Viewing 19 posts - 1 through 19 (of 19 total)
  • Naples, tips and recommendations
  • captain_bastard
    Free Member

    Off to Naples next week, taking my 16 year old daughter (as a finishing school treat, ain’t I nice!)

    Will probably spend a day at Pompeii, but avoiding the organised tours (and cost!). Ferry over to Capri also on the cards

    Staying in the old part of Naples, probably spend a good day or two mootching around

    Anyone got any recommendations or tips? Knowing how well travelled the STW hive is, thought worth a post here

    perchypanther
    Free Member

    SPF 50 and a Stab vest

    BigButSlimmerBloke
    Free Member

    Capello di San Severano to see the Veiled Christ – amazing.
    Archeological Museum for at least half a day (although the goat porn might be a bit much for a 16 yo daughter – google images for Gabinetto Segreto Napoli to see what I mean)
    Wander up and down Spaccanapoli and the Via dei Tribunali
    If you haven’t had enough Rome after Pompeii, try Herculaneum – a smaller site in better condition
    Sorbillo’s and/or da Michel for pizza – both cheap and excellent (but go to Sorbillo early or be prepared to queue)
    Treat yourself to a sit down inside coffee at Gambrinu’s. Outside is great to watch the world go by, inside is expensive and decadent.
    Also, Castel Sant Elmo (big castle up on the hill) is a nice getaway from the city, with a decent museum and art gallery as well as excellent views out over the city, bay and Vesuvius.

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    13thfloormonk
    Full Member

    Not sure how tricky the logistics are, but the hop-on/hop-off bus tours from Sorrento to Positano/Amalfi/Ravello are great. Quite cheap, relatively flexible, a great way to spend a day.

    You would of course need to get to Sorrento first, unless there is an equivalent trip from Napoli.

    Ravello was our favourite spot, required changing bus but it’s up in the hills so cooler, less crowded, and the restaurant we found (near the bus stop, balcony overlooking the coast) was amazing, and relatively cheap.

    Follow the old streets and steps back into Amalfi.

    Pompeii was fine, enjoyed Vesuvius more although it was still crazy busy.

    jekkyl
    Full Member

    keep your wits about you and your wallet somewhere safe.

    torsoinalake
    Free Member

    Take a cab from the ferry port to the airport for a white knuckle near death experience thrill ride.

    BigButSlimmerBloke
    Free Member

    ..or the cheaper version – just cross a busy road.
    The following instructions on the art and adventure of crossing the road worked for me –
    stand at the kerb and watch the traffic
    pick a car
    make eye contact with the driver – do NOT attempt this if no eye contact made
    step out as if he’s going to stop
    he probably will, if not he’ll swerve round you
    once you’ve started, keep walking – another driver has already targeted the space you occupy now
    once you’re ok with this, gesticulate wildly for no reason

    JAG
    Full Member

    Try the Underground trains and Stations. They have recently refurbished the stations with lot’s of arty stuff. T’is a pleasure to behold. See pictures here Naples Underground Google Image Search

    Also visit the catacombs here San Gennaro

    Also go here; National Archaeological Museum of Naples

    I would also second a visit to Herculaneum…you could use the Underground train to get from Naples to Herculaneum. Thereby “killing two birds with one stone”

    Have a great trip and don’t be afraid of the locals – they’re mostly very friendly 8)

    MTB-Idle
    Free Member

    I did Vesuvius and Pompeii and both were spectacular but Herculaneum is supposedly better. I don’t know, I didn’t go, i was happy with the former.

    Sorrento and the old town restaurants and sunken side streets are beautiful and very reasonable.

    Italian drivers are an experience not to be missed. My best piece of driving/riding was a guy going around a hairpin bend on a scooter in shorts and flip flops being overtaken by another guy on a scooter on the same haripin bend in shorts and flip flops with his girlfriend on the back and BOTH of them being overtaken on the same hairpin bend by a bloke on a scooter in shorts and flip flops and texting at the same time.

    None of them wore helmets.

    It’s very hilly around there.

    If the big pointy thing starts to blow then start running/swimming

    tthew
    Full Member

    Don’t bother with Capri. Waste of a day IMHO. Sorrento’s lovely. There is a train from Naples to Sorrento right round the bay. Cheap and doesn’t take too long.

    DougD
    Full Member

    Just back from a long weekend in Rome. Did a day trip down to Naples on the fast train (an hour or so each way) and from there took the circumvesuviana train to Ercolano to visit Herculaneum. That was great, Herculaneum was really interesting and definitely worth a visit. In Naples, I can also recommend a walk up the Via dei Tribunali, it was on that street that we grabbed a pizza at Di Matteos which was excellent and really cheap.

    If the taxis are anything like in Rome it’ll make for an interesting experience and I second this wholeheartedly:

    BigButSlimmerBloke – Member
    ..or the cheaper version – just cross a busy road.
    The following instructions on the art and adventure of crossing the road worked for me –
    stand at the kerb and watch the traffic
    pick a car
    make eye contact with the driver – do NOT attempt this if no eye contact made
    step out as if he’s going to stop
    he probably will, if not he’ll swerve round you
    once you’ve started, keep walking – another driver has already targeted the space you occupy now
    once you’re ok with this, gesticulate wildly for no reason

    alpin
    Free Member

    was there in december with the van. driving through naples is an experience in itself, more so with a LWB and abikes on the back…. down a one way street with scooters coming towards you and finding spaces that you never believed possible.

    just have a wander around the town. plenty of people watching and cafes. loads of Pâtisserie places.

    what struck me ws the nise. tiny streets, vespas everywhere.

    lovely city, but after three days my ears had had enough.

    Matt24k
    Free Member

    Just be aware that as in any major city there are nice and not so nice people and places in Naples. It is Italy’s Junky Central. As mentioned above there are loads of great things to see and do but keep your eyes open, your wallet closed and your phone safe.

    captain_bastard
    Free Member

    Loads of great suggestions, thanks all.

    Well aware of the shady rep it that comes with, will be extra vigilant

    Like the idea of using the train / underground, sorrento and Herculaneum sound like a really good shout

    Going to get on the interWeb and check out some of the other suggestions

    Cheers 🙂

    MTB-Idle
    Free Member

    we got the bus (coach) from the airport to Sorrento and as we were heading south all the scooters were coming back from a day at the beach and heading north.

    They were flying along on the wrong side of the road and then ducking in as the coach approached and as mentioned above finding space you wouldn’t believe existed.

    Until one of them was a bit slow, there was a bang and a grinding sound and all the Brits on board went ‘WHOA!’.

    I was sitting near the front and the driver without even lifting his foot off the pedal gave a casual glance in his side view mirror, the Italian equivalent of a Gallic shrug and carried on to our destination.

    karlsbug
    Free Member

    Went to Pompeii and Vesuvius last year. Pompeii was excellent and surprisingly quiet (end of August) but v hot. I took two 750ml SIS bottles and we just kept filling them at the taps that are all over the place. You can book online in advance but you have to choose your day. Don’t even think about seeing it in one day unless you are there early and leave late. We also went into Pompeii new town for a butchers and once past the grotty outskirts the town centre was really quite nice. There is an amazing coffee/cake/gelateria not far from the Pompeii entrance – I had the best hand pulled espresso and ice cream ever. Never went to Herculaneum but as they say its supposed to be better and it’s closer to Naples I think.

    Vesuvius was also pretty amazing, we had a hire car which made life easier. Take a jumper to the top and don’t wear flip flops or stilletos (yes, they really do). You can buy a ‘I Love Vesuvio’ hoody at the tat shops close to the walking bit. The lower slopes were full of rubbish and derelict hotels and cafes. The best bit for me was seeing the Vesuvius Fiat Panda 4×4 razzing up the track top the top.

    YoKaiser
    Free Member

    Don’t dismiss the organised tours, the guide at Pompeii was excellent, I reckon we would have missed loads if not for the guide. You’d probably be able to get a Pompeii Vesuvius double day. We never went to Capri but went to Ischia instead and had a day at the spa,it was very nice.

    fourbanger
    Free Member

    Hole in the wall pizza shops. Pizza and a beer for €5. One of the best I’ve had. Via Tribunali sounds familiar.

    ChubbyBlokeInLycra
    Free Member

    Pizza’s ideal for sitting dow, but if you’re snacking on the hoof try arancini – stuffed rice balls coated in breadcrumbs so they look a bit like an orange (arancia in Italian) – are easy to eat whilst out and about, tasty, cheap and filling without being sleep inducing.

    And if you like ice cream, Gay Odin is worth a visit

Viewing 19 posts - 1 through 19 (of 19 total)

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