By rail
Napoli Centrale, ~1 h 10 min from Rome
Europe · Italy
Naples, Italy
Pizza, Vesuvius and a buried Roman city
Getting there
By air
Naples (NAP), ~7 km
Best time to visit
April to June and September to October — warm
Don't miss
Pompeii
Herculaneum
The National Archaeological Museum
Spaccanapoli
Things to do
Pompeii and Herculaneum
Climbing Vesuvius
Pizza in the historic centre
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Glen Scarborough from The Central Coast, Australia · CC BY 2.0
What to pack
Comfortable shoes, water
A quieter corner
Napoli Sotterranea, the tunnels under the old city
Questions travellers ask
Which season suits Naples?
April to June and September to October, when it's warm. Bring comfortable shoes and water.
Can I visit Pompeii from Naples?
Yes, Pompeii and Herculaneum are both part of a Naples trip, and you can climb Vesuvius too.
Where should I eat pizza in Naples?
Have Neapolitan pizza in the historic centre, then a sfogliatella.
What else is there to see in Naples?
Walk Spaccanapoli, visit the National Archaeological Museum, and go underground at Napoli Sotterranea, the tunnels under the old city.
About Naples
- Coastal
Where it is
Naples is the capital of Campania and the third-largest city in Italy, on the Gulf of Naples on the west coast of southern Italy, between two volcanic areas: Mount Vesuvius to the east and the Phlegraean Fields (Campi Flegrei) to the west.
History
Greek settlers founded Parthenope here in the 8th century BC and refounded it as Neapolis, the new city, in the 6th, making Naples one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. It was the capital of the Kingdom of Naples from 1282 and later of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, until Italy was unified in 1861.
People
Neapolitans speak Italian and Neapolitan, and their songs, the canzone napoletana, are known around the world. Craftsmen carve and paint nativity scenes (presepi) in the workshops of the old town, and each September crowds gather in the cathedral to see whether the dried blood of Saint Januarius, San Gennaro, turns to liquid.
Known for
- Neapolitan pizza
- Pompeii and Herculaneum
- The National Archaeological Museum
- Spaccanapoli and the historic centre
- Mount Vesuvius
Did you know?
The art of the Neapolitan pizzaiuolo, the pizza maker's skill in preparing and baking the dough, is on UNESCO's list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.