Naples, Italy has mixed reviews online and even among friends and family. While planning our trip we decided to stop in Naples for the sake of train travel on our way to Venice. I also knew that Naples was known for its pizza and is the proud home of the greatest pizzerias in the world. Now that we’ve been, let me tell you how it stacks up to other cities and give our final answer on whether or not you should book part of your trip in Naples.
Planning a trip to Italy can be overwhelming to say the least. What should make your “must see” list can be different for everyone but in my opinion Naples can be left off if you’re pressed for time and funds. I always want to be honest with you and I don’t think you’re missing out if you plan a trip to Italy and don’t make it to Naples. Naples is much less clean than Rome or Venice. Naples didn’t have Uber/Lyft which made travel within the city less convenient and more expensive. Lastly, Naples was the only city where we felt unwanted. Neapolitans had no problem letting us know that they don’t care for tourists. If you want to see Mt. Vesuvius, Pompeii, or the coast then I’d suggest staying somewhere like Sorrento or even Positano if you can swing it.
That’s not to say we didn’t enjoy our time in Naples. There are a few things to do in town that you could easily see in a day that are worth mentioning.
GALLERIA UMBERTO
We walked around Galleria Umberto I which is a ridiculously beautiful shopping center. I cannot imagine having a mall like this in America. From there we headed toward the Piazza del Plebiscito which is the main square in Naples.
Piazza del Plebiscito
The main square in Naples is encircled by the church of San Francesco di Paola on one side and the Royal Palace of Naples on the other.
The Royal Palace of Naples
The Royal Palace of Naples is definitely a site to behold. It’s inexpensive, historic, and stunning so you can’t go wrong.
Caffè Gambrinus
We noticed a pastry shop, Caffè Gambrinus, right next to the main square and tucked in for a mid-day treat. I was excited to try sfogliatella which is a style of pastry that originated in Naples. Sfogliatella is meant to resemble small stacked leaves but many people compare the shape to a shell or lobster tail. The inside is traditionally filled with ricotta and spices. As you can see I’ve mastered the fine art of stuffing my face with carbs.
L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele
If you do nothing else in Naples, and I mean this wholeheartedly, go to L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele. There are a few famous pizzerias in the area claiming the coveted title but we chose L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele because they had a pizza marinara (no cheese) for me. We both agree we had the best pizza of our lives that night and it was worth the massive line outside.
Other Things to Do in Naples Include:
Naples National Archeological Museum
Castle Nuovo
Ovo Castle
Museo Capella Sansevero
Overall, Naples is a great place to spend the day if you’re in the area. I would like to say that I don’t feel the need to go back now that I’ve been. I can check that one off and move on to another city in Italy. However, we also didn’t feel like we wasted the day or anything. Naples was a means to an end for us. We spent one day there and the other days in Pompeii and Positano. Plus, I’ll never regret the calories and being able to say as a lactose-intolerant individual that I had the best pizza of my life in Italy.
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