I'm thinking of spending a week in Naples: Your insights, advice, and tips.

I know there are many people that love Naples, but there are other places close by where I'd prefer to stay. Like Isola d'Ischia, an island a short distance to the northwest. Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast is another place I'd rather spend time.

I was in Naples for over a week but mostly at a conference. I really liked Naples but a lot of people at the conference did not.

I observed that everyone who stayed in the area I did-by the Castel dell’Ovo (the egg) liked Naples. This is an area by the sea that is a pedestrian only zone with lots of restaurants. It isn’t as intense as much of Naples and I think provides you with a break.

That said, I am not sure there is enough to do in Naples as a tourist for a week unless you are considering day trips as well. The train goes to Pompeii and Mt Vesuvius (which we hiked) and you can take the ferry to Capri. You can take either the ferry or train to Sorrento.

We did an underground tour of Naples which was great fun and interesting that you might consider. We were there in July and our biggest motive was that it was 20 degrees cooler! But it we were pleasantly surprised.

We spent a week in Naples two springs ago. We stayed in an Airbnb apartment in the Vomero neighborhood and loved it. Vomero is a quieter area, up a hill from the main city but easily accessible by metro or bus. We enjoyed exploring the city with its wonderful museums, churches and food. I’d spend another week there in a heartbeat.

It's a great idea. I'd want air conditioning in any hot month, and in any area with street noise. Keep Caserta Palace on your list, if interested. I'd have liked to see the cave of the Cumaean Sybill. Don't sneer at Pompeii. It's very important to what we call western culture today. Remember that Frecciarossa train tickets can't be changed and go up in price as the date approaches. Are you interested in Paestum?

I think it could be a great experience if you have the right neighborhood for your lodging. Great ideas above. It is a rich city, culturally, and not so explored by Americans as other places. And the side trip potential is excellent.

This is what I wrote after a day in Naples 2 years ago in February. I was there for 4 nights (3 days) and stayed in a budget hotel near the train station. The location was not scenic but it was convenient and the hotel was great. The only thing that bothered me about it is that I ended up walking through the same streets every day from the historic center, since there was no bus or metro line. I took a day trip to Caserta. I had been to Pompeii, Herculaneum and Sorrento on a previous trip. After Naples I spent several nights in Salerno to visit the Amalfi Coast and Paestum.

I'm not a big foodie. I had better pizza in Venice and Salerno and the best in Trastevere (Rome). I ate twice at Da Carmine and recommend it for really good working class atmosphere and food. I took one of the underground tours and it did not meet my expectations. I later determined that there are two, a few meters from each other and I took the wrong one. It's worth waiting in line for Sansevero - incredible sculptures. I would not have minded having a couple more days in Naples. You don't say when you're planning to go. in warmer months it may get more crowded with tourists and not be as good an experience.

Lastly, if this is your first trip to Italy, I might not encourage you to spend a lot of time in Naples.

To add to my original post:

The first two times I visited Italy, I did what many do early — two days here, the three days there, the two days, etc, the sort of drive-by tourism one is inclined to do almost as a kind of initiation. After that I wanted to spend at least a week, even up to two weeks in cities such as Rome, Venice, Florence, and Siena. (I've been to the first three cities multiple times.) You're still only scratching the surface when you plant yourself somewhere from seven to fourteen days, but you're at least getting somewhat immersed in a given place. I took some day trips, but I didn't want to spend too much time on buses and trains to other, secondary venues.

I've been surprised by those who think a couple of days in Naples is enough. Even Rick Steves, on one of his videos, seems to suggest a day trip to Naples is sufficient. To me, as Becky, one of the posters, indicates, Naples has several remarkable museums and churches. It has its own iconic cuisine. And, from what I've read and seen, Naples has a remarkable street life, unlike, say Venice and even Florence, where, sadly, you're going to bump in into more fellow tourists than natives.

I'm aware that Naples gets a bad rap by some who think it grimy, trash-ridden, chaotic, and crime-ridden. I've read, however, accounts of stays in Naples by people who, far from having horror stories, fell in in love with the city.

Anyway, I've never been south of Rome, and I thought Naples might be a worthy place to start. If anyone has specific hotel and restaurant ideas, favorite museums and churches, or other places worth exploring, I'd appreciate the input.

Two of our favorite restaurants in Naples are Trattoria da Nennella and Da Carmine. We enjoyed visiting Monastero S. Chiara. It is a calm oasis with cloisters and a beautiful garden. What time of year would you be there? And what type of lodging do you prerer.? We visited the Amafi Coast after Naples. We stayed in Minori which has a great patisserie/restaurant, Sal de Riso.

On my first trip to Italy, I went south of Rome, It was a great idea. I don't think a week is too long in Naples, it's a real city and takes a while to just sink in and enjoy. I think more people would have a better experience with it if they didn't do a whirlwind day trip there, but actually spent some time there. My favorite sight was the Certosa di San Martino overlooking the Bay of Naples. I also enjoyed walking the chaotic Spaccanapoli and seeing some amazing churches. Some more ideas are in this link:
https://www.planetware.com/tourist-attractions-/naples-i-cm-n.htm

We stayed in Naples for 5 nights with no side-trips (and of course no car) in mid-November. Loved Naples and could not figure out why people diss it ---- maybe it's less nice in the summer? Two whole weeks is what we thought would have been ideal. So much more to see than we had time to see.

We had a terrific Airbnb apartment a half block off of the Spaccanapoli --- it was called Attico Panoramico and, being on the 6th or 7th floor (no lift) had a terrific view of the city, other people's rooftop terraces, and Mount Vesuvius. It's on the Via Atri, also 1/2 a block from the famous Sorbillo's pizzeria on the Via dei Tribunali.

We easily walked to the archeology museum (8 minutes), the Cappella Sansevero (4 minutes), many other interesting places, and, when we left Naples, the train station (22 minutes). Loved the neighborhood. We walked everywhere except for the taxi from the car rental return at the airport on our arrival.

The archeological museum was one whole day.

Castel Sant’Elmo and San Martino (funicular from Via Toledo).

There was an opera one evening. Great street food. Lots of energy. Amusing sights. Street markets.

The presepi street with its incredible supplies for making nativity scenes was lots of fun so close to Christmas-time, even for non-Christians like us.

Cappella Caraffa and other chapels in the Duomo.

Via Toledo street market.

Via Caracciolo and Via Partenope for walks by the sea.

Caravaggio’s “The Martyrdom of Saint Ursula” and “The Seven Works of Mercy.”

Museo Cappella Sansevero's marble sculpture of Christ under a sheet, plus other rather bizarre sculptures and things.

Galleria Umberto vintage shopping mall.

Castel dell’Ovo.

We did not visit the Capodimonte museum, but would have with more time.

The Ospedale delle Bambole on Via San Biagio dei Librai was closed but looked cool.

Places tend to be closed in the afternoons, as in much of non-heavily-touristed Italy, so you just work around that.

I would think that if you go in the off season (we heard exactly one American voice on this visit --- in line outside of a pizza place) and stay on a central, pedestrian-only street like we did and walk everywhere, you eliminate all of the hassle of traffic, driving, metro, taxis, etc. that other people complain of when they describe their visits to Naples. I literally can't recall any issue about traffic or garbage or chaos or criminal elements, but we did avoid neighborhoods we were told to avoid.

Do it!

Nancy

Another Naples fan here.
My friend and I spent a week in Naples in 2013, and it was not enough.
Apart from all the traffic and scooters roaring up and around you , I found it to be safer than Rome, and the people were helpful and very lovely to us.
We stayed in an apartment off the Via Toledo, nearer the lower end; and while it was a grubby looking area, we never once felt unsafe.
It also had a fab view from the terrace, and it did have an elevator most of the way up.
We walked all over, went to Ischia for the day one day, went to Pompeii and Herculaneum another day, and ate some really good food.
I would go back and spend even longer next time.

Sam, you are defiantly on the right track.
I've spent, over 15 trips, about six months in Naples and the Campania area. (My daughter lives there). The area is so rich in Archeological sites, Museums, Churches, Castles, Palaces, Gardens that I still have not seen it all.

Here is a list of the sites.

http://www.campaniartecard.it/artecard/en/content/luoghi

It's a little wonky, but play around with it and be rewarded with descriptions, prices and opening hours and maps.

With a week, here's what I'd do.

3 days just to explore Naples. Interspersed with..
A few of these.

Day trip to Pozzuoli. great little seaside town, great cafes, overlooking the Temple de Seraphis. Try to visit Rione Terre, I'd been trying to see it since 2008 and finally was able last October, it's an active Archeological site dating back to the Greeks (531 B C) then Roman (8th c ). What's unique is the old upper town is also being restored. The Flavian Amphitheater, wonderful almost complete underground complex.

Day trip to Procdia. Beautiful island fishing village totally untouristed. Easy ferry ride from Naples.

Reggio Caserta. 40 minute train ride. Trenitalia.
http://www.reggiadicasertaunofficial.it/en/home-en/

Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast. 1H06m via Circumvesuvian.

Ercolano or Pompeii. 20-40m via Circumvesuvian.

Paestum. Train ride, Trenitalia.

Edit. Metro, funicular, train map of Naples.

http://www.unicocampania.it/files/mappe/Ferro2016.pdf

Bus map with tourist attractions. Arrows show the direction the busses run.

http://www.unicocampania.it/files/mappe/Napoli2016.pdf

I spent 3 nights in Naples last Spring (2 1/2 days for sightseeing) and wished I had more time there. While I had time to hit the highlights and see my top sights, I did not have time to do nearly all that I hoped to. I did a half day tour to orient myself to the city so saw many of the main highlights but didn't have sufficient time to return to several places for a more leisurely, in depth visit. I could easily have filled 5 days. I think a week would be possible to fill. You could always have day trips in mind as a back up if you got tired of the city. I was not sure what to expect with Naples but I really enjoyed my time there. I wish you a wonderful trip!

I am so envious. Staying in Naples has been on my bucket list since 2001. My 1-2 days there/through intrigued me at the time, but I couldn't convince my traveling companions of the same. Do it. It strikes me as a fascinating city. I know I didn't answer your question, but just wanted to say this.

Wray - that's one of the advantages to traveling solo!