What's the best way to visit Naples and Puglia?

I would recommend staying in Naples itself for three nights, and picking up a hire car on the morning you’re due to drive down to Puglia.

Naples is a fascinating city, but not one I’d ever risk driving in (and I’ve been in Italy for almost 30 years), as the traffic is chaotic to say the least.

The Chiaia area, along the bay west of the centre, is a good base as it’s close to the sights but a little more relaxed and upmarket than the ramshackle old town further east.

Micalo (micalo.it), a cool, contemporary b & b owned and run by an English art collector, is worth looking into; for something a little more luxurious, book into one of Naples’s most effortlessly elegant hotels, the Vesuvio (vesuvio.it).

Both Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius are reached easily by public transport. For Pompeii, take the Circumvesuviana (vesuviana.it) line from Napoli Centrale (journey time around 42 minutes).

For Vesuvius, it makes sense to start from Pompeii as you have more choice: 11 daily buses run between Pompeii’s station and the car park and visitor centre just below the volcano’s peak, while only two run direct from Naples.

For both services, see eavbus.it. Staying in Naples also gives you the chance to hop on a hydrofoil in the port and visit Capri or Ischia for the day.