Should I spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Naples?
Should you spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Naples?
Many visitors spend one to three days in Naples during their visit. If you're not sure how much time you might need here, we have the answers because there's so much to see and do. This city offers a number of attractions to explore, including the restaurant scene, the museums and landmarks, the historic old town, and the big city activities.
Naples is a rough-around-the-edges city that offers visitors a glimpse into a more authentic side of Italy. While it has a reputation for being a bit chaotic and gritty, the city is actually a beautiful and fascinating place to visit. Most of the attractions are in the historic city center, which is easy to explore on foot. The city also offers access to many great day trips, and many visitors use it as a gateway for exploring Southern Italy.
Do you have one or two days to visit Naples? Here's our comprehensive breakdown of how much time you might need for your trip along with some suggestions for things to do.
Is one day enough time in Naples?
With only one day, you might feel a bit pressed for time when it comes to exploring the main attractions. After all, As a big city, Naples offers plenty of activities and attractions for visitors. To fully embrace Naples, a longer visit is better. Most travelers tend to allocate one to three days to taste delicious cuisine, browse the museums, admire the historic sights, and enjoy the city's energy. Nevertheless, if your schedule is limited, we can provide some suggestions to maximize your visit.
How to spend a day in Naples
A number of fantastic museums and famous landmarks are found in Naples, so spend at least one full day exploring those that look the most appealing to you. Most of the sights are concentrated in the city's historic center. The Naples Harbor is a gateway to the Mediterranean. Also worth visiting are the National Archeological Museum, Capodimonte Royal Palace, Castel Nuovo, and the Catacombs of San Gennaro.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Private Tour of the National Archaeological Museum of Naples ($87)
- NAPLES: MANN, National Archeological Museum of Naples ($184)
- National Archaeological Museum of Naples ($74)
The culinary scene in Naples is world famous, and draws visitors from around the globe. Make sure you spend time enjoying breakfast, lunch, and dinner at some of this city's best restaurants. And consider a food tour, too. Many are either a half day or just a few hours, so you can fit one into your schedule easily. As the birthplace of pizza, the city has a well known food reputation. Many local dishes, including an authentic Napoli pizza, use simple flavors such as olive oil, garlic, and tomatoes. The dishes are lighter than their northern counterparts and tomatoes are a very popular ingredient. In addition to the pizza, you should try Lasagna Al Forno Napoletana and Spaghetti Alla Vognole. Also check out a pizza making class.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Private Campania Wine Tasting Experience in Napoli ($142)
- Taste of Napoli Food Tour with Eating Europe ($85)
- Guided, FUN Wine Tasting in Napoli ($63)
Naples is a walkable city and easy to explore on foot. With only a day in the city, you'll have no trouble seeing the local sights. The historic center is flat and easy to explore on foot.
Is a weekend (two to three days) enough time in Naples?
A weekend offers a good amount of time to enjoy much of what Naples has for visitors. In addition to the food and museums and landmarks, visitors can enjoy the big city activities, nightlife, and shopping. By staying a night or two, you'll be able to take advantage of the most interesting activities found here.
Naples, Italy
How to spend 2 days in Naples
With a weekend (two to three days) in Naples, you'll have a bit more time to enjoy everything that the city has to offer.
The charming atmosphere and history of the old town area is worth exploring, so spend the day learning about the history and culture of the area. Most of the city's tourist attractions are found in the historic center, which includes beautiful fountains, grand churches, and an impressive network of catacombs and caves.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Naples Private Food Walking Tour With Locals: The 10 Tastings ($132)
- Historical and Street Art walking tour of Naples ($25)
- Naples Street Food and Walking Tour ($41)
The nightlife scene is very popular here. After dark, head out to one of the many venues around town. The nightlife scene includes small bars, wineries, and dance clubs, but much of the energy and activity is actually focused on being outdoors. There is plenty of live music and many nightclubs are actually "disco bars" that are found tucked away in the city's historic center.
The public transit in Naples is fast and efficient. Over the course of a few days, you should be able to explore the city quite easily and affordably. There's a metro with two metro lines as well as four suburban train lines. There are also funiculars, regional trains, and ferries to the surrounding areas.
More Info
If you're looking for more information about Naples, we have even more advice to help you plan your journey.
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