Day 1
Centro Storico & underground
Walk Spaccanapoli and Via dei Tribunali, duck into the Cappella Sansevero for the Veiled Christ, then descend into Napoli Sotterranea. Reward yourself with a margherita at Da Michele.
Loud, theatrical and gloriously unpolished, Naples is Italy at full volume. Scooters ricochet down alleys strung with laundry, shrines to Maradona share walls with Baroque churches, and the smell of frying dough follows you everywhere.
Beneath the chaos sits three thousand years of history — Greek walls, Roman tunnels, and the finest archaeological museum in the country. Use it as a base for Pompeii, Vesuvius and the islands of the bay, but give the city itself real time; it rewards anyone who stops rushing.
Itinerary
Day 2
Royal Naples & the seafront
Take in Piazza del Plebiscito, the Palazzo Reale and the gilded Galleria Umberto I, then stroll to Castel dell'Ovo. Finish along the Lungomare with Vesuvius across the bay.
Day 3
Heights or ancient ruins
Ride the funicular to the Vomero for Castel Sant'Elmo's panorama and the Certosa di San Martino, or take the Circumvesuviana to Pompeii and Vesuvius. Either way, save room for a farewell sfogliatella.
Highlights
🖼️Museum
Cappella Sansevero & the Veiled Christ
Giuseppe Sanmartino's 1753 marble 'Cristo velato' is so lifelike the shroud looks woven from stone, not carved. Book a timed ticket online days ahead — the tiny Baroque chapel sells out and photos are banned inside.
✨Experience
Napoli Sotterranea
Forty metres below the traffic, Greek-Roman quarries and aqueduct tunnels run for miles, later used as WWII air-raid shelters. Guided tours squeeze through candle-lit passages barely shoulder-width — skip it if you're claustrophobic.
🏘️Neighbourhood
Spaccanapoli
This dead-straight lane slices the old town along its ancient Greco-Roman axis, lined with basilicas, presepe workshops and hole-in-the-wall friggitorie. Detour onto Via San Gregorio Armeno, where nativity artisans carve figurines year-round.
🏛️Landmark
Piazza del Plebiscito & Palazzo Reale
Naples' grandest square sweeps between the curved colonnade of San Francesco di Paola and the royal palace's statue-lined façade. Try the local dare: close your eyes and walk straight between the two bronze horses — hardly anyone manages it.
🍽️Food
True Neapolitan Pizza
This is the birthplace of the margherita: a puffy, charred cornicione and San Marzano tomatoes, baked 90 seconds in a wood oven. Queue at L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele or Gino Sorbillo, or grab a folded 'pizza a portafoglio' to eat on the move.
🌄Viewpoint
Castel dell'Ovo & the Lungomare
Naples' oldest castle guards the tiny fishing harbour of Borgo Marinari, ringed with seafood terraces. Walk the car-free Lungomare at dusk for the full sweep of the bay with Vesuvius glowing behind it.
Neighbourhoods
Centro Storico
The UNESCO-listed old town, threaded by Spaccanapoli and Via dei Tribunali. Base here to walk to almost every major sight, but expect noise late into the night.
Quartieri Spagnoli
A vertical grid of narrow lanes above Via Toledo, once notorious, now buzzing with trattorias and crowned by the giant Maradona mural. Central and atmospheric, if steep and lively.
Chiaia
Naples' elegant side: designer boutiques, leafy streets and the seafront promenade. Quieter and calmer, ideal for a mellow stay with easy access to the Lungomare.
Rione Sanità
A characterful district north of the centre, home to the Catacombs of San Gennaro and a wave of young cafés and artisans. Local and increasingly hip, though a little further out.
Where to eat
Pizza napoletana
The soft, blistered original, best eaten where it was born. Da Michele keeps to just marinara and margherita; Sorbillo and Di Matteo draw the longest lines.
Sfogliatella
A shell-shaped pastry of crisp, flaky layers around sweet ricotta and candied citrus. Eat it warm — Attanasio near the station and Pasticceria Poppella in the Sanità are local benchmarks.
Cuoppo
A paper cone of just-fried croquettes, zeppoline and battered veg, the king of Neapolitan street food. Grab one at Friggitoria Vomero and eat it walking.
Frittatina di pasta
A golden fried disc of bucatini bound in béchamel with peas and pancetta. Di Matteo does the classic; Giri di Pasta reinvents it in a dozen flavours.
Good to know
Best time to visit
Spring (April–June) and September–October are the sweet spot: warm days, swimmable sea and thinner crowds. July and August are hot and hectic, often above 30°C, while winter is mild but wetter and ferries to the islands run reduced schedules.
Getting around
The compact centre is best on foot, backed by Metro Line 1 — worth riding just for its 'art stations' like Toledo — and three funiculars up to the Vomero. For day trips, the Circumvesuviana train reaches Pompeii and Sorrento, while ferries from Molo Beverello serve Capri, Ischia and Procida.
- Currency
- EUR €
- Languages
- Italian
How much does Naples cost?
A realistic daily budget per person, in three styles.
Backpacker€50per person / day
Mid-range€120per person / day
Comfort€250per person / day
Naples offers a range of options to suit various budgets.
Local tips
- ✓Carry small cash — the best fried food and coffee spots don't take cards.
- ✓Cross the road with confidence; hesitating confuses drivers more than walking.
- ✓Order coffee standing at the bar for the local price and the proper ritual.
