Naples City Breaks

A guide to Naples

Sun-drenched Naples is a city steeped in history, and noted for its imposing castles and vast number of medieval churches. It has a unique atmosphere all of its own, and visitors can best experience its fast-paced and dynamic way of life from the central city square of Piazza del Plebiscito. This is at the heart of the compact old town, where captivating sights such as the Teatro di San Carlo opera house, San Francesco di Paola church and a day of lively shopping at Galleria Umberto can all be enjoyed. You will also see ornate Bourbon palaces, many now functioning as fascinating museums, such as the Museo di Capodimonte for fine art, and Naples National Archaeological Museum, which is devoted to Roman antiquities unearthed at Pompeii and Herculaneum.

Captivating art and history

An interesting alternative to the many churches and museums is to take a journey into the past below the city streets. There are several kilometres of catacombs and underground tunnels deep beneath the city, featuring ancient Roman reservoirs and wartime air raid shelters, complete with subterranean art and inscriptions detailing life below the city streets. There is also captivating art in the open air surroundings of Villa Comunale and Parco Virgiliano, both with classical statues and Romanesque villas in lush landscaped gardens. These offer an ideal escape from the often chaotic pace of city life, and welcome respite from the humidity.

Delectable Neapolitan cuisine

Of course, no visit to the city would be complete without a culinary adventure into famous Neapolitan cuisine. As the birthplace of pizza, Naples offers a vast array of atmospheric open air cafes and pasta houses where you can indulge in gluttony at decent value prices. The city is also home to a number of traditional cookery schools, which are a great way to immerse in local life and seriously tantalise those taste buds. Just a short hydrofoil away are the offshore islands of Procida, Ischia and Capri. All possess that quintessential ‘la Dolce Vita’ lifestyle of elegant seafront villas, superb restaurants and picture-postcard Mediterranean beaches, and make for relaxing side trip.