City Review: Naples, Italy

Less than two weeks after arriving home in Spain from our honeymoon in Asia, it was time to set off on our next trip — to Naples, Italy, where we would be meeting up with my family! (And by the way, I’m not done with all the Asia posts… there are more to come! Just switching it up a bit.)

My mom had asked whether we’d be ready to travel again so soon after Asia, but I reminded her it would only be about a 2-hour flight from Alicante, so we could manage. 😉

There were only a couple of things I knew about Naples before our visit: one, that it was the birthplace of Neapolitan-style pizza; and two, that the city had a reputation for being “dirty” or even “dangerous.” I wasn’t sure I believed that, so I was excited to be getting the chance to decide for myself.

Want to know my verdict? Keep reading for my full review of Naples, Italy.

About Naples, Italy

Naples — or Napoli in italiano — is the capital of Campania, one of Italy’s 20 regions. And while it may not be quite as well-known as other Italian cities like Rome, Venice, or Florence, Naples is the third-largest city in the country, the largest city in southern Italy, and the seventh-largest metropolitan area in the entire European Union!

Founded in approximately the 8th or 9th century BC, Naples is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The historic city center is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the area surrounding Naples is full of other interesting sites to explore as well — including the famous ruins of Pompeii, the lesser-known-but-also-impressive ruins of Herculaneum, the Royal Palace of Caserta, Mount Vesuvius, the island of Capri, and even the Amalfi Coast.

But it turns out that Naples itself has a lot of character — so even if you have been to other cities in Italy, I think Naples will show you a totally different perspective on Italian life.

How Many Days Do You Need in Naples?

Remember how I mentioned all the things there are to do around Naples? For that reason, I would recommend spending a minimum of four days in the Naples area on your visit. I think you should spend at least one day in the city itself (if not two) and spend another two or three days exploring the surrounding areas.

My family and I actually spent an entire week in Naples, with one day trip to Pompeii, one day trip to Herculaneum and Mt. Vesuvius, one day trip to Caserta, and one day trip to Positano (Amalfi Coast)… and it still didn’t feel like enough time to fully see everything the area had to offer.

Things To Do in Naples, Italy

Before I get into those day trip options, let’s talk about all the things there are to do in the city of Naples itself.

The first place we went — and I thought it was a great starting point — was the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli, or the National Archaeological Museum of Naples. This massive, world-renowned museum is packed full of interesting archaeological artifacts from the Greek and Roman empires, ancient Egypt, and more! And not only are the exhibits fascinating, but the museum building itself is gorgeous. Alternatively, you can save your visit here for after you’ve visited Pompeii/Herculaneum because a lot of the artifacts recovered from those sites are in this museum.

Note: Buy tickets in advance online, especially if it’s raining… otherwise you’ll be waiting outside in a long line. 😜

For more history (and another good way to get out of the rain if needed), I recommend visiting Napoli Sotterranea, or Underground Naples. This tour takes you through a network of underground tunnels below the city originally built by the ancient Greeks as they excavated them for limestone; later, the Romans used them as aqueducts to help provide water to the city; by the 1940s, during World War II, the citizens of Naples used the tunnels as a bomb shelter. The whole experience reminded me a bit of the Berliner Unterwelten Bunker Tour I went on a few years ago!

You can either buy your tickets on-site or buy a skip-the-line ticket online. There are several “Underground Naples” tours with the same name, but the “official” one is at Piazza Gaetano 69. It’s tucked back in the corner just to the left side of the Basilica di San Paolo Maggiori.

Above ground, the area near Naples Sotterranea is one of the best places to explore in the city (in my opinion.) Via dei Tribunali, which runs in front of the basilica, was the main east-west street of ancient Neapolis; now, it’s a vibrant pedestrian thoroughfare, along which you’ll find authentic pizzerias, medieval churches and courthouses, and colorful trinket shops. One Naples-specific souvenir you can’t miss — whether you buy it on this street or the nearby Via San Gregorio Armeno — is the cornicello.

The cornicello is a little red horn pendant that you would easily mistake for a chili pepper. And that’s exactly what they want you to think. Basically, it’s a charm that is supposed to bring good luck, protection from the “evil eye,” and fertility. Apparently the charm’s somewhat phallic shape is a nod to the male fertility god, Priapus. But if you get a cornicello, make sure you don’t buy it for yourself — it’s said that the cornicello must be gifted to you in order for its protective powers to work.

So, back to the shopping streets of Naples. Many of the streets are hung with string lights and banners featuring the Italian flag, the Napoli football team crest, and pictures of the patron saint of Naples, Diego Maradona. I was a little confused at first, because I knew that Maradona was Argentinian, not from Italy or Naples. But he played for Napoli for seven years — the longest stint he had with any one team during his career — and led the team to its first- and second-ever Serie A titles during his time there. There are countless murals to Maradona around the city, so if you’re a football/soccer fan, don’t miss out.

Of course, Maradona isn’t actually the patron saint of Naples. (That honor famously belongs to San Gennaro.) But the saint associated with Naples that we learned the most during our trip about was San Giuseppe Moscati — the “Holy Physician of Naples.” The Gesù Nuovo church (also known as Trinità Maggiore) is home to several of Doctor/Saint Giuseppe’s relics, as well as a large bronze statue in his image next to his tomb. People come to visit the statue, kissing or holding the hand, as they whisper a prayer asking the doctor to heal their ailments.

Those who have their prayers answered may return to the church with a metal medallion — an ex-voto — in the shape of the body part that was healed. One wing of the church was adorned with the ex-votos and letters from devotees thanking the saint for healing them. You can also find these ex-votos for sale and display in many places around the city. Once we knew what they were, we had a great time looking for them in the windows of shops throughout Naples.

Day Trips From Naples, Italy

In my opinion, you can’t visit Naples without taking at least one day trip! Here are the most popular options and some quick info about how to get there.

Naples to Pompeii

I am pretty sure it’s illegal to visit Naples and not go to the ruins of Pompeii. In 79 AD, the volcanic eruption of Mt. Vesuvius destroyed the city and coated it in thick layers of ash, and it was buried until the late 16th century when it was rediscovered. Excavation work began in 1748, and now Pompeii is one of the most significant archaeological sites in the world. You could easily spend four hours here and not see everything!

How To Get from Naples to Pompeii: Circumvesuviana line from Napoli Centrale/Piazza Garibaldi to Pompei Scavi; travel time about 30 minutes; costs €3.30 one-way

Naples to Herculaneum

Herculaneum, or Ercolano in Italian, is like Pompeii’s little brother. Just like Pompeii, nearby Herculaneum was destroyed by the Mt. Vesuvius eruption. However, instead of the city being coated in ash and pumice like Pompeii, Herculaneum was covered in lava flow, which helped preserve it more effectively. While it’s much smaller than Pompeii, it’s more complete, helping you get a better feel for what life really looked like there.

How To Get from Naples to Herculaneum: Circumvesuviana line from Napoli Centrale/Piazza Garibaldi to Ercolano Scavi; travel time about 15 minutes; costs €2.60 one-way

Naples to Mount Vesuvius

Have you ever wanted to hike to an active volcano’s crater? If so, Mt. Vesuvius is a great pick. It hasn’t erupted since 1944, and it isn’t expected to happen again for a few hundred years — although it’s still known as one of Europe’s most dangerous volcanoes.

Whether you want to defy death or just see what it’s like at the top, the hike only takes about 30-40 minutes from the parking lot and isn’t too difficult if you pace yourself. Plus, you can buy some prosecco and make a toast when you get up there. (Ask me how I know.)

How To Get from Naples to Mt. Vesuvius: Circumvesuviana line from Napoli Centrale/Piazza Garibaldi to Ercolano Scavi or Pompei Scavi. From there, your best option is to book tickets with a private company to take you the rest of the way.

Naples to the Amalfi Coast

Getting to the Amalfi Coast from Naples in just a day trip isn’t the easiest task, but it’s definitely possible. (We did it ourselves — going from Naples to Positano and back by the end of the day.) However, it makes for a long day and I wouldn’t recommend going any further than Positano because it just takes too long, and even Positano was a hike.

But Positano was beautiful and I’m glad we had the chance to experience it! In the future, I’ll probably try to stay in an Amalfi Coast town in order to explore the area more fully.

How To Get from Naples to the Amalfi Coast (Positano): Circumvesuviana line from Napoli Centrale/Piazza Garibaldi to Sorrento; travel time about 70 minutes; costs €4.60 one-way. From Sorrento, take the 5070 SITA Bus to Positano (Sponda); travel time about 60 minutes; costs €2.40 one-way. *Note: Often includes long wait times, not enough space/seating on the bus, etc. 

Naples to Caserta

Caserta is a city near Naples, and it’s also home to the Royal Palace of Caserta — a UNESCO World Heritage site sometimes called the “Italian Versailles.” We spent a few hours wandering through the endless grand Baroque parlors, and the Court Theatre was closed because it was being used for a film set! In fact, several popular movies have been filmed at Caserta, including Star Wars: The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones.

How To Get from Naples to Caserta: Trenitalia Regionale from Napoli Centrale/Piazza Garibaldi or Montesanto to Caserta; travel time about 45-60 minutes; costs €4 one-way

Naples to Capri

Similar to the trek to Positano and the Amalfi Coast, taking the ferry from Naples to Capri (especially for a day trip) might not be for everyone. But if you’re in search of clear water, jagged cliffs, and luxury shopping, it could be worth it. We didn’t go, but I think it would be really cool to go someday and check out the Blue Grotto sea cave and the Faraglioni Rocks.

How To Get from Naples to Capri: Private ferry companies from Calata Porta di Massa or Molo Beverello; travel time about 50-85 minutes; costs €17-€30 one-way

How Expensive Is Naples?

Compared to much of Europe, and maybe even other major cities in Italy, Naples was far from the most expensive place I’ve ever been. I felt that prices in shops and restaurants were similar to Spain for the most part. We didn’t eat out for three meals a day — maybe one or two — and a typical menu item, like pizza or pasta, was generally about €7-15 per person. Remember: tax is already included, and you don’t need to tip! (Unless you really want to.)

In most places, a cappuccino (only before 11 a.m.!) was about €2.50 or less. A bottle of wine at a restaurant, which is one of my unofficial price index items, was quite a bit more expensive than I was expecting — the cheapest ones being around €18, though more typically around €25. This is actually the biggest difference compared to Spain (at least where I live) where you can easily get a cheap bottle for €12, sometimes as low as €8.

Another thing to note is that some restaurants charge a small coperto (cover) of a euro or two per person, but this wasn’t enough to deter us from eating anywhere. So I guess it was working as designed, lol.

The only place we went that was far outside the regular Naples price range was Positano, on the Amalfi Coast. The most inexpensive restaurant we could find there still had prices about €30 per person. (Except for my mom’s €140 fish, which is now a running joke in our family.) But for just spending one day in Positano, it wasn’t too bad for one meal.

Where To Eat in Naples

I’m a #glutenfreegirlie now thanks to my celiac disease diagnosis this past summer, but luckily Naples was full of amazing places to eat — even for me! In fact, Italy is one of the best countries for people with gluten-free dietary needs, thanks to their high level of celiac disease testing and general awareness.

I was the only one in my family who needed gluten-free options, but thankfully it wasn’t too hard to find safe options at all. Here are a few places we ate and all of us loved — with or without gluten:

Pizzeria Trianon: This was my favorite pizza of the whole trip, and several of my family members felt the same way. The restaurant itself is nothing fancy, and the long, family-style table seating situation means you might be sitting next to a stranger, but it’s a fun, authentic experience. (For gluten-free travelers: GF pizzas are cooked in a separate oven and the crust is clearly different from the regular one.)

Pizzeria Trianon
Via Pietro Colletta, 44
80139 Napoli

Pizzeria e Trattoria del Purgatorio: This was my favorite pasta of the trip — the Spaghetti alla Nerano. I highly recommend it! The restaurant is also located really close to Napoli Sotterranea on the Via dei Tribunali, so it’s a great place to people-watch in the heart of Naples. Gluten-free options have a surcharge of €4, but I had to eat, so….

Pizzeria e Trattoria del Purgatorio
Via dei Tribunali, 351/352
80138 Napoli

Stuzzico by Lucius: This is actually out near Pompeii and not in the Naples city center, but I’m like 95% sure you’re going to visit Pompeii if you’re reading this blog post, so I hope this is still helpful! Stuzzico by Lucius was actually one of the only places with gluten-free reviews in the Pompei area that was open, so we checked it out. And I’m so glad we did! It’s a small, homey restaurant with only a few tables, and the chef — I’m guessing, Lucius himself — was there, and he even made me something off-menu when I talked to him in a mix of Spanish, Italian, and English about being celiac! It’s a high-quality restaurant, but the prices are more than reasonable.

Stuzzico by Lucius
Via Plinio, 7, 80045 Pompei

Looking for more gluten-free options in Naples? Keep an eye out for my upcoming blog post fully reviewing the city for gluten-free travelers as well as the best restaurant options.

Is Naples Worth Visiting?

Typically, when I write these blog posts about cities and what there is to do, I’m talking about things. You have to see this church, you have to cross this bridge, you have to go to this market. As I wrote this post about Naples, I realized how much I was kind of skipping over the “things” to talk more about the city’s culture — the cornicellos, the Maradona worship, the doctor-saint and the ritual of the ex-votos.

I think it’s because Naples isn’t a city that whitewashes itself to become more palatable to tourists. It doesn’t try to hide the cracks to only show the clean, shiny facade to visitors. And it makes no apologies for being exactly how it is. Which is probably why it got the reputation of being “dirty.” But it makes you feel like you’re experiencing real life.

It’s vibrant. It’s gritty. And it is a little bit dirty. (Though it’s not dangerous.) But it’s alive!

Dog 💩 and all.

(In fact, after a week of carefully avoiding it, Matt finally became a victim and stepped in it as we left, on our way to the airport. 💩)

So yes, I guess you could say that Naples IS worth visiting, at least in my opinion. 🙂

Plan Your Naples Trip

Have you ever visited Naples, or are you planning a trip? What do you want to know? Let me know in the comments!

-Cathy

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