Naples & the Amalfi Coast Travel Guide
First Time in Naples
The practical playbook for a first visit to Naples and the bay — the bookings that sell out, the closing days that catch people out, trains, ferries and funiculars, eating like a Neapolitan, and the honest truth about safety and noise.
Naples has a reputation that arrives before you do: chaotic, loud, gritty, a little dangerous. Some of that is true, most of it is exaggerated, and all of it misses the point. This is one of the most alive cities in Europe, with three thousand years of history stacked in layers, the best pizza on earth, extraordinary museums and the most beautiful bay in the Mediterranean on its doorstep. The trick is to arrive prepared, so that the noise becomes energy rather than stress. Here is what a first-timer needs to know.
What to book ahead. A handful of things sell out or require advance reservation. Pompeii now runs on nominative tickets with a cap of 20,000 visitors a day, and from mid-March to mid-October you choose a morning or afternoon slot; book as soon as your dates are fixed. The Vesuvius crater path is sold online only, in timed slots with a daily cap, and closes on days of bad weather. The Sansevero Chapel, home of the Veiled Christ, requires booking; slots are released about two months ahead, with a few more a couple of days before. In summer, Capri and Amalfi Coast boat trips and popular restaurants on the coast also need booking. Everything else — the Archaeological Museum, Capodimonte, the Naples Underground, the catacombs — can usually be booked a day or two ahead, though weekends are busier.
The closing-day traps. Naples' museums close on different days, and it is easy to plan a day around a locked door. The National Archaeological Museum is closed on Tuesdays. The Sansevero Chapel is closed on Tuesdays. Capodimonte's museum is closed on Wednesdays (the park stays open). The Certosa di San Martino has closed on Tuesdays since the end of June 2026, while Castel Sant'Elmo next door stays open daily. Herculaneum keeps a weekly closing day of its own, so check before you travel. Churches typically close for a long lunch break in the early afternoon. Pompeii is open almost every day of the year, closing only on Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
Free days and passes. On the first Sunday of the month, state museums and sites, including Pompeii, Herculaneum, the Archaeological Museum and Capodimonte, are free; they are also very crowded, and Pompeii's free days cannot be booked online. Special free days are announced through the year. The Campania Artecard is a regional pass covering museums, archaeological sites and, in some versions, public transport; it can save money if you plan several sites in a few days, but compare it with your actual plan before buying.
Getting around Naples. The historic centre is compact and best seen on foot, though its streets are uneven and its scooters relentless. Metro Line 1 is the most useful line for visitors, linking Garibaldi station, the university, Toledo, Museo (for the Archaeological Museum) and Vomero; several of its stations, especially Toledo, are celebrated works of contemporary art. Three funiculars climb from the centre and Chiaia to Vomero, for Castel Sant'Elmo and the views. Buses fill the gaps but can be slow. Taxis are reasonably priced; use official white taxis, agree that the meter runs or ask for the fixed fares for standard routes, and use the ranks or an app. From Capodichino airport, the Alibus shuttle runs to the central station and the port, and taxis charge fixed fares into the city.
Getting around the bay. The Circumvesuviana, a local commuter railway, runs from Porta Nolana and Garibaldi stations along the coast to Herculaneum (Ercolano Scavi), Pompeii (Pompei Scavi-Villa dei Misteri) and on to Sorrento. It is cheap, frequent and famously unglamorous; keep an eye on your bag and allow extra time. Ferries and hydrofoils leave from Molo Beverello and Calata Porta di Massa for Capri, Ischia and Procida all year, and for Sorrento; ferries to Positano and Amalfi run in season only, roughly April to October. SITA buses run along the Amalfi Coast year-round. Driving in Naples is not recommended for visitors, and driving the Amalfi Coast in summer is an exercise in patience.
Safety and street smarts. Naples is safer than its reputation, and millions of visitors enjoy it without incident. The main risks are petty: pickpockets in crowded streets, on the Circumvesuviana and on buses; bag snatching by scooter in quieter streets; and the occasional scam. Keep phones and wallets in front pockets or a zipped bag worn across the body, do not leave phones on café tables near the street, and avoid deserted streets late at night, as you would anywhere. Traffic is the more constant hazard: cross with confidence and purpose, and expect scooters from any direction, including the pavement.
Eating like a Neapolitan. Pizza is the obvious starting point and is cheap, superb and everywhere; the classic is the margherita or the marinara, with a soft, puffy, slightly charred crust. Street food is a world of its own: pizza fritta (fried pizza), the cone of fried seafood called cuoppo, frittatine of pasta, and the pizza a portafoglio folded and eaten standing. Coffee is taken short and strong, standing at the bar, and the tradition of caffè sospeso, paying for a coffee for a stranger, still survives. Pastries include the sfogliatella, the rum-soaked babà and, at Easter, the pastiera. Ragù on a Sunday, spaghetti with clams, and mozzarella di bufala from the plains north of the city complete the essentials.
Tipping and money. Service is often included as a cover charge (coperto) or service charge on restaurant bills; rounding up or leaving a little extra for good service is appreciated but not expected. Cards are widely accepted, but carry some cash for small purchases, street food, the Blue Grotto and bus tickets bought at tabacchi.
When to go. Spring (April to June) and autumn (September to October) are ideal. Summer is hot, crowded and expensive on the coast but glorious for the sea. November to March is quiet and mild, with short days, reduced ferries and many coastal hotels closed, but Naples itself is at its most authentic, the museums are uncrowded and the Christmas season, centred on the crib-makers of San Gregorio Armeno, is magical. Whatever the season, give Naples at least three days of its own before heading to the coast; the city rewards those who stay.