Where to stay, where to eat, what to do, and why you should add Naples to your Italy itinerary

Naples Italy gets a bad rap. While planning our travels I came across a lot of articles saying that Naples is dangerous. Well, it’s a good thing we don’t believe everything we read. I mean, you should believe us, of course, haha! Seriously though, Naples (or Napoli in Italian) ended up being Tom’s favorite city in all of Italy. We put together this Naples Italy travel guide to show just how incredible this city is.

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Is Naples Safe?

First things first, the biggest question people seem to have about visiting Naples is whether it’s safe. We want to be completely honest about our travels, so I’m disclosing that we did have an attempted pickpocket experience there.

It was one of those situations that are exactly the type you hear about. We were walking from the train station on a busy street packed with people. We were bumped and jostled so much that I didn’t notice someone come up directly behind me and start to unzip my backpack. Luckily, an observant English lady with a good set of lungs saw what was happening, started yelling, and swatted the pickpocket away.

Word of advice—wear your bag in front of you, where you can see it. Also, a lock or even just a carabiner run through your zippers will help deter handsy thieves. While this was fortunately our only pickpocket experience, we were warned about them at multiple other places (including Nice, France).

Our answer to the question of whether Naples is safe? Yes, it’s as safe as any city. We didn’t encounter any mafia, muggers, or murderers. Our pickpocket experience could have been completely avoided if I’d simply worn my backpack on my front—which I usually do. We stayed out late a few nights enjoying the nightlife and alternately left our guesthouse in the early morning hours before most shops are open and felt perfectly safe. Just be aware of your surroundings like you would anywhere and the most dangerous things you’re likely to encounter in Naples are the narrow streets and speeding motor bikes.

Naples Italy Points of Interest

Here’s a handy map of all places mentioned in the Naples Italy travel guide below.

Best Things to do in Naples

1. National Archaeological Museum of Naples

From colossal statues to intricate mosaics and Egyptian mummies to ancient political ads, this museum contains a wealth of history and artifacts which tell the stories of prior civilizations. There’s even a “Secret Room” with erotic art from the ancient Roman times—labeled as pornography when it was unearthed in the 18th century. These artifacts have a long history of censorship and even today visitors under 14 must be accompanied by an adult to enter the secret room. You can easily spend half a day or more here so make sure to allot enough time to visit this vast historical treasure trove.

2. Naples Underground Tour

Naples has a complex of underground tunnels running beneath the historic center. Originally constructed as an aqueduct, these tunnels have had various uses throughout history. This was one of our favorite tours. You can find tour booking details on the Napoli Sotterranea website  or at the ticket office. Our tour lasted at least 90 minutes and we paid less than $15 each.

3. Get Lost in the Labyrinth of Streets

The streets of Naples are truly a maze. Stroll along them and take in the layers of the city—towering apartments with laundry hanging out to dry, small shrines built right into the roadside walls, opulent churches, and narrow passageways. There’s something mysterious and even a bit mystic about the streets of Naples. We spent hours just wandering and stumbling (sometimes literally, watch out for those uneven cobblestones) around the historic center.

4. Eat

In our unofficial food critic judgements we deemed that Naples tied with Rome for the best food we had in all of Italy. That’s saying a lot my friends as this is a land of delicious delights. You probably know that pizza was invented in Naples and we surely ate our fill, but there’s also excellent fresh seafood, pasta, and a plethora of other tasty treats to tempt your taste buds. How’s that for a mouthful? (Pun intended.) See the where to eat section below for our specific belly filling recommendations.

5. Visit Christmas Alley

Officially named Via San Gregorio Armeno this street is lined with hundreds of artisan shops containing Naples’ famous nativity scenes. Decorating for Christmas in Italy is an elaborate affair. Families collect these handcrafted scenes to create large Christmas villages. The attention to detail on these pieces is amazing. This place would be pretty much heaven for my mom, who’s current Christmas village takes up no less than 30 square feet and grows each year.

6. Enjoy the Nightlife

Naples has a lively nightlife. You’ll find all kinds of bars—lounge, jazz, grungy, elegant, and walk-up open until the wee hours. At night the streets bustle with music and laughter.

7. Naples to Pompeii Day Trip

Visit Pompeii and see the ruins of this once opulent city that was tragically destroyed in 79 CE when Mount Vesuvius erupted. The city was covered in thick layers of ash, which preserved the area. Today the ruins are a window into the lives of the ancient Romans who dwelt here.

8. Naples to Sorrento Day Trip

Sorrento is a lovely coastal town set on a cliff above colorful beaches. We recommend taking the ferry to Sorrento and catching the train back. The ferry ride is a fun experience and you get views of the jewel toned Mediterranean. You can also get ferries to the islands of Capri or Ischia if you want to do a few more day trips.

Where to Stay in Naples

We recommend staying in the historic center, but on a side street. You know that busy nightlife I talked about above? It’s way less fun when you’re trying to get some sleep. We met some women from Australia who were staying on Via dei Tribunali and they were counting down the days until they could leave and get some shut-eye.

We stayed at the Ocurniciell B&B guesthouse. While the lodging was basic, it was budget travel friendly and perfectly located. Here’s a walking map of the historic center to help orient yourself.

Where to Eat in Naples

Not only did we have the best pizza of our lives in Naples, but found delicious local fare around every corner. Our advice is to arrive hungry and ready to sample the many culinary splendors. Also, the prices are crazy cheap for the high-quality food so it’s a perfect place to visit if you’re traveling on a budget. Here are some of our favorite places to eat in Naples. You can find the location of each on the map above.

• Donna Romita: Located on a side street this place has craft cocktails, incredible seafood, and amazing service.
• Trattoria Napoli Notte: If you’re a seafood fan, you have to try the octopus salad. It’s fresh and tangy and you get a huge pile of it. The pasta here is also insanely flavorful and perfectly prepared.
• Insolito Cucina & Pizzeria: This is the place where we had the best pizza of our lives! Not exaggerating. You may want to fast before eating here though because the pizzas are enormous.
• Walk-up bars: You’ll find these interspersed throughout the streets of the historic district. Grab a cocktail to-go and wander through the maze of cobblestones.
• Bar 7Bello: Part café, part piano bar, and part tabacchi shop, this is a fun place to take in some music and cocktails. They let folks sign-up to play the piano throughout the day and make the best Aperol Spritzes we had in all of Italy.
• Shanti Art Musik Bar: Stop here for a snack and the atmosphere. There’s a colorful outdoor lounge with furniture made from old wooden pallets and other recycled objects. Or hang-out in a hammock swing and listen to the live music at night.

Budget Travel Tip: Get take-away food instead of sitting down at a restaurant. There are take-away places throughout the streets with delicious but cheap local food. It’s also perfect for day-trips. Just pick it up in the morning or the night before if you’re heading out early.

Why You Should Add Naples to Your Italy Itinerary

If you’re still not convinced to visit Naples, here are a few final reasons:

• Culture: In some places the historic center holds more tourists than residents (see how to avoid crowds in Venice). However, in Naples many residents live right in the historic area. This means that you really get a sense of what everyday life is like. You’ll see residents outside their doors in the narrow streets, chatting with neighbors, and waiting for their laundry to dry in the afternoon sun. Or making an offering at one of the many small wall shrines on their way home from work.
• Price: What we heard about prices in Italy holds true—the more south you go, the cheaper things are. Naples is one of the most budget travel friendly places we visited, second only to Sicily.
• Ease of Transport: Naples is a very walkable city in terms of distance. We walked everywhere we needed to go—museums, restaurants, the port, and train station. From the station there are numerous regional trains available for day trips and ferries from the port to the islands.
• Food: I’ve probably said enough about this already but just want to reiterate—some of the best food we had in all of Italy. Oh yeah, and super cheap compared to elsewhere!

Okay, so are you convinced now? Would you visit Naples? Or have you already been? Thanks for reading our Naples Italy travel guide.

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