Last Updated on 29th September 2022 by Sophie Nadeau
There’s a saying that goes “Rome may be the heart of Italy, but Naples is its soul” and there has perhaps never been a phrase about Italy that rings so true. A gritty city with a lot of character and heaps of charm, Napoli is one Italian destination that you’ll remember for years to come. Here’s how to spend the perfect one day in Naples itinerary, as well as what to know before you go.
Please note that Naples is known as Napoli in Italian.
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Is one day enough time in Naples?
If you are looking to enjoy the top highlights of Naples, then one day is sufficient to get a little taste of what the city has to offer. With this being said, due to the nature of the place, there is no way that you can see more than a couple of paid attractions in one day.
For example, meals are a laid back affair where no one is in a rush; to serve, to eat, to move onto the next course. Italy is a country where your meal should be savoured and shared among friends, a place where eating is a dedicated affair that shouldn’t be marred by time constraints.
This, coupled with the fact that monuments, museums, and church opening times online are often inaccurate- something says that it will open at 3 PM, only to open at 4 PM, means that you may have a little bit of waiting around to do while in the city.
Therefore, if you only have time for 24 hours in Naples, you’ll be sure left wanting more time to truly see what else the capital of Campania has to offer. With this being said, if you are going to see the Amalfi Coast, Sorrento, and Capri, then missing out on at least a little time in Napoli would be your first mistake.
Getting around Naples
Hands down, the easiest way to get around Naples is on foot. However, note that Naples is a layered city, built on millennia old volcanic rock and constructed over centuries of human inhabitation. The Greeks founded the city as Neapolis, before the Romans constructed their own city and, in the centuries that followed, modern day Naples was born.
This means that there are steps and steep hills around every turn and that sturdy comfortable shoes are absolutely essential. The cobblestones are also pretty wonky and so heels are an absolute no-no. Take care when crossing the roads as there are a fair amount of potholes around too.
There are also several forms of public transportation that are efficient, safe, cheap, and relatively clean. Bus routes serve most of the city and there is a metro system that connects the port to the main train station, as well as several other notable areas in town. I would personally not rent a car in a city where even many northern Italians are too scared to drive!
One day in Naples suggested itinerary
Start with a coffee and pastry
If there’s one thing that everyone can agree on about Naples, it’s just how good the food is! Napoli is not only the birthplace of the pizza (and its smattering of variations) but is also home to several amazing pastries.
One particular local sweet of note is the Sfogliatella ‘little leaves’ (a flaky pastry situation that reminded me of a croissant). For those in search of a truly authentic and historic experience, Scaturchio’s is the oldest pastry shop in town.
Napoli Sotterranea
If there’s one attraction that you can’t miss while in Naples, it’s a visit to the Underground. My partner and I tend to prefer guided tours to museums and so this is a nice alternative to the Archaeological museum if you’re ‘not a museum person’.
However, be sure to visit earlier in the day as you often have to wait up to an hour to go in and the queues at the beginning of the day are shorter. You should also note that you can take the tour in English or Italian so be sure to check that you’re going on a tour in the right language!
The entrance is at Piazza San Gaetano 68 Napoli and you should be mindful that you’ll have to pay in cash so bring enough change to pay for your group (as of 2022, it’s €10 per person).
The visit takes around an hour and a half and there is a lot of steps and walking involved, so wear comfortable shoes. There is a part of the tour that is a bit claustrophobic, but this is optional.
The Naples underground began as a quarry for the Ancient Greeks in the 5th-Century BCE. Volcanic stone was quarried to be used for building homes and grand monuments alike. The yellow stone can still be seen in buildings all over Naples to this day.
By the time of the Romans in the 1st-Century CE, there were so many underground caves that they could be used as cisterns to create a kind of drinking system. The Romans created small tunnels between all of the quarries, linking them.
During WWII, the system was used to shelter civilians from bombings. Over the years, the city tried to find various uses for the tunnel system but today, around 300 km worth of tunnels remain empty to this day, save for part that is used for the metro system and the parts that can be visited via guided tour.
Visit the Cathedral
After a tour of the Naples underground, it’s only a short walk to reach the Cathedral. The grand cathedral of Napoli was constructed in the 13th-century and is known as Duomo di Napoli in Italian.
Free to visit and wander around, particular highlights include the Dome of the Royal Chapel of the Treasure of St. Januarius and the central view towards the apse. You can also visit the treasury of the cathedral in the form of a museum which is located next door and costs a fee.
Purgatorio ad Arco (Complesso Museale Santa Maria delle Anime del Purgatorio ad Arco)
The church of Purgatorio ad Arco is located just a short walk away from the cathedral but should be seen before lunch as it has limited opening hours. Though the church is listed as being open later, the underground church is only open until 2 PM, with last entrance at 1:45 PM.
A bronze skull sculpture on the bollard at the steps to the entrance of the church signals that you’re in the right place, i.e. one of the best hidden gems of Naples. The ecclesiastical building is dedicated to pray for souls in purgatory and consists of a church on top of another church, which is rather unusual, even for Italy. While the upper church is free, the lower church has been transformed into a museum and costs €6 to enter.
Have pizza for lunch
Pizzas are a dime a dozen in Naples, but this doesn’t mean that they’re all wonderful! Indeed, not all pizzas are baked equal, as you’ll soon notice when wandering through the UNESCO listed centro storico. One place where we found that the service was particularly fast and the food was a good price (€3,50 for a margherita pizza large enough to share) was Pizzeria Piscopo.
Complesso Monumentale di Santa Chiara
After lunch, it’s time to leave the historic city centre and head west. The Saint Claire complex is a large collection of buildings, some of which are free, others that you’ll have to pay to visit.
The Basilica of Santa Chiara itself is free and is unusual in that its exterior is many centuries old, while most of its interior is largely reconstructed following heavy bombardment during WWII. The paid part of the complex is a museum and cloisters, which are definitely worth the fee.
While the cloisters themselves feature painted fresco walls and mosaic colonnades, the real draw is the small archaeological museum and excavations out the back where keen historians can learn more about the history of Naples and its surrounds.
Galleria Umberto
Milan may have its very own famous grand covered gallery but so too does Naples. In fact, Naples has several grand galleries, but the most famous of them is undoubtedly that of Galleria Umberto. Built between 1887–1890, it lies just of Toledo, the main shopping street in town.
Free to visit, the covered walkway comprises of several floors, though only the ground floor is open to the public in the form of shops, businesses, and eateries (including a McDonald’s!) There are beautiful mosaics on the ground, while the glass ceiling is a wonderful feat of 19th-century architecture to behold.
Piazza del Plebiscito
Though not a must-see in Naples in the way that some of the other sites on this list are, Piazza del Plebiscito merits a mention nonetheless thanks to its sheer grandeur and beauty. The large public square features several buildings of note, including the Royal Palace of Naples and the church of San Francesco di Paola.
Sunset at Ovo Castle
End the day the right way by seeing the sunset. Naples, particularly in the summertime, boasts some of the best sunsets I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy in Europe. And one of the best places to see the sun go down over the city is from near Ovo Castle.
Castell d’Ovo is located on a small island that’s called Isolotto di Megaride and is free to visit. Please note that you should book your tickets ahead of time as there are timed entrance slots and the castle closes fairly early. Elsewhere on the island, there are several restaurants where you can eat dinner but be sure to check the reviews in advance as not all of them are great!
Where to stay in Naples
Naples is one of the biggest cities in Italy and, as such, has a variety of places to stay to suit almost any taste and budget. Here are some of our top picks based on web-reviews and location:
Budget: This popular hostel is set in an enviable location close to attractions such as Castel Nuovo and the 17th-century Royal Palace. Amenities of the hostel itself include Wi-Fi and air conditioning. Check prices and availability here.
Mid-range: This cosy B&B is nestled in apenthouse-style building just under a 15 minute walk from the Napoli Cathedral. Highlights include a pool and a restaurant onsite. Check prices and availability here.
Luxury: For those in search of a luxurious retreat, this five-star hotel offers amenities such as a pool and spa set against the backdrop of a hotel that was opened in 1882. Check prices and availability here.
Is Naples safe?
One of the biggest worries that most visitors to Naples have is to whether the city is safe to visit or not. This fear has not been helped by the series Gomorrah, a TV show based on theCamorra, a Mafia-type criminal organisation and the fact that Naples has been called the ‘murder capital of Europe’.
One thing that I had assumed was a stereotype prior to arrival was how often people had remarked how dirty and grimy Naples is. Naples is honestly one of the dirtiest and most neglected cities I’ve been to in Europe, but that certainly doesn’t make it inherently dangerous!
By and large, Naples is pretty safe to visit as a tourist. The most dangerous parts of the city are the suburbs of Scampia and Secondigliano, both of which lie far to the north of any tourist areas and have few attractions of their own.
The biggest issues in Naples that tourists face are petty crime, such as pickpocketing and scammers. Be sure to keep your valuables on you at all times (such as keeping your things in a zippable crossbody bag) and don’t purchase any attraction tickets from unofficial vendors.
Bag snatching is fairly common, which is again why I say a crossbody bag is better than an over-the-shoulder one. In a similar vein, watch out where you use your mobile phone as mobile phone snatching is becoming increasingly common in Naples (this is also a pretty big issue in London, England).
I would personally check the prices on the menu before paying at restaurants as we saw a fair few reviews online where people claimed to have been overcharged at various eateries in town. When it comes to pickpocketers, you are just as likely to be targeted in Paris, Barcelona, or Rome.
Last but not least, there are a few areas of the city that tourists do frequent and should thereforfe be more cautious about visiting at night; Museo and Garibaldi. You should also take more care when walking down narrow or dimly lit alleyways.
We stayed on the same street as the Garibaldi train station and did notice a constant police presence. It was okay, but I would probably choose to stay in a different area of the city should I visit Naples again.
After all, the area around the train station in most European cities is often one of the sketchiest in town, including where I live in France; Gare du Nord has one of the highest petty crime rates in Paris.
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