Naples
Naples, a city in southern Italy, sits on the Bay of Naples. Nearby is Mount Vesuvius, the still-active volcano that destroyed nearby Roman town Pompeii. Dating to the 2nd millennium B.C., Naples has centuries of important art and architecture.
Details
Before visiting any town or city make sure you know the basics. General details and important information.
- Emergency Services: 113
- Language: Italian
- Currency: Euro
- Country Code: IT
- Travel Visa: None required
- Population: 960,000
Risk Level
Researching various official sources, we perceive the risk to holiday makers and travellers are as follows;
Travellers Tips
Top travel advice and interesting tip bits of information from experienced travellers.
Emergencies
For the Emergency services just dial 113 from any phone.
The dispatcher/operator may or may not speak English.
Hospitals
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Azienda Ospedaliera D. Cotugno
Tourist Offices
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Travelling Around
The public transportation system of Naples is operated by two companies and includes city buses, funicular lines, regional buses, Metro Lines 1, 2 and 6, Circumvesuviana, Circumfegrea and Cumana train lines. You can travel with all of these within the city limit, using a Unico ticket or TIC ticket.
Airports
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Train Stations
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Naples Safety
Where should I take extra care?
Avoid walking alone in the streets at night, particularly in the Quartieri Spagnoli, La Sanità and Mercato districts and around Piazza Garibaldi.
What are the top safety tips?
Be alert at all times and be aware of your surroundings. Take the usual safety precautions so you do not become a targets for pickpockets. Don’t put your wallet or mobile phone in your back pocket. Put any valuables items in a dark colour shopping bag when going out to avoid attention.
Car thieves normally target expensive cars but there are some exceptional situations where rental cars have been broken in to. Park the car in well lit areas and use car park with CCTV. Don’t leave valuables on your car seat as it could attract criminals, drive with the car door locked all times.
When withdrawing cash from ATM try to go inside the bank. Beware of withdrawing cash from cash points on pedestrian walkways. Try to withdraw small sums and don’t flash your cash around even in the bank.
Where can I keep up with the local news?
Improve Your Personal Safety
Knowledge – the more you have the better equipped you are.
Awareness – the more you see the safer you become.
Response – the right reaction can change a situation.
Annual Events
Annual events allow a city come together for some amazing experiences. If visiting at this time, make sure you have your accommodation booked and are always aware of your surroundings when travelling around.
Events
Pizza is Italy’s most famous food and you must not leave Naples without sampling a traditional Neapolitan pizza. Most of the oldest and best pizzerias are concentrated on the Via Tribulani between the train station and San Domenico Maggiore. And if you really love pizza, you should attend ‘Pizzafest’ to celebrate the dish in mid-September.
Religious Festivals
Naples has deeply religious roots, meaning there are many festivals held around the most important dates in the Christian calendar. Easter brings the Settimana Santa street processions and passion plays, while at Christmastime there are many free events including concerts, plays, exhibitions and parades.
Many of the city’s biggest cultural festivals are held during the summer, including the Napoli Film Festival at the Warner Village in June and the Giffoni Film Festival, Italy’s second most important film festival (after Venice) which is held in Giffoni Valle Piana in July and August. In addition, the heat in July and August drives theatrical performers out of the theatres and into the streets to provide performances in spectacular outdoor locations.
Over 10 days in September, Neapolitans celebrate the feast day of the Madonna of Piedigrotta, whose roots can be traced to the pagan fertility rites of the Middle Ages. Nowadays the festival is a celebration of music and dance, featuring international stars.
New Year’s Eve is a huge event in Naples, and visitors can celebrate at a concert in the Piazza del Plebiscito before watching fireworks over Castel dell’Ovo.
Naples Highlights
What’s the best season to travel?
You can visit Naples at any time of the year, but you should expect to pay more during the high-season, which includes Easter, summer (June to mid-September) and the Christmas–New Year period. The low-season runs from April – October; prices are much cheaper than during the high season and the weather is generally still good. Most places will be closed during August as the locals will all be on holiday, and many hotels will be closed over the winter, from November to March.
Where is great to visit?
Museo d’Arte Contemporanea Donna Regina Napoli (MADRe)
A must-visit for contemporary art fans, this art gallery is housed in a beautiful palazzo and features work by Jeff Koons, Anish Kapoor and Richard Serra. Temporary exhibitions are held on the upper floors, and visitors can enjoy an aperitif in the bar and restaurant.
Built in 1590, this chapel was later modified by the eccentric prince Raimondo di Sangro and now contains many macabre sculptures, particularly that of the ‘veiled Christ,’ which is so realistic as to leave viewers in awe.
This museum of archaeology houses an incredible range of Roman relics as well as artefacts from ancient Egypt and from the pre- and proto-historic periods. Few of the descriptions are in English and the layout can be confusing, so it is recommended to use a self-guided tour from a guidebook or to take a guided tour.
What are the highlight attractions?
Both easily reached by public transport from the city, no trip to Naples would be complete without a visit to the famous volcano and the site of its destructive powers. Pompeii provides the unrivalled archaeological wonder of a 2,000 year old town truly frozen in time, where everything from paintings to people has been preserved in volcanic ash. Vesuvius is still an active volcano, but this does not discourage visitors from enjoying the trek to the top of the mountain to peer down its rim and into the 200m crater within.
Built in 1590, this chapel was later modified by the eccentric prince Raimondo di Sangro and now contains many macabre sculptures, particularly that of the ‘veiled Christ,’ which is so realistic as to leave viewers in awe.
One of Naples’ most popular attractions, this fourth-century cathedral is tucked away down a side-street, making its stunning interior all the more impressive. The Duomo features artwork and architecture by some of 17th century Italy’s finest minds, as well as the relics of San Gennaro and archaeological finds from the Greek and Roman periods.
