Attraction
National Archaeological Museum of Naples (MANN)
One of the world's great archaeological museums, holding the Farnese sculptures and the mosaics, frescoes and objects excavated at Pompeii and Herculaneum.
Many of the best things to do in Naples are found in its historic centre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site laid out on the grid of the ancient Greek city of Neapolis. Spaccanapoli and Via dei Tribunali cut through a dense web of churches, chapels and workshops, while the National Archaeological Museum holds the finest finds from Pompeii and Herculaneum. Beyond the old town are the royal quarter around Piazza del Plebiscito, the seafront of Santa Lucia and Chiaia, the Vomero hill with its castle and monastery, and the Capodimonte museum and park to the north.
Naples is the home of pizza, and eating well here costs less than in most Italian cities, from margheritas and fried pizza to seafood by the bay, sfogliatella pastries and strong espresso. Three days covers the main sights of the city; five or more allows day trips to Pompeii, Herculaneum, Vesuvius, Capri or the Amalfi Coast.
Attraction
One of the world's great archaeological museums, holding the Farnese sculptures and the mosaics, frescoes and objects excavated at Pompeii and Herculaneum.
Attraction
Small baroque chapel in the historic centre, famous for Giuseppe Sanmartino's marble Veiled Christ and the mysterious anatomical machines in its basement.
Attraction
Gothic cathedral of Naples, home of the Chapel of the Treasure of San Gennaro, the early Christian basilica of Santa Restituta and an ancient baptistery.
Attraction
Bourbon royal palace on a hill above the city, now a major art museum with Titian, Caravaggio and Parmigianino, set in a vast historic park.
Attraction
Former residence of the Spanish viceroys and Bourbon kings on Piazza del Plebiscito, with a grand staircase, royal apartments and a court theatre.
Attraction
Medieval castle facing Piazza Municipio, with a Renaissance triumphal arch, the vaulted Sala dei Baroni, a palatine chapel and the civic art museum.
Café
Grand historic café founded in 1860 opposite the Royal Palace, with neoclassical and Liberty-style rooms, pastries, gelato and classic Neapolitan coffee.
Café
Family pastry shop on Piazza San Domenico Maggiore, famous since the early 20th century for babà, sfogliatelle, pastiera and its chocolate ministeriale.
Café
Neapolitan chocolate maker founded in 1894 by Isidoro Odin and Onorina Gay, known for its Foresta chocolate logs, with a shop on Via Toledo.
Café
Elegant café on Piazza dei Martiri in Chiaia, open from breakfast to late evening for coffee, pastries, Campanian dishes and aperitivo cocktails.
Café
Small, busy coffee bar on Spaccanapoli opposite the ancient Nile statue, known for strong espresso and its homemade shrine to Diego Maradona.
Café
Family pastry shop founded in Naples in 1925, known for babà, pastiera, torrone and Neapolitan sweets, with its main shop on Piazza Muzii.
Hotel
Historic five-star hotel on the Via Partenope seafront, welcoming guests since 1882, with 160 rooms and a ninth-floor restaurant overlooking the bay.
Hotel
Five-star design hotel on the port in a building by Kenzo Tange & Associates, with a rooftop pool, Sisley spa and an Alain Ducasse restaurant.
Hotel
Five-star hotel on the hillside above Chiaia, open since 1870 and calling itself the oldest hotel in Naples, with bay views and the two-star George restaurant.
Hotel
Four-star hotel filling a restored early 20th-century palazzo in the historic centre, a few minutes from Via San Gregorio Armeno and the Duomo.
Hotel
Boutique hotel in an 18th-century neoclassical villa near Piazza Bellini, with a garden and a small swimming pool in the heart of the old town.
Hotel
Contemporary hotel in an old palazzo on Via Santa Maria di Costantinopoli, with a private patio and rooms and mini apartments near Piazza Bellini.
Bar
Discreet cocktail bar near the seafront founded by Alex Frezza, styled like a 1920s jazz lounge and ranked among Europe's 50 best bars.
Bar
Bourbon-themed cocktail bar in the Vomero, hidden behind a sliding painting, with five rooms named after the Bourbon kings and dishes from the monzù tradition.
Bar
Cocktail and tapas bar at the Gallerie d'Italia on Via Toledo, part of chef Giuseppe Iannotti's project, where you choose a drink by mood rather than…
Bar
Historic bookshop on Via Port'Alba that turns into a bar at night, serving wine and inexpensive cocktails among the shelves, with jazz or DJ sets.
Bar
Fourth-generation wine shop in the Sanità district that hosts a weekly evening aperitivo with live local and international bands on Thursdays.
Bar
Historic Chiaia nightclub on Via dei Mille, open since the 1960s, now a cocktail bar and dance venue with red sofas and palm-like columns.
Restaurant
Historic pizzeria run by the Condurro family, serving only marinara and margherita in a plain dining room on Via Cesare Sersale since 1930.
Restaurant
Busy pizzeria on Via dei Tribunali run by Gino Sorbillo, from a family of pizza makers since 1935, known for large, soft Neapolitan pizzas.
Restaurant
Ciro Salvo's pizzeria in Mergellina, known for light, digestible dough and pizzas topped with a few seasonal ingredients from Campania producers.
Restaurant
Traditional Neapolitan restaurant near the central station, cooking the city's classic dishes since 1943, from seafood pasta to babà.
Restaurant
Two-Michelin-star restaurant at Grand Hotel Parker's, where chef Domenico Candela reinterprets Campanian tradition with views over the Gulf of Naples.
Restaurant
Historic pizzeria near Via Chiaia, linked to Raffaele Esposito and the story of the pizza Margherita created for Queen Margherita in 1889.
Thing to do
Guided walk 40 metres beneath the old town through Greek and Roman cisterns, Second World War shelters and the hidden remains of a Roman theatre.
Thing to do
Large early Christian catacombs beneath the Sanità district, with frescoes, mosaics and the oldest known portrait of San Gennaro, shown on guided tours.
Thing to do
Opened in 1737, the oldest continuously active opera house in the world, with a red and gold auditorium, daily guided tours and a full season of…
Thing to do
Narrow old-town street lined with workshops making Neapolitan nativity figures all year, from traditional shepherds to caricatures of the year's celebrities.
Thing to do
Traffic-free seafront promenade from Castel dell'Ovo to Mergellina, with views across the bay to Vesuvius and the Sorrento peninsula.
Tour operator
Guided tours of a 19th-century Bourbon tunnel beneath Monte di Dio, used as a wartime shelter and later as a dump for cars, scooters and statues.
Tour operator
Small-group food tours of Naples, including an evening pizza and drinks walk through the historic centre and a morning street-food tour of the Spanish Quarter.
Tour operator
Sea kayaking company on the Posillipo coast offering guided group paddles, sunset and full-moon outings, private tours and kayak hire.
Tour operator
Naples-based outdoor company offering guided hikes to the Vesuvius crater, the Path of the Gods and the Lemon Path, and kayak tours along the Posillipo coast.
Tour operator
Open-top hop-on hop-off bus service in Naples with a historical line and a panoramic line along the coast, on a single 24-hour ticket.
Three days covers the historic centre, the archaeological museum, the royal quarter and the Vomero; allow five or more to add Pompeii, Herculaneum, Vesuvius or the islands
The historic centre puts you among the main sights and pizzerias, the Toledo and Municipio area is central and well connected, and Chiaia and the seafront along Via Partenope are calmer and smarter, with views of the bay
The Alibus shuttle links the airport with Napoli Centrale station at Piazza Garibaldi and the Molo Beverello ferry port; taxis are also available outside arrivals
It is one of the better-value big cities in Italy; pizza, coffee and public transport are inexpensive, though seafront hotels and fine dining cost more
Most visits pass without trouble; as in any big city, watch for pickpockets in crowded streets, at stations and on busy trains, and keep phones and bags secure