A Perfect Day in Naples
While
Naples may have a bad rap, it actually has a lot to offer. Many tourists skip
the City of Naples and head from Rome to Pompeii or Amalfi. Likewise, visitors
who have come to see us often want to travel to other areas in Italy; however,
I always try to pack in one great day in Naples! While I could spend days,
weeks, or more showing everyone around, here are some of the highlights that
can be seen in one day (if you are ok with walking...sometimes 20km when metro
workers are strike.... J).
Naples Tour
First,
take the metro to Pizza Dante...or
one stop earlier at Museo if you are
interested in seeing the archaeological musem from the outside and don’t mind walking a few more
minutes. I don’t take people inside most buildings due to limited time, but if
you have time to stop here or are interested in seeing it, this museum it is a
good one! Though, I would recommend allowing for AT LEAST 2-3 hours and would
recommend getting a tour guide J
In
Naples, it is easy to travel by metro (at least on line 1!), and while I don’t
usually buy day passes you can get them for €4.30 and it allows you to ride the
metro lines, buses, and cable cars. Come with me, and you’ll only need two
tickets, there and back (€1.10 each) – we’ll walk the rest of the way!
Get
off at Piazza Dante (named after
poet Dante Alighieri) and you’ll find yourself in a large public square where
children are often kicking balls around and when it’s nice outside friends
gather to have a drink or soak up the sun. If you’re thirsty or need a pick me
up, this is a good spot to grab a caffé! Head left and you’ll see Port’Alba – walk through this door to
the historical center and on the way you’ll pass through an alley full of book
stores and artists selling jewelry and other goods. Continue walking and you’ll
run right in to Via dei Tribunali.
Via dei Tribunali is full of fun little shops,
restaurants, and bars. A cobbled street full of charm, this area could keep you
entertained for hours! Along this road, you can stop for many snacks or drinks,
and you’ll find souvenirs galore! You can find all the Naples souvenirs here –
good luck peppers, magnets, mini Pulcinellas – you name it! But don’t forget to
also browse through the handmade art on the streets – the area is full of
artists selling paintings, jewelry, etc. (If you’re a fan, also be on the
lookout for street art – it’s everywhere in Naples!)
Speaking
of Pulcinella, look to your right down Vico
Fico al Purgatorio, and you’ll see a statue of Pulcinella. Pulcinella is the mask of Naples, and one can often
spot this character (or someone dressed as him in white baggy clothes, a white
hat, and black mask!) portrayed along the streets of Naples. To the eye, it
looks like this particular statue has been part of the Naples scene forever,
but upon further research I found out it was donated to the city by artist Lello
Esposito in 2012.
After
a picture with Pulcinella, go to the other side of the street and take a peek
into the Purgatorio ad Arco church (formally Saint Mary of the Souls of the Purgatory). Inside you’ll find various
masterpieces, but also skulls! It’s free to enter the church, and they also
offer guided tours to the Hypogeum and museum for €6.
While strolling about, feel free to snack on a few items (but don’t fill up!) such as a cup of fried seafood, a folded pizza (Pizza Portafoglio), or Arancini (Sicilian but there are some pretty good ones across from the Pulcinella statue if you’re not making it farther south and want to give this dish a try!).
Take a
turn on to Via San Gregorio Armeno, or
Christmas Alley. Naples is famous
for its Nativity scenes, and you can find handmade (and mass produced)
figurines and pieces, as well as nativity “houses” made out of wood. Christmas
Alley is open year round; while it is certainly something to see around Christmas,
it is PACKED to the point where you can barely move, so maybe also take a look during
the off-holiday months!
Sfogliatella,
a typical breakfast pastry and native to the area, is a must try in Naples. You can get a “riccia,” the normal
version, which is crunchier, or “frolla.” It’s more difficult to eat and you
may get more flakes on your shirt, but I prefer the original version J If you stop at Sfogliate Sfogliatelle off Via San Gregorio, you can try an “original”
sfogliatella recipe. The pastry shop did some research with a University (of
Naples?) and found that at a time when ricotta was too expensive, the stuffing
was made with almonds, orange, and cinnamon. (go to the shop and they can tell
you the whole story....and probably a more accurate version 😉). Here I prefer
the older recipe and frolla crust!
Continue
on to Spaccanapoli (spacca/spaccare
= to split, break, divide), the road that divides Naples in to two parts. On
this street you’ll also find a few nice shops (there are two right next to each
other, and you’ll know them when you see them!) to purchase artisanal pasta, limoncello, and other delightful
goodies! You must also make a stop at Taralleria
Napolitana for a delectable savory snack! These taralli are made by hand
and you can taste them in the shop to see which ones you like. You can buy some
to eat on the street, or get a few for a later. If you want to give them as a
gift, they also have cute little boxes and will wrap some up for you J
By
now, you’ve probably walked a lot and are hungry (unless, of course, you’ve
been tasting everything on the way J). It’s probably a good time to stop for
lunch! I would suggest Sorbillo if
you are feeling like pizza, or Tandem
Ragu if you want pasta. Both are very reasonably priced. If you go to
Sorbillo, I would recommend getting there before 12:30 so you don’t have to
wait 1-2 hours for a table. Get different pizzas so you can try a few! I have
only been to Tandem Ragu at night, where a reservation is almost always
necessary to get a table, but you might have better luck during the day. If you
can’t get in, they have three other restaurants – Tandem Steak (here you can get Genovese
sauce, a specialty of the region/Naples...beef and onions slow cooked for
hours to really bring out the flavor), Tandem
d’asporto (takeaway) and the fourth restaurant I believe is new (and not
yet on Google maps) but near Piazza del Gesu Nouvo and should specialize in
pasta with seafood (I haven’t been here yet).
If you
have to wait for a table, pass your time with an Aperol Spritz, or a nice cold beer. You can drink on the street and
find these beverages for the same price as a water or soda.
After
lunch, walk to Piazza del Gesu Nuovo. It is a beautiful site, but absolutely do
not miss Chiesa del Gesu Nuovo, which
is stunning and my favorite church in Naples. Just across from it is Chiesa Santa Chiara and its Cloisters, which are also an absolute
must see (and at €6 absolutely worth the price).
If it’s
a hot and humid (or cold and rainy) day, you might be ready for another break.
If it’s a nice day outside, head to Palazzo
Venezia. It’s a hidden little treasure on Spaccanapoli and there is a
rooftop terrace where you can enjoy an aperativo or caffe!
If you’re
still thirsty, stop by the 24 hour beer vending
machine on Via Santa Chiara on the way to Via Toledo. (Probably not relevant
to most of you, but family and friends usually want to see where I study Italian,
so I also point my school out to them, as we also pass it on the way to Via Toledo!).
When
you get to Via Toledo, grab a gelato
from Menella Gelato where €2.50 will get you a cone/cup with two flavors (I’m a
creature of habit and sucker for coffee and dark chocolate....or maybe yogurt
and lemon on a super hot day). Take your gelato and wander down Via Toledo;
before it melts you can pose in front of the Cuore di Napoli display before you continue down and maybe do a
little shopping on the way.
If you
opted for the metro day pass, stop in and see the Via Toledo station. It’s
across from the Cuore di Napoli display,
and it has been described as the most beautiful metro station in Europe and the
world by different sources.
Near
the end of Via Toledo, hop in to see the spectacular architecture of Galeria Umberto I, a covered passageway
that leads to Teatro San Carlo. San
Carlo is beautiful on this inside, but you don’t see a ton walking by. If you have
time on a different day, definitely stop in for a tour of the theater (€7) or to
see a show.
If you
need another coffee, head to Gambrinus
on Via Chiaia. If not, head to Piazza del
Plebiscito, arguably one of the most beautiful squares in Naples J Here you will also find the Royal
Palace and National Library. There’s also a nice little garden in the compound!
Now,
you are almost done and about to be rewarded with a beautiful view of Vesuvius
along the Bay of Naples. Walk down the Lungomare
and climb (no worries, it’s an easy ascent up a few stairs!) Castel del Uovo. From here you will see
beautiful views of Vesuvius, the Bay, and Naples.
By
now, you are probably exhausted (and maybe hungry again??). Hop on the cable
car (or Taxi) to Vomero for dinner.
Matt and I each have a favorite place in Vomero! For pizza, go to Mamma Oliva and for pasta go to Caprese. At Mamma Oliva – the margherita
pizza is always a win (you can also try it with buffalo mozzarella!), and if
you like fresh ingredients try the Pugliese. At Caprese, I would definitely get
something with seafood – you can start with the mussels, and then get the pasta
frutti di mare or pasta with lobster (trust me, it’s worth it). At Caprese, you
are often greeted with a snack and champagne, and after dinner they bring you a
variety of limoncello, pistachiocello, and melloncello to try (along with
donuts or some type of dessert). On the house. We usually bring guests here on
their last night with us J
(if you go, say hi to Josef!)
Additional stops (if time allows) /
Alternatives
Market in Vomero
I
usually take people here when they request to see a market. Mainly because it
is close to our apartment so we can walk there and continue on to Vomero and
take the metro from there (or head back to drop off purchases if too many have
been made!). I also stop here when people request to go shopping, though I
prefer to show people Via Toledo and let them browse as we head down to the shore.
*The
Veiled Christ
*Naples
Underground
*Da
Michele
*Tour
or show at Teatro San Carlo
*The
Royal Palace
*National
Library (free, enter same gate as Royal Palace)
And
SO. MUCH. MORE. Ten different people reading this post will probably comment on
a million things that I left out (including all the details, history, and
stories related to the stops I DID mention)! Enjoy, and remember – Naples is
worth a stop!
Have
any other places you’d suggest for a stop-in? Feel free to let me know ;)
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