Traveling to Naples & Amalfi for the first time....how much time do I need to clear customs?

Not sure where “Posillipo” is?
Do you mean Positano?

As far as how much time needed it’s really hard to say
Will these flights all be on same airlines/one ticket?
Will you need to collect and recheck your luggage?
Will you need to transfer to different terminal?

You will not be going thru customs- just passport control when you land in Schengen
You’ll go thru security if you exit “airside”
Always best to get to Europe first if you can
If you miss your flight to Europe from Denver (for example) then you’ll probably be delayed 24 hours til next flight

You’ll need to be aware of and follow any COVID requirements in your transfer country
Those requirements can and will likely change

Best to try to get from US to Italy and avoid any other country entries

Can you fly to Rome? Might be easier/ more options

Don’t know where you are looking for flights but always safest and smartest to book directly with the airlines ( not Expedia, Kayak, etc)

You will go through immigration (passport check) at your connecting airport in Europe. Take this into consideration when looking at your connection time. You need to get off the plane, go through immigration, get to the next gate (probably in a different terminal), and board at least 30 minutes before the flight departure time. I wouldn’t be comfortable with less than a 2 hour connection time. If your flight from the US is delayed, you might miss your second flight. CDG is huge, I would avoid it if possible and prices are similar on other flights.

Once you get to your final destination and collect your checked luggage (if any), this is where customs is. You will have nothing to declare, so no need to stop.

Lufthansa has one stop service ( SEA-MUC-NAP)

Not sure where “Posillipo” is?

Google is your friend, with a little help from wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posillipo

That's good to know, Dario. I too took it as a misspelling of Positano but I see that it is completely different.

An unusual choice for a first trip? Especially as the post has them going to the Amalfi Coast as a goal.

Good morning Travel Forum people--
So--to your question about Posillipo--no, I'm not mixed up--I know where Positano is :-).
We will be in Italy for two weeks. My sister and I are originally from Southern California and love the beach. We considered two weeks in Tuscany with day trips to other places but cannot entertain driving.
We are not museum or cathedral people, we are down to earth, take it easy, get to know the locals kind of people.
We have one week in Posillipo (copy and paste this link for some info) https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g187785-d2041649-Reviews-Posillipo-Naples_Province_of_Naples_Campania.html
because we definitely DO NOT want to be in noisy Naples, but have the ability to travel by train to Rome, another day to Siena perhaps, we don't know but that's our plan.
The second half of our trip is in Maoiri on the Amalfi Coast, again as a jumping off place that is directly across from the beach. And yes, we realize these are nothing like the "beaches" we know from Southern California.
Thanks for your questions and concerns--we've done our research!

Siena doesn't work as a day-trip from Naples. It's about 5 hours each way by train from Napoli Centrale. It would take some extra time to get from where you're staying to Napoli Centrale. If you mean you'd visit Siena from a base in Tuscany, that could work, but check rail and bus schedules carefully. It's a large region.

Sure you did your research, Great choice. A villa in Posillipo is the place where I'd choose to live if I had a lot of money (think at Park Avenue prices) and I were so unlucky to be forced to live in Naples.

Otoh, people here is willing to help and Posillipo is known for being a district inside Naples with roman ruins and great views, not a destination for beach lovers. It's not that close to Naples' main station, unless you can call a cab.

The tunnel of Sejanus is a real masterpiece of Roman architecture, but it doesn't seem the kind of thing you may be interested in. Same for the ruins of the two roman theatres owned by a former slave of the Emperor who made money with slaves.

Coming to your questions

• clearing customs takes no time. Just The time needed to walk under a "nothing to declare" sign. Unless, of course, you have something to declare.
• Siena is too far from Naples, but before Covid there was a Rome-Siena bus that cut the travel time. This bus departed from Rome Tiburtina station, where many high speed trains from Naples stop.
• The billionaire "locals" of Posillipo live inside their villas up there, I doubt they will be particularly interested in interacting with easy going tourists. The people living on the other side of the hill, in Bagnoli, may be interested in the wrong type of interaction.

My bad for not googling Posillipo- so thanks for clarifying that for me Dario. I did assume a misspelling of Positano- wouldn't be the first time that happened here!

OP- one thing you might need to consider is your departure day. If you are departing from Naples then you'll probably need to be IN Naples the night before. For that reason you might consider flipping your 2 stays- head to Maori first then end your trip in Posillipo so you are closer to airport.
I wouldn't want to deal with transportation off the Amalfi coast on the day of departure. Too risky.

And Siena is way way too far for a day trip. 5- 6 hours each way leaves no time for actually seeing Siena.

I can't speak for the Munich option, but we flew SEA--FRA--NAP in August and it was a breeze! Personally with there being flights from Seattle direct to Europe that would be my choice over flying to Denver or elsewhere in the US unless it was dramatically cheaper or appealing for a different reason.

Dario, your information is helpful and no doubt accurate. It is a gift to hear from a 'local'--thank you! The notes about what to expect are very helpful. Thank you.

This is the VRBO listing of the place we're staying, FYI. Definitely not a 'villa', it looks like a little apt. which we think will work for us.
https://www.vrbo.com/1358011ha?adultsCount=2&arrival=2022-05-27&departure=2022-06-03&haExternalSourceId=1eef5d7d-cb72-4826-b8a6-1c3cb4a590b2%20eac5b9dd-01ba-4447-8a25-2fb344dfdd74%20hasc%20email&unitId=1708363&utm_campaign=VRBO_TRV_PAY_HASC_paymentreceipt_PPB&utm_content=listing-id-614.1358011.1708363&utm_medium=email&utm_source=SYS&utm_term=20210928

I am beginning to think we will need to be in Naples overnight to fly out the next day, as many people have suggested.
Can you recommend a safe, clean, nice hotel for say $120/night US that is near the airport?
Anyone else with experience or input is welcome to chime in.

Thanks so much.

near the airport?

No, sorry. The airport is so close to the city center that I doubt there is the type of hotel-with-a-free-shuttle you are looking for. Maybe some BnB with a cousin and a car?

Italians dine in town and wake up 40 minutes earlier the following morning, rather than spending the evening near an airport. This is the kind of info that a tourist may know better than a local.

Naples airport is very close to the center so no need to stay at the airport
No specific recommendations
Use booking. Com for a search
You can filter by location, price, etc

Had you gone to Maiori first and then Posillipo, your outbound flight arrangements would be simpler., and saved an extra lodging change. Do you have the flexibility to re-arrange your trip?

Naples is not terrible. It's just noisier, grittier and poorer than Rome - and with crazier drivers. You'll be fine at a hotel there for a night. Lots of tourists visit every year without incident.

"Can you recommend a safe, clean, nice hotel for say $120/night US that is near the airport?"

Downtown, the Hotel Piazza Bellini.