Napoli help!

[Goonie1]

DP wanted to go to Napoli a couple of years ago but personal circumstances and finances (on my part) wouldn’t allow so we didn’t go. We have some child free time at the end of July this year and I wanted to book a few days away as a couple as a birthday surprise. When we go away as a couple, we usually do flights and air BnB over hotels and we love doing it this way. I’m just a bit stuck on which areas of Napoli to look at/avoid if anyone has any advice please?
Thank you 😊

Stay in the centre close to all the attractions. Use the term "Centro storico" when searching.

Personally, much as Airbnb may feel it gives you independence, I'd stay in a hotel for a place like Naples. It's very busy and very complex in how it's put together - everywhere you look there are multiple layers of activity, commerce, culture and so on - and a little knowledge from local hotel staff goes a long way.

https://www.relaiscastelnuovo.com/ We have stayed here a couple of time - in fact we just came back from there yesterday. It is a reasonable part of town with some nice places to eat nearby and close to the Galleria and Spanish Quarter. The Alibus (to airport and station) goes from the cruise terminal across the road. Good view of Vesuvius and the port. Metro (Municipio) 5 mins walk. It was VERY hot yesterday though so might be scorching in July.

I would avoid the area around Stazione Centrale.

We stayed in Vico Equense which was lovely.

Wherever you stay (and yes, I would aim for a central location, not to close to the station), be on your guard for pickpockets/bag snatchers/muggers. Leave your nice jewellery and watches at home. Wear cheap, unflashy stuff, a basic cheap watch, don't walk down the street with an expensive phone in your hand, or a nice bag on your arm and don't wear expensive sunglasses.

Agree that you have to be a bit careful with your belongings - like in most major cities - but I don't think that Naples is much more dangerous than elsewhere, crossing the road not withstanding. My Dh finds the most dangerous and upsetting thing about Naples is that there are pictures of Maradona everywhere :)

Yep of course. These are precautions I take on any holiday really.

When you say central location, which areas specifically are you talking about please?

Maradona is the reason my OH wants to go 😂 a topic of contention in our relationship as Pele is the GOAT in my opinion 😂

We had a couple of days in May and stayed here https://www.hotelpiazzabellini.com/
They have apartments as well as hotel rooms. We just had an economy room but it was grand. Lovely breakfast, felt like a lovely area, nice and cool in the courtyard and very welcoming staff. Couple of really nice bars and music in the square in the evening and very central to get about. We walked out socks off. Loved Naples. Really would love to go back.

We stayed in an apartment in the Historic Centre and had a great time. There were scores of places within easy walking distance that served amazing wood-fired pizza for just a few Euros. The best pizza I have ever tasted cost me just €2.50 from a takeaway place just yards away from our apartment. We wandered the streets of the Historic Centre at all hours and felt perfectly safe, there were always plenty of other people around. Maradona is worshipped in Naples and there are posters of him everywhere, many portraying him as a saint. A street vendor tried to flog us a Napoli football team flag with Maradona’s face on it, DH had to explain that as an Englishman he has a problem with Maradona and so would have to decline a purchase.

DH pointed out to our appartment guy that someone had a put up a new enormous Maradona poster since we were last there that was in full view of our terrace. The horror! 😁

I love Naples! I’ve only been on cruises for the day but I hope you have a fab time
get the metro to Vomero for a different vibe- some nice shops and restaurants.

Maradona is worshipped in Naples and there are posters of him everywhere, many portraying him as a saint.

Yeah I was completely taken aback the first time I saw this - in a wee wine bar, there was a picture of Maradona displaying his radiant sacred heart, with a halo on his head, same as Jesus. I thought it was some daring blasphemous trope but apparently the lad has actually ascended into genuine folk sainthood.

Here’s a photo of a Santo Diego poster that DH took in Naples. Posters of the beatified Maradona are ubiquitous in Naples.

Well I guess it makes sense. There you are living in the path of a volcano, surrounded by mafia, your every thought deed and action suffused in such. A magic footballer comes along, he's earnt his sainthood as surely as any lion-wrestling chancer ever did.