It’s the question every guest asks sooner or later: can you see an island in a day? The answer is yes, as long as you choose which one and leave early. From the center of Naples, Molo Beverello is just over a kilometer away, ten minutes by taxi, and from there the hydrofoils leave for Capri, Ischia and Procida.
Which island to choose
Capri is the most famous and the most crowded. In a day you can see the Piazzetta, the Gardens of Augustus and Anacapri with the Monte Solaro chairlift. A boat trip around the island is worth more than any visit on land. Avoid weekends in July and August, when the Piazzetta is impassable.
Procida is the best choice if you only have one day. It’s small, easy to explore on foot, and has remained an island of fishermen: Marina Corricella with its colorful houses is the most photogenic spot in the bay. A few hours are enough to really see it, without rushing.
Ischia is the largest and most varied: thermal spas, the Aragonese Castle, real beaches. In a day you’ll only see part of it, so decide beforehand whether to focus on the castle or the spas, without trying to do both.
How to plan the day
Hydrofoils run from early morning and crossings take between forty minutes and an hour, depending on the island and the type of boat. The ferry is cheaper and slower; the hydrofoil is faster but more affected by rough seas.
The practical rule is simple: leave on the first convenient departure and come back on a mid-afternoon one, not the last. The last departures are the most crowded and, if they’re canceled because of the weather, there’s no alternative.
In high season, buy tickets online the day before. Beverello is a busy port, and the dockside ticket office at eight in the morning in August is not the best way to start the day.
What to bring
Little, and light. On Capri and Procida you walk uphill, and there’s nowhere to leave bags. Water, a change of clothes, sunscreen and comfortable shoes: everything else stays in your room.
If you get seasick, avoid windy days: the stretch between Naples and the islands gets choppy quickly, and hydrofoils feel it.
The alternative on land
If the sea is rough or departures are canceled, plan B starts from the same area: the Circumvesuviana train takes you to Pompeii in half an hour, and the excavations fill an entire day. It’s a change of plan that’s just as good as the original.
Leave from the center, not the outskirts
That’s exactly the advantage of staying on via Toledo: the port is ten minutes away, and a day trip becomes a decision to make the night before, not a transfer to plan. Here you’ll find all the connections from the residence, including the port, the station and the airport.
And on the way back, after a day of salt air and steps, the six rooms of the residence are just a few minutes from the pier.
