the vast, well-kept gardens.

Royal Palace of Naples

At the beginning of the 17th century, Viceroy Fernando Ruiz de Castro, due to the imminent visit of King Philip III of Habsburg to Naples, began construction of the new Royal Palace, entrusting the architect Domenico Fontana with the project. King Charles of Bourbon chose it in 1734 as his royal residence, and it was only in 1858 that the palace was given its final appearance. The visit allows you to explore the different rooms of the Royal Apartments, such as the Court Theatre, the Chapel and the Throne Room, reached via the Staircase of Honour, which Montesquieu described as the most beautiful in Europe.

Archaeology Travel Writer

Gianluca Pitzeri

Born and raised in Sardinia, from an early age I dreamt of discovering ancient ruins. Currently I am completing a Master’s degree in Archaeology and Art at the University of Cagliari, Sardinia. What particularly interests me now is the potential digital technologies can make to enhancing visitor experience at archaeological sites. Read More

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