A few years ago, I went on a short city trip to Naples, but I decided then that I would return soon. During a long weekend, four of us explored the city and its surroundings.
I always say that there are two opinions about Naples. Either you like it or you can’t reconcile with the „chaos” in the city. I belong to the first group; I was captivated by the Neapolitan atmosphere during my first visit. In many places it’s littered, motorcyclists and drivers come from almost everywhere, constantly honking, but this is part of the city.
Table of Contents
Friday
We traveled with the Wizz Air flight departing at 2 PM. From the airport, we took the Alibus to Garibaldi Square, from where our accommodation was a few hundred meters away. You can buy tickets for the Alibus in the airport arrival hall, but it’s also possible on the bus. It costs 5 euros.
In the evening, we planned a dinner and a short walk in the city center. Being Friday, there was a lot of hustle and bustle, Via Duomo and the surrounding streets were full. There are many small restaurants and street food stalls here; we sat down in a small pizzeria.
The image of the Napoli football team and, of course, Maradona can be seen at every turn on the streets. This is an integral part of the city.
Saturday
This day was about Naples’ downtown. Originally, the Amalfi Coast was in the plan, but since one day would have been too rushed, I postponed it for another occasion.
We went to the Archaeological Museum in the morning. On the way, we briefly visited Porta Capuana and Palazzo dello Spagnolo for a photo.
Entry to the museum was free for ladies on Women’s Day, so we took advantage of the fact that one of us saved 20 euros. 🙂 If I had to recommend one museum, I would definitely suggest this one. There are numerous wonderful ancient relics: statues, paintings, mosaics, various objects. We enjoyed every part of it.
From here, it’s not far to the castle rising above the city, which you can easily reach by funicular. We went up with the one departing from the Montesanto station. The ticket costs 1.30 euros, and there’s a great view of the surroundings.
The panorama of the city center from the castle forecourt is beautiful, but the real view is from the castle wall. The entrance fee is 5 euros and it’s well worth it. You can see all parts of Naples from here. Plus, Vesuvius and the islands of Ischia and Procida are also in the view. You can also go to the top by elevator, and there’s a café up there.
From the castle, we descended to the Spanish Quarter (Quartieri Spagnoli) via a winding staircase on the eastern side. Going uphill requires quite a bit of climbing, so if you don’t like climbing many stairs, definitely take the funicular up.
The Spanish Quarter is considered the most authentic Neapolitan area. Narrow streets, clothes hanging between houses, and a street corner dedicated to Maradona (Murale Diego Armando Maradona). There was a large crowd, with many restaurants and shops. We had a late lunch here.
In the southeastern part of the quarter stands the Galleria Umberto I, a covered domed hall. There is almost the same in Milan (Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II). It’s full of shops, an elegant hall.
Towards the seafront, we reach the central square of Naples. On Piazza del Plebiscito, there are two notable buildings: the Basilica of San Francesco di Paola and the Royal Palace (Palazzo Reale di Napoli).
We walked further along the main coastal road and immediately reached the castle. There are major construction works around Castel Nuovo, so photo opportunities are limited. But the view of the castle is impressive nonetheless.
It was starting to get dark, and there was one more sight left. We visited the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta on Via Duomo. Mass was just in progress, and we listened to it for a few minutes. It’s a very beautiful church with a huge interior space and frescoes.
Naples in TikTok video
Sunday
Since they forecast great weather for this day, we scheduled Pompeii and the Vesuvius tour for this day.
We bought tickets for Pompeii online on Thursday. You only need to select the day, and you can enter anytime within the entry period.
We went to Vesuvius by public transportation; several buses run daily from the Pompeii railway station to the highest parking lot (bus number 808). Tickets can be purchased on the bus or at the railway station. It’s worth buying a return ticket at the station, which costs 2.30 euros each way, compared to 3.30 euros on the bus.
Even from the way up, there’s a wonderful view of Naples. The bus reached the top in 45 minutes; we were up there at 9:20 AM. From the highest parking lot, you can reach the crater with a leisurely walk in about 20 minutes. You can walk around about half of it, and there are three snack bars along the way. The crater itself is a huge hole, but the greatest experience is that we can say we walked on a volcano’s caldera. 🙂
Going down, we easily caught the 11 o’clock bus, so by noon we were already sitting in a restaurant in Pompeii.
After lunch, we entered the „ruins city” of Pompeii through the entrance opposite the railway station. Next to the entrance, there’s a free luggage storage outside. You select an appropriate sized compartment, and the machine gives you a receipt with the code needed to open it.
The archaeological area is very large; you should devote at least 3-4 hours to it. We explored most parts, spending more than 3 hours. It’s advisable to choose a direction and proceed accordingly. Inside, there’s one café and toilets in several places.
You can take very beautiful pictures since on one side there’s Vesuvius, and on the other side, the high mountains of the Apennines rise. If you’re in Naples, don’t miss this place!
Pompeii in TikTok video
Monday
This day was left for the return journey, as the Wizz Air plane departed at 11:45 AM.
Around 9, we walked to the Centrale train station; the Alibus departs from the front entrance. Tickets can be purchased on the bus, exclusively by credit card. (Supposedly, you can also buy them at the train station, but I can’t say where.)