Are you going to Naples? Do you just have one day or 24 hours to visit the biggest city of Southern Italy? Do you wanna enjoy the real Taste of Italy?
Advertisements
In this post I will show you a possible one-day trip itinerary and the top 11 things to do in Naples in one day.
Starting point: the international airport Napoli Capodichino. Once outside the airport you can take the Alibus and head to the central railway station for 3 Euros (one way ticket). You can reach the port but I would suggest you to stop at the railway station and walk along Corso Umberto I, one of the main streets of Naples. Then along Via De Pretis you can finally get to Piazza del Plebiscito, one of the city symbols.
Before visiting the main landmarks of Piazza del Plebiscito, the first tip is to reach Via Acton and enjou the sightseeing of the Naples bay with the Volcan Vesuvio (Lungomare Santa Lucia). Unfortunately that day it was cloudy and rainy so the volcan was not visible.
Back to Piazza del Plebiscito, these are the things to do in Naples:
1. Royal Palace ( Palazzo Reale):
It is absolutely recommended to visit the Royal Palace, especially inside. For 4 Euros you can visit the first floor and its stunning rooms such as the theatre, the anteroom, the ambassadorhall, the living room of the queen, the main stairs and the chapel with the typical Napolitan crib.
Source: Wikipedia
The outer gardens would be not that bad, but they are really dirty, not cleaned up and that’s a pity
2. The Church of San Francesco di Paola: with its colonnades outsite and its structure it reminds somewat the mausoleum of Rome.
It’s great also to see this circular church inside.
3. If you leave Piazza del Plebiscito you can reach the Galleria Umberto I, that reminds the more famous and bigger Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan, a social and shopping hub.
Outside the Gallery you can see a beautiful fountain, the Theatre San Carlo, the oldest and largest opera house in Italy.
Advertisements
4. Castel Nuovo, known also as Maschio Angioino, one of the castles to visit in Naples. Built during the time of the first king of Naples, Charles I, in 1279, it was the place of the only previous resignation of a pope: in fact in 1294 the pope Celestino V decided to resign, such as Benedict XVI nowasdays.
Castel Nuovo has 5 ramparts, was expanded and renovated many times. Between the two western towers it stands the white marble Triumphal Arch, built in the 15th Century.
Inside there’s a museum that costs approximately 6 Euros but I did not visit it.
5. Via Toledo:if you come back to Piazza del Plebiscito you can walk along Via Toledo, a shopping avenue with many cheap shops and mostly because it’s bounded by the famous Spanish districts, or Quartieri Spagnoli, whose roads reach the hill of San Martino. I also recommend to visit the enchanting undeground station of Toledo, one of the most beautiful in Europe!
Another thing which is really recent is that in the Quartieri Spagnoli, you find now the murales of Maradona, that has become a kind of pilgrimage site for football fans after the death of the famous footballer.
Please look that some of these roads are known to be not that safe: so if you decide to cross the Quartieri Spagnoli, please do not forget to do it where you can see many people.
However, along Via Toledo, I found a patisserie, calledCaffè Reginella, in Piazza Carolina, where you have to taste some of the typical Napolitan food: the caffè nocciolato (almond coffee) and thesfogliatella, a shell shaped pastry filled with ricotta cheese. Do not miss the sfogliatella!!! Too tasty!!!
6. Via Chiaia and Via dei Mille: if you come back to Piazza del Plebiscito again, you can walk along the smarter area of Naples, that goes from via Chiaia to Piazza della Vittoria, with their luxurios shops and brands.
I found a superb ice cream shop calledFantasia Gelati in via Chiaia, listed as one of the best ice cream shops of the world. Do not miss it!!! Unfortunately this shop has been closed recently (October 2022) so you can look for an alternative location ( Piazza Vanvitelli) or choose another shop there.
In Piazza dei Martiri I found a monument not that different from theDying Lion of Lucerne.
Advertisements
7. Castel Dell’Ovo and via Caracciolo: once in Piazza Vittoria, if you are going again towards Piazza del Plebiscito, you can find the Castel dell’Ovo (Egg Castle), built on the tiny islet of Megarides. Unfortunately it is one of the castles to visit but I could not do it because of the bad weather.
8. The historic centre, part of the Unesco sites: this is my favourite part of Naples, with its narrow streets and its particular atmosphere, more suitable to a small village rathen than to a big city like this.
I reached the historic centre crossing Piazza del Plebiscito and walking along Corso Umberto I and then along Via Duomo. Here you find Via San Biagio dei Librai, mostly known as Spaccanapoli, as it seems to divide the city in two parts.
This street is plenty of souvenir shops and patisseries: what was really great was to choose some of the roads that cross Spaccanapoli, like Vico dei Panettier, where you can find many artesanal labs of the typical crib.
9. Back to Spaccanapoli, and heading to Via Toledo, you find and have the possibility to visit the monumental complex of Santa Chiara, one of the largest religious sites of the city.
This complex was built in the 14th Century and now includes the Church of Santa Chiara, the monastery with this superb cloister
and then an archaeological area with a Roman thermal complex.
The ticket to visit the entire complex is 6 Euros and you can see the cloister, the museum that shows the history of this convent, the library and the archaeological area. Really worth. The entrance to the church is free: destroyed during the World War II it has a gothic architecture and the tomb of the King Ferdinand I.
10. Via dei Tribunali:at the end of Spaccanapoli, following Via Toledo, you get to Piazza Dante
and through its gate you get to Via dei Tribunali, where you can find an impressive number of pizzerias, where you should really stop by and eat the famous and original Napolitan pizza.
Important landmarks of Via dei Tribunali are the Church of San Lorenzo Maggiore with its closest archaelogical area ( could not visit it due to lack of time) and its altar.
Close to San Lorenzo Maggiore there’s the Church of San Paolo Maggiore, built upon an old Roman theatre and with a stunning frescoed sacristy.
Close to this church there’s also the starting point of Napoli Sotterranea, or Underneath Naples.
11. The Cathedral: at the crossroad between Via dei Tribunali and Via del Duomo, you turn left and will find the Cathedral,
Unfortunately you cannot take pictures inside, but this is a place to visit absolutely. It is also an holy place as it keeps the blood of the Naples patron saint, San Gennaro in the crypt below the altar, the treasure of San Gennaro and then the Saint John’s Baptistry, the oldest of Western Europe, built in the 4th Century a.d. ( 1,5 Euros to visit it).
Then you can get back to Via dei Tribunali, go through Porta Capuana (Capuana Gate) and reach the railway station, where to take the Alibus to the airport.
Map: click on the top left to see the days and/or on the top right to enlarge the map.
Taste an almond coffee and a sfogliatella in patisserie Reginella in Piazza Carolina;
If you have more than one day to visit the city, there are some interesting itineraries you could do such as Underneath Naples or Archaeological Naples or the tour of the palaces.You can find more infohere.
Another landmark, if you have more time, is the San Martino hill, with Castel Sant’Elmo and Certosa di San Martino: to reach it you have to take the funicular railway close to Piazza Trento e Trieste.
From to the airport to the railway station, you can take the Alibus ( one way ticket = 3 Euros).
Where to sleep:
B&B Atmosfere del centro storico, in Corso Umberto 23, close to the University Federico II and along one of the shopping streets of Naples. – approx. 130 Euros per double room per night
Casa Bellevue, luxury apartments close to Piazza del Plebiscito and Palazzo Reale. You can even see the Tirrenean sea. – approx. 185 Euros per double room per night
Toledo Station B&B: close to Toledo underground station, not far from Piazza del Plebiscito, it’s one of the most rated b&b’s in Naples. – approx. 80 Euros per double room per night.
If you like this post, please pin this image or push one of the sharing buttons after the subscribe banner 🙂
Get the latest adventure updates and the free guide How to travel in Europe!
Marco, great post. I just published an article on one day I spent in Naples. You can see it timelessitaly.wordpress.com. May i share your post on my blog?Susan
Hi Apurva! thanks for stopping by here! 🙂 Well I walked along the entire itinerary and I strongly recommend you to do so. It's the best thing to explore the city and live the city and its atmosphere. However, there could be some parts where you could take the bus too.I'm going to draw the itinerary soon.
You're welcome, and also thanks for your kind comment! I'm glad to hear that you appreciate the post and the blog. I hope you can find some good ideas for your stay. Have a safe a nice trip to Italy and to Naples! 🙂
Thanks, grazie mille per questo articolo! Going to Naples soon for the first time, the pictures, map and directions are incredibly useful. Will definitely follow the route you suggested 🙂
Lovely blog post! The pictures are amazing. Reminds me of an awesome food tour I took in Naples. It was with this company: foodtoursofnaples.com.. They were so friendly and took us around to all the authentic food spots. Divine!
Hi Marco, thank you for this informative itinerary, I will definitely be following it. How many hours do you think this whole tour would take, if I'm planning on walking the whole way and visiting all your recommended places? Thank you
I am so happy to find this. My trip is still far away but it is nice to know what I am about to see. My kids and I will be spending a day in Naples and another in Pompeii and frommers doesn't provide a step by step guide in going about Naples 🙂
Hei Gennaro! Thanks for your valuable info 🙂 Maybe this can be good if you stay more than one day in Naples so you have more time to visit also the cemetery 🙂
Love the photo of the Triumphal Arch!
Thank you Katherine! I loved it too, but I think I found the only rainy day in the year in Naples! 🙂
It is one of the very few interesting article which I have ever read. Keep writing up good work.
Thanks for the appreciation! I will! 🙂
Marco, great post. I just published an article on one day I spent in Naples. You can see it timelessitaly.wordpress.com. May i share your post on my blog?Susan
Thanks a lot Susan for your comment! 🙂 Yes, even if I've already left the comment+ link there! 🙂
Excellent!To commute from one point to another, do I need to take a bus or can I do all these places on foot/by walk?
Hi Apurva! thanks for stopping by here! 🙂 Well I walked along the entire itinerary and I strongly recommend you to do so. It's the best thing to explore the city and live the city and its atmosphere. However, there could be some parts where you could take the bus too.I'm going to draw the itinerary soon.
thank you very much for this blog. Me and my husband will go to Napoli on the first week of June. Thank you and Thank you again.
You're welcome, and also thanks for your kind comment! I'm glad to hear that you appreciate the post and the blog. I hope you can find some good ideas for your stay. Have a safe a nice trip to Italy and to Naples! 🙂
Thank you very much for this interesting article! I'm going to visit Naples in a few weeks time, so it was very helpful for me. Thanks once again!
Thanks, grazie mille per questo articolo! Going to Naples soon for the first time, the pictures, map and directions are incredibly useful. Will definitely follow the route you suggested 🙂
Lovely blog post! The pictures are amazing. Reminds me of an awesome food tour I took in Naples. It was with this company: foodtoursofnaples.com.. They were so friendly and took us around to all the authentic food spots. Divine!
hi Marco, thank you for this great blog, I will be in Naples in June for 1 day, is it far to walk to these places once you get off the big ships?
Thanks for the comment…no it's not far…just 5 minutes from the port.
Hi Marco, thank you for this informative itinerary, I will definitely be following it. How many hours do you think this whole tour would take, if I'm planning on walking the whole way and visiting all your recommended places? Thank you
I am so happy to find this. My trip is still far away but it is nice to know what I am about to see. My kids and I will be spending a day in Naples and another in Pompeii and frommers doesn't provide a step by step guide in going about Naples 🙂
Thanks for your comments…very valuable! Yes I recommed to walk the whole way but you can also take the bus from/ to the railway station.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Hei Gennaro! Thanks for your valuable info 🙂 Maybe this can be good if you stay more than one day in Naples so you have more time to visit also the cemetery 🙂
if im coming by train from rome what will be the nearest to the train station?
if im coming by train from rome what will be the nearest to the train station?
Hello Nancy, if you mean what is the nearest attraction, well it is the historic centre. This was the info you were looking for?
A neat itinerary! Your map is very helpful in planning my trip next month. Thanks!
Thanks a lot Sukri for your comment! I hope you can enjoy it and find a nice weather 🙂
Increible informacion!!! Felicito a Ud. por su blog