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In the sultry south, Campania is Italy with the volume turned up – it’s hotter, louder, livelier, bellissima and jam-packed with all the things you came here for in the first place, from epic Roman ruins and puffing volcanoes to soulful cities filled with palazzi, cafe-rimmed piazzas, Gothic churches and galleries hiding Caravaggio art.
Coastal roads swoop dramatically along clifftops leading to insanely pretty pastel towns and villages pinned to hillsides, secluded coves and golden sands. Boats chug over the Tyrrhenian Sea as it fades from turquoise to sapphire blue to islands with glitz and glamour.
How much of this you get to experience depends on time, budget and inclination, but try not to cram in everything at once. This region is no place to rush and richly rewards those who let its magic unfold slowly. This first-time guide has everything you need to get you started.
If you want to do anything other than flop on the sand, cool off in a lido or hang out at a harborside bar, definitely avoid peak summer (July and August) when temperatures, prices and crowds rocket. In summer, the roads can also be chock-a-block, especially around the Amalfi Coast, beaches are packed and good-value hotels are like gold dust (booked months in advance). If you come now, expect parties, parades, festivals, fireworks and outdoor concerts around Ferragosto (15th August).
Shoulder seasons bring better deals and are ideal for exploring and hiking. Spring can be mild, bright and glorious, with temperatures hovering around 20°C (68°F). On the coast, most things open around Easter. For a true flavor of the region, catch the Settimana Santa parades across the region during Holy Week. Sorrento’s White Procession is the most atmospheric, where hooded penitents parade through the streets by flickering torchlight. September is another cracking month to visit, with the grape harvest in full swing, far fewer visitors and a flurry of local sagre (food festivals) bigging up local produce.
Winter brings quieter, cooler and wetter days. Coastal resorts slink into hibernation, but this can be a great season for scoring rock-bottom room rates and diving into Naples’ museums. Pre-Lenten carnival enlivens February with confetti, carri (floats) and flamboyant costumes.
If you’re pushed for time, you could sneak off to Naples for a long weekend and see a fair bit of the UNESCO World Heritage centro storico (historic center), where the narrow streets are lined with palazzi, dripping washing and cafe terraces. In the space of a few days and with clever planning, it’s possible to squeeze in trophy sights like the vast, Gothic and magnificent Basilica di Santa Chiara, the 13th-century Castel Nuovo (find fragments of Giotto
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