“Vedi Napoli e poi muori” is an italian saying that basically means once you’ve seen Naples, you’ve seen it all and can die in peace. A bit dramatic… But kind of true, though.
However, by Naples, we don’t mean just the city, but the whole bay. The islands and the villages on the coast are an absolute must when in the area.
Quick Summary
• Napoli, the city• The Bay and the Coast
• Ischia’s to do list
• Pompeii and Vesuvio
• The Amalfi Coast
Napoli, the city
Let’s start with the city in itself. The three main neighborhoods in terms of things to do and see, are the old town (centro storico), the Spanish quarter and Vomero.
Centro Storico
This one is definitely the most lively but remains super authentic. Besides just strolling in the busy streets to enjoy the local vibe, you should take the time to go inside some of the beautiful churches, such as the Duomo or the Cathedral Santa Maria Assunta.
Naples is also where all the figurines for the Christmas crib are made, you can see all the craft shops in via San Gregorio Armeno, also known as “the streets of the santons“. The santons being those little figurines made of terracota and hand-painted with so many details.
Another interesting attraction is at the Sansevero Chapel, where you can see Sanmartino’s Veiled Christ, which is spectacular, even for those that aren’t fans of sculptures.
You should also definitely take an aperitivo on one of the little piazzas, such as piazza San Domenico Maggiore or piazza Bellini. The last one gets a really cool vibe in the evening ! I recommend stoping by Libreria Iberisio, for great wines.
Spanish quarter
If you take any of the many narrow streets perpendicular from via Toledo, you’ll end up in the Spanish quarter. This neighborhood is quite poor, but it’s my favorite one. There is many street markets, especially the famous fish one, via Pasquale Scura.
If you want to do a bit of shopping or just check out some nice architecture, you’ll find Gallery Umberto I a bit further down. It is very similar to the Gallery Vittorio Emmanuele II in Milan.
If you keep going South for about 5 minutes, you’ll arrive to Piazza del Plebiscito, where you could stop by Cafe Gambrinus for a gelato or a Napolitan pastry. The cafe was founded in 1860 and is an institution of Naples. Close the Piazza del Plebescito, you have the Teatro San Carlo, dating from 1737.
Resto & bars tips
In the Spanish quarter, make sure you go to these two trattorias :
- Trattoria di Nenella: another institution, don’t be freaked out by the queue, just give your name and have a limoncello or a spritz on the other side of the street. The queue goes quickly and the food and vibe are worth the wait. The waiters are usually singing and yelling, this will put you in the Napoli mood right away.
- Trattoria da Concetta : not far from Nenella, there is this similar but smaller trattoria that is also very good
In the Centro Storico, make sure to take an aperitivo in one of those square :
- Piazza Bellini
- Piazza San Domenico Maggiore
Vomero
Up hill, in the North of the city, is the neighborhood of Vomero. This area offers the greatest views. It is nice to walk up to the castle Sant Elmo by foot. Get in the castle for 2€ to get a nice 360 view.
Another good spot in Vomero for great views is the Chartreuse San Martino, a few hundred meters away from Sant’Elmo castle. This is a former monastery from the 14th century, great witness of the Napolitan baroque architecture and art. Don’t forget to check out the lovely gardens.
Chiaia
Located on the West part of Naples, Chiaia is a “fancy” area of the city. You have a great view of this neighborhood from the Castle Sant Elmo, in Vomero. You can take a calm break from the fuss of the city in the park Villa Communale. There is also nice views from Via Felica Minucio.
The bay and the coast
Capri, Procida and Ischia
The three main islands in the bay of Naples are Capri, Ischia and Procida. I personally think Capri should be left behind if you’re short of time. Sure, it is beautiful, almost like anything in Italy… But, it is definitely the least genuine and the most expensive. Ischia and Procida, on the other hand, are way more authentic. Ischia is where the Napolitans spend their holidays, as you may know if you read the books L’amica Geniale. Procida is very small, half a day is enough, whereas Ischia, has a lot to offer. On top of his genuine vibe, it is also a thermal island so let’s focus a bit on this one.
How to get there
To get there, buy ferry tickets on alilauro.it or SNAV.it, and do it as early as you can, cause during peak season, the ferries are quickly sold out. Departure from Naples are from the port Beverello.
Once, you arrive, you can rent a Vespa or a small car (you don’t want to go big, cause there are many super-narrow streets) at any of the rentals in front of the harbour. I personally like to book it in advance with Costabilerent.
Ischia’s to do list
You can visit Ischia in a day, but you could also stay a whole week-end or more as there is a lot to do :
- Forio, a cute village to have breakfast or an aperitivo, on the way to Poseidon spa for example
- Sant’Angelo, another small village, just as cute, with some Greekish-like white and blue colors
- While at Sant’Angelo, eat at Deus Neptunus, and enjoy a crazy view of the peninsula
- Spend some time in one of the Thermal spas, I highly recommend Poseidon ! All baths are sea water and the water is naturally heated by the volcano of the island. One of the best spa I ever did… And I love spas ! Remember to bring a hat, a cap or just a headband, otherwise they’ll make you wear a bathing cap…
- Try a natural jacuzzi at Baia di Sorgeto. The volcano is heating the sea, it is a unique experience !
- Hike the Mount Epomeo, it takes less than an hour to reach the top from Fontana.
- Swim at one of the many beaches, or course 🙂
Vesuvio and Pompei
If you want to escape the city and fancy a bit of nature, take half a day to hike the Vesuvio. It’s about 40 minutes to reach the top and you have a great view of the whole bay and coast. Plus, you’ll see some smoke here and there getting out of the crater, which is pretty cool !
A must-do attraction is to visit one of the ancient antic cities that got buried by the 79 eruption, either Pompei, or Herculanum. Both are super impressive, you can see daily life remains of the day it happened. Almost 2000 years later, everything is still intact as it all got petrified by the lava.
The Amalfi Coast
South of Napoli, and up to Salerno, there are some of the most picturesque villages you can find in Italy.
The best way to go spend a day (or two) in one of them is to rent a car, although some of them are also accessible by train.
Here are my favorite ones, they’re all about an hour drive away from the city:
- Positano
- Ravello
- Amalfi
- Sant’Agnello
- Vico Equense
What to do in a nutshell
- Eat pasta at Nenella and a gelato at Cafe Gambrinus
- Go to Sant’Elmo Castle in the heights of Vomero
- Check out The Veiled Christ, and some churches
- Why not checking out the agenda of the theater San Carlo
- Have an aperitivo in one of the cute piazzas
- Go to Ischia and relax at the Thermal Gardens of Poseidon
- Spend a day in one of the Amalfi Coast villages, such as Positano or Ravello.
Last few details
Regarding accomodation, I recommend staying in the centro storico or the spanish quarter, as they are the most central ones. Or further south, but definitely NOT close to the Garibaldi neighborhood where the Napoli Centrale train station is.
Regarding transportation in the city in itself, walking is fine to go pretty much everywhere, but the metro is also an option. To go to the islands, check out the ferries companies I mentionned earlier. To go on the coast, the best is to rent a car. Pompeii, Herculanum, and the Vesuvio are easily reachable with the Circumvesuvio train.
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