Naples in 5 days

Italy with the volume turned up. The best pizza on earth and the gateway to the Amalfi Coast. Best time to visit: April-June and September-October. Average daily budget: $70 to $120 USD.

Day 1, Get oriented

Base: Centro Storico, The UNESCO old town: Spaccanapoli, churches, and street life at full tilt.

Morning: Pizza at Da Michele or Gino Sorbillo. Margherita or marinara. Take a number and wait, it's worth it.

Afternoon: Explore Centro Storico, The UNESCO old town: Spaccanapoli, churches, and street life at full tilt.

Evening: Naples Underground tour. Greek-Roman aqueducts and WWII shelters beneath the streets.

Eat: Pizza margherita at L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele

Day 2, Iconic sights

Base: Chiaia, Elegant, calmer, seafront boutiques and aperitivo bars.

Morning: Cappella Sansevero. Home to the astonishing Veiled Christ marble. Book ahead.

Afternoon: Explore Chiaia, Elegant, calmer, seafront boutiques and aperitivo bars.

Evening: Day trip to Pompeii. The Circumvesuviana train gets you there in 40 minutes. Go early.

Eat: Sfogliatella and babà from a Via Toledo pasticceria

Day 3, Local neighbourhoods

Base: Vomero, Hilltop district with the castle, funicular access and city views.

Morning: Sunset from Castel Sant'Elmo in Vomero, the whole bay laid out below.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Afternoon: Explore Vomero, Hilltop district with the castle, funicular access and city views.

Evening: Sfogliatella warm from Pintauro on Via Toledo.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Eat: Spaghetti alle vongole near the port

Day 4, Day trip or nature

Base: Quartieri Spagnoli, Tight grid of lanes, laundry overhead, the real beating heart.

Morning: The Catacombs of San Gennaro, quieter and stranger than the city above.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Afternoon: Explore Quartieri Spagnoli, Tight grid of lanes, laundry overhead, the real beating heart.

Evening: An espresso standing at the bar of Gran Caffè Gambrinus.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Eat: Fried street food (cuoppo) from a friggitoria

Day 5, Slow finish

Base: Lungomare, The seafront promenade facing Vesuvius, best at sunset.

Morning: Slow start: coffee in Lungomare, then an unhurried walk before the heat or the crowds.

Afternoon: Explore Lungomare, The seafront promenade facing Vesuvius, best at sunset.

Evening: Dinner at Pizza margherita at L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele, then a quiet drink wherever the locals are in Lungomare.

Eat: Pizza margherita at L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele

Hidden gems

Sunset from Castel Sant'Elmo in Vomero, the whole bay laid out below.
Sfogliatella warm from Pintauro on Via Toledo.
The Catacombs of San Gennaro, quieter and stranger than the city above.
An espresso standing at the bar of Gran Caffè Gambrinus.

Getting around

The historic centre is walkable but the traffic is wild, so cross with locals. The Metro Line 1 'art stations' are useful and beautiful; the funiculars climb to Vomero. For day trips, the Circumvesuviana train serves Pompeii and Sorrento; ferries from the port reach Capri and the Amalfi Coast.

Safety

Naples has a tough reputation but is fine with street smarts: keep your phone and bag close in crowds and on the Circumvesuviana, avoid empty backstreets late at night, and don't flash valuables. Petty theft, not violence, is the risk. Cross roads confidently, drivers expect it.

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