Safety in Naples?

use caution (as with in any big city) and you will be fine. There is a higher risk of petty theft and pickpocketing than in other places...but I have never felt "unsafe" or threatened in any way. So...would I park my car with my laptop in it there? no!! but...would I wander the streets, YES ;-) I have been there and wandered with my 6yr old if it makes you feel better - only safety threat I think is trying to cross the street ;-)

"Most dangerous place in Italy" is a far cry from "most dangerous place in the USA" when you're talking about violent crime. I'm not a big fan of Naples, but my partner and I never felt that our physical safety was at risk while we were there.

Use good sense to avoid situations that look fishy and you'll be fine. My advice would be different if you were a woman traveling alone.

i'll just keep saying this over and over and over again: naples was GREAT! was there early may, NEVER felt scared or whatever;police were visable;it is a family sectioned area, and it was the best over rome, and florence.
GO! i was there 5 days , AND nights, wandered around, and it was a blast...it wasn't only until i went back to a place where i realised how much freedom i had lost, and saw nothing but fear running everything including the economy;that would be the USA.

Michael, you say your advice would be different if you were a woman travelling alone in that area? Just wondering, what might that advise be?
(I know that Travel Saftey in general is mostly common sense but I'm now wondering if there is anything specific about the Naples area that a woman travelling alone should be aware of?)

Please post b/c like me, some of us woman who travel solo might benefit from your knowledge of the Naples area. Anyone else?

Re "woman traveling alone":

Southern Italy is very much a part of the macho culture (with certain pockets of exception, such as Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast). Certain parts of Naples (e.g. near the train station) had groups of men in their 20s to 40s that looked as if they might hassle a single woman, especially a foreigner who doesn't know the Italian way to stand up to them and tell them to "get lost". I don't think most of them would actually harm a woman, but the woman would probably find it pretty frightening.

(It's interesting that the posts that say "I had a great time in Naples" seem to all be from men.)

And like I've said in other posts, I think it's great that some people really enjoy Naples. (Before we arrived there, I thought I would be one of those people.) I just think that the odds are that most Americans will enjoy many other cities and towns in Italy more.

I have noticed that Kent seems to know everything there is to know about Europe and every subject that people ask about. Is he just giving his opinion or does he work for Rick Steves, who is this guy? I'm not intending to discredit Kent by no means, I'm just curious.

Greg

i ABSOLUTLEY refute the negative about naples: was there in May, NEVER saw ANYthing dangerous/scary/negative/upsetting///[as opposed to the gypsies that have the drugged babies in rome begging..talk about depressing]..
NEVER; was there in may ...GO TO NAPLES. was it dirty/polluted/crowded/"red lights optional"? yes.
but because is IS crowded, WITH cops, etc. it is safe..now do ya wanna hike around at 3 am on a deserted street??[umm..like i did..absolutley wonderful], that's different..but DAYlight? tons of ppl around? NO tourists like rome? IT
WAS
GREAT.
[OH YEAH THE FOOD]
go to naples.

ONE MORE THING: i think it is totally absurd, as well as arrogant, to just take a MILLION italians that live in a remarkable city, and lump them ALL as dangerous.absurd.we are talking about families, good ppl.living their lives as u would. [oh..i had my passport stolen in ROME, btw];it is just a matter of common sense, LOOKING at where you are, TALKING to the locals, ENJOYING yourself.be ADVENTUROUS, take a CHANCE, LIVE, EAT!!! SMILE!! that's what they do in Naples.

You guys have me convinced! Come April, I will be in Naples.

Thank you, all!

james

People can go on and on about Naples.
I can go on and on but within the positive way.
If you go out in New York, you will certainly leave the rolex and the diamonds at home, unless you drive an armored car from door-to-dorr.
The beauty of travelling is outsdanting when we can face the day to day attentions of a local. I am a foreigner and I live in Naples and I can only say great things about this city, aside form its historical background but also for the people.
Yes, you have to be attentive, the same way you would be in Barcelona, in Marseille, in Rio, in Mexico city, in New York and etc.... Nothing to give and take. any big city has dodgy areas, so avoid them and specailly at night. When in doubt on where to stand refering to your safety at an specific moment, please refer to a taxi number and ask them to pick you up (this is not only in Naples, it is everywhere). do not miss the opportunity to visit one of the cradles of the civilization in Italy and its surroundings. Ciao !

And lest I be accused of being a Naples basher, we really enjoyed our visit to the Archaeological Museum there (the scale model of Pompeii made in the 1800s is jaw-dropping). And the people that we did interact with were very enjoyable, for the most part.

If we had had a guide to show us around I'm sure our experience would have been even better. But some of the nearby smaller towns (Sorrento, Salerno, etc.) would have been a better (although more expensive) place for us to spend the night.

ok - so I've already said Naples is not my personal favorite spot in the southern Italy...but...that said...
I am a woman :-) I have been there alone. I have also been there with my 6yr old child. I have never felt at risk for my own safety there - except for crossing the street ;-) which is an art untoo itself! As for the "macho" culture...hmmm...I don't really find Italian "macho" men very threatening at all...after all, most still live with their mommies...difficult to be intimidated :-)

Women travelling alone should always usue cation and common sense (!) but I, honestly, did not feel nervous in Naples at all. The people in the South are generally very friendly and helpful and enthusiastic about visitors :-)