Naples is the third largest city in Italy, with a long Summer that goes from April to October. Because Spring there is generally way hotter than most parts of Italy, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to walk around in t-shirt and shorts. This beautiful Southern city offers a lot of activities and can be explored with self guided walking tours.
Although a weekend in Naples won’t be enough to see everything he city has to offer, it will still give you time to explore the most interesting places.
How To Get To Naples
The main airport in Naples is Naples International Airport, recently renewed and thus called a “boutique airport”. With beautiful shops selling mozzarella cheese (in boxes specifically designed for travelers) or delicious sfogliatella pastry, typical products like Gragnano pasta or hand stitched leather gloves, it is situated inside the city. This will give you the chance to pick up the nearest bus to get to your hotel.
You can click here to find the cheapest flights to spend your weekend in Naples:
Search Flights to Naples Italy with Skyscanner
If you are planning to add your weekend in Naples to a bigger Italian itinerary, then you could fly to Capodichino from Rome.
What To See in Naples: Top Attractions
Museo Archeologico Nazionale
If you like to visit museums, then don’t miss the Museo Archeologico Nazionale in Naples. This former 17th century University building houses many Greco-Roman art pieces and artifacts, mostly belonging to the Farnese family. The highlights of this collection include the colossal Farnese Bull, the pumping-iron Hercules, and beautiful mosaics from Pompeii and Herculaneum. If you aren’t traveling with kids, then explore the saucy ancient erotica section with artifacts from Herculaneum!
Stazioni dell’Arte
While exploring the city using the subway, you will discover another one of Naples’ treasures: the Stazioni dell’Arte. The 11 subway stations, opened from 2001 to 2013, are some of the most impressive in the world. This project has included emerging local artists and architects, along with major international names. The Toledo metro station has been nominated as the most beautiful in Europe by The Daily Telegraph and the CNN. You will be able to visit them just with your regular metro ticket.
Via Toledo
From the Toledo metro station, you will get to Via Toledo: your weekend in Naples wouldn’t be complete without some shopping there! Especially on Sunday, this street can be pretty crowded with tourists and locals. The ancient buildings are filled with boutiques and pastry shops: the Neapolitans love to have a good walk just watching the shop windows, without buying anything.
Galleria Umberto I
From Via Toledo you can get into the Galleria Umberto I, another iconic spot in Naples, bigger than its twin in Milan. A short walk from here there’s the biggest square in Naples, that can contain more than 100,000 people: Piazza del Plebiscito. The view from the center of this wide square is breathtaking. On the North, coming from the sea, you will see the hills that lead up to Castel Sant’Elmo and the Certosa di San Martino. On the East the Royal Palace shows off its oldest facade and beautiful statues. You can take pictures of the guard post and of the statues for free, without having to pay a ticket to get inside. On the West, admire the curved Church of San Francesco da Paola and a beautiful colonnade. Piazza del Plebiscito is the starting point to many tours of the city and it’s central enough that most of the highlights of the city are within walking distance.
Lungomare Caracciolo
If you still have some time during your weekend in Naples, consider having a long and relaxing walk at Lungomare Caracciolo. This long street, together with via Partenope, was closed to the traffic a few years ago, becoming a large seafront promenade (“lungomare” in Italian). It’s common for Neapolitans to have a walk here or rent a bicycle to spend some quality time near the sea. This picturesque marina has a lot of restaurants and bars where you can buy slushes or Italian gelato, as well as delicious seafood dishes.
Whether you are visiting in June or in December, there’s a place in Naples where it’s always Christmas and not many people know about it! Via San Gregorio Armeno is known as “Christmas Alley”. In this narrow cobblestone street you’ll find the “presepi”, the nativity scenes handmade in terracotta and wood. The handmade pieces can be expensive, but this narrow street is distinctive and full of life. It deserves a visit!
What To Eat in Naples
Ragù
In Naples there’s something for every taste, from frutti di mare to mozzarella di bufala, but the best dishes will always be those cooked by mamma (mom) or nonna (grandmom). You can’t escape the most traditional dish ever… Ragù. This tomato sauce has to simmer on low heat for several hours and it’s used on fresh pasta, served with grated parmesan.
Pizza
The most famous dish, on the contrary, is pizza. But it’s very different from the pizza one could see in every other part of the world. Neapolitan pizza is in fact very thin, cooked in wood burning brick ovens, and the crust has to be soft and light. You can’t leave Naples without tasting the “real pizza”!
Pastries
Pastries are also delicious. The typical Neapolitan ones are sfogliatella and babà with rhum. Beware: there’s a real “sfogliatella war” between the tiny shop “Sfogliatella Mery” in Galleria Umberto I and “Pintauro” on Via Toledo. Both claim they have the best sfogliatella pastry in Naples. It’s up to you to decide who wins!
Where To Stay
Unless you’re renting a car, you will visit Naples using the public transport, so the NH Napoli Ambassador, situated in one of the most beautiful areas, near the castle “Maschio Angioino”, would be a safe bet. From here the Theater San Carlo, Galleria Umberto I and Piazza del Plebiscito are just a short walk away.
Another great option is the Best Western Hotel Plaza, located in an historical building of the 19th century and recently renovated. It’s not too far away from the Capodichino airport and also very close to the train station and the bus terminal.
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About the Author | ||
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Danila Caputo // Travelling Dany
Dany is a travel blogger who wanders with her husband Aldo, a talented YouTuber, to discover the world and encourage others to start traveling. They share their adventures on a travel blog, “Travelling Dany – Every Corner a Story” and their Travel TV on YouTube. Follow them to learn more about their trips!
