Best Naples Shore Excursions For Families
Planning a European cruise? Do you have a stop in Naples, Italy? Want to know what the best Naples shore excursions for families are?
Awesome, you are in the right place! We are going to give you a lot of options for shore excursions in Naples!
We recently did a family cruise in Europe and loved it! Italy is one of my favorite countries in Europe! I have been to this southern Italy several times so I have a good knowledge of all the fun things to do in the area.
Naples is often included in both the Mediterranean cruises and the Greek Island cruises. It is a very popular port!
In this post, we are going to list out some of the best options for a day in Naples and the surrounding area. We are going to give you lots of resources so you can plan the best Naples cruise excursion!
Let’s start planning the best Naples cruise excursion options!
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1. Island of Capri Shore Excursions
Capri is one of my favorite places in Italy. My husband and I were able to spend a few days on the Island on one of our visits to Italy.
When we were picking our cruise excursion, this was one of my top picks. My kids have never been.
I did a lot of research getting ready for our cruise, planning out what we would do on the Capri Island for a day. (In the end, we decided to do a different excursion, but I still planned this one for you!)
Just a side note: One of the reasons I decided to go a different route was that we did not have as much time in port, and the Cruiseline was not offering a tour. I was worried we wouldn’t make it back to the ship on time.
If you have enough time, you can book through the Cruiseline or a private tour available on Viator (I use this tour company all the time.)
Cruise Port
The cruise port is very busy, but it will be just fine, so don’t worry. You will want to book your ferry to Capri at the port of Naples. This is the best way to get there.
Remember to book a high-speed ferry because you are on a time crunch! It takes about 50 minutes to get to Capri. ( I got a little seasick with the high-speed ferry, so get a motion sickness bracelet or patch.)
Make sure you give yourself enough time to get back to Naples before the cruise’s departure. The last ferry departs around 7 pm.
Tour of the Island of Capri
If you are looking for private shore excursions. This 7-hour Capri Tour is the best as it includes everything you would want to do.
(Some cruise ships do not offer a Capri tour, and this is a great option for a full tour. It is cheaper than booking through a cruiseline as well.)
Activities on Capri Island
If you want to do this without a full tour, it is totally possible.
You will only have time to do one major activity. I would choose one of the following options.
- Blue Grotto
- Boat Tour
- Mount Salaro
Blue Grotto Tour
The Blue Grotto Tour is famous! You will get a boat tour around the island and make a stop at the Blue Grotto.
You will get out of the boat and into a Canoe, and you will be rowed inside the grotto. It is an amazing experience!
Boat Tour
There are lots of other grottoes around the island. You can book a Capri boat tour where you swim at different spots around the island.
Ani Capri – Mount Solaro
There are two parts of Capri: Capri and Ani Capri.
It takes about 15-30 minutes to get to Ani Capri from the Ferry Port: 15 minutes if you take a taxi and 30 minutes if you take the bus.
Ani Capri is gorgeous and great for those who love to hike. You can take a chair lift to the top of Mount Solaro and then hike down.
The chair lift takes 12 minutes to get to the top. It takes about 25 minutes to hike down.
This is a great activity for families; the hike is completely downhill. There will be no complaining from the kids!
Mount Solaro has a magnificent view of the island!
Total Time
If you choose one activity, this will take you about 3-6 hours from Naples and back. You will probably have time to get a gelato and try some famous Limoncello products.
Capri is a great option; just make sure to book your capri tours ahead of time as it gets busy on the island.
The archaeological site of Pompeii is an ancient city that was destroyed by a volcano (Mt. Vesuvius) in 79 AD. It is one of the most well-preserved archaeological sites in the world. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Getting to Pompeii
Pompeii is a great Naples shore excursion. It is fairly easy to get to. You can jump on the train or book a round-trip shuttle.
I have been on the train, and it is okay, just dirty and some interesting people on board. I would prefer the shuttle when taking a family.
The train will take you about an 1 hour. A car or shuttle bus can be as fast as 30 minutes.
You should have plenty of time to tour and get back to the cruise ship.
Touring Pompeii
A guided tour is the way to go. You will learn so much. But here is a word of advice: get the guided tour ahead of time.
There are lots of people trying to sell private tours on the site, but they may not be legitimate. It made me feel uncomfortable.
Booking a tour ahead of time will help avoid uncertainty. These tours are really great as they give lots and lots of information about the ruins.
Family Tips for Pompeii
Pompeii is one of the most popular Naples excursions. There are two things to consider when bringing a family to the ruins of Pompeii. One is if the weather is hot, this could be a nightmare for the kids. There is no shade!
My other pointer is do not take the kids in the brothel. There are images that you probably do not want your kids to see.
The famous amalfi coast is one of the most beautiful areas in all of Italy.
There are lots of Naples shore excursions to the Amalfi Coast. These are full day adventures.
I would be worried about doing this kind of adventure on my own. Transportation is not dependable without a tour.
When my husband and I did this a few years back, every bus was packed full of people. We had a hard time getting from one place to another. Luckily, we were just visiting the area and not on a cruise.
Towns of the Amalfi Coast
Sorrento, Positano and Amalfi are the towns that you will be able to explore if you have around 8 hours.
This is the Amalfi Coast tour I would choose as it explores the different areas and allows you to shop and eat.
Shopping, eating, and enjoying the beautiful scenery are some of the best parts of exploring the amalfi coast. There are beaches located in these areas as well.
I would check what is offered through the cruiseline and what is offered through viator to get the best price or comfort level. (You want to get back to the ship on time!)
Amalfi Coast Family Tips
If I were taking my kids to one of these cities I would book a pizza making class or plan for time to enjoy the beach.
I have been to Naples a few times. If I only had one day, I would go on a day trip instead of exploring the city.
But if you do not want to venture far from the cruise ship, exploring Naples is an option. You can go at your own pace and experience Naples.
The Castel Nouvo is located within walking distance of the cruise port. It houses a museum, art collections, and historical artifacts. This area is safe to explore.
Naples Food Tour
Naples is known to have some of the best food in Italy. It is where pizza was invented! A Naples food tour is an excellent choice to experience Italian culture.
Hop on Hop off Bus Tour
There is a hop-on hop-off bus Tour located near the cruise port. If you want to tour the city, this is a great option.
Bicycle or Walking Tour
There is a walking tour or a bicycle tour around Naples. This would be fun for the whole family. These small group tour guides take you to the historic center and allow you to view the beautiful churches and spectacular views of the coast and the gulf of Naples.
5. Ischia Island Shore Excursions
Having done all of the options above, this was one of my top choices. We debated between Ischia and Procida. (Sister Islands)
Ischia has a lot to offer. It is known for its thermal baths. There are several locations where you can jump in and relax.
Ischia Ponte and Castello Argonese are other really cool destinations with breathtaking views of the island. You will need 2-4 hours to do just these activities.
Tour Ischia
A lot of cruisers opt for a Private boat excursion around the island. It is an absolutely gorgeous area. These boat rides do give you the option to explore the island by foot if you have time.
This is the Naples shore excursion we decided to do.
We had been to this part of Italy a few times and wanted to do something different.
We booked Procida through the cruiseship. It was expensive to do it this way. However, I think it was a unique opportunity and worth it. My family loved it.
This private tour was led by a local guide. The guide really took us all over the island. The tour included a yummy Italian treat at the end of the tour.
After the tour, there was time to explore on your own. We ate pizza and hung out at the beach.
Getting to Procida
There is a ferry at the Naples port. You can buy your ticket and head over. It is inexpensive.
Our Experience
I feel like this island isn’t one I would tour around on by myself. The tour guide took us to beautiful places that overlooked the ocean.
That was cool, but I don’t know if walking around the island is how I would spend my time if I wasn’t on a guided tour. (A lot of the Cruiselines do not even have this as an option.)
Touring Procida
Most tours of Procida are by boat. This is how I would do this if you want to visit the island without an official guide.
These boat tours take you around the island and around the bay of Naples, give you the opportunity to swim and hang out on the beach.
One thing I loved was the prices on the island where very reasonable. We got a few pizzas, and they were not expensive at all. This is a great place to try Napoli pizza for cheap!
We had ample time to get back to Naples and even explore the city!
Herculaneum is another ancient city that was destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. It was a resort Roman town.
It is even more well-preserved than Pompeii. However, it is much smaller than Pompeii. If you haven’t been to Pompeii and you love archaeology, go there first.
If you have already experienced Pompeii and want to see a little more, head to Herculaneum.
If you have time, do both locations!
Tours of Herculaneum
Pompeii and Herculaneum are only a short drive of 20 minutes from one another.
Depending on how long you have in Port, this Herculaneum, Vesuvius, and Pompeii tour hits all of the locations!
This is a great Italy shore excursion from Naples, if it is hot, you might want to take that into consideration. These sites do not have much protection from the sun.
Herculaneum Family Tips
This would not be my first choice. We took our kids to Costa Maya, Mexico, and went to Chacchoben ruins. They were not fans. It was just so hot!
Are you Ready to Book Your Naples Shore Excursion?
Hopefully, this gives you a good overview of what your options are for booking a Naples shore excursion at the Naples cruise port.
All of these options are fantastic. This area is one of the best places in the entire world to explore. It is gorgeous.
Personally, I would choose one of the islands during the summer months. It does get warm, and you will have the option to swim or go on fun boat rides.
No matter what you decide, you will not be disappointed.
If you are looking to plan a cruise and pick the best cruise ships for families, Disney Cruiseline, Royal Carribean, Coasta Cruses, and Norwegian are great cruise lines. They have amazing options and fun things for kids on each ship!
I did a lot of research on ships before we went, but ultimately chose Odyssey of the Seas. It is the best teen ship in the Royal Caribbean fleet.
We have been on Allure of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas as well. They are great!
I know you are going to have so much fun enjoying one of these awesome Naples shore excursions for families!
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