Things to do in Naples: top sights and where to go
Naples is a loud, vivid city on its bay beneath Vesuvius. The centre has the Royal Palace, the San Carlo theatre, Galleria Umberto I, the castles of Castel Nuovo and Castel dell'Ovo and a waterfront facing the volcano; the old town holds the Sansevero Chapel and its Veiled Christ, and Capodimonte crowns the hill. The Archaeological Museum keeps Pompeii's treasures, while Pompeii, Herculaneum and Vesuvius are 20 to 40 minutes away by train. Allow 3 days.
Sights
Naples itineraries
Naples travel guide
What to know before you go: best areas to stay, Pompeii and Vesuvius, the airport and ferries, getting around, weather, pizza and costs.
Naples on your own: the essentials
- Entry
- Schengen rules; ETIAS for visa-free visitors when it starts
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - How long
- 3 days: the city, Pompeii with Vesuvius, museums
- Best time
- April–June and September–October
- Sea
- Swimming from June to September
- Money
- Euro; cards widely accepted, carry some cash
- Airport
- Capodichino (NAP) — Alibus to the centre ≈ 20–30 min
- Getting around
- Metro, funiculars, the train to Pompeii
- City tax
- Charged per person per night by your hotel
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Safety
- Watch bags in crowds and on transport
- Time zone
- CET (UTC+1), CEST (UTC+2) in summer
officiali
Confirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Key facts
Sourcei
UNESCO World Heritage List, no. 726Sourcei
UNESCOSourcei
Wikipedia, Mount VesuviusSourcei
MapThings to do in Naples
The essentials in and around Naples are Pompeii, Herculaneum and Vesuvius, the Archaeological Museum with Pompeii's treasures, the Sansevero Chapel and its Veiled Christ, the Royal Palace, the San Carlo theatre, the seafront castles and the waterfront. Every place with its YesGo score is in the list above.
| Seafront centre | Palace, San Carlo, Umberto I | ½ day |
|---|---|---|
| Port and castles | Castel Nuovo, Castel dell'Ovo | 2–3 hours |
| The waterfront | Via Caracciolo and Mergellina | Evening |
| Historic centre | Sansevero, Archaeological Museum | ½ day |
| Capodimonte hill | Museum and park | ½ day |
| Around Vesuvius | Pompeii, Herculaneum, Vesuvius | 1 day |
Rather not plan it yourself? The list above includes ready-made itineraries with the places already in order.
Naples itinerary: 1, 2 or 3 days
With one day in Naples, see the Royal Palace, Galleria Umberto I and the San Carlo theatre, Castel Nuovo, the Sansevero Chapel and an evening on the waterfront by Castel dell'Ovo. Day two is Pompeii or Herculaneum with Vesuvius; day three the Archaeological Museum and Capodimonte. The islands and the Amalfi Coast are separate trips.
- Day 1 — Royal Palace, Galleria Umberto I, Castel Nuovo, Sansevero, the waterfront.
- Day 2 — Vesuvius in the morning, Pompeii or Herculaneum after lunch.
- Day 3 — the Archaeological Museum and Capodimonte.
- Day 4 — Capri, Ischia, or Sorrento and Amalfi.
Where to stay in Naples: best areas
The handiest base in Naples is the centre between Via Toledo and the sea, within walking distance of the palace, castles and waterfront and close to the metro and ferries. Chiaia is an elegant seafront district full of restaurants, Santa Lucia has hotels facing the bay, and the historic centre is atmospheric but noisy. The Garibaldi station area is cheaper but less pleasant at night.
| Toledo and Municipio | First visit, all central | Busy by day |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Lucia | Bay views, the waterfront | Pricier |
| Chiaia | Restaurants, boutiques, the sea | Farther from Pompeii |
| Historic centre | Atmosphere, pizzerias | Narrow, noisy streets |
| Vomero | Calm, views, funiculars | Up the hill |
| Garibaldi station | Pompeii trains, budget | Unappealing at night |
Naples airport to the city centre
Naples Airport, Capodichino (NAP), is just 7 km from the centre. The Alibus shuttle reaches Piazza Garibaldi station and Molo Beverello port in 20 to 30 minutes, and taxis to the centre charge fixed city fares. From Rome, the high-speed train is easiest, about 1 hour 10 minutes.
| Alibus | Airport — Piazza Garibaldi | ≈ 15–20 min |
|---|---|---|
| Alibus | Airport — Molo Beverello | ≈ 30 min |
| Taxi | Airport — centre | ≈ 20 min |
| High-speed train | Rome — Naples | ≈ 1 h 10 min |
| Circumvesuviana train | Naples — Pompeii | ≈ 40 min |
Getting around Naples
Walk around central Naples, and use the metro and funiculars further out. Metro line 1 runs through the 'art stations' of Toledo, Museo and Dante; line 2 from the main station to Mergellina. Four funiculars climb to Vomero, the Circumvesuviana train serves Pompeii and Herculaneum, and ferries leave the port for the islands.
- Metro — lines 1 and 2; Toledo station is one of Europe's most beautiful.
- Funiculars — Centrale, Chiaia, Montesanto and Mergellina.
- Circumvesuviana — trains to Ercolano, Pompeii and Sorrento.
- Ferries — from Molo Beverello to Capri, Ischia and Procida.
- Driving — heavy traffic and hard parking; best avoided.
Naples weather by month
Naples has a mild Mediterranean climate. The best months are April to June and September to October, with days of ≈ 19–27 °C. Summers are hot, around 30 °C, with swimming in the bay. Winters are mild, ≈ 13–14 °C by day, but November to January is often rainy.
°CiLong-term averages, °C: day and night air, sea water near the shore, rain — rainy days a month. Any given year can be warmer or cooler. Tap a month for details below. | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day | 13° | 14° | 16° | 19° | 23° | 27° | 30° | 30° | 27° | 22° | 18° | 14° |
| Night | 5° | 5° | 7° | 9° | 13° | 17° | 19° | 20° | 17° | 13° | 9° | 6° |
| Sea | 15° | 14° | 14° | 16° | 19° | 23° | 26° | 27° | 25° | 22° | 19° | 16° |
| Rain | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 10 | 10 |
Warm — 20 °C and above by dayBest time to go: April–May and September–October
- day ≈ 13°
- night ≈ 5°
- sea ≈ 15°
- rain 9 days
Cool and rainy, few tourists. Too cold to swim, water — about 15°.
- day ≈ 14°
- night ≈ 5°
- sea ≈ 14°
- rain 8 days
Fresh, mimosas in bloom. Too cold to swim, water — about 14°.
- day ≈ 16°
- night ≈ 7°
- sea ≈ 14°
- rain 8 days
Spring, warming up. Too cold to swim, water — about 14°.
- day ≈ 19°
- night ≈ 9°
- sea ≈ 16°
- rain 8 days
Warm, busy at Easter. Too cold to swim, water — about 16°.
- day ≈ 23°
- night ≈ 13°
- sea ≈ 19°
- rain 5 days
A lovely month. Too cold to swim, water — about 19°.
- day ≈ 27°
- night ≈ 17°
- sea ≈ 23°
- rain 3 days
Hot, swimming begins. Swimmable, the water is fresh — about 23°.
- day ≈ 30°
- night ≈ 19°
- sea ≈ 26°
- rain 2 days
Very hot, warm sea. Warm for swimming, water — about 26°.
- day ≈ 30°
- night ≈ 20°
- sea ≈ 27°
- rain 3 days
Very hot, holiday month. Warm for swimming, water — about 27°.
- day ≈ 27°
- night ≈ 17°
- sea ≈ 25°
- rain 5 days
Warm, the best sea. Warm for swimming, water — about 25°.
- day ≈ 22°
- night ≈ 13°
- sea ≈ 22°
- rain 8 days
Mild, some rain. Swimmable, the water is fresh — about 22°.
- day ≈ 18°
- night ≈ 9°
- sea ≈ 19°
- rain 10 days
Rainy and quiet. Too cold to swim, water — about 19°.
- day ≈ 14°
- night ≈ 6°
- sea ≈ 16°
- rain 10 days
Cool, nativity street season. Too cold to swim, water — about 16°.
19 September is the feast of St Januarius, patron of Naples, with a solemn service in the cathedral and celebrations across the city.
What to eat in Naples
Food in Naples starts with pizza: the Margherita and Marinara were born here, and the art of the Neapolitan pizzaiuolo is on UNESCO's list. Beyond pizza, try fried pizza, a paper cone of fried seafood, pasta with clams, sfogliatella and rum baba, all washed down with strong espresso and limoncello.
- Pizza Margherita — tomato, mozzarella, basil.
- Pizza fritta — filled and deep-fried.
- Cuoppo — a paper cone of fried seafood.
- Spaghetti alle vongole — pasta with clams.
- Sfogliatella — a flaky ricotta pastry.
- Babà — the rum-soaked Neapolitan cake.
- Espresso and limoncello — short coffee and lemon liqueur.
Naples sightseeing costs
Free in Naples: the squares, the waterfront, Galleria Umberto I, Castel dell'Ovo, the Capodimonte park and many churches. You pay for Pompeii, Herculaneum, the Vesuvius crater, the Archaeological Museum, the Sansevero Chapel, the Royal Palace and Capodimonte. State museums and sites are free on the first Sunday of the month, with long queues.
| Pompeii | 50 | 5 h | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Vesuvius | 49 | 3 h | Paid, timed ticket |
| Castel dell'Ovo | 46 | 45 min | Free |
| Herculaneum | 44 | 2 h | Paid |
| Castel Nuovo | 42 | 1 h | Courtyard free, museum paid |
| Cappella Sansevero | 40 | 40 min | Paid, timed entry |
| Royal Palace of Naples | 39 | 1 h 30 min | Square free, palace paid |
| Teatro di San Carlo | 39 | 45 min | Tour paid |
| National Archaeological Museum of Naples | 34 | 2 h 30 min | Paid |
| Museo di Capodimonte | 32 | 2 h | Museum paid, park free |
Free — 2 places: Galleria Umberto I, Naples Waterfront.
Tips
- Book Pompeii and the Vesuvius crater ahead.
- Keep bags in front of you in crowds and on transport.
- Eat pizza at the historic pizzerias; the queues move fast.
FAQ
What should I see first in Naples?
Pompeii and Vesuvius, the Archaeological Museum, the Sansevero Chapel, the Royal Palace, the San Carlo theatre, the seafront castles and the waterfront.
How many days do you need in Naples?
Three days for the city, Pompeii with Vesuvius and the museums; add a day for the islands or Amalfi.
How do I get from Naples airport to the centre?
By Alibus to Piazza Garibaldi or Molo Beverello in 20 to 30 minutes, or by taxi.
How do I get from Naples to Pompeii?
By Circumvesuviana train to Pompei Scavi, about 40 minutes.
What's the weather like in Naples in May?
About 23 °C by day and 13 °C at night, one of the best months.
Can you swim in Naples?
Yes, from June to September: off the rocks along Via Caracciolo, at Posillipo and on the islands.
Where's the best area to stay in Naples?
Between Via Toledo and the sea: Municipio, Santa Lucia or Chiaia.
Is Naples safe?
As safe as any big city: watch bags and phones in crowds and on transport.
Where should I eat pizza in Naples?
At the historic pizzerias of the old centre and around Mergellina; the classics are Margherita and Marinara.
How do I get from Naples to Capri?
By fast ferry from Molo Beverello or Mergellina, about 50 minutes.
Sources and fact-check
- UNESCO World Heritage List, no. 726 — Historic Centre of Naples
- UNESCO: Art of Neapolitan 'Pizzaiuolo' (2017)
- Wikipedia: Naples; climate of Naples (1991–2020 normals)
- Naples Airport (GESAC) — official site; ANM — metro and funiculars