Naples Itineraries

The following are some suggested activities and sights for certain kinds of visitors:

Centro Storico "Standard Tour"

The following is a tried-and-true route through the historic center; you can reverse the order, skip steps, etc. as your schedule allows.  See the Naples sights page for details on the various stops.

• Start at the Montesanto metro: walk through Pignasecca Market (8-1 very "Neapolitan" fruit/vegetable market, more on Markets page) to Via Toledo

• At Via Toledo, sample Gelateria della Scimmia, then head north...then turn right onto Spaccanapoli

  • Possible detour: instead of heading straight north, you could go south to Caffe Gambrinus, Galleria Umberto, the Royal Palace, and/or the San Carlo opera house.

  • Possible stops on Spaccanapoli: Gesu Nuovo, Santa Chiara, Sansevero Chapel, and Scaturcchio...also a second chance for Gelateria della Scimmia.  Piazza Bellini, a slight detour off Spaccanapoli, is also a nice spot to stop and relax (and check out the ruins of a Greek wall).

• Walk up Christmas Alley; check out the Limonè limoncello factory/shop (maybe have some granita!)

  • Possible stops: Underground Tour, various other churches

• Head back to Spaccanapoli, and walk to Pizzeria da Michele (and maybe Gelateria Polo Nord)

• Wander back to the Piazza Cavour metro to head home

  • Possible stops: Duomo, Archeological Museum

• For a longer walk:

  • Instead of starting at the Montesanto metro, go to the Piazza Amadeo metro: walk through Santa Lucia district (and/or along the water) to Piazza Plebiscito and Galleria Umberto; then walk north on Via Toleo to get to the Centro Storico.

  • More stops/detours on this longer route: Castel d'Ovo...or head up funicular to Vomero for Castel Sant'Elmo and/or Certosa San Martimo

Best of Naples

The most famous sites in Naples—best for people staying just a short time

• Eat at Pizzeria da Michele (or another top-notch pizzeria)

• Archaeological Museum

• Walk around the Historic Center (see above)

• Herculaneum and/or Pompeii

• Ferry to Capri (or other islands), or ferry/drive to Amalfi Coast (or Sorrento)

Naples for Foodies

Best sites for people who love to eat

• Check out Naples restaurants - pizzerias, seafood pasta, etc.

• Get sfogliatelle at Attanasio's, baba at Scaturchio, and coffee at Caffe Mexico (see to eat page for more)

• Mozzarella di Buffala at Vanulo Creamery

• Gelato at various gelaterie

• Go to a fish/produce market

• Check out a food festival (see Events page for listings/resources)

Naples for Nature Lovers

Itinerary for people who love the outdoors

• Hike the Amalfi Coast (e.g. Walk of the Gods)

• Capri (hiking, Blue Grotto)

• Vesuvius

• Solfatara Volcano

• Hike Mount Epomeo on Ischia

• Explore the (relatively) undeveloped coast of southern Campania (e.g. Cilento National Park near Paestum)

Naples for History Buffs

Naples is a treasure trove of ancient, medieval, renaissance, and modern history

• Pompeii and Herculaneum

• Naples Underground Tour

• Archaeological Museum

• Castles and Palaces (Castel del'Ovo, Castel Nuovo, Castel Saint Elmo, Royal Palace at Caserta, Royal Palace at Plebiscito, Castello Arogonese on Ischia)

• Campi Flegrei sites:

  • Piscina Mirabilis at Miseno

  • Pozzuoli Tempio di Serapide, Amphitheater, and Rione Terra

  • Cumae Greek Sybil Ruins and Acropolis

  • Baia Archeological Park/Ancient Roman Baths

  • Castello Arogonese in Baia including its Archeological Museum

• Grotta di Seiano (ancient Roman tunnel under Posilipo to Roman ruins on the coast)

• Paestum Greek Temple Ruins

• Villa Jovis on Capri

• Capua Amphitheater

La Vita Bella

For those who want to chill and take it easy

• Passegiatta along the Lungomare from Mergellina to Piazza del Plebiscito

• Chill on the beach (e.g. along Amalfi Coast: cheap public beaches include Atrani near Amalfi, or Fornillo near Positano)

• Lounge about in Capri

• Go to a spa on Ischia

• Cafes and restaurants

• Hang out in a hill town (e.g. Casertavecchia, Sant'Agata dei Goti)

• People watching (e.g. in Piazzas, such as Plebiscito)

Naples for Movie Buffs

• Caserta's Royal Palace appeared in Star Wars (where it plays the palace of Naboo), Angels & Demons, Mission Impossible III, and Conclave (in several movies it stands in for the Vatican)

• Ischia appeared in The Talented Mr. Ripley and parts of the TV show My Brilliant Friend

• Procida was the backdrop for most of Il Postino

• Positano served as a romantic getaway in Under the Tuscan Sun (and appeared, along with Capri, in the 2019 Bollywood film War)

• Pizzeria da Michele in Naples was in Eat Pray Love

• The Sopranos filmed the episode "Commendatore" along the waterfront (near Castel dell'Ovo), in the Centro Storico (on via Tribunali), Bacoli/Monte di Procida, and Cuma (at the Grotta della Sibila)

• CampaniaMovieTour has a Google map of movie sites in Naples

Naples for Party Animals

Want to party all night long?  Here are some of the hotspots:

• Mergellina/Via Chiaia - nearly every night, this area becomes inundated with young people looking for a good time

• Via Napoli in Pozzuoli - a string of bars for every style, close to downtown Pozzuoli; especiailly popular in the summer

• Capri - especially in the summer, this enchanted island becomes party central; you may run into celebrities at Number 2...also recommended by partyearth.com (a nice resource to party spots) is The Underground in Anacapri.

• ...also check out the Nightlife page

Naples for Cheapskates

Don't have much money?  Here are some free (or close to free) fun things to do in Naples:

• Centro Storico Walk - (see above) many of the churches and other sites are free; plus, the neighborhood itself is the draw

• Metro & funicular - for a mere €1.10, you can easily get to Vomero for a stunning view of the city

• Da Michele Pizzeria - at only €3-4 a pizza, you can have a slice of heaven without breaking the bank

• Pozzuoli Tempio di Serapide - has no charge to see, plus you can walk around the Pozzuoli port area and check out the fish market

Naples for Art Lovers

Naples has a number of art works tucked away in odd places...

• Churches downtown (such as Pio Monte della Misericordia which has Caravaggio's "Seven Acts of Mercy" and Capella San Severo with its amazing sculptures)

• MADRE and PAN museums

• Line 1 Subway stations

• Royal Palace at Piazza del Plebiscito

• Capodimonte Museum (not the most thrilling collection, but has a wonderful Caravaggios)

• Caserta Royal Palace

Naples for Ghost Lovers

Do you love things that are a little bit scary and dark, and maybe haunted?  Here are some things to check out (see Naples Sights page for details):

• Naples Underground (Napoli Sotterranea) tour

• Purgatorio ed Arco church (with its skull artwork, hypogeum, and shrines to the dead)

• Sansevero chapel (especially the creepy preserved bodies in the room next to it)

• San Gennaro and San Gaudioso catacombs

• Fontanella cemetery --> is this open??

• Tombe dei Poeti/Crypta Napoletana (Virgil's tomb and ancient Roman tunnel)

• Grotta di Seiano (another ancient Roman tunnel)

The Grand Tour

In the 17th through 19th Centuries, young British aristocrats toured Europe following what was called the "Grand Tour," much of which was in the Naples region.  The tour focused on art and history, including the many connections the region has to ancient literature.  You can re-trace their steps, both for the fun of it, and perhaps because you love ancient mythology and literature yourself:

• Lago Averno (inspiration for Virgil and Dante)

• Miseno (site of the ancient Roman fleet)

• Pompeii

• Herculaneum

• Vesuvius (it was more exciting for the Grand Tour people because it was erupting for most of the 18th century...)

• Paestum

• Capri Blue Grotto

• Have a caffee at Caffee Gambrius (Piazza del Plebiscito)

• For a Grand Tour ambiance, check out the nicest hotels on the Lungomarea and Posillipo (such as Grand Hotel Parker's or Vesuvio), and the San Carlo opera house...or Sant'Agnello near Sorrento