It is one of the most vibrant cities we have ever seen with its narrow streets, motorcycles popping out from everywhere, blue Neapolitan flags stretched between the laundry hanging from the balconies, and small grocery stores set up on every street corner: Naples!
Located about 225km south of Rome, it is the 3rd largest city in Italy. Napoli <3 The city center, which has thousands of years of history, historical & cultural values, is on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Our trip made more sense after watching Paolo Sorrentino's The Hand of God about the 1980s in Naples. Football culture, one of the main themes of the film, is felt everywhere in the city. It is another nice coincidence to have traveled at a time when the blue-and-white football team won its first championship after 33 years and Maradona. Naples made us fall in love with its chaotic streets, Maradona murals in Quartieri Spagnoli, world-famous Neapolitan pizzas, street pastry shops and crispy sfogliatelles.
We rented a car as we were going to visit different cities on this route. We rented a house with its own parking lot in Pompeii, as a comfortable stay by car in the center of Naples was not possible. This way we stayed closer to the Amalfi coast. Pompeii is a logical location if you want to stay away from the touristic city center by car.
There are three important islands in the Gulf of Naples that you can visit with daily tours. Capri and Ischia are the most touristic ones, the other one is Procida, famous for its colorful houses.
Restaurants:
– Sea Front Di Martino Pasta Bar
– Mimi alla Ferrovia
– Trattoria Antica Capri
Pizza:
– Concettina ai 3 Santi
– Starita Pizzeria
– Antica Pizzeria La Centenaria a Materdei
– Isabella De Cham Pizza Fritta
– Zia Esterina Sorbillo
Street Food/Pastry/Bakery:
– Pescheria Azzurra
– Gran Caffé Gambrinus
– Gay-Odin
– Poppella
– Mary’s Sfogliatella
– Scaturchio
– Taralleria Napoletana
– Sfogliatelle calde Attanasio
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– L’Antiquario, speakeasy kokteyl bar, 50BestBars listesinde
– Cammarota Spritz
– Limone, en eski limoncello
These are the most frequently recommended places when it comes to pizza and Naples, but we did not find these places very successful, it is better to be careful: Gino e Toto Sorbillo, Antica Pizzeria Di Matteo L’Antica Pizzeria Da Michele
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What to see in Naples:
– Castel Sant’Elmo: A great location for viewing Naples from the top.
– Piazza del Plebiscito, Palazzo Reale and the streets leading down to the sea.
– Toledo The Linea 1 Metro: Opened in 2012, this station is one of the city’s art projects.
– Palazzo dello Spagnolo & Sanfelice
– Palazzo Mannajuolo: A ‘Hidden Gem’ with its Art Nouveau interior design and stairs
– Maradona Murals and Quartieri Spagnoli
– Museo Cappella Sansevero
– Jago Museum
– Gesù Nuovo
– Chiostro di Santa Chiara
– Catacombe di San Gennaro : The 2nd century and 4th century catacombs can be visited with a tour.
– Borgo Dei Vergini Teatro di San Carlo
– Royal Palace
– Castel Nuovo
– Galleria Umberto I
– Galleria Principe di Napoli
– Complesso Monumentale di Santa Chiara: A temple complex, garden and church dating from the 1300s.
– National Archaeological Museum
The first stop on our trip to Naples was Pompeii!
A visit to the ruins of the world-famous ancient city of Pompeii is a must when visiting Naples. – Founded in the 6th century BC, it is an important city reflecting the wealth and power of the Roman Empire.
The majestic Mount Vesuvius welcomes you in Naples. An eruption of this volcano buried the city of Pompeii, located on its outskirts, under ashes and not discovered until the 16th century. Archaeological excavations still ongoing. For example, in 2020, two people and an inn were also uncovered where lava took their lives.
In the ruins you can see human bodies frozen as they were during the explosion. But research shows that the vast majority of the city’s inhabitants fled, taking their valuables with them.
Pompeii has two main entrances. We preferred the entrance on Via Roma. Don’t wait in line for tickets, there are ticket machines inside on the left that work easily with credit cards.
Once inside, the first thing we will see is the huge amphitheater. Then you can wander around the whole complex for hours. From time to time you can enter the manor houses and admire the murals and the beautiful vineyards. The main street is worth a visit and the brothel is very interesting because of the depictions in the frescoes. According to archaeologists, at least 25 of these once socially and legally accepted brothels have been discovered.
In its ruins you can see graffiti from centuries ago. We can have an idea about the occupations of the people of that period, what they ate, the vegetables they grew in their gardens. For example, tomatoes have not yet reached the continent, can you imagine an Italian cuisine without tomatoes?
Pompeii is a good choice for accommodation, especially if you want to visit this region and the Amalfi coast besides the center of Naples. Easy access by car, equidistant from Sorrento, the Amalfi coast and Naples city center.
It takes half a day. There are good options for both coffee/breakfast and food in the surrounding area. Pasticceria De Vivo, near the entrance to Via Roma, was our choice for a snack.
After a full morning in Pompeii, we headed to the Sorrentine peninsula for lunch and to explore Sorrento a bit.
Sorrento, at the very tip of the Bay of Naples, has unparalleled views. It fascinates you with its houses, streets and small beaches just below the cliff.
During the 45-minute drive between Pompeii and Sorrento, we recommend you take every opportunity to take photos. Of course, the journey will be pleasantly longer as you will stop at roadside pockets.
Our flavor stop in Sorrento is a shabby pizzeria. At Pizzeria Da Franco, we have a pleasant break with pizza, charcuterie & cheese platter and a local prosecco and continue on our way.
If you want to spend more time in Sorrento, here are some other attractions we have recorded:
-La Cantinaccia del Popolo
-Ristorante Pizzeria Tasso
-Chantecler’s Trattoria
-Ristorante Il Buco ⭐️
-Gelateria David 🍦
-Bir peynir üreticisi: Fernando De Gennaro Caseificio 🧀
-Küçük bir müze: Correale Museum 🏛️
Sorrento is also the right address to cross to Capri Island, a popular destination. We did not include Capri on this itinerary but we will definitely include it on another trip.
Undoubtedly one of the most amazing routes in Italy: Amalfi Coast ‘Costiera Amalfitana’
This region, known as Amalfi for short, is a 55km stretch of coast between Sorrento and Salerno. On this coast with steep slopes and sharp bends, there are towns that you can visit at short intervals. In the direction of Salerno from Sorrento: Positano, Praiano, Amalfi, Atrani, Minori and Maiori. There is also Ravello, which is built on the hills.
Generally, this route is followed in this direction with Sorrento and Capri Island included in the plan. Transportation to the region is usually provided by train from Naples to Sorrento. Since the holiday season had not started yet, we easily made our trip with a rental car. Once you arrive in Sorrento, you can reach the area by bus or by sea (TravelMar), bearing in mind that it is very difficult to move around by car during the summer months.
For those who want to go to Capri, there are daily tours and sea transportation options from destinations such as Amalfi & Positano, apart from Sorrento.
We found it most enjoyable to drive around the Amalfi coast, stopping at the little pockets you can find around every bend, which is actually why we made our trip in the spring. You can spend a unique vacation in Amalfi by exploring the beauties of nature, tasting the famous lemon ice cream & fresh pasta, and enjoying the sea according to the season.
Since transportation to the region is not as difficult as it is exaggerated, you do not have to pay high prices for accommodation options. You can enjoy the surrounding area by reaching less touristy places, which are also very beautiful.
10 things you must do in Amalfi!
– Explore Italy’s popular vacation destinations such as Positano, Amalfi, Praiano. Get lost in the streets, find a viewpoint and enjoy.
– The whole coast welcomes you with its pleasant beaches and natural beauties. A picnic on one of the beaches is a must. A drink & snacks from the market will help you.
– In Praiano, one of the towns where fishing is prominent, Trattoria di Armandino for seafood and Kasai for Italian cuisine should be on your list.
– Fiordo di Furore: Hidden among the rocks, this charming beach is a must-see.
– Try lemon flavors in Amalfi, Limoncello, risotto, fresh pasta and the options multiply. The best thing is to have a lemon sorbet and sit on the steps of the Duomo and people watch. Da Gemma & Cuoppo d’Amalfi should be on your list for dinner.
– While we are here, we do not return without visiting the Duomo and the 13th century courtyard next to it.
– There are workshops/shops of local ceramic artists in Amalfi. The best option to take with you from the region.
– Atrani, which comes right after Amalfi, is not as popular as the other resorts. But the impressive views continue.
– Explore the historic streets of Ravello, overlooking the entire coast.
– For the best view in Ravello, head to Terrazza dell’Infinito in the gardens of Villa Cimbrone.
– Amalfi may not have offered us the best experiences in terms of food and drink, but we can easily say that you will be mesmerized by its unique landscapes.
The ones that were on our list but we couldn’t make it:
We were also unable to visit the towns of Minori and Maiori. Pasticceria Sal De Riso and Giardiniello in Minori and Casa Mandina in Maiori were the places we remembered.
Buses are the most common means of transportation in Amalfi, but parking is a problem if you come by car. Roadside locations are preferred. After parking your car, you pay with coins from the vending machines and place the receipt so that it can be seen through the window of your car. You don’t want to get fined months later with your rental car 🙂
Places like Positano and Amalfi also have more organized valet/parking systems. It works for about 6€ an hour.
Naples is one of the most important food and drink destinations in Italy. The first thing that comes to mind are the pizzas prepared with Neapolitan dough. But the food culture here is not limited to this. As a coastal city, people in Naples have access to quality seafood. You can see this diversity in home-cooked meals, traditional restaurants, and seafood markets on the streets.
With the suggestion of our close friend Cesare, an Italian living in Naples, we found ourselves at Antica Capri to taste the local flavors. Antica Capri is located in the Spanish Quarter, known for its characteristic streets.
Antica Capri is a trattoria with daily dishes, where fresh seafood stands out and all ingredients are processed raw.
The most popular dish on the menu is their seafood pasta with beans cooked in a casserole. This casserole is covered with a pizza dough and baked. During service, they cut this baked dough and serve it. We can say that it is a feast for the palate as well as visually.
According to @tasteatlas, Antica Capri ranks first among the best places to taste Pasta e fagioli. Pasta e fagioli is a traditional dish made with different methods all over Italy. While in Veneto it is mostly prepared with pork products, in Naples it is prepared with seafood.
The gnocchi we tasted was also very delicious. Antica Capri, a sympathetic and friendly place, should be on your Naples list. Since it is a small venue, it might be good to make a reservation.
Located in the heart of the Rione Sanità district, we came across this pizzeria on our way to visit Palazzo dello Spagnolo. We had seen it before in the Michelin guide and put it on our list.
I loved the streets, the architecture and the character of this region, so we can say that somehow the roads always led here.
Run by an Italian family for 70 years, this ‘pizzeria’ has a cuisine that has evolved over time. Father and son, Antonio & Ciro, who run the pizzeria, have played a big role in this development. Ciro Oliva guides the menu by pursuing the new and sustainable without moving away from the local and traditional. In this way, we can see creative options as well as classic flavors.
The menu consists of starters, sharing plates, salads, pizzas, pizza fritta and desserts. Pizzas are priced between 12-14€ on average. Although it is above the average in Naples, we can say that it is a place where you feel that they know what they do very well and deserves to be in all the guides.
We tried their Margherita and Babà Napoletano for dessert. It was one of the best meals we experienced in Naples.
You can’t visit La Sanità without exploring the beauty of the surrounding area. Palazzo dello Spagnolo, Palazzo Sanfelice, Catacombs of San Gennaro, Basilica di Santa Maria, Borgo Dei Vergini bu bölgedeyken görmeniz gereken yerler.
You can get lost in the streets with its sidewalks occupied by greengrocers, colorful streets and murals. If you want to start your Rione Sanità tour in the early hours, consider Pasticceria Poppella for coffee & breakfast and Isabella de Cham Pizza Fritta for a quick mid-day snack.
Naples is considered the heart of Italian cuisine and is particularly famous for its pizza. L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele, Antica Pizzeria di Matteo and Sorbillo are the most recommended places in the city for classic Neapolitan-style pizza. All three places are famous for their Margherita and Marinara pizzas with thin and soft dough. But our favorite pizzerias in this city are not these tourist attractions. We think Concettina Ai Tre Santi is one of the best in Naples. This place stole our hearts both with its innovative approach and its classics. Another favorite is Starita Pizza.
Sfogliatella Mary is one of the popular stops to try the sfogliatella dessert, one of the street delicacies of Naples. This crispy pastry is filled with ricotta cheese and sweet fillings, so be sure to try it. We tried it in most of the patisseries we went to. Poppella was the most successful in Naples. Another patisserie product you should try here is fiocco di neve. Gran Caffe Gambrinus, a historic place with tables right on the square, is the right address for a real Italian coffee experience. Scaturchio, Taralleria Napoletana, Sfogliatelle calde Attanasio are other addresses we tried and loved.
Naples is also known for its seafood. For fresh seafood in the city, try Ristorante Mimì alla Ferrovia or Antica Capri, where Pavarotti was a regular. Sea Front Di Martino Pasta Bar, also recommended in the Michelin guide, was one of our favorite places for seafood pasta in Naples. You can see the menu here.
Eating in Naples is not only a necessity, but also a cultural experience, so get ready to discover local flavors and immerse yourself in Naples’ vibrant food culture.
