Naples - yay or nay

[StiffyByngsDogBartholomew]

I'm looking at Italian cities for May half term and I'm thinking about Naples. Mainly because of food but also because it sounds (from another thread) "a place for locals and not tourism" which really appeals. I can't lie, pompeii is also a big attraction.

i have read quite negative threads on here about it. I've taken DD to Athens and Porto which are both quite "gritty" cities but were much enjoyed. We dont really look for picture perfect places, it's more about experiencing the culture and city. when we went to Venice the bit we enjoyed most was wandering around the residential areas of Canareggio with the locals in the evening.

would we like Napoli ?

I'd recommend Sorrento instead - you can have a day in Naples if you like. We stayed in Sorrento and did Pompeii, Herculaneum and Capri.

How did you get to Capri @undercover5, I note your point about renting a car but that definitely wouldn't be my cup of tea without Dh as I'd be paranoid about damaging it

You can’t get boats to Capri from Sorrento and Naples

If you like noise then it could be for you. I wasn’t keen and would suggest somewhere like Bari (day trips to places like Lecce etc) instead.

I second staying in Sorrento. You can get boats all around the bay of Naples from there. I liked Naples, but it’s a bit rough and ready!

I’d also recommend Sorrento. When we stayed there our fellow hotel guests included a New Zealand policeman. He got dipped on the Naples metro, noticed and pinned the thief to the floor…. On the same trip we took the train to both Pompei and Herlucaem (sp?) as well as the bus to Amalfi. That was in just 3 days

We went to Naples last October with three teens, stayed right in the old town and absolutely LOVED it. Was a crazy bustling place alive with energy and lovely people, stunning buildings and the food was magnificent! Didn't feel threatened by anything other than the traffic, would heartily recommend. We went to the underground catacomb place, loads of absolutely incredible churches and did tonnes Kroger eating and people watching. Got a train to pompeii, then onto Sorrento for a few days which we all thought was a bit meh after the chaos and bustle of Naples, but loved capri. Go, if you're adventurous you'll have a blast.

Naples is the soul of Italy. It is vibrant, bustling and real. I lived in Naples and loved very minute of it. The traffic is insane so do be careful crossing the roads and do not under any circumstances hire a car or a scooter. Otherwise it has no more crime than any other major city. In fact it is probably safer than Rome.

The people are gregarious, warm and friendly (think typically Italian but on steroids) and the food is to die for. You can get to Capri by ferry or hydrofoil from Naples and also Ischia which is well worth a visit and has sandy beaches. If you only have time for one island, do Capri. If you have time for three islands also do Procida, it is insanely picturesque and the sea food is excellent.

The Circumvesuviana railway is cheap and easy to use and will take you to Pompeii and Herculaneum (arguably better than Pompeii) as well as Sorrento and other smaller seaside towns along the coast.

Do go and see the Cristo Velato at the Capella Sansevero. It will take your breath away. Also the archeological museum is an absolute must.

Pozzuoli is another fascinating place to visit with its sunken Roman temple and the sanctuary of San Gennaro (patron saint of Naples) but most importantly Solfatara which is in the Campi Flegrei (fields of fire) where you can see active volcanic fumaroles - always a great hit with children!

Definitely arrange a trip up Vesuvius. You can go as far as the crater and the view is surreal.

I could go on and on but please google some of my suggestions. You will fall in love with Naples I am sure!

I just adored Naples and am dying to go back. Yes it's dirty and gritty and noisy and heaving and the traffic is so insane that we did quite a bit of just standing on the pavement and staring 😁 but what a place. We visited 2 years ago and I still think of it on a weekly basis

We took a day trip to Herculaneum, which is much smaller than Pompeii. Fascinating, and 3 hours was plenty, whereas you would need an entire day to see about 10% of Pompeii

We went for two nights in the summer with three dds (two teens and one 10). We absolutely loved it. The food was fabulous as was the atmosphere and shopping and sights. I loved the authenticity of the city and our accommodation for the price was jawdropping. Nicest accommodation we have ever had with balconies overlooking a bustling square. Can you tell I recommend 😂

Definitely stay in Naples. People on here are snobby about it, but it’s much nicer than Sorrento imo. It’s a wonderful city. You just need to keep your wits about you when you are out and about.
The Circumvesuviana is easy to use and will get you to Pompeii, Herculaneum and Sorrento. Ferries from the port will take you to Capri and Ischia. You can get a bus to Vesuvius and walk to the crater.
Once you have been to Pompeii and Herculaneum, go to the fabulous Archaeological Museum and see all the wonderful treasures from there. The mosaics are amazing. And don’t miss the Veiled Christ in Capella Sansevero as a PP said. I’ve been back to see it several times as it’s just stunning.
Eat proper pizza where it was created.

I love both Sorrento and Naples! I think it's worth seeing both if you can. Don't rule out Amalfi and Positano for a visit too.

Stay in Naples at a bed and breakfast close to the centre. Yes it is gritty , a bit dirty but it is travelling. There are many places to visit you can walk to , Pompeii , Versuvius and Herculaneum are easily reachable on public transport.

Yes you have to be as aware as you would be in most cities of potential hazards like pick pockets but we never felt uncomfortable at any time.

The catacombs and mummies are a unique glance into Neopolitan culture.

The food is great however I will be happy not to have limoncello again .

It's not for everyone but I enjoyed it .

We took our 2 teen daughters to Naples and had the best time. It was chaos but bloody marvellous. We went on the local train to Pompeii and sorrento and walked up Vesuvius like idiots, in our flip flops 🤣

they still talk about the pizza, the 1 euro aperol bar, the Xmas street and the mosquitoes.

go, it’s brilliant.

Agree with much of the above.
Sorrento is very much middle of the road, safe, touristy anytown. I haven't been back for a long time, but even then, pretty though the old town is, and lovely though the views are, it's full of tourist trap restaurants and bars and souvenir shops. Fine if you like that (and sometimes I do, absolutely)

Naples is chaotic, filthy, loud, very Italian and takes no prisoners. You couldn't be anywhere else in the world. It's unique. There's also art, and museums and obviously the shrines to Saint Diego. 🙄

You can't really say to someone who's considering Naples "go to Sorrento instead" imo. That's like saying "don't go to Liverpool, go to Bourton-on-the-water.

Both have their place. But they're not comparable.

Regarding the dangers...I've been pickpocketed in Manchester, Florence and Brussels. Never in the south of Italy.

Naples is wonderful. Sorrento is too but it’s very touristy and much more expensive. I love both but Naples is our favourite. Someone mentioned the statue of the veiled Christ up thread, you must go see it, and the other statues in the small church and the anatomical machines down the stairs in it.

the maradona murals and area around there is completely buzzing, we were there this summer shortly after Napoli won the league and it was great. Food is cheap and very good, the pizzas are great. You can get limoncello spritz from little shops on the street in a plastic glass for 2/3 euros.

it’s alive and vibrant and very very real. You can see that it’s a working class city and lacks the investment of say Venice, or definitely sorrento, but it’s fun, slightly mad, and has great rail, sea and bus links for sorrento, Pompeii, Capri, the amalfi coast…

Can you tell I love it? 😁

We did a week on Ischia last year followed by 2 nights in Naples and I loved it. Fantastic architecture and great food. Busy with locals, queuing for pizza and the market. The only scary thing was the traffic as mentioned by pps - you need your wits about you crossing the road, but much of the centre is really pedestrianised. The underground tour was great and I was sorry we didn't have time for the archeological museum. We did a guided visit to Herculaneum - well worth it. Didn't do Pompeii/Vesuvius that trip as we've been before. Sorrento is just too expensive these days for what you get.