Three days in Naples: Capri, Ischia or Procida?
You’ve booked three days in Naples and, looking out over the Gulf, the temptation is inevitable: should you spend a day on Capri, Ischia or Procida?
The answer isn’t quite so straightforward. The three islands are close together on the map, but they offer very different experiences and, above all, require different amounts of time. When a holiday lasts just three days, the real luxury isn’t being able to see everything: it’s avoiding spending half the day travelling, waiting and queuing.
For this reason, if we had to choose with those staying in Naples for just a long weekend in mind, our ranking would be quite clear:
Procida if you want to savour an island without sacrificing a whole day to logistics. Capri if you want to see one of the Mediterranean’s most famous destinations at least once in your life. Ischia if you’re mainly after spas, the sea and nature, and are willing to spend more time there.
But let’s look at them one by one.
Procida: probably the best choice if you only have three days
Procida is the smallest of the three, and that is precisely its strength.
From Naples, the hydrofoil normally takes around 40 minutes; ferries are slower. The current Caremar services, for example, indicate that hydrofoil journeys from Naples to Procida generally take between 35 and 45 minutes. (Caremar Accessibile)
Once you arrive at Marina Grande, there’s no need to travel far. Procida can be explored on foot, perhaps supplementing your route with the island’s buses. Even the official Italia.it website specifically lists it as an island that can be visited in a single day. (Italia.it)
The ideal route might be:
Marina Grande → Piazza dei Martiri → viewpoint overlooking Corricella → Terra Murata → Marina Corricella.
And it is precisely Marina Corricella, with its pastel-coloured houses nestled close together and the fishermen’s boats, that probably offers the most romantic view of the island.
Also not to be missed is Terra Murata, the historic centre built on the highest point of Procida, dominated by Palazzo d’Avalos and the Abbey of St Michael the Archangel. (Italia.it)
Procida also retains something that Capri has partly lost: the feeling of still being on an inhabited island rather than simply at a tourist destination.
Don’t expect international boutiques, large hotels or high society. The charm lies precisely in the opposite: narrow streets, washing hanging out to dry, small restaurants, lemons, boats, silence and views of the Gulf.
Who is Procida perfect for?
For a couple who want to spend a few hours strolling at a leisurely pace, stopping for lunch by the sea and returning to Naples without feeling as though they’ve been racing against the clock.
For a holiday of just three days, it’s our top choice. Capri: the most spectacular, but also the one requiring the most organisation
Then there’s Capri.
It would be hard to argue that a visitor from abroad should easily pass up the chance to see the Faraglioni, the Piazzetta, Marina Grande or Anacapri.
Capri is one of Italy’s most iconic destinations worldwide and, if you’ve never been there, it may be worth sacrificing one of your three days.
You arrive at Marina Grande. From there, the funicular takes you to the centre of Capri in about four minutes. The problem, therefore, isn’t the distance, but the crowds: between April and October, queues can form, especially at midday and when people are heading back. (Capri)
And this is where Capri loses a few points when time is short.
In a single day, you’d like to see the Piazzetta, the Gardens of Augustus, the Faraglioni, Anacapri, perhaps Monte Solaro and, of course, the Blue Grotto. But trying to do it all risks turning one of the Mediterranean’s most beautiful islands into a list of things to tick off.
It’s better to choose.
Our one-day itinerary for Capri
Arrive early in the morning, walk up from Marina Grande to the centre of Capri, stroll between the Piazzetta and the Gardens of Augustus, and then choose just one major detour:
Anacapri and Monte Solaro, or a boat trip around the island.
Boat tours and ferries heading to the Blue Grotto set off right from Marina Grande. (Capri)
Trying to do both, especially in high season, might be too much.
When to visit Capri?
If this is your first visit to Campania and you think you might not be back any time soon, Capri is a choice you’re unlikely to regret.
But set aside a whole day for it and set off early. Ischia: beautiful, but three days in Naples isn’t enough
Ischia presents a completely different problem.
It isn’t simply a village to visit: it’s a large island, comprising six municipalities, with beaches, mountains, thermal spas, small historic centres and towns that are quite far apart. Italia.it describes it as the largest island in Campania. (Italia.it)
With the high-speed ferries from Naples Beverello, the journey to Casamicciola can take around 55 minutes; other services and ferries take longer. (Snav)
The problem, however, begins once you disembark.
Deciding to visit Ischia Porto, Ischia Ponte, the Aragonese Castle, Sant’Angelo and perhaps spend a few hours at the thermal baths all in the same day means spending too much time travelling between them.
The island’s most iconic monument is undoubtedly the Aragonese Castle, linked to Ischia Ponte by a stone bridge approximately 220 metres long. (Municipality of Ischia)
On its own, together with the village of Ischia Ponte and a lunch by the sea, it can easily fill a day.
But that would be just a taste of Ischia, not a proper tour of the island.
Our advice
Save Ischia for another trip.
It’s better to stay there for at least one or two nights, explore Sant’Angelo, visit the Aragonese Castle, enjoy a thermal bath and tour the island without constantly checking your watch.
Ischia is probably the least suitable of the three for a day trip squeezed into a three-day stay in Naples. Capri, Ischia or Procida? The choice in 30 seconds
If you’re looking for romance, authenticity and a stress-free experience, choose Procida.
If you’re looking for the most famous view and the place you simply must see at least once, choose Capri.
If you’re looking for spas, beaches, nature and a proper island holiday, choose Ischia, but ideally during a longer stay.
And if it’s your first time in Naples?
There’s also a fourth option that nobody often suggests: don’t go to any of the three.
Naples isn’t a city you can rush through. If your ‘three days’ also include the day of arrival and the day of departure, dedicating your only full day to an island could mean leaving without having really got to know Naples.
The historic centre, the Sansevero Chapel, Santa Chiara, Spaccanapoli, the Spanish Quarter, the seafront, the Archaeological Museum: it’s already difficult to decide what to leave out.
If, on the other hand, you really do have three full days, then a day by the sea makes perfect sense.
Our choice: Procida
If we had to choose just one during a short stay, we’d go for Procida.
Not because Capri or Ischia are any less beautiful, but because the ratio between the time taken to get there and the time actually spent on the island is particularly favourable.
You can set off in the morning, stroll around at a leisurely pace, head to Terra Murata, take in the view of Corricella, have lunch by the sea and return to Naples in the late afternoon.
And you’ll still have the evening to go out for dinner in the historic centre.
And still have the evening free to go out for dinner in the historic centre.
Which, when you only have three days, is no small matter. In any case, it’s lovely to stay in Naples and wake up in the morning with a choice of three completely different islands.
One final tip
Getting from Casetta Correra to the Beverello pier, where the hydrofoils to Capri, Ischia and Procida depart, is very easy: it’s a five-minute metro ride from Piazza Dante or a 28-minute walk.
