Naples

Updated 2016

Some people say that things get more strange the further south you go in Italy and Naples, south of Rome, is a great place to see yourself if that is true. This is a huge and crowded city with some of the most chaotic traffic in Europe, but it’s close to the Mount Vesuvius volcano and also so packed with history that you won’t have to worry about getting bored here. Naples is known for pickpockets and other petty criminals however, so caution and common sense should be used.

Start with Things You Should Know About Naples.

What To Do

Naples was founded by the Greeks around the 6th Century BC, so as you might imagine, the buildings in the city center can range from old to much, much older. The entire historic center of Naples was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site and there are various castles and cathedrals all over. Pizza was invented in Naples so sampling a pizza margherita is a tasty ritual for newcomers that one shouldn’t pass up just because it’s so cliché.

The Naples Archeological Museum is where you’ll find art and other objects removed from the two main nearby excavation sites of Pompeii and Herculaneum. There is also a display of the Farnese collection of Roman sculptures.

Many kilometers of tunnels and caverns have been dug out of the soft stone underneath the city and part of these tunnels are available to visitors in a unique attraction that is a great way to break up your time between the all the churches and castles.

Read Top 10 Things to Do in Naples.

Getting There

Naples isn’t too far from Rome so many visitors will arrive in Rome and then do the rest of Italy by rail. But it is possible to fly directly to Naples from most of Europe and even further way. You can book a flight into Capodichino International Airport (code: NAP) and then take public transportation into the city center. If you are coming from out of the region it’s probably better to book a flight into Rome and then arrive by train.

Where To Stay

There are many hostels in Naples and of course the usual variety of hotels in all price ranges as well. Generally Naples is cheaper than Rome and Florence, but some of the places here fall below the standards of most places in those other cities. When booking the cheapest place you can find it’s important to realize you might only be just getting your money’s worth here.