Best Things To Do In Naples

Colorful, picturesque, historical, passionate, cultural, chaotic and tasty, Naples is a city that will not leave you indifferent. It is also very close to authentic gems such as Capri, Herculaneum, Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast. Let's take a look at the 10 must-see places in and around Naples.

The huge Piazza del Plebiscito, one of the largest in Italy, is also one of the greatest emblems of Naples. Located at the end of Via Toledo, you can observe the daily life of the city and visit the important buildings that surround it, such as the Royal Palace, Palazzo Salerno, the Basilica of San Francesco di Paola and the Palace of the Prefecture.

A good way to learn all about the history of Piazza del Plebiscito is to visit it as part of a guided walking tour of the city.

Near Piazza del Plebiscito you'll find another of the essential sites to see in Naples, the formidable Galleria Umberto I. Similar to Milan's Galleria Victor Emmanuel II, this elegant commercial passageway is made up of 4 corridors with marble floors and covered by an iron and glass structure that converge under an impressive dome.

The visit to this gallery is included in several walking tours of Naples. Take the opportunity to enjoy a relaxing moment strolling through the various stores it houses or sipping a typical espresso coffee in one of its cafes.

The Metropolitan Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta or San Gennaro is the most important religious building in Naples. This magnificent cathedral was erected in 1314, over a previous temple dedicated to the god Apollo, and presents a mixture of styles, between Gothic, Baroque and Neo-Gothic.

Its interior houses works of great value, such as the oldest baptistery in the West and the unforgettable 'Treasure Chapel', which holds more than 50 silver figures, including the patron saint of Naples, San Gennaro, with his blood.

• Hours: Monday to Sunday from 8:00 am to 12:30 pm and from 4:30 pm to 7:00 pm, with free admission.

Discover other important churches

If you want to delve into the amazing subway Naples, a visit to the Basilica dell'Incoronata Madre del Buon Consiglio is a must. Not to mention visiting the Catacombs of San Gennaro, undoubtedly one of the most authentic experiences of Naples underground.

Another of the chapels you must visit is the Chapel of Sansevero, better known as the church of Santa Maria della Pietà, where you will discover a unique carving by the little-known architect, Giuseppe Sanmartino. We are talking about the well-known statue of the Veiled Christ.

Naples is a city of impressive fortifications. The Castell dell'Ovo, literally 'Castle of the Egg', is one of the best, both for its imposing architecture, as for the views that gives its Terrazza dei Cannoni of the Gulf of Naples, as for the legend that hides its walls and that gave it its curious name.

According to legend, the Latin poet Virgil, considered a magician in the Middle Ages, hid an egg in its foundations. It was said that as long as the egg was not broken, the castle and the city would be protected. If you want to know all its history and details, tour this castle as part of a guided tour of Naples.

• Hours: Monday to Saturday from 9.00 a.m. to 7.00 p.m. (closed at 1.00 p.m. on Sundays)

To know a place is also to understand its gastronomy. In Naples this is especially important when you discover that this city is the birthplace of one of the most popular foods in the world, pizza. It was there that pizzaiolo Raffaele Esposito prepared a dough with tomato, mozzarella, oil and basil in honor of Queen Margherita and the Italian flag and the authentic Margherita pizza was born.

But the gastronomic tradition of the city does not stop there, it should also be savored in dishes such as its pizza a portafoglio (folded), limoncello, mozzarella di Bufala, taralli, pastiere or stuffed croquettes.

Most famous pizzerias in Naples

You'll be lucky if you find a table at L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele, the most popular and setting for movies like 'Come, Pray, Love', but you'll also taste the best pizzas of your life at Gino Sorbillo, Napoli in Bocca, Pizzeria Sorbillo or Di Matteo. A gastro route through Neapolitan street food will help you to know the best places to enjoy these flavors.

The Castel Nuovo is a medieval fortress in Renaissance style built in 1282 and another symbol of Naples. A cultural center and defensive fortress in the past, today it is home to the Civic Museum and a stage for shows. Its interior has been restored, although there are remains of the fourteenth century as the Capella Palatina, but just to approach and see its moat and the great wall that connects its five towers is worth it.

• Hours: Monday to Saturday from 9.00 to 19.00 (Sunday closes at 13.00).

The original Naples is here, in Spaccanapoli. Its name, in Spanish 'rompenápoli', is due to the fact that it is the area that divides the old city between north and south, going from the also interesting 'quartieri spagnoli' (Spanish quarters) to the Forcella district. Here you will enjoy scenes of real Neapolitan life, with its street performers, chaotic streets topped by rows of hanging clothes and many motorcycles.

In addition, in this area you will find several of the most interesting places to see in Naples, such as the Duomo, the Piazza del Gesú or the Basilica di San Domenico Maggiore, which you can visit on a walking tour accompanied by a guide if you want to enrich your visit.

Hidden beneath the narrow streets of Naples lies another city, a subway one, which hides a fascinating history and one of the largest tunnel networks in Europe. The origin of this 'subway Naples', 40 meters deep, dates back to the Greeks, who dug it as subway water reservoirs.

It was expanded in Roman times as a quarry for the construction of the city and was used as an air-raid shelter during World War II. This area ended up becoming a giant garbage dump that remained in oblivion until the 19th century, when it was rescued and became one of the main attractions of Naples that you can enjoy with a guided tour.

The National Archaeological Museum is the cultural must-see in Naples as it is considered one of the most important archaeological museums in Europe. Housed in a palace dating back to 1585, it is advisable to take a guided tour of its huge collection, which is divided into 4 floors and houses important remains of the ancient cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, works of Ancient Egypt and a formidable Hall of the Sundial, reminiscent of the Hall of the Cinquecento of the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence.

• Hours: Wednesday to Monday from 9:00 am to 7:30 pm.

Staying alone in the city of Naples, although it is able to satisfy the curiosity of any traveler, is to miss much of the wealth that treasures the beautiful region of Campania. I recommend you reserve a few days of your trip to get to know the surroundings of Naples, where you can travel in the most comfortable way and in the day thanks to the multitude of organized excursions that cover the best things to see in the surroundings of Naples.

If you have for example three days in Naples you will be able to see authentic wonders such as the idyllic island of Capri, fascinating cities like Pompeii and Herculaneum and the volcano that buried them centuries ago, the imposing Mount Vesuvius.

If you are lucky enough to have five days to travel, you can make an unforgettable tour of the Amalfi Coast, one of the most beautiful in Italy and declared a World Heritage Site for idyllic villages like Sorrento, Amalfi and Positano.

To find out what each destination offers or how to go to each of them, I leave you with this list of the best posts:

• How to get from Naples to Capri
• Sorrento and Amalfi Coast from Naples

Vicky's Traveller tip

Naples is a fascinating city that can be covered on foot and in a trip of about 3 days, but if you don't want to miss its wonderful surroundings, reserve a couple of days more for your trip.

It is true that the Neapolitan city can be seen in one or two days of travel. However, talking about Naples and not referring to Pompeii is impossible, so you cannot miss this architectural wonder in one of the excursions to Vesuvius and Pompeii from Naples.

In just 25 minutes by car you can be in the legendary city buried by one of the most active volcanoes in Europe, Mount Vesuvius. But going on your own and on an adventure can sometimes be a headache, that's why I'm going to leave you some links so you can study well how to go, what to visit and the best excursions with tickets to Pompeii and Vesuvius:

• Excursions to Pompeii from Naples
• Visit Vesuvius from Naples
• Tours to Pompeii and Herculaneum from Naples
• Where to eat during your excursion to Pompeii
• Tips for visiting Pompeii
• How to visit Pompeii on your own
• Tickets to Pompeii
• What to do and what to see near Pompeii
• How much does it cost to visit Pompeii: Ticket and tour prices
• Duration of tours and visits to Pompeii
• Visiting Pompeii with children
• How to visit Mount Vesuvius, the volcano of Pompeii
• Best time to visit Pompeii
• What to see and do in Pompeii

Although Naples is a relatively small city, it has many attractions to visit, so one of the tips I give you to not miss anything is to hire one of the city's tourist buses. Whether it is summer or winter, this is undoubtedly the best option to get to know the capital of Campania. If you travel at Christmas time, you will also enjoy the special illumination of its monuments.

Finally, whether you arrive by plane, train or cruise, I recommend that you plan well the transfers between the airport and Naples and do not waste unnecessary time once there.