If you’ve ever dreamt about island hopping around the most incredible islands in Italy, then I highly recommend you begin in Naples. Flights to Naples are frequent and affordable and this is a great launching spot for the surrounding islands.
Capri gets all the attention, obviously. But once you start digging into the Gulf of Naples properly, you realise Capri is just one piece of the puzzle.
You’ve got Ischia with its thermal spas and beach clubs. Procida with pastel fishing villages and long lunches by the harbour. Then further north are the Pontine Islands, which somehow still feel wonderfully under-the-radar despite being only a couple of hours from Rome.
This is the kind of trip I love. Ferries. Tiny ports. Salty hair. Long dinners that start at 8pm and end sometime around midnight. And a suitcase full of clothes but you end up wearing the same beach dress for weeks because it just feels right!
The logistics for a trip like this are surprisingly easy once you know how it all connects together.
Why the Gulf of Naples is perfect for island hopping
The beauty of island hopping here is how compact it is.
You can land in Naples in the morning and be swimming off Capri or Ischia by lunchtime. Ferries run constantly throughout spring and summer, train connections are simple and the islands all offer something completely different.
You also don’t need to commit to a full two-week beach holiday. This works brilliantly as a one-week trip or even a long weekend if you focus on one or two islands.
I’d recommend moving around and staying in different accommodations during your stay, rather than staying in one place the whole time. Each island has such a distinct atmosphere that it feels like visiting different countries.
Capri: glamorous, dramatic and worth the hype
Capri is one of those places people love to complain about. Too expensive. Too crowded. Too many designer shops.
And yet everyone still goes because it’s stunning.
The cliffs are dramatic, the water looks filtered in real life and every viewpoint somehow feels cinematic. Even the chaos around the marina becomes part of the experience after a while.
Most people visit Capri as a day trip from Naples or the Amalfi Coast but it’s well worth staying overnight, even if it’s just for one night. Once the last ferries leave, the atmosphere changes completely and the island becomes calmer and softer around the edges.
Stay in Anacapri if you want a quieter base and slightly better hotel prices. Spend your days swimming, walking between viewpoints and lingering over aperitivo far longer than necessary.
The chairlift to Monte Solaro is worth every euro. So is hiring a small boat to circle the island for a few hours.
You’ll spend more money here than anywhere else on this itinerary. Accept it early and move on!
Ischia: my favourite island in the bay
If Capri is the stylish older sister, Ischia is the fun one who knows all the best local restaurants.
I loved Ischia immediately. It feels bigger, greener and more relaxed. You’ve got beaches, vineyards, thermal spas, mountain walks and little seaside towns that still feel properly Italian.
Ischia is also much better value. You can find gorgeous boutique hotels here for prices that would barely cover a beach club lunch in Capri in August.
The thermal spas are the big draw. Negombo and Poseidon Gardens are the famous ones, with huge outdoor pools built into the coastline. You could easily spend an entire day floating between thermal pools with a spritz in hand and call it sightseeing.
Sant’Angelo was probably my favourite area. Tiny lanes, colourful houses and restaurants built right against the sea. It has that polished-but-relaxed Italian island atmosphere that’s hard to fake.
If you enjoy walking, hike Monte Epomeo early in the morning before the heat builds. Then reward yourself with a lazy seafood lunch afterwards.
That feels very Ischia.
Procida: colourful, quiet and effortlessly cool
Procida is tiny compared to Capri and Ischia.
You can walk around huge parts of it in a day and honestly, that’s part of the appeal. It feels slower. Simpler. Less polished in the best possible way.
Marina Corricella is the postcard spot everyone photographs. Little fishing boats bobbing in the harbour, pastel buildings stacked behind them and restaurants spilling onto the waterfront.
I’d come here for long lunches and lazy afternoons rather than ticking off attractions.
There are beaches scattered around the island and lovely swimming spots if you hire a scooter or electric bike. Chiaiolella beach is particularly good for sunset.
You could visit Procida as a day trip from Naples or Ischia but I think one night works beautifully, especially in summer.
The Pontine Islands: Italy’s quieter island chain
Most people stop after Capri, Ischia and Procida but if you have the time you can continue north towards the Pontine Islands. They sit between Naples and Rome and feel far less touristy, particularly if you travel outside the Italian school holidays.
The main islands people visit are Ponza and Ventotene.
Ponza
Ponza is all cliffs, caves and absurdly clear water.
It reminds me slightly of Capri years ago before luxury tourism took over completely. There’s still glamour here during summer, particularly with Italian holidaymakers arriving on yachts from Rome, but it feels more relaxed overall.
Boat trips are the highlight. The coastline is spectacular and many of the best swimming spots are only accessible by water. The harbour area is lively in the evenings with seafood restaurants and bars filled with Italian families on holiday.
Ventotene
Ventotene feels completely different again.
Smaller, quieter and wonderfully low-key, it’s famous for diving and its Roman harbour. You come here to slow down properly.
There’s very little pressure to do anything productive. Most days revolve around swimming, reading, eating and deciding which gelato flavour deserves your attention next. Honestly, after a few days travelling around Naples, Capri and Ischia, that slower pace feels perfect.
Ferry companies and booking tips
Ferries in this part of Italy are easy once you understand one important detail:
There are usually fast ferries and slower ferries.
Fast ferries are more expensive but save time. Slower ferries are cheaper and often carry vehicles.
The main ferry companies around Naples include:
- SNAV
- Caremar
- Alilauro
- Medmar
For the Pontine Islands, companies like Laziomar and NLG operate many routes.
I’d strongly recommend booking ferries in advance for:
- July and August
- Weekends
- Any routes involving Capri
- Pontine Island crossings
Outside peak season you can often book a few days ahead.
Weather can occasionally disrupt crossings, especially early spring and late autumn, so avoid planning ultra-tight connections between ferries and trains.
Trains between Naples and Rome
If you have the time it’s worth squeezing in a trip to both Naples and Rome because the trains between the two cities are incredibly easy.
High-speed trains take just over an hour and services run constantly throughout the day. If you’re travelling onwards to Formia for the Pontine Islands, regional trains are also frequent.
I’d book high-speed tickets in advance because prices rise sharply closer to departure dates.
I usually compare Trenitalia with Italo Treno, the Italian train company because Italo often has excellent advance fares between Naples and Rome.
You really don’t need a car for this itinerary. In fact, having one would probably become a headache on the islands.
The best time to visit
May, June and September are ideal.
The weather is warm enough for swimming, ferries run regularly and prices feel far more reasonable than peak summer.
July and August are gorgeous but busy. Italians holiday heavily in August and places like Capri and Ponza become very lively.
If you want that dreamy island atmosphere without intense crowds, go in June or September.
I’d avoid January and February unless you specifically want a quiet off-season trip. Some hotels, restaurants and ferry services reduce operations significantly.
How long you need
You could easily spend two weeks island hopping around this region without getting bored.
For a shorter trip, I’d suggest:
- Rome: 1 night (there are so many things to do in Rome you could stay much longer!)
- Naples: 1 night
- Capri: 1 night
- Ischia: 2 nights
- Procida: 1 night
- Ponza or Ventotene: 2 nights
Ischia deserves the most time by far.
Capri is beautiful but works brilliantly as a shorter stay. Ischia is the place where you actually settle into island life.
This corner of Italy feels made for slow summer travel. You spend your days moving between islands, swimming in volcanic bays and catching ferries with slightly sunburnt shoulders and salty hair. Then suddenly you’re sitting in a harbour restaurant ordering another plate of seafood pasta because nobody eats dinner before 8pm anyway.
Capri gets the headlines and yes, it’s beautiful.
But Ischia completely stole my heart. And Procida felt like the kind of place you almost want to keep quiet about.
Then just when you think the trip is over, the Pontine Islands pull you further north towards Rome with another round of harbours, beaches and long lazy lunches.
Honestly, this might be one of the best multi-stop summer itineraries in Italy.
