When I cruised through The Mediterranean earlier this spring Naples was the place that I was most excited to visit so I really tried to make the most of my time there. Now I have some suggestions so that you can do the same thing!
10 Things to Do in Naples
1. Walk along the ancient street of Via Toledo.
Off the Via Toledo where you can also visit the oldest shopping mall in the world: the Galleria Umberto, built in 1891. The street itself is ancient and it is one of the most important shopping streets in Naples. The street starts at the Piazza Dante and ends near the Piazza del Plebiscito.
2. Eat Pizza!
They say that pizza was invented in Naples and by far the most well-known pizza place in Naples is L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele. There’s usually a 2 hour wait, so I made a beeline and turned up right when they opened (11 am) and got seated straight away. Although even then, I got the last table. But don’t go there expecting options. They only serve two types of pizza: margherita with tomato, basil, garlic and mozzerella or pizza marinara with tomato, oregano and garlic.
It was insanely delicious. It was so different from any pizza that I was used to that it didn’t even taste like pizza to me. Heaven pizza. The crust was truly spectacular: like a fluffy, delicious cloud that melted in your mouth. A whole pizza and a diet coke came to 7€
3. See the Piazza Plebiscito
This piazza is the largest in Naples. It’s also where two famous Naples monuments are: the Naples Royal Palace and the Church of San Francesco di Paola. The di Paola is a neoclassical facsimile of the Pantheon in Rome and it is definitely worth seeing.
4. Visit Naples Cathedral (Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta).
It was built in the 4th century and is the main church in Naples. It is famous for it’s vial of miracle blood: the blood of the city’s patron San Gennaro. It miraculously liquifies. The vial is brought out twice a year, on the first Saturday in May and on 19 September, and legend has it that if the blood does not liquefy then disaster will befall Naples.
5. Walk through Spaccanapoli
That translates to “split Naples” and it’s an area of extraordinarily narrow streets that cut through the historical centre, cutting it in two: ancient Greek and Roman. I could happily live in one of the tiny apartments with cascading plants and small shrines.
6. Visit Caffe Gambrinus for sfogliatelle, a classic Neapolitan dessert.
It’s a flaky puff pastry, shaped like a shell and filled with almond paste and sweetened ricotta. It was so good, heavy and delicious. I regret not buying another. The other famous dessert from the area is the baba au rhum cakes, which are soaked in a syrup of orange juice and rum.
Gambrinus might be the most famous cafe in all of Naples, with everyone from Oscar Wilde, to Mussolini to Bill Clinton loving it. It has a gorgeous Art Nouveau interior and it’s right off of the Piazza Plebiscito.
7. See the Castel Nuovo
Only a stone’s throw from the Piazza Plebiscito, and (important for me) extremely close to the marina is Naples’ “New” Castle. It was built in 1282 as the seat for the King of Naples, Aragon and Spain. There is a museum inside now.
8. Explore the Quartieri Spagnoli.
Another traditional neighborhood has made my list! It translates to “the Spanish Quarter” and was originally a military barracks in the 16th century and now is a mix of homes, restaurants, market stalls and a lot of churches.
9. Sit in the Piazza Bellini
The piazza is situated on the ruins of 4th century Greek city walls. Apparently the bars that flank the western end of the square tend to be for locals whereas the bars on the eastern side tend to be for visitors.
10. Take a tour of the Bourbon Tunnel.
The tunnel goes through underground routes in the city. It was built in 1853 as an escape route for Ferdinand II of Bourbon during his fears of rebellion. Pretty awesome, right?
Have you visited Naples before? If so, what should be added to this list?
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