The Best of Napoli: A Travel Guide
Napoli is easily one of our favorite cities in the world to visit. There are plenty of reasons to love this city, from the fantastic food and spectacular views to the mind-blowing espresso. What makes it unique, though, are the people. Neapolitans are the most down-to-earth, genuine people you will ever meet. It reflects throughout Napoli, making it one of the most authentic cities in the world.
The city is like an old favorite pair of boots or that leather jacket you have. It’s perhaps a bit faded here and there and maybe a bit worn around the edges. However, you are never willing to throw it away because it feels right and fits perfectly.
Once you do away with the tired trope of it being the most dangerous city in Europe, I think you will come to love and embrace this wonderful city. We have lost count of the times we have visited Napoli, once even briefly living there. I find it far safer than several other major European or American cities. Following some essential safety habits, avoiding bad experiences is easy, just like in any other city you visit.
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Why you should visit Napoli
Napoli and Campania, the region it resides in, are famous for their food. When you think of Italian food, what comes to mind? Most likely, it’s pasta with some marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese. Maybe you thought of pizza. This area is famous for all of those. Gragnano is a city near Napoli renowned for producing the best-dried pasta in Italy. The San Marzano tomatoes, considered by many to be the best, are grown in the volcanic ash left by Mt. Vesuvius. Buffalo mozzarella, widely known as the best mozzarella cheese, is made fresh here daily. Last but certainly not least, Neapolitan pizza is famous around the world.
If you like the hustle and bustle of a well-worn city, then Napoli is truly for you. It’s perhaps a bit grungy or dirty at times. The infrastructure is old and crumbling, and it’s not a place you want to drive in. Still, if you can look past the cover, we think you will fall in love with this amazing city.
Best time to visit Napoli
Feel free to visit Napoli any time of the year without fear of being overwhelmed with tourists.
It can occasionally get cold during the winter and hot during the summer, but usually, the temperatures aren’t so extreme. The rainy months are October and November, while the best sea temperatures for swimming are June through October.
Arriving
If you have rented a car, your best option is to park it while in Napoli. Piazza Nazionale located on Via Nuova Poggioreale, has a good underground parking facility. I have used this several times, and the cost is currently about 7 Euros daily. There is a taxi stand in the Piazza so catching a cab is easy. The airport is located just North of here in Capodichino if you are flying in. The train station is just to the South if you are arriving by train.
Where to stay in Napoli.
The most convenient location is in the old historic city center. Look for a place along Via Dei Tribunali but stay west of Via Duomo. The area is ideal for experiencing the best that Napoli has to offer. Plenty of restaurants and shops to visit. The prices are very reasonable here. Most often, we find the most desirable accommodations to be home rentals. For a hotel suggestion, we recommend Domus Rosa.
If you prefer a trendier neighborhood, Chaia is the place for you. Plenty of upscale fashion stores and trendy boutiques. Vomero is another area you may prefer. It’s located away from the city center but has a modern night scene. Finally, Posillipo is another quiet and out-of-the-way area to stay.
What to do.
An excellent walking route starts at Napoli Cathedral on Via Duomo. Head down Via Dei Tribunali to Piazza Bellini, then back down the Spaccanapoli and down to perhaps the best pizza place in the world. There are many excellent shops, restaurants, and places to grab a quick bite or a coffee. It passes by several churches, Napoli Underground, Christmas street, and the Museum Sansevero, which houses some unique sculptures, including the veiled Christ.
San Carlo Theatre is an opulent venue that happens to be the oldest active opera house in the world. So catching a show is an experience you won’t forget if you can.
The National Archeological Museum of Napoli is highly underrated. You will find more of the artwork from Pompeii here than traveling to Pompeii itself. However, it’s worth getting a knowledgeable guide for this museum as the layout isn’t the most convenient, and information on some of the works is scant.
The Pignasecca market, located at the north end of the Spanish Quarter, is a great place to visit an open market and purchase some fresh.
Where to eat.
You can’t talk about where to eat in Napoli without mentioning pizza. Many consider it the best pizza place in Napoli, if not the entire world, and we highly recommend Pizzeria da Michele. It’s a no fuss, no frill kind of place that focuses on making pizza. Starita is a top choice by many.
While at the Pignasecca market, you can stop by the Pescheria Azzura for some of the finest seafood in Napoli. You can sit down and eat or get a cup of fried mixed seafood to enjoy.
Osteria Il Gobbetto is just around the corner from the San Carlo Theatre and is an excellent restaurant serving Neapolitan cuisine. It has a well-deserved Michelin Bib Gourmand.
La Locanda Gesu Vecchio is just a block from the Spaccanapoli, another delicious restaurant serving Neapolitan cuisine.
To find a good coffee, look for the signs showing what brand of coffee they serve. You want to look for two brands: Caffe Del Professore and Passalacqua, but there are many other excellent local roasters. Bars serve these top brands all across the city.
Caffe Ciorfito is an excellent bar towards the end of the walking tour. Again, their pastries are delicious and have some incredible sweet espresso-based drinks.
Pasticceria Scaturchio pastry shop in Piazza San Domenico Maggiore is a great place to stop for some traditional Neapolitan pastries. We recommend having a baba, a sfogliatella, and of course, the ministerial, which is renowned.
More Detail
Napoli is a place we love to visit every chance we get. In the future, we will dive deeper into each area we touched and give you more information on what to see and where to stay and eat.