It is said that Rome is the heart of Italy, while Naples is the soul. Here are our top tips for free and affordable things to do in Naples.
Naples is one of the most lively and authentic cities in Italy. If you’ve visited northern areas like Milan, Turin, and Cinque Terre, you’ll notice a big difference in culture, mentality, food – and especially the chaos factor!
We think Naples is a fantastic city with its rich history, amazing food, and vibrant atmosphere.
Here are some suggestions for exciting things to do in Naples, and many of them are completely free!
1. The Historical Center
Spaccanapoli is a long, historic street that splits Naples in two. It cuts through the historic center, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
In the Centro Storico, you can walk through narrow cobblestone streets, admire Baroque architecture and medieval houses, and see laundry fluttering in the wind.
Several of the city’s attractions and museums are also located in this area.
2. The Cathedral of Naples
One of the attractions in the old town is Naples’ magnificent cathedral. It was built around the year 1300 and is dedicated to the city’s patron saint, St. Januarius (San Gennaro).
Three times a year, a special event takes place in the church’s chapel. On December 16th, the first weekend of May, and September 19th, remnants of the saint’s blood are brought forth. After a procession through the streets of the old town, people gather in the church for intense prayers that the blood will liquefy again.
And it usually does! If not, it is considered a warning of disaster, war, plague, or a more general sign of discontent from above.
In 1980, the blood did not liquefy, and shortly after, a terrible earthquake struck the area, claiming the lives of 3,000 people. The same thing happened in 1944, and soon after, Mount Vesuvius erupted. The blood also remained solid in 2020, during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, which hit Italy hard.
1988 is also considered one of the saddest occurrences. The blood stayed solid, and Naples’ football team suffered a terrible loss to Milan in the championship final. The entire city mourned for a long time!
The cathedral is located in the historic district, on Via del Duomo.
Price: Free
Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 8:00 AM to 12:30 PM and 4:30 PM to 7:00 PM.
Sundays 8:30 AM to 1:30 PM and 5:00 PM to 7:30 PM.
3. Vomero and Castel Sant’Elmo
Vomero is one of Naples’ nicest and most modern districts. Here, the worn-out apartment blocks with faded paint have been replaced by fresh villas, trendy restaurants, and cafes.
Also located here is the hexagonal-shaped Castel Sant’Elmo, built around the 1300s. This is one of the best viewpoints over the city and the Bay of Naples, from the exclusive Sorrento to the looming Mount Vesuvius.
In the basement, you’ll find the “crocodile grave,” named after a legend. It says that prisoners used to mysteriously disappear. Suddenly, it was discovered that there was a crocodile in the moat, which grabbed the prisoners by their legs and dragged them into the water!
The “Barons’ Prison” got its name from a conspiracy in 1487, when several barons plotted against King Ferrante I of Aragon. Upon discovering the scheme, the king gathered the barons in this chamber, where he had them arrested, with some facing execution as punishment.
The City Museum is also located in the castle.
You can either walk here from the old town uphill or take one of the funiculars (e.g., Funicolare di Montesanto).
The funicular operates daily between 7 AM and 10 PM, and you can use the same ticket as for the metro.
Opening hours: 8:30 AM – 6:30 PM every day
Address: Via Tito Angelini
Price: 5 euros for the inside of the castle with the City Museum. You can walk around the castle and admire the view for free.
4. Eat Pizza
Naples is known as the birthplace of pizza. Originally a poor man’s dish, it’s still a very affordable meal in the city.
Visit one of the city’s famous pizzerias, such as L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele or Sorbillo, and enjoy the authentic taste of margherita or marinara.
Neapolitan pizza has a very thin crust, and the tomato sauce is often quite runny. Traditionally, it has only a few ingredients.
If you feel like you need more calories, try one of the city’s specialties: deep-fried pizza.
5. Napoli Sotterranea
Napoli Sotterranea is an underground tour that takes you through the city’s historic aqueducts. These aqueducts once supplied the city with water and served as a hiding place during World War II.
We’ve written a separate post about the exciting Napoli Sotterranea tour and other underground activities. (Only available in Norwegian at the moment)
6. Christmas Street in Naples – Via S. Gregorio Armeno
Ready to upgrade your Christmas decorations? Then you’ve come to the right place. Naples is famous for pizza, mafia, and – nativity scenes.
Via S. Gregorio Armeno is a small cobblestone street in the old town, where you’ll find numerous shops selling handmade nativity scenes and accessories. Here, you can find everything from small figures to entire villages made from natural materials like moss and wood, some even featuring sound, light, and movement effects.
Of course, you’ll find traditional figures like shepherds, the three wise men, baby Jesus, and the Virgin Mary, but also blacksmiths, pizza chefs, Donald Trump, Ronaldo, and Maradona (who, having played much of his career for Napoli’s football club, is considered Neapolitan rather than Argentine in this city).
7. Eat Cake
Italy has more to offer than gelato for those with a sweet tooth. Naples’ bakeries are overflowing with large and small cakes covered in syrup and sugar, and filled with ricotta, chocolate, or pistachio cream.
You can find affordable bakeries all over the city.
Some of the oldest and most popular bakeries are located in the Spanish Quarter (Quartiere Spagnoli). For example, La Sfogliatelle Mary, located in the fancy Galleria Umberto shopping mall.
This bakery may not be the cheapest, but it isn’t that expensive either. They are known for serving the city’s best sfogliatella, a pastry filled with ricotta cheese and sugar. Another specialty is baba, soaked in rum.
How many days do you need in Naples?
It’s possible to take a day trip to Naples from Rome (2-3 hours by train) or from other nearby cities, and in a single day, you can easily enjoy pizza, sfogliatella, explore the old town, and see a few attractions.
But Naples is full of ancient castles and fortresses, palaces, museums, and delightful food experiences. In other words, there’s a lot of interesting things to do in Naples, so we recommend spending at least 2–3 days here.
Is it safe to travel to Naples?
When I was in Naples 20 years ago, I was constantly told by locals to be careful. Hold on tightly to your bag, don’t go out after dark, and take as few valuables as possible. Fortunately, that’s no longer the case today.
Naples is still affected by both organized and unorganized crime, and the thrilling sense of danger is heightened by the looming presence of Mount Vesuvius over the city. Organized crime is one of the few things that’s actually organized in this city, unlike, for example, traffic rules, ticket sales, and the queues at the city’s most popular pizzerias.
However, the authorities have cleaned up a lot and given the city a real facelift.
You should still avoid certain areas like Scampia and Secondigliano, especially after dark. There might also be some shady characters around Garibaldi central station, but they are mostly harmless homeless people and addicts.
It’s still wise to follow normal “big city precautions” such as wearing your purse across your body, not keeping valuables in your back pocket, not getting too drunk, and avoiding wandering into dark alleys.
But most tourist areas are safe today, with visible police patrolling the streets. Several up-and-coming neighborhoods are establishing themselves as both safe, trendy, and exclusive, like Vomero, Posillipo, and Chiaia. Today, Naples is no more dangerous for tourists than other European cities like Paris, Lisbon, or Milan.
Perhaps Italy’s rebellious teenager is finally growing up.
