Known for
Neapolitan pizza, Baroque churches and views of the Vesuvius
Must-see landmarks
Sansevero Chapel, Naples Cathedral and Mount Vesuvius
Free to visit
Piazza del Plebiscito, Castel dell'Ovo and the churches of the "centro"
Days needed
Three to four full days, more with day trips to Pompeii and Vesuvius
The Angevin fortress known as Maschio Angioino guards the waterfront behind a marble triumphal arch built for Alfonso of Aragon's 1443 entry into the city, its Sala dei Baroni recalling the barons arrested here in 1487. Piazza del Plebiscito is about 8 minutes away.
Naples' grandest square opens between the curved colonnade of San Francesco di Paola, modelled on St Peter's in Rome and completed in 1846, and the Royal Palace facing it across the paving. The square stays free of traffic and hosts open-air events.
Eight statues of the rulers of Naples line the plain facade of this former Bourbon residence, whose historic apartments hold frescoes, tapestries and a preserved court theatre across some 30 rooms. It opens daily except Wednesday from 9:00 to 20:00. Galleria Umberto I is a 4 minute walk.
A glass and iron shopping arcade built between 1887 and 1891 rises in a cross plan under its dome, marble floor and belle epoque cafes standing beside the Teatro di San Carlo, the oldest opera house still in continuous use in the world. Santa Chiara is about 18 minutes away.
The Franciscan complex built for Queen Sancha of Majorca in the 1300s hides a majolica cloister added in 1739, its hand-painted tiles of country scenes and Vesuvius completed by local artists through the 1740s. San Lorenzo Maggiore is about 10 minutes away.
A Gothic basilica begun for the Franciscans in the 13th century sits over the excavated Greco-Roman market of ancient Neapolis, its underground galleries of shops and paved streets open beneath the church. The Cathedral of Naples is about 5 minutes away.
The 13th century cathedral dedicated to the city's patron saint holds the Cappella di San Gennaro, where his dried blood is said to liquefy each May, September and 16 December before crowds of the faithful. It opens Monday to Saturday from 8:00 to 12:30 and 16:30 to 19:00.
Salmo brings his tour to Arena Flegrea on 27 August at 21:30, the Sardinian rapper known for mixing hip-hop with rock and electronic sounds.
Mannarino plays Arena Flegrea on 3 September at 21:30, the Roman singer-songwriter known for folk-rooted Italian pop.
Gianni Morandi brings his C'era un ragazzo tour to Arena Flegrea on 1 October at 21:00, the veteran Italian pop singer marking six decades on stage.
RAF brings his Infinito Palasport tour to Palapartenope on 9 October at 21:00, the veteran Italian pop singer known for writing Self Control.
Willie Peyote brings his Club Tour to Casa della Musica Federico I on 24 October at 21:00, the Turin rapper known for his satirical take on Italian pop culture.
nayt performs at Palapartenope on 11 November at 21:00, the Rome raised rapper on the Naples date of his Noi Individui tour.
The city's main square costs nothing to cross, hosting free open-air concerts and festivals through the year. San Francesco di Paola's curved portico stays open to walk under at no charge, while the Royal Palace opposite charges for its historic rooms.
The nave, the Basilica di Santa Restituta and the Baptistery of San Giovanni in Fonte open on a voluntary donation, no ticket required. Only the adjoining Museum of the Treasury of San Gennaro and the rooftop walk over the domes charge separate admission.
The seafront castle on the islet of Megaride charges no admission, though visits now require booking a time slot online since it reopened. Ramparts around the fortress give open views across the gulf, with Vesuvius visible on the horizon.
No ticket is needed to walk beneath the glass and iron dome of this arcade, open from around 8:30 into the evening at no cost. It offers a free shortcut linking Via Toledo with the Teatro di San Carlo, cafes and shopfronts lining its marble floor.
The Gothic basilica of the Franciscan complex, holding the tombs of the Angevin kings, is free to enter. A separate ticket from the complex box office covers the majolica-tiled cloister and the monastery's museum and archaeological area.
The straight decumano splitting the old city in two costs nothing to walk at any hour, its Baroque facades, shopfronts and street life open to the public day and night. Early morning is quietest, before the lane fills with market stalls and foot traffic.
The narrow lane of the historic centre fills with workshops making presepe, the traditional Neapolitan nativity scene, its figures ranging from shepherds to footballers, free to browse along the street any day of the year.
The seafront promenade along Via Caracciolo has stayed a car-free walking and cycling route since 2012, open at all hours at no cost. Its curve past the Villa Comunale gardens frames views across the bay toward Vesuvius, Capri and the Sorrentine peninsula.
The Jesuit church on Piazza del Gesù Nuovo hides a Baroque interior of frescoes and marble behind a rusticated stone facade taken from the Renaissance palace it replaced, free to enter daily through the morning and again from late afternoon into the evening.
The wooded gardens of a former royal villa in Vomero are free to enter year round, closing an hour before sunset, their terraces looking over the bay toward Vesuvius. Only the Museo Duca di Martina housed inside the villa charges its own admission.
Naples is older than Rome and wears its layers openly: Greek streets under Roman foundations, Angevin castles beside Baroque churches, all packed into one of the oldest historic centres in Europe, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1995. It is also the birthplace of pizza, a city that treats its patron saint's blood as a civic barometer and keeps Vesuvius in view from almost every corner.
The centro storico around Spaccanapoli holds the densest concentration of churches and ruins, its narrow lanes busiest by day. Chiaia, along the seafront promenade, is the elegant side of the city, with boutiques and the gardens of the Villa Comunale. Vomero sits on the hill above, reached by funicular, with the calmer streets and views of Castel Sant'Elmo. The Quartieri Spagnoli, the old Spanish Quarter west of Via Toledo, keeps the loudest street life and the steepest alleys.
April to June and September to October bring mild weather without the August heat, when many small businesses close for the month. Three to four full days cover the historic centre, the Archaeological Museum and a half day in Vomero, with extra time worth setting aside for Pompeii or Vesuvius.
The centro storico is entirely walkable, and funiculars climb from Via Toledo and Chiaia up to Vomero. Metro Line 1 runs a handful of art stations designed by international architects, Toledo and Municipio among them. The Circumvesuviana train reaches Pompeii, Herculaneum and Sorrento, and ferries from the port sail to Capri, Ischia and Procida.
Explore Herculaneum, the Roman town buried by Vesuvius in 79 AD, with well-preserved multi-story houses, mosaics and frescoes. This ticket includes park entry and a downloadable audio guide app.
Reach the Vesuvius crater by the shortest route, with a direct Vesuvio Express shuttle transfer from Ercolano and entry to the national park included.
Fast-track entry to the Vesuvius crater trail with roundtrip transport from Pompeii, combining two Bay of Naples landmarks in a single outing.
A guided day trip to Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius with an official guide, lunch during the excursion, and roundtrip transfer from central Naples included.
A full-day guided tour pairing the ruins of Pompeii with a hike up Mount Vesuvius, led by an official guide with roundtrip transfer from central Naples included.
Skip the line at Mount Vesuvius with this self-guided ticket, complete with a downloadable audio guide app and roundtrip transfer from central Naples.
Skip-the-line entry to the Vesuvius crater trail with a direct Vesuvio Express shuttle transfer from central Naples, ideal for a half-day visit.
Join a small-group guided hike up Mount Vesuvius to the crater rim, with roundtrip transfer from Pompeii included and skip-the-line access to the trail entrance.
Step inside the Museum of the Treasure of San Gennaro to see centuries of jeweled gifts, including the diamond studded Mitre and the Necklace of San Gennaro, with your Chapel visit and audio guide included.
Travel from Naples to Positano and Amalfi by coach and ferry, with free time to explore both towns on the Amalfi Coast and a multilingual audio guide along the way.
Cruise along the Amalfi Coast by boat from Naples with a live guide, stopping in Amalfi and Positano for free time to explore, with Ravello included on select departures.
Explore Amalfi, Positano and Ravelloo in a small group with a live guide and headset commentary, travelling by coach and seasonal speedboat with free time at each stop.
Visit Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi, and Ravello in a single day, travelling by minivan from Naples with an English-speaking driver and an hour of free time at each stop.
Hop aboard Naples' red double-decker bus for a 24-hour, unlimited ride across two routes: the historic centre and the scenic Gulf coastline, with onboard audio commentary in eight languages and free WiFi.
Skip the line for a guided tour through the tuff tunnels and cisterns of Napoli Sotterranea, with a stop at the underground Greek-Roman theater.
Skip the line for a guided tour of Napoli Sotterranea's tuff tunnels and underground theater, finishing with a traditional Neapolitan pizza and a drink nearby.
Explore the National Archaeological Museum of Naples on a guided tour past the Farnese Marbles and treasures unearthed from Pompeii and Herculaneum.
Pompeii Archaeological Site, an iconic and meticulously preserved ancient Roman city, offers a fascinating glimpse into daily life before Mount Vesuvius’s catastrophic eruption in 79 AD.
Skip the line at the Royal Palace of Caserta and join an expert guide through the Royal Apartments of this Baroque royal residence, available daily except Tuesday.
Join an express guided tour of the Sansevero Chapel in Naples and see the Veiled Christ and other Baroque masterpieces with a live guide.
Join a guided tour of the Sansevero Chapel in Naples with a live Italian-speaking guide and real-time headset translation, and see the Veiled Christ and other Baroque masterpieces up close.
Skip the line at the Sansevero Chapel in Naples and see Giuseppe Sanmartino's Veiled Christ with a live guide, in English, French or Italian.
Combine skip-the-line entry with a guided tour of the Royal Palace of Caserta's apartments and grounds, available on weekends in English or Italian.
Descend into the tuff galleries beneath the Spanish Quarters on a one-hour guided tour, exploring passageways first carved in the 16th century and later used as a World War II air-raid shelter.