How To Spend One Perfect Day in Naples, Italy
Naples: you either hate it or you love it. It’s definitely one of the most authentic cities in Italy.
It has a rough edge to it, yet is charming in its own way. The food is delicious, the weather is good and it’s located near to the beautiful island of Ischia.
If you’re short on time, it’s good to know how to spend your time here. In this article, you’ll read how to spend one perfect day in Naples, Italy.
Is Naples safe to visit?
Many people question whether it is safe to visit Naples, as it is often referred to as a dangerous city. Therefore, I will first answer the following question: is Naples safe to visit?
Naples does not have a very innocent reputation due to the presence of the Gomorra.
To be honest, at first when we arrived in Naples, we felt a bit intimidated by all the graffiti, the interesting choice of jewelry and many dark alleyways we had to go through to reach our guest house.
However, soon after we realized that the rough side of Naples is what makes it charming. It is real and does not portray itself as something it is not. It’s also not made into a picture-perfect image for tourism.
Naples is a real city with real people. Nevertheless, I would not recommend you to flash around jewelry or expensive items while you are walking on the streets of Naples.
If you keep this in mind before you visit Naples, you will be able to enjoy Naples a lot more. Besides, the food in Naples alone makes it definitely worth going.
If you are the type of person to prefer authentic and rough over touristic and picture-perfect, read along to discover the 5 best things to do in Naples, Italy.
How to spend one day in Naples, Italy
So if you’re short on time during your stay in Naples, what should you do here? Read on to find out the 5 best things to do in Naples if you only have one day to spend here.
Eat pizza and drink limoncello at Vesi Pizzeria
Although we had not heard or read about this pizzeria before, we decided to give it a try after my aunty, who has lived in Naples for 20 years, recommended it to us.
The restaurant itself does not look very appealing, but the pizza, bruschetta and limoncello were delicious and very well priced.
Without a doubt, this was – surprisingly enough – one of the best food experiences I had during a trip to Italy.
The address of Vesi Pizzeria is: Via Conte di Ruvo, 6, 80135 Napoli NA, Italy.
Visit one of the many markets in Naples
There are many markets in Naples and you might just stumble upon one while you are walking around. Some markets are filled with clothing and others mostly with antique or food.
For a real taste of Napolitan life you should go and visit La Pignasecca Market. This is a small, busy and vibrant market with a lot of food options. The market is open every day. The address is: Piazza Cardinale Sisto Riario Sforza 80139 Naples.
If you would like to visit more of a flea market I would suggest the market at the Agnano Hippodrome. Here you can find antiques, crafts, electronics, used clothes and many more.
This market is only opened on Sunday morning from 06.00 till about 14.00 o’ clock. The address is: Via Raffaele Ruggiero, 1 – 80125 Naples.
Go thrift shopping in the Old Town of Naples
There are lots of vintage stores around Napoli which have very good quality clothes at low prices. Our favorite vintage store we encountered was I ♥ Vintage, which has loads of second hand quality bargains.
It’s located in the beautiful Old City Centre and this is the address: Via Mezzocannone 135, Naples.
Drink cocktails at Archeobar
If you want to unwind from the busy streets of Naples and all the noises and smells you have met during your day, the best thing to do is to head over to Archeobar to drink a cocktail or two (or more).
Archeobar is a small and intimate cocktail bar which has great bartenders and offers excellent drinks, especially Negroni is one of the cocktails they master.
Archeobar is located in the Old City Centre and this is the address: Via Mezzocannone, 101/Bis, Naples.
Treat yourself to delicious dessert at Hostaria Meditteraneo
Hostaria Meditteraneo is a restaurant which offers amazing and authentic Neapolitan cuisine. The menu has a small range of local dishes and there is a separate menu for salads and pizzas.
When we were there we ordered the grilled anchovies and a pizza capricciosa, which were very appetizing.
But what was even better than this were the mouth-watering desserts! We ordered tiramisu and cheesecake with chocolate as desserts and honestly, this was one of the best decisions of our whole trip.
The restaurant is located nearby the Central Train Station and this is the address: Corso Meridionale, 49/50, 80142 Naples.
The last photo below is taken after we had just left the restaurant. A picture says more than a thousand words…
Where to stay in Naples?
Choosing the right accommodation is always very important. It can really make or break your eventual stay. So where should you stay during your time here?
For a clean and excellent accommodation, located in a safe and central area of Naples, have a look over here.
For a comfortable room in a convenient location, have a look at Napoli Squares Suites. Click here for accurate prices.
If you’re looking to stay in an apartment in the most trendy area, I would recommend Casa Olga. Here you can sip your morning tea or coffee on your balcony overlooking the city. For more information click here.
In conclusion
Naples is sometimes considered a very dangerous and unpredictable city. Because of this, we weren’t too sure what to expect of it. It sounded like we could be robbed at any moment of the day.
However, after visiting, I only have very positive associations with the city. It’s definitely a ”rough” city, but this is what makes it very charming. It’s not built for the eyes of tourism. It’s a very real city with real people.
Therefore, I can only recommend visiting Naples at least once in your life. Even if you’re only here for one day. Eat some delicious Italian food, visit its local markets and indulge yourself in everything this special city has to offer.
Have you ever been here? If so, what did you think of it? Please let me know your thoughts in the comments!
Away with Danae
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