Naples is the only southern Italian city that places the Bay of Naples archaeological circuit (Pompeii, Herculaneum, Vesuvius) and the Cilento National Park coast inside the same refuelling radius. A hotel-based visitor covers one or the other in a day trip; a campervan traveller with unlimited kilometres covers both in three days without repeating a single road. That difference is the whole argument for hiring here rather than anywhere else in the south.

The Amalfi Coast by campervan is a logistics puzzle with one correct answer. You cannot drive the SS163 Amalfitana in any motorhome over 5 metres. The rational approach: park in Sorrento outside the summer ZTL perimeter, take the ferry to Capri (20 to 25 minutes from Sorrento port), and use the Circumvesuviana railway from the Sorrento terminus (GPS 40.6257°N, 14.3772°E) to reach Ercolano and Naples city without moving the vehicle at all. For Positano, take the Travelmar ferry from Salerno port in summer. This is the approach that works, and a campervan base makes it straightforward.

Airport logistics: Naples Capodichino (NAP, GPS 40.8860°N, 14.2908°E) is 7 km north of the city centre. The Alibus shuttle runs to Piazza Garibaldi in approximately 25 minutes for approximately €5 per person. A taxi from the airport to the depot area costs approximately €20-25.

Key distances and drive times from the Naples depot: Pompeii (25 km, 20 min via A3); Herculaneum (10 km, 20 min via SS18); Vesuvius summit car park (25 km, 45 min via SS18 and SP53); Sorrento (50 km, 1 hour via SS18 and SP145); Caserta Royal Palace (30 km, 25 min via A1); Paestum (90 km, 1h 20 min via A3 and SS18); Grotte di Castelcivita (130 km, 2 hours); Palinuro headland (160 km, 2h 30 min via A3 and SS18).

Here's what sets Indie Campers apart from other Naples hire companies:

Unlimited kilometres, no daily cap. The Pompeii-to-Paestum-to-Palinuro circuit runs approximately 320 km one way from Naples without retracing a kilometre. Most competing hire companies cap daily distance at 200 to 250 km. Indie Campers puts no daily cap on distance across the fleet.

One-way hire across 70+ European locations. Collect in Naples and drop off in Rome (220 km via A1), Palermo, Bari, Matera, or Catania without paying to deadhead the vehicle back south. For travellers doing a full southern Italy arc, this is the only arrangement that makes geographical sense.

24/7 road assistance, included on every booking. The Cilento interior on the SP166 and SP191 is genuinely remote. A breakdown on a mountain SP road is a different situation with assistance included than without it.

Basic Protection Plan, included as standard. Optional upgrade plans are available at booking for additional excess reduction.

Flexible cancellation up to 31 days before pickup, no penalty. Campania's summer heat and A3 traffic patterns are predictable seasonal risks; if plans shift, the cancellation window is generous.

Book now, pay later. Full payment is not due at booking. For Pizzafest or summer Cilento coast dates, early booking secures availability without requiring full payment months in advance.

For vehicle selection: Adventure and California categories (both under 6 m) handle the Sorrento peninsula SP roads and Cilento coastal access without difficulty. Active suits families doing the Cilento circuit primarily on the SS18 and A3 corridor. Comfort suits larger groups on the straight A3 corridor south where road width is not a constraint.

Spring (March to May)

Temperatures range from 12°C to 21°C (12.2 °C to 21.1 °C). The Cilento hills are at their most photogenic in April and May: wildflower cover on the SP road verges between Laureana Cilento and Monte Stella, green fields running to the coast at Palinuro, and the Paestum temples without summer heat shimmer. In May, the Maggio dei Monumenti festival opens dozens of normally closed historic buildings across Naples, including free guided tours of the Sotterranea di Napoli. The SS18 south of Battipaglia is clear and fast.

Best for: the full circuit without summer pricing or logistical pressure.

Skip if: your priority is warm-water sea swimming.

Summer (June to August)

July temperatures in Naples city average 30 °C, with bay humidity making the perceived temperature significantly higher. Campgrounds in the Cilento hills, at 600 to 800 m above sea level, run 5 to 8°C cooler than the coast below. The A3 southbound on Friday evenings and Saturday mornings in July and August is one of the worst motorway corridors in Italy; leave Naples before 8am on departure day to avoid queues extending 20 to 30 km from the orbital junction. Cilento coast campgrounds fill June through August; book 6 to 8 weeks ahead for a Palinuro or Marina di Camerota pitch.

Best for: beach access, island ferries, and warm evenings at waterfront pitches.

Skip if: you want space and flexibility without committing months ahead.

Booking note: Palinuro and Marina di Camerota area campgrounds require 6-8 weeks' advance booking for July and August.

Autumn (September to November)

Temperatures run 17°C to 26°C (17.2 °C to 26.1 °C) in September, cooling to 13°C to 18°C (12.8 °C to 17.8 °C) by November. September is the strongest month for this circuit: the Pizzafest draws approximately 50 pizzerias to the Lungomare Caracciolo waterfront over three evenings, the Tyrrhenian Sea is still warm at Palinuro, and campgrounds thin out significantly after the last week of August. October and November are quiet across the circuit; some Cilento coast campgrounds close by late October.

Best for: the combination of good weather, calm roads, and the Pizzafest in the first half of September.

Skip if: you are targeting Capri or Ischia ferries, which reduce to winter schedules after mid-October.

Winter (December to February)

Temperatures average 8°C to 14°C (7.78 °C to 13.9 °C), rarely dropping below 5°C at sea level. The Natale di Napoli festival runs December through January, and Via San Gregorio Armeno (GPS 40.8509°N, 14.2577°E) is packed with artisan nativity-figure stalls. The Vesuvius upper SP road and Cilento Apennine passes above 800 m can carry snow from December; winter tyres are legally required on these mountain roads. Most Cilento coast campgrounds close November through March.

Best for: archaeological sites, Naples city time, and the nativity market atmosphere.

Skip if: you want Cilento coast campgrounds or island ferry access.

The most popular months for Naples campervan hire are September, May, and June.

3 to 5 Days: The Bay of Naples Core Circuit (approx. 80-120 km)

Route A: Naples city, Pompeii, and Vesuvius (approx. 80 km)

Day 1: Arrive Naples Capodichino. Alibus to Piazza Garibaldi or taxi to depot. Drive to Camping Zeus, Via Villa dei Misteri 3, Pompeii (GPS 40.7524°N, 14.4795°E) via A3 south, 25 km. Evening walk to the Porta Marina external boundary.

Day 2: Enter Pompeii archaeological park (GPS 40.7484°N, 14.4862°E) at 9am via pre-booked ticket. Four to five hours: Via dell'Abbondanza, House of the Faun, the Forum, the Lupanar. Drive north via SP53 to the Vesuvius summit car park (GPS 40.8210°N, 14.4290°E), 40 minutes. Summit trail to the crater rim: 45 minutes up, 30 minutes walking the rim, 30 minutes descent. Return to Camping Zeus. Total: approximately 35 km.

Day 3: Herculaneum morning (GPS 40.8062°N, 14.3467°E) via SS18, 10 km. Drive via A56 tangenziale to Naples city for the MANN (GPS 40.8536°N, 14.2527°E). Metro Line 1 to Museo station; leave the vehicle at the ZTL perimeter.

Days 4 to 5: Naples city. Sotterranea di Napoli tour (GPS 40.8519°N, 14.2564°E). Spaccanapoli corridor. Gran Caffè Gambrinus espresso at Piazza del Plebiscito (GPS 40.8352°N, 14.2480°E). Castel dell'Ovo at Borgo Marinari (GPS 40.8298°N, 14.2463°E), free.

Route B: Naples, Sorrento peninsula, and Capri ferry (approx. 120 km)

Follow Route A for Days 1 to 2. Day 3: drive south from Camping Zeus to Camping Sant'Antonio near Meta di Sorrento (GPS 40.6383°N, 14.3958°E) via SS18 and SP145, 50 km. Take the Caremar ferry from Sorrento port to Capri (20 to 25 minutes). Return to the vehicle at the camper sosta before evening.

7 to 10 Days: Full Bay of Naples to Cilento Circuit (approx. 500 km)

Day 1: Naples arrival. Drive to Camping Zeus (GPS 40.7524°N, 14.4795°E) via A3 south, 25 km.

Day 2: Pompeii full morning (GPS 40.7484°N, 14.4862°E). Vesuvius crater afternoon via SP53 (GPS 40.8210°N, 14.4290°E). Return to Camping Zeus. Total: 35 km.

Day 3: Herculaneum morning (GPS 40.8062°N, 14.3467°E) via SS18, 10 km. Drive via A56 tangenziale to Camping Vulcano Solfatara, Via Solfatara 161, Pozzuoli (GPS 40.8284°N, 14.1395°E), 30 km. Afternoon: Solfatara crater walk (GPS 40.8275°N, 14.1388°E). Total: 40 km.

Day 4: Campi Flegrei morning: Lago d'Averno (GPS 40.8407°N, 14.0777°E) circuit walk, Anfiteatro Flavio (GPS 40.8283°N, 14.1219°E). Drive to Camping Sant'Antonio near Meta di Sorrento (GPS 40.6383°N, 14.3958°E), 65 km. Afternoon ferry from Sorrento port to Capri.

Day 5: Sorrento base. Circumvesuviana rail to Naples for MANN and Sotterranea di Napoli. Leave vehicle at campsite.

Day 6: Drive south via A3 to Battipaglia, then SS18 south to Paestum (GPS 40.4211°N, 15.0050°E). Doric temple complex and Paestum museum. Check in to Camping Paestum (GPS 40.4183°N, 15.0067°E). Total from Sorrento: approximately 100 km.

Day 7: Drive via SP166 to Grotte di Castelcivita (GPS 40.5122°N, 15.2789°E) for the guided cave tour. Continue south on SS18. Fuel stop in Palinuro town before descending. Drive to Camping Palinuro near Marina di Camerota (GPS 40.0330°N, 15.2780°E). Total from Paestum: approximately 90 km.

Day 8: Palinuro headland morning (GPS 40.0283°N, 15.2814°E). Sea arch viewpoint on the SP562. Hired boat from Palinuro marina to the Grotta Azzurra. Afternoon at the beach.

Day 9: Drive north via SS18 and A3 toward Naples, approximately 160 km. Salerno stop option for the ferry-point logistics check.

Day 10: Naples depot return or airport transfer.

14+ Days: One-Way Route

After Palinuro, continue south on the SS18 through Calabria, cross to Sicily on the Villa San Giovanni ferry (20-minute crossing), and explore toward Catania or Palermo before returning the vehicle at the Sicilian depot. Alternatively, head north from Naples to Rome (220 km via A1) and continue to Florence (485 km from Naples, 5 hours) before a northern Italy drop-off.

Fuel Stations

Italian diesel (gasolio) costs approximately €1.78 to €1.95 per litre; the self-service pump (fai da te) consistently undercuts the attended option (servizio) by €0.10 to €0.15. The ENI station on Via Argine near the Napoli Est junction (GPS approximately 40.8673°N, 14.3298°E) is the most convenient fill point east of the city centre before joining the A3 south toward Pompeii. The Q8 station near the tangenziale di Napoli on Via Brecce a Sant'Erasmo (GPS approximately 40.8441°N, 14.2911°E) covers departures heading west toward the Campi Flegrei. The IP motorway service station near the Napoli-Pompei junction (GPS approximately 40.7810°N, 14.4223°E) is the last reliable large-format fuel point before the Pompeii and Herculaneum cluster.

Fill your tank in Battipaglia before entering the Cilento. The IP station on Via Fuorni in Battipaglia (GPS approximately 40.5936°N, 14.9872°E) is the correct reference point. South of Battipaglia, fuel stations are present along the SS18 through Agropoli and Vallo della Lucania but become irregular past that point. There is zero fuel between Palinuro and Marina di Camerota on the coastal SP562 (12 km). Fill at the Esso station on Via Indipendenza in Palinuro town centre (GPS approximately 40.0315°N, 15.2780°E) before descending to the coast. That is not a precaution; it is a hard stop. The SS163 Amalfitana has no fuel stations between Sorrento and Salerno, which reinforces every other reason not to attempt it in a campervan.

LPG/Autogas

LPG is available at the ENI station on Via Solfatara in Pozzuoli (GPS approximately 40.8251°N, 14.1302°E), convenient for Campi Flegrei overnight stays. The Q8 in Salerno on Via Torrione (GPS approximately 40.6722°N, 14.7770°E) serves travellers fuelling before the SS18 turn toward the Cilento. LPG availability drops significantly in the Cilento interior. Confirm the next LPG station before leaving Battipaglia if your vehicle uses autogas for heating.

Dump Stations (Aree di Sosta)

The area di sosta camper near Pompeii on Via Plinio (GPS approximately 40.7490°N, 14.4800°E) offers grey and black water disposal plus a fresh water fill point, open year-round. In Pozzuoli, the municipal camper service area near the port (GPS approximately 40.8261°N, 14.1178°E) covers disposal and fresh water. In Paestum, the sosta near the archaeological park on Via Magna Grecia (GPS approximately 40.4195°N, 15.0045°E) serves visitors on the Greek temple circuit. On the Cilento coast, Camping Paestum and Villaggio Le Palme both operate full grey and black water service on-site at the pitch area.

Essential Apps

Park4Night and CamperContact both index the Naples circuit with sosta listings, though Cilento interior coverage is thinner than the coast. Download Google Maps offline for the Cilento SP roads and the Sorrento peninsula SP145 before leaving Naples; assume no data signal on the SP166 toward Castelcivita. The Telepass app manages Italian motorway toll payments if your vehicle uses a transponder. The Trenitalia app provides Circumvesuviana rail schedules from the Sorrento terminus for days when you leave the vehicle at a campsite and travel by rail.

Best Campgrounds Near Naples

Camping Zeus

Via Villa dei Misteri 3, Pompeii. GPS 40.7524°N, 14.4795°E. Approximately €22 to €35 per night with electric hookup (10A), depending on season and pitch type. Walking distance (10 minutes) to the Porta Marina entrance means no morning drive and no parking search before the site opens. Pitches face northeast toward Vesuvius, clearly visible from the camping area. Electric hookup on all pitches; shared dump station. Maximum campervan length: 8 m. Book at least 3 to 4 weeks ahead for July and August. The location compensates for facilities that are functional rather than luxurious.

Camping Vulcano Solfatara

Via Solfatara 161, Pozzuoli. GPS 40.8284°N, 14.1395°E. Approximately €18 to €30 per night with electric hookup (10A), water at pitch. The campsite sits inside the Solfatara crater compound: pitches are within 200 metres of active fumaroles. Walking the crater at dawn before day visitors arrive, with ground steam rising and the site empty, is an experience available only to guests of this campsite. Maximum campervan length: 7 m; the access road inside the compound is tight. Book 2 to 3 weeks ahead for July and August.

Camping Villaggio Turistico Internazionale

Baia area, Pozzuoli. GPS 40.8050°N, 14.0650°E. Approximately €20 to €32 per night with electric hookup (16A), water at pitch. A larger site on the Baia coast, better suited to the Campi Flegrei circuit without the compact constraints of the Solfatara site. The Baia underwater archaeological park, where Roman imperial buildings have slipped below sea level due to bradyseism, is accessible by boat from Baia harbour, 2 km from the campsite. Maximum campervan length: 9 m. Booking lead time: 2 weeks in summer.

Camping Sant'Antonio

Meta di Sorrento area. GPS 40.6383°N, 14.3958°E. Approximately €28 to €45 per night with electric hookup (10A), water at pitch. The Sorrento peninsula base, outside the summer ZTL perimeter on the SP145 approach road. Pool and full sanitary block. Maximum campervan length: 7 m. Book 4 to 6 weeks ahead for June through August.

Camping Paestum

Near Capaccio-Paestum. GPS 40.4183°N, 15.0067°E. Approximately €15 to €25 per night with electric hookup (10A), water at pitch. Flat, well-organised site 1.5 km from the three Greek Doric temples. The Paestum beach is 4 km west. Service area for grey and black water. Maximum campervan length: 9 m. Booking lead time: 1 to 2 weeks in peak season.

Camping Palinuro

Marina di Camerota area. GPS 40.0330°N, 15.2780°E. Approximately €20 to €38 per night in season (June through September) with electric hookup (10A), water at pitch. The southern anchor of the Cilento circuit. Access from the SS18 involves a descent on the SP562 coastal road, passable for vehicles up to 7 m but requiring care. Shared sanitary facilities; dump station on-site. Maximum campervan length: 7.5 m. Book 6 to 8 weeks ahead for July and August.

Villaggio Le Palme

Palinuro. GPS 40.0260°N, 15.2820°E. Approximately €22 to €40 per night in season with electric hookup (16A), water at pitch. A slightly larger and better-equipped site 1 km from Camping Palinuro, with direct beach access and a more extensive sanitary block. Maximum campervan length: 8 m. Book 6 to 8 weeks ahead for July and August.

Agriturismo Il Crinale

Cilento hills, near Laureana Cilento. GPS approximately 40.2810°N, 15.1320°E. Approximately €12 to €18 per night with electric hookup (6A). A working farm with a small number of camper pitches in olive groves on the Cilento hillside. Dinner available on request using farm produce. Basic sanitary facilities. Maximum campervan length: 8 m on the approach track. The correct base for Monte Stella hikes (GPS 40.2831°N, 15.1161°E). Book 1 week ahead outside August.

Minimum age 21. EU licences accepted directly. Non-EU licence holders need an International Driving Permit alongside the national licence. A credit card in the primary driver's name is required for the security deposit at pickup.

Naples is the most demanding urban driving environment in the Indie Campers Italy network. Scooters filter through gaps that are technically closed; horn use functions as positional communication; pedestrian crossings are advisory in practice. The instruction: use the tangenziale di Napoli to navigate around the city rather than through it. Once the vehicle exits onto the A3 south or the A56 west toward the Campi Flegrei, the driving character changes immediately.

Any motorhome over 5 metres must not attempt the SS163 Amalfitana. The road is sized for Italian coach bus dimensions. There are no turning points, buses own the passing bays, and police at the Positano approach in summer turn around oversized vehicles at the village boundary. The ferry from Sorrento to Capri, the Travelmar service from Salerno to Positano, and the Circumvesuviana rail from the Sorrento terminus cover every destination on the Amalfi Coast without this risk.

Book Cilento coast campgrounds (Palinuro, Marina di Camerota area) 6 to 8 weeks ahead for July and August. Sorrento area sites fill 4 to 6 weeks ahead. Book Capri and Ischia ferries 2 to 3 weeks ahead for peak-season summer dates. The Vesuvius summit car park (GPS 40.8210°N, 14.4290°E) fills completely by 9:30am in July and August; arrive before 9am.

Speed Limits

Motorways (A1, A3, A16): 130 km/h for standard vehicles; campervans over 3.5 tonnes are limited to 110 km/h. Urban areas: 50 km/h. Rural SP roads: 90 km/h where signed, though Cilento SP conditions realistically limit speeds to 40 to 60 km/h. The SP53 upper section to Vesuvius: 30 km/h is the practical maximum.

Road Conditions

The A3 Napoli-Salerno (50 km) is well-maintained and consistently busy. South of the Salerno junction, the SS18 toward Battipaglia is toll-free, wider than it appears on maps, and in reasonable condition for motorhomes of any size. The SP roads into the Cilento interior (SP166 to Castelcivita, SP91 to Monte Stella) are approximately 4 to 5 m wide with passing places every 300 to 500 m; passable for campervans under 6.5 m. The Cilento coastal SP roads between Marina di Camerota and Scario have unpaved sections; confirm road surface conditions with the campsite after rain.

Driving Culture

Naples city operates on informal conventions: scooter lane-sharing at intersections, informal pedestrian crossing at any density of traffic, and horn use as positional communication. Drive at low speed through any urban Naples section, yield to anything already moving, and use the tangenziale whenever it provides an alternative. Outside the tangenziale, the character of driving changes immediately.

campervan-Specific Concerns

Height: no covered parking in Pozzuoli or Sorrento town centres accommodates vehicles over 2.0 m. Use the designated camper soste outside both town centres.

Length: the Sorrento peninsula SP roads and the Cilento coastal SP562 limit practical access to vehicles under 6 m on the tighter secondary sections. Adventure and California category vehicles handle both without issue.

Wildlife: the Cilento interior has populations of wild boar and, on higher mountain sectors, wolves. On SP roads after dusk, reduce speed to 40 km/h on the SP91 near Monte Stella.

Legal Requirements

Blood alcohol limit: 0.5 g/L for drivers over 21 with more than 3 years of licence tenure; 0.0 g/L for drivers under 21 and those with under 3 years' experience. Winter tyres are legally required on Appennino Lucano mountain roads above 800 m in the Cilento, specifically on the SP91 and SP166, from November through April.

Practical Logistics

Tolls

The A1 from Naples to Rome (220 km) costs approximately €20 to €24 for a motorhome (Category 2), paid at the Rome Sud or Napoli Nord barriers. The A3 Napoli-Salerno (50 km) costs approximately €4 to €6 for a motorhome at the Salerno barrier. The A16 Napoli-Bari (Autostrada dei Due Mari, 280 km) costs approximately €22 to €26. From the Battipaglia junction south, the A3 transitions to the toll-free SS18; no further motorway charges apply all the way through the Cilento coast to Reggio Calabria. The tangenziale di Napoli is a toll urban motorway at approximately €0.80 per crossing.

ZTL (Restricted Traffic Zones)

The Naples centro storico ZTL covers the entire historic centre, including the Spaccanapoli corridor and Via San Gregorio Armeno. Cameras enforce the zone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Fines arrive at the vehicle owner's address weeks later, typically €80 to €150 per infraction. Use the tangenziale di Napoli to navigate around the city, park outside the ZTL perimeter near a Metro station (Napoli Centrale or Municipio), and enter the centre on foot. The Sorrento town centre ZTL operates June through September; camper soste are outside the perimeter on the SP145 approach road. Positano applies a residents-only vehicle restriction below the main SS163, which is moot given that campervans over 5 m cannot use the SS163 at all.

Traffic

The A3 southbound on Friday evenings and Saturday mornings in July and August consistently produces queues extending 20 to 30 km from the Naples orbital junction. Leave before 8am on Saturdays or after 8pm on Fridays. The Circumvesuviana railway from Napoli Porta Nolana or Napoli Garibaldi connects to Ercolano, Pompei Scavi, and Sorrento every 20 to 30 minutes, making it a faster alternative to driving the bay on busy summer days.

Getting from the Airport

Naples Capodichino (NAP, GPS 40.8860°N, 14.2908°E): the Alibus shuttle departs from outside Arrivals for Piazza Garibaldi approximately every 20 to 30 minutes, approximately 25 minutes and approximately €5 per person. Taxi from the airport to Piazza Garibaldi: approximately €20 to €25. From Piazza Garibaldi to the depot area near Via Argine, a further taxi costs approximately €8 to €12. Total airport-to-depot time in normal traffic: 30 to 45 minutes.

Top Mistakes

Attempting to drive the SS163 Amalfitana in a vehicle over 5 metres. Campervans are turned around at the Positano boundary in summer. Do not attempt it.

Driving into the Naples centro storico without checking the ZTL. Two ZTL violations across a weekend cost more than a full week of Paestum campsite fees.

Parking in Sorrento without a confirmed camper sosta booking. The summer ZTL covers the town centre and informal large-vehicle parking on the approach streets is enforced.

Not checking Capri and Ischia ferry schedules in advance. In summer, morning sailings sell out the previous evening. Book 2 to 3 weeks ahead for July and August.

Running out of fuel on the Cilento coast. No fuel between Palinuro and Marina di Camerota. Fill at the Esso on Via Indipendenza in Palinuro town before descending the SP562.

Underestimating A3 Friday afternoon traffic. Southbound queues regularly reach 30 km. Leave before 8am or after 8pm.

Arriving at the Vesuvius crater car park (GPS 40.8210°N, 14.4290°E) after 9:30am in July and August. The limited parking fills completely. Arrive before 9am.

Naples, Pompeii, Sorrento, and Cilento Circuit (approximately 500 km)

Campervan hire varies by vehicle category and season. An Adventure or California campervan in May or September sits at the lower end of the seasonal pricing range; July and August carry a summer premium. Confirm current rates at booking on the Indie Campers platform.

Fuel for the 500 km circuit: at approximately 11 litres per 100 km, the circuit uses approximately 55 litres of diesel. At approximately €1.87 per litre on the self-service pump, that is approximately €103 for the main circuit. Add €15 to €25 if the itinerary includes additional day drives toward Caserta or inland Cilento SP roads.

LPG costs, for vehicles using autogas for heating, run approximately €20 to €30 for the week depending on overnight temperatures and usage frequency.

Tolls for the week: the A3 Napoli-Salerno (approximately €5 for a motorhome, each way), the tangenziale di Napoli crossings (approximately €0.80 per passage), and any A1 sections toward Caserta total approximately €18 to €25 for the full circuit. The SS18 from Battipaglia south is entirely toll-free.

Campgrounds for 7 nights: the Pompeii and Pozzuoli sites average approximately €22 to €30 per night. The Sorrento area site runs approximately €28 to €45 per night (the peninsula premium is real). Paestum and the Cilento coast average approximately €20 to €35 per night. A 7-night average of approximately €28 per night gives a campground total of approximately €196.

Food for the week: a margherita at L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele costs approximately €7. A full lunch at Trattoria Da Nennella runs approximately €12 to €15 per person. Provisioning at the Porta Nolana fish market for several self-catered dinners (anchovy, mussels, Piennolo cherry tomatoes) costs approximately €15 to €20 for two people. A reasonable weekly food budget for two, combining 4 to 5 self-catered dinners with 2 to 3 restaurant meals including a Da Michele visit, runs approximately €180 to €250 total.

Activities for the full circuit: Pompeii approximately €18 per adult; Vesuvius crater approximately €13 per adult; Paestum approximately €12 per adult; Grotte di Castelcivita approximately €10 per adult; Herculaneum approximately €15 per adult. Total activity budget covering all five sites: approximately €55 to €70 per adult.

Ferries: a Sorrento-to-Capri return costs approximately €20 to €30 per person. The Salerno-to-Positano summer one-way costs approximately €10 to €15 per person. Budget approximately €30 to €45 per person for one island and one coastal village ferry day.

Parking and soste: the Sorrento camper sosta charges approximately €15 to €20 per overnight if used in addition to the campsite. The Pompeii campervan day parking on Via Plinio costs approximately €5 to €8 for a half-day.

Budget total (7 days, 2 adults, excluding vehicle hire): approximately €900 to €1,100. This assumes primarily self-catered meals from the Porta Nolana market, visits to Pompeii and Paestum but not all five sites, one ferry day to Capri, and campsites at the lower end of the seasonal range.

Mid-range total (7 days, 2 adults): approximately €1,200 to €1,500. This covers the full activity circuit (Pompeii, Vesuvius, Herculaneum, Paestum, Grotte di Castelcivita), 2 to 3 restaurant meals including Da Michele and Da Nennella, one full ferry day to Capri from Sorrento, and mid-range campsite pitches with electric hookup at all stops.

Premium total (7 days, 2 adults): approximately €1,600 to €2,000. This assumes the full activity circuit, daily restaurant meals including Gran Caffè Gambrinus breakfast and a waterfront dinner in Paestum, two ferry days (Capri from Sorrento and the Salerno-Positano coastal route), the Baia underwater archaeological park boat tour, and premium campsite pitches with electric and water hookup at all stops. Campgrounds near Naples city are older and less polished than the Cilento coast sites, but the Cilento coast fills fastest across every price range. Book early.

Naples to Rome: 220 km via the A1 motorway, approximately 2 hours in clear traffic. Toll approximately €20 to €24 for a motorhome. The Caserta Royal Palace (GPS 41.0733°N, 14.3266°E) is a practical stop 30 km north of Naples before the motorway.

Naples to Palermo: two options. Overnight ferry from Naples Molo Beverello to Palermo on Grimaldi Lines or Tirrenia, approximately 10 to 11 hours, approximately €30 to €60 per person plus vehicle cost. Alternatively, drive the A3 south to Reggio Calabria (300 km, approximately 3 hours 30 minutes), cross on the Villa San Giovanni ferry to Messina (20 minutes, departs continuously), and continue west to Palermo (225 km via A20 and A19, approximately 2 hours 30 minutes).

Naples to Bari: 280 km via the A16 Autostrada dei Due Mari, crossing the Apennines between the Tyrrhenian and Adriatic coasts. Approximately 2 hours 45 minutes. Toll approximately €22 to €26 for a motorhome.

Naples to Catania: drive A3 south to Reggio Calabria (300 km, 3 hours 30 minutes), cross on the Villa San Giovanni ferry to Messina (20 minutes), then continue east on the A18 to Catania (100 km, approximately 1 hour 15 minutes). Total: approximately 5 to 6 hours including the crossing.

Naples to Florence: 485 km via A1 north, approximately 5 hours in clear traffic. The route passes through Rome at the halfway point (220 km from Naples), a natural overnight base. Toll Naples to Florence approximately €38 to €44 for a motorhome.

One-way fees vary by route and season. Confirm availability and pricing at the time of booking.

Naples is the only southern Italian campervan base that places Pompeii, Herculaneum, Vesuvius, the Phlegraean Fields, Paestum, and the Cilento coastline within a single operational circuit without a single repeated road. A Salerno depot misses the Phlegraean Fields and adds distance to every Bay of Naples site. A Palermo or Catania depot requires a ferry crossing before any of these destinations is reachable. Naples puts you in position to be at Pompeii's Porta Marina at 9am, at the Vesuvius crater rim by mid-morning, at a Cilento coastal campsite by evening of Day 3, and at the Greek temples of Paestum on Day 4, without reversing course once across the full 500 km of the circuit.

There is a specific version of this trip that only becomes possible starting from Naples. Drive from Camping Zeus to the Vesuvius summit car park (GPS 40.8210°N, 14.4290°E) before 9am on any clear morning and you have the crater rim to yourself for 45 minutes before the first tour group arrives. The Bay of Naples is visible to the southwest: the city, the arc of the bay, Capri in the distance, and the Phlegraean Fields to the far west. Come back down, drive 20 minutes south to Pompeii (GPS 40.7484°N, 14.4862°E), and walk the Via dell'Abbondanza before noon when it is still navigable at a pace that lets you read the electoral notices and wine-shop counters painted on the walls. That evening, return to the Camping Zeus pitch and watch the lights of Naples and the bay come on from a campsite 10 minutes on foot from one of the largest archaeological sites in the world. That sequence does not exist at any other starting point in southern Italy.

The morning of pickup has its own ritual. Start at the Mercato di Porta Nolana (GPS 40.8516°N, 14.2696°E) from 7am: the market spreads along the streets below the medieval tower with the day's anchovy, mussels, Piennolo tomatoes, and Campania vegetables. Stock the fridge. Walk ten minutes west to the Gran Caffè Gambrinus (GPS 40.8352°N, 14.2480°E) on Piazza del Plebiscito for the espresso at the bar, standing, the way it is ordered here. The piazza faces the Royal Palace, Castel dell'Ovo is visible to the left across the waterfront, and Vesuvius frames the eastern skyline. Then the A3 south from the tangenziale: Vesuvius on the left, the Bay of Naples on the right, 25 kilometres to Pompeii. That is how the trip begins.