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Let us share with you the perfect way to spend one day in Naples and see many of the city’s top sights!
Start your day with a perfect view of Vesuvius
Our suggested one day in Naples itinerary
Of course, we would always recommend spending more than one day in Naples, but maybe you’re visiting Naples as part of a bigger trip to Campania, or are coming for just a day from somewhere else like Rome, or planning a cruise shore excursion.
Whatever the reason, in this guide we’ll be sharing with you the perfect one day Naples itinerary to help you make the most of this unique city!
This itinerary will serve as the perfect introduction to Naples
Our one day in Naples itinerary includes:
- Starting your day with views of Mount Vesuvius and more
- Discovering the hidden side of Naples
- Indulging in an authentic taste of Naples
- Exploring one of the world’s greatest archeological collections
- Learning about San Gennaro, the patron saint of Naples
- Soaking up some of Naples’ famous street atmosphere in the historic center
- Signing off your day with some real Neapolitan pizza
But first, read this before we start:
For the purpose of this guide we’ll assume you are either arriving in Naples by train, or are staying in Naples’ city center.
I would recommend starting your day (arriving in Naples or exiting your accommodation) at 8AM to maximize your time here.
This page includes specific recommendations based on our experiences, helping you to discover the most about Naples in a relatively short space of time for first time visitors. As such, we do not recommend entering most sites (unless specifically noted), as you won’t see as much, but of course, you can tailor this Naples itinerary to your needs and interests!
If you have visited Naples previously and are looking for more suggestions, read our pages all about what to do in Naples and exploring beyond the city into the Campania region.
Naples is a fast-paced city and our guide aims to live up to that reputation, in a good way!
Part 1: Starting your day with views of Mount Vesuvius and more
This section should take you around 1.5-2 hours.
From Napoli Centrale, the main Naples train station, make your way to Piazza Municipio – you can:
- Take Naples Metro line 1 (1,50€ single use ticket – 20 minutes)
- Walk (free – 30 minutes)
- Grab a taxi from the rank outside the train station (10-15€ – 15 minutes)
Once at Piazza Municipio, head southwest and walk along Via Vittorio Emanuele III until you reach Piazza Trieste e Trento and Gran Caffè Gambrinus (we’ll be coming back here!).
This route will take you past some of some Naples’ most iconic landmarks, including the world-famous San Carlo theater and shopping area of Galleria Umberto I.
Gambrinus is a great place to recharge during any visit to Naples
From Gran Caffè Gambrinus, bear left and head across Piazza del Plebiscito with the Royal Palace (Palazzo Reale) on your left and Basilica Reale Pontificia San Francesco di Paola on your right.
Continue straight and you’ll find a small, elongated green space, which (on clear days!) provides some of the best views of Mount Vesuvius in Naples! Head to the end of this green space and find the statue of the Roman emperor Augustus looking out to sea.
Find Augustus and take in the view of Vesuvius and the Bay of Naples
Take some time to soak in the views of the bay and then retrace your steps to Gran Caffè Gambrinus. This cafe has been here since 1860 so is a piece of Naples’ history and an essential stop when you visit Naples!
Stop here for a coffee, snack and bathroom break, keeping your energy levels up and recharging for the next part.
Curious to know more, or want to share your own tips? Leave a comment!
Part 2: Discover the hidden side of Naples
This section should take you around 2 hours.
From Gran Caffè Gambrinus head along the edge of Piazza del Plebiscito and walk up Via Gennaro Serra. Here you will find the Vico Grottone entrance to the Galleria Borbonica (Bourbon Gallery).
Be sure to book tickets in advance as there are limited numbers allowed inside at any one time.
This is one of my favorite sites in all of Naples as it covers the city’s entire history, provides visitors with a truly unique experience and showcases a hidden side of Naples.
The Bourbon Gallery is a museum which combines an underground warren of ancient Greek and Roman cisterns, along with a near-500m tunnel constructed in the 18th century for the last Bourbon King of Naples to connect the Royal palace and guards’ barracks (and to act as an escape route in the event of trouble).
You should think of the Bourbon Gallery as a museum to the history of Naples as a city
During World War II, these underground spaces were connected and repurposed as bomb shelters, before then being used as an impound yard and garbage storage location until relatively recently.
Now this incredible hidden space has been uncovered and turned into a museum showcasing Naples’ varied and fascinating history.
Be sure to check out the unique gift shop/flea market at the end of your visit where you’ll find items discovered during the clearance of the tunnels.
These everyday objects once belonged to Neapolitans and were discarded either in a rush during the Allied air raids, or purposely – either way, one man’s trash can be another man’s treasure!
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Part 3: A taste of Napoli
This part should take you around 1.5-2 hours.
Once you’ve exited the Bourbon Gallery with a souvenir in hand, let’s head to lunch!
From here you have a few options:
- Head to the Chiaia neighborhood – one of Naples’ wealthiest – where you’ll find a number of higher-end restaurants, bistros and bars. Our favourite here is Coco Loco, a bistro offering refined Italian dishes with an emphasis on seafood.
- Walk along Via Chiaia and then turn on to Via Giovanni Nicotera to enter the Spanish Quarter (Quartiere Spagnolo), one of our favorite neighborhoods in the city center. Here you will find Naples at its most Neapolitan – narrow streets, scooters zig-zagging everywhere and family run, hole in the wall businesses. If you’re looking for street food, wander the streets for a few minutes and you’re bound to find something – it’s hard to go wrong here!
- Head towards the historic center of Naples by following Via Chiaia back to Gran Caffè Gambrinus and then take Via Toledo north. If time allows, detour via the Spanish Quarter, if just for a short while, to see it briefly. Turn right on to Spaccanapoli (a few minutes before reaching Piazza Dante) and then right on to Via Santa Chiara where you’ll find Monstero Ristovino – one of our favorite spots for authentic Neapolitan cuisine offering traditional pastas and an extensive wine list.
One of my favorite things to eat on the go is a ripieno; a form of calzone, deep fried and traditionally filled with ricotta
Part 4: Explore one of the world’s greatest archeological collections
This section will take 2.5-3 hours.
If you opted to have lunch in Chiaia and don’t mind a long-ish walk (45-60 minutes depending on your pace), navigate to Via Toledo via Via Chiaia and continue north until you arrive at the National Archaeological Museum of Naples (MANN).
If you are feeling tired or pressed for time, don’t forget that Uber operates in Naples and is reliable.
If you opted for lunch in the Spanish Quarter, walk to Toledo metro station. From here you can opt to take the metro (and see one of Naples’ famous ‘art stations’) to the Museo stop, or walk 20-30 minutes to the museum.
If you opted for Piazza Dante, you can either enter the metro at Dante, getting off at Museo for the National Archaeological Museum of Naples (MANN) or walk 10 minutes.
On arrival at the MANN, I recommend (after checking your bag) heading straight upstairs.
Make your way up the monumental staircase at the end of the main entrance atrium when you first arrive
Up here you’ll find dozens of galleries hosting items and finds from Pompeii, Herculaneum and more.
Take your time to explore these galleries, which are often less busy than the downstairs rooms of the museum and provide a nice break from the crowds.
Work your way down to the ground level – after coming down the monumental staircase, bear right and follow the signs for the cafe. Here you can rest your feet and ponder everything you’ve seen (so far) over a coffee or spritz.
Take a break in the small courtyard garden near the cafe to recharge
Once recharged, follow the galleries on this side of the museum where you’ll find stunning ancient statuary, intricate mosaics and much more. Most of the items in this section were discovered at Herculaneum, Pompeii or the immediate areas surrounding Naples.
You’ll re-enter the main atrium, close to where you entered the museum. Head straight and enter the ‘Farnese Galleries’.
So-called because many of the pieces here were unearthed by the Farnese, a powerful and influential family who undertook many excavations at sites such as the Baths of Caracalla in Rome during the 16th century.
Within these rooms you’ll find some of the best examples of ancient Roman and Greek statuary. Two prime examples include the colossal statue of Hercules and the Farnese Bull (both from the Baths of Caracalla in Rome), both conveniently in the same room.
Discover examples of ancient Roman statuary, sculpture and much more in the ground floor galleries of the MANN
Once you have explored the Farnese collection, depending on how you are doing for time (and energy), head to the other galleries that interest you before exiting the museum.
If you have followed the timings in this guide, it should be around 5PM by this point. We have one more major sightseeing stop before aperitivo and dinner…
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Part 5: Learn about San Gennaro, the patron saint of Naples
When leaving the museum, turn left and walk up the main road of Piazza Cavour before turning down Via Duomo to reach the cathedral of Naples, the Duomo – about a 15 minute walk.
Head up the steps and go inside (it’s free to enter) before taking a seat in one of the central pews and admire one of the most beautiful churches in the city, dedicated to San Gennaro, the most important saint in Naples who is thought of as the city’s protector.
At critical times he is called on to help save the city, most notably during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 1631 when the lava miraculously stopped, and is an extremely popular figure in Naples.
San Gennaro is said to have been born in Benevento in the 3rd century before Christianity was legal in the Roman empire. He was helping other Christians escape persecution when he was himself caught and sentenced to death. Originally intended to be used as entertainment in the amphitheater in Pozzuoli where he was to be thrown into the ring with wild bears, he was instead beheaded nearby.
Naples Duomo is incredibly ornate and worth visiting, offering you a peaceful ending to a busy day
If you are lucky you might visit at a point that the blood of San Gennaro has liquefied, signifying good luck for Naples
A woman named Eusebia supposedly saved some of his blood from where his body had been discarded, which is the origin of the distinctly Neapolitan Miracles of the Blood. This religious ceremony happens three times a year, early May (when San Gennaro’s body was finally laid to rest in the catacombs), September 19 (the date he was martyred) and December 16 (when he saved Naples from the eruption of Vesuvius).
On these three days the special ampoules that hold San Gennaro’s blood are brought out and tested for liquification. If the blood goes from solid to liquid it is held that a miracle has taken place which is good luck for Naples and its people!
To the right of the main nave you can see the lavish Royal Chapel of San Gennaro with beautiful frescoes and many gold and silver busts of Naples’ patron saints, and you can pay extra to see these up close along with more special pieces in the adjoining Museum of the Treasure of San Gennaro.
The opposite chapel dates back far longer and is the remains of the original church that stood here, Santa Restituta, which has a completely different feel to it. I highly recommend taking the time to see the different parts of the cathedral as it helps tell the story of Naples through the centuries!
Be sure to visit the Santa Restituta chapel in Naples Duomo to see these beautiful mosaics
Part 6: People-watch and see the world go by
At this point the sightseeing part of your one day in Naples is over, but we’ve missed one quintessentially Neapolitan thing during our day… pizza!
Before dinner however, take a breather and relax with aperitivo.
Like anywhere in Italy, aperitivo is an integral part of the day. Locals treat it as an opportunity to unwind after work, and get ready for dinner.
From Naples cathedral, make your way along Spaccanapoli – the iconic street that splits (the ‘spacca’ part of the name) the city where you’ll find no end of places to grab a drink.
If you have a little extra time and are happy to walk a little more, head to one of our favorite places for aperitivo in Naples; Piazza Dante
Stop wherever takes your fancy and order your favorite refreshment, sit back, and watch the world go by; there’s no better place to people watch in Naples than Spaccanapoli!
Many bars will offer takeaway, so if you still have energy after sightseeing, get your drink to go and head to Via San Gregorio Armeno and the Street of the Nativity, so-called because you’ll find the whole street packed with craftsmen and shops offering presepi.
These little figurines are used to create traditional nativity scenes at Christmas and are a great souvenir to take home to remember your visit to Naples each festive season!
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Part 7: Reward yourself with the ultimate edible symbol of Naples
No day in Naples would be complete without pizza, and while super famous spots like l’Antica Pizzeria da Michele have their place, we prefer to eat at lesser known pizzerias.
Honestly, it’s hard to find bad pizza in Naples; this is the home of pizza after all!
If you’ve followed our itinerary, head to Portico Pizzeria; for us it’s just as good as the nearby (and much more famous Gino e Toto Sorbillo) and never as busy.
There’s no better way to end a busy day of sightseeing than with a real Neapolitan pizza!
If you had pizza already for lunch, or are not a pizza fan, go to Trattoria Enoteca Campagnola. This is one of our favorite non-pizza restaurants in Naples. It ticks all of the boxes; great value, incredible menu and friendly staff – what more could you want?
If you’ve not followed our itinerary and are somewhere else in the city, either ask the waiter at the bar you stopped at for aperitivo for their pizza recommendation (locals know best!), or use Google Maps by searching ‘pizza’. Go for any highly-rated establishment and you won’t be disappointed.
After dinner, make your way back to your accommodation (grabbing a gelato en route if your stomach allows) or to Napoli Centrale station for your train.
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To sum up…
This itinerary is designed to see as much as possible over one day in Naples, but it barely scratches the surface! If you have more time here during your trip, be sure to check out our longer visit guides to explore further.
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