10 Best Things To Do In Naples, Italy
Naples is the third-largest city in Italy, after Rome and Milan. It is full of rich history and is also located right next to the sea – making it a great holiday destination that has plenty of things to do to suit everyone. If you’re planning on visiting Naples, here are the 10 best things to do in Naples:
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Contents:
1. Visit Pompeii
Okay, so technically Pompeii isn’t in Naples – but it’s very close to it and one of the most well-known sites in the world. Around 16,000 people died in 79 A.D due to Mount Vesuvius erupting and covering the site in ash and debris that caused the bodies to be preserved. It’s a great thing to visit if you love history, as there’s so much to learn and it’s amazing to witness in real life instead of through a photo.
Visiting Pompeii from Naples takes about 40-55 minutes via train, and it costs about £6. You could also take the bus for about the same amount of time and for a very similar price, or drive yourself as it takes around 25 minutes driving.
Tickets for Pompeii can be bought online and cost € 16.00 for a normal ticket and only € 2.00 for a reduced ticket – which is if you are an EU citizen aged 18-25.
2. Caserta Royal Palace
Caserta Royal Palace is also located a little bit out of Naples – but it makes for a really fun day trip, so is well worth the mention here! This impressive palace was built in 1752, and in fact, was the largest palace built in Europe during the 18th century, and is the largest royal residence in the world.
From Naples, Caserta Royal Palace takes about an hour to reach on the train, and tickets cost around £7. There is also a very regular bus that you can take which takes around 24 minutes and costs £4.
Caserta Royal Palace is open from 8:30 am till 7:30 pm, every day except Tuesdays and tickets cost a maximum of € 15.00 for the castle and the grounds.
3. Naples Underground Tour
Beneath Naples runs lots of mysterious paths and tunnels as not many people know that Naples has an underground geothermal zone. You can be guided through the paths and learn all about the interesting but little-known history of the underground of Naples, where so many historical things have taken place. Read my review of the Naples Underground Tour – it’s one of the best things to do in Naples!
Regular tickets cost € 10.00, and English tours are at 12:00 pm, 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm, whereas Italian tours are at 10:00 am, 1:00 pm and 6:00 pm. It is strongly recommended to purchase tickets in advance as there are a limited amount of spaces.
4. Royal Palace of Naples
The Royal Palace of Naples is a must-visit! It was first built in the 17th century and has hosted lots of royals over its time. It is lavishly decorated and a visit here will leave you feeling like you’re on the set of Bridgerton! A visit here is a great way to learn all about the history of Naples and is a great way to spend a few hours.
It is located in the San Fernando district and is very easy to get to, whether you choose to walk, drive or use the metro.
It is open every day from 9 am till 8 pm apart from Wednesdays. Tickets cost € 6.00 for adults and € 3.00 for people aged 18 – 24.
5. The Herculaneum Ruins
Herculaneum is an ancient city that underwent the same fate as Pompeii. It’s best known as being one of the few ancient cities to be preserved the ash that blanketed the town also protected it against looting and the elements. It was the first, and for a long time, the only buried Vesuvian city to be found as Pompeii was only revealed in 1748 and identified in 1763. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site – so you can be sure that it is worth a visit!
Herculaneum takes only 29 minutes on the train and costs around £2 – so it’s definitely worth a visit!
It takes around 3-4 hours to explore all the ruins, and tickets cost around € 18.00 and can be bought online.
6. The Paestum Temples
The Paestum Temples are made up of three temples overall, these are – the First Temple of Hera at Paestum, the oldest of the three temples and was built around 550 BC. The Second Temple of Hera, which was built around 450 BC, and finally the Temple of Athena. They are beautifully preserved and I really recommend visiting them if you love Greek history in particular.
The Paestum Temples are located about an hour away from Naples via train, which would cost around £12.
Tickets for the Paestum Temples cost about € 9.00 and € 4.00 for a reduced ticket – and these prices include the museum too!
7. Cimitero Delle Fontanelle
Cimitero Delle Fontanelle is maybe perhaps a bit of an odd thing to visit in Naples as it is an ossuary in a cave. If you don’t know what an ossuary is, then it’s a room where dead people are placed – don’t worry they are just skeletons now, but it may still not be for some!
It’s free to enter Cimitero Delle Fontanelle, but please remember to be respectful at all times as it is still a resting place for people.
8. Naples Archaeological Museum
Naples Archaeological Museum is one of the most famous and most visited museums in the entirety of Italy! There are so many things to see and learn about here, and it is particularly good for people who are interested in the Romans as there are lots of Roman artefacts on display here. There are also lots of Greek artefacts and artefacts from the Renaissance era to be explored.
The Naples Archaeological Museum is open every day from 9 am till 7:30 pm but is closed on Tuesdays. It costs € 15.00 for a regular ticket and a reduced ticket is € 2.00.
9. Mount Vesuvius
Mount Vesuvius is the infamous volcano that erupted and caused destruction to Pompeii and Herculaneum – and it’s still active to this day! It is a very good way to spend a few hours if you like hiking as it’s open to the public if you wish to explore it, the last eruption was in 1944. It is known as one of the most dangerous volcanos in the world due to the fact that if it were to erupt today, then many lives would be lost.
There are lots of different hiking paths up Mount Vesuvius that you can take, it is relatively safe to hike as if there were going to be an eruption, then there would be warning signs before and local authorities would be made aware.
10. Gallerie Borboncia
Gallerie Boboncia is a very unique thing to do in Naples as it is tunnels, wartime bunkers and cistern systems all connected. It’s full of rich history to learn about and explore – and is also a great way to cool off from the warm Italian sun for a few hours.
Each tour is guided and costs around € 10.00 to enter. Tour days are Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 10 am, 12 pm, 3 pm and 5 pm.
Have you ever visited Naples? What was your favourite thing to do in Naples? What would you like to do the most?
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