Our Complete Guide To Where to Stay In Naples Italy In Summer & Fall 2026

Wondering where to stay in Naples Italy? Sara and I have spent a lot of time here, staying in all sorts of different areas and types of accommodation, so we really have tried it all.

In this guide we share all our tips and insights into the best areas to stay in Naples to help you decide, as well as recommendations for where to stay beyond Naples in various parts of Campania – all based on our own direct experiences.

Naples is a large city, but most visitors to the city tend to stay in several distinct neighborhoods close to the historic center. These offer easy access to the sights in Naples itself, and to transport links to explore further afield.

Some parts of Naples are good all-rounder locations to stay in, and others can be less suited to visitors and tourists, it all depends on what sort of travel style you have and what type of trip you are planning.

From luxury properties to small B&B’s, Naples has lots of different types of accommodation too.

So many people ask Sara and I where we prefer to stay in Naples, so lets start with our top recommendations.

If you’re planning a relaxed visit to Naples, where you will be exploring more slowly and want good options for switching off, you should consider Posillipo.

This district is located just outside the immediate center of Naples but still offers everything you could possibly need for a stay in the city.

With lovely views out to the Bay of Naples, in Posillipo you’ll find fantastic places to eat and drink, easy connections to the rest of the city and wider Campania area and plentiful accommodation options.

Posillipo is one of the best places to stay in Naples in late spring/early summer, as the slight elevation makes it feel cooler and it is not too busy (for Naples!).

Another reason to love this area is for the fact it is home to some of Naples’ best beach clubs, which makes it a great vacation location for couples, families and solo travellers.

We loved staying at Villa Dolcevita, a well-equipped apartment (sleeping five people maximum) with a beautiful garden and secure private parking, plus some unbeatable views of Mount Vesuvius.

Alternatively, if you have less time in Naples or want to be in the middle of the action, stay near Piazza Dante in the city center. From here you will have easy access via public transport or on foot to all of the major sites, Napoli Centrale train station and the port.

Piazza Dante is just a few minutes walk from Via Tribunali and Spaccanapoli so you will not struggle for places to eat and drink, plus you can reach the MANN, Spanish Quarter and Piazza Plebiscito very easily too.

This is where we tend to stay when we visit in the cooler months, as it is so convenient being close to everything. Our favorite place to stay in this area is La Gemma B&B at Piazza Dante 22, which offers charming rooms, an excellent breakfast and the owner, Gemma is always full of recommendations and ideas for what to do.

On a sunny day, if you stop for a coffee or spritz along Santa Lucia’s lungomare, you’d be forgiven for thinking you were in the Italian or French Riviera.

This neighborhood, less than 10 minutes walk from Piazza Plebiscito and the high-octane energy of the city center, feels like a totally different place, in a good way.

The grand hotels here – some luxury – honor an ‘old world’ vibe, offering sweeping views of the Bay of Naples, the Sorrentine Peninsula and Capri. This is where you will find some of the best hotels in the city too.

One of the things we love most about Santa Lucia is that it’s mostly flat, where a lot of Naples is hilly and steep. It makes getting around a lot easier, especially during the warmer months!

Eating and drinking in Santa Lucia couldn’t be easier also. Outside of hotel restaurants, you’ll find plenty of authentic dining spots on the lungomare (the promenade that winds along the coast), around the Castel dell’Ovo and in the streets back from the sea.

Santa Lucia is definitely where to stay in Napoli if you love fish – as the waterside neighborhood, fish is on the menu everywhere. You can also find pizza and meat dishes if that’s your preference though.

Chiaia, separated from the city center by Santa Lucia, is one of Naples’ most desirable neighborhoods for tourists and residents alike. This means you’ll have a different experience compared to staying centrally.

In Chiaia you’ll find streets packed with artisan shops and great quality restaurants, and just like Santa Lucia, you’ll enjoy sweeping views of the Bay of Naples and surrounding area.

The main difference between here and Santa Lucia is that as you will be a little further from the centre, prices per night for a hotel or apartment are lower. Transport links are not as widespread and while getting around in Naples is still straightforward, reaching the port or Napoli Centrale to explore Campania takes longer.

Chiaia is the best place to stay in Naples Italy if you want to feel more like a local, with accommodation options here mainly apartments (including luxury property options) and room rentals. If you prefer staying in hotels, this might not be the best area for you.

Naples’ Centro Storico is the densely populated heart of the city.

Large parts of this area follow the original ancient Greek grid layout, meaning you’ll find a maze of thin alleys and roads that crisscross each other, making staying in this area a fun and unique experience – as well as being conveniently located.

If you’re time limited and want to see as much of the city as possible, this is exactly where to stay in Napoli.

One important consideration for staying in the Centro Storico is that it’s not quiet. If you are sensitive to sounds when sleeping, you should only consider staying here for convenience.

Another consideration is that not all accommodation here will have soundproofing on the windows, so it’s worth checking if your hotel or apartment faces the busy streets.

To make things easier for you to decide if the Historic Centre is the best area to stay in Naples for you, we’ve broken down this jam-packed part of the city into several distinct sections:

Spaccanapoli – which loosely translates as ‘Naples Splitter’ is a long road that runs through the center of Naples.

As in most of the Centro Storico, you will find predominantly self-catering rentals and small B&B’s available here, with only a few larger hotels.

This area is packed with plenty of bars and restaurants, which contribute to the constant hum of life in Naples during both day and night.

We would recommend staying in this area if you are looking for an authentic Neapolitan experience, with a focus on sightseeing as most of the city’s main sites are within a short walk.

This area is in the northern part of the Historic Center, named for Naples’ main cathedral which is located here, the Duomo di Napoli. The Via Duomo runs across Spaccanapoli and Via Tribunali, and while it was originally a similarly narrow street, it was widened when the cathedral was renovated.

The buildings here are slightly different to other parts of the centro storico, being bigger and a little more modern. There are very few hotels here however, so if you’re looking for boutique B&Bs, you’ll have plenty of choice.

There is also a metro station named Duomo nearby, which is part of the main metro Line 1. So, if you stay in this area you can get to other parts of Naples extremely easily.

You will not struggle for places to eat and drink around the Duomo, as well as having lots of shops and amenities on your doorstep. This is definitely one of the louder areas to stay in as a result, so I’d suggest looking elsewhere if you’re a light sleeper.

Via Toledo is Naples’ modern street, running north-south through the city. This street directly connects most of Naples’ main monuments, providing easy access to the city’s principal museums, galleries and underground sites.

I find that any hotel, apartment or B&B on, or adjacent to Via Toledo is a good choice for where to stay in Naples Italy, because this is such a central location. Prices here tend to be in line with the city average, or a little higher depending on your proximity to certain key locations (listed below).

Museo

Starting at the ‘top’ (northern end) of Via Toledo (where it merges with Via Enrico Pessina) just beyond Piazza Dante, you’ll find the Museo metro station (on metro Line 1) on Piazza Cavour.

Named for its proximity for the National Archeological Museum of Naples, the MANN, this is the place I would stay if this world-class museum featuring finds from Pompeii and Herculaneum, ancient statuary from Rome and much more is on your itinerary.

This location is a little further away from the best restaurants and night life in Naples, but is therefore a little more quiet so it depends what your priority is for your trip.

You can still reach lots of great places on foot however (Piazza Bellini is a personal favourite) and overall it is an excellent place to stay in Naples.

Piazza Dante

Following Via Toledo south towards the sea, you’ll find yourself at Piazza Dante, named for the large statue of the famous poet and symbol of Italian nationalism, Dante Alighieri.

This prime location is close to Naples’ main university, meaning you’ll find an endless selection of places to eat and drink, from high-end restaurants to hole-in-the-wall takeaways.

You’ll also find lots of artisan shops selling everything from books to ceramics.

As we talked about previously, this is our go-to place to stay in Naples, and our favorite place to stay in this area is La Gemma B&B at Piazza Dante 22. We love it because the owner, Gemma, is full of fantastic recommendations on where to eat and what to do. The rooms are cozy, and its rooftop location keeps you away from the hustle and bustle of the streets below.

Piazza Plebiscito

At the southern end of Via Toledo you’ll arrive at Piazza Plebiscito, where you’ll find the Royal Palace, Galleria Umberto, San Carlo theater and Castel Nuovo.

This concentration of important sights means that it is a busy area during the day, but at night it’s quieter. You’re just a short walk from the Spanish Quarter and Santa Lucia, but staying in the vicinity of the piazza generally comes with a lower accommodation cost.

This end of Via Toledo makes a great base not just for sightseeing, but also for a quick walk to the port for ferries to Sorrento, the Amalfi Coast, Capri, Ischia and Procida.

The Spanish Quarter is where you will find Naples at its most Neapolitan.

What we mean by this is that the hotels and apartments are less refined and the streets more chaotic – think constant mopeds and excited voices 24/7. Light sleepers should not stay here!

The Spanish Quarter is the best place to stay in Naples Italy if you want a real taste of Naples. Street art is everywhere, narrow streets are packed with local restaurants, bars blare out Italian pop hits, locals shout to their neighbours from balconies high above and small grocery stores display everything from fresh mozzarella to laundry detergent.

You’ll find a good selection of small hotels/B&B’s and apartment rentals here, which are generally reasonably priced.

If you opt to stay in the Spanish Quarter you’ll be walking distance to many of Naples’ main sights, and the Toledo metro station (Metro Line 1) is also close by.

Our top tip for staying in the Spanish Quarter is to choose somewhere closer to Via Toledo. The higher up you go, the more local (and louder) it gets, and the further you are from transport links and places to see.

If you are visiting Naples as a foodie, consider staying on the Vomero hill.

This hilly neighborhood, accessed easily from the lower streets via the various funiculars, is brimming with fantastic restaurants and is where Neapolitans come when they want to eat well.

The Vomero has more of a local feel to it, with regular markets in the central streets, wider roads and lots of green spaces. You’ll see families here a lot too, and overall it’s less chaotic and busy than other parts of central Naples.

There are a handful of hotels in this area, and limited apartments, so it’s likely you’ll pay a little more on average per night but this is the trade-off if you want to be away from the noise of the center.

Being on top of the tall Vomero hill, you’ll be rewarded with stunning views of Vesuvius and the Bay of Naples. There are lots of places with a garden and it’s a lovely neighborhood to walk around in, along with visiting the impressive Castel Sant’Elmo.

This is one of the best places to stay in Naples if you’re traveling with kids. There are lots of spots where they can run around plus the funicular is fun to get up and down the hill – the Villa Floridiana park is particularly good.

If you have a packed itinerary of sightseeing however, this is not the ideal place to stay, just because you do have to factor in more time to get around.

Until relatively recently, La Sanità was not somewhere visitors to Naples would stay. North of the National Archeological Museum and going up to Capodimonte hill, this area was originally outside of the city walls and the home of multiple cemeteries and catacombs.

The neighborhood is densely populated and was not somewhere tourists were particularly welcomed, but post-COVID, with tourism demand growing and a local focus on regeneration and improvements, this area has become an increasingly popular base for visitors.

This popularity is also driven by the fact that La Sanità is home to the Catacombs of San Gennaro and Catacombs of San Gaudioso, two of Naples’ most popular sites to visit. The wonderful art gallery and public park of Capodimonte are also close by.

As this is an ‘up and coming’ neighborhood located a little further away from the historic center, you should be able to find cheaper accommodation. Consider that it will take you a little longer to reach most sights, and local amenities are not yet fully geared towards tourists and visitors. You will be able to enjoy some excellent authentic restaurants though!

If you don’t mind traveling a little bit to get to and from the center of Naples, consider staying here near the Capodimonte Museum and park (a short distance from La Sanità neighborhood). These apartments are owned by a good friend of ours, and we can personally vouch for the fantastic hospitality that you’ll receive if you opt to stay here.

While it may seem convenient to choose somewhere to stay near Napoli Centrale or Piazza Garibaldi, this would rarely be our choice for where to stay Naples.

The train station is not particularly close to the main sights, and offers visitors little in the way of standout places to eat and drink. Taking a little extra time when you arrive in Naples to reach accommodation closer to the historic centre is always going to be worth it in our experience.

The only reasons why you should consider staying in this area, are that you have an extremely early departure/late arrival, or that you are passing through Naples on your way to another destination and do not plan on seeing the city.

It could also be a suitable option if you have booked lots of tours, as Piazza Garibaldi is a common pick-up point for trips out to Mount Vesuvius, Pompeii, Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast.

Your best accommodation options here near the central train station are hotels, with a good selection on Piazza Garibaldi itself. The Unahotel Garibaldi is our top pick here, with lots of facilities and great service.

There are lots of places in the wider Campania region that make for amazing places to stay. The islands of Ischia and Procida, Capri, and even the Amalfi Coast have good connections to Naples, allowing you to combine city sightseeing with coastal relaxation.

However, outside of Naples, our recommended location to stay in is always Sorrento.

Connected to Naples by the Circumvesuviana train line and by numerous daily ferries, Sorrento makes an ideal base to explore Naples and Campania.

Sorrento itself is filled with amazing places to eat and drink, great shopping and lovely beach clubs for the summer. It is also perfectly located to reach all of the different places in Campania for lots of day trips.

You can get to and from Sorrento by car. It’s a relatively simple drive if you are renting a car, or you can opt for a private transfer if you’re looking for a little luxury on your trip. The train runs regularly to Naples, stopping at Pompeii along the way, and there are ferries that go to the Neapolitan islands and the Amalfi Coast towns too.

In Sorrento you’ll find all sizes and classes of hotels, as well as plentiful rental accommodation options. During the high season accommodation costs are higher than Naples, but as Sorrento is less energetic than Naples, making for a more relaxing home base, it can be worth it.

Click here to find out more about staying in Sorrento.