Book a Flight to Naples from €48

Cathedral of San Gennaro (Duomo): Dedicated to the patron saint of Naples, St Januarius, the city’s imposing cathedral was built in the late 13th century and acquired its neo-Gothic façade in the 19th century. Its most important section is the chapel of St Januarius, a baroque masterpiece, inside of which are housed the saint’s relics and two ampoules containing his solidified blood for the protection of the city against a fatal eruption of Vesuvius.Address: Via Duomo 147, 80138 Napoli.  

Naples National Archaeological Museum: Since 1777 one of the world’s most important collections of Greek and Roman antiquities has been housed in a 16th-century palazzo with a long history. Admire the amazing mosaics and frescoes of Pompeii, the rare collection of colossal Greek and Roman sculptures in the Farnese Collection, as well as the wonderful Gabinetto Segreto (the secret cabinet, a collection of works of ancient erotica from Pompeii and Herculaneum).Piazza Museo Nazionale 19, 80135 Napoli, www.cir.campania.beniculturali.it/museoarcheologiconazionale 

Teatro di San Carlo: Fans of opera must not miss a trip to Europe’s oldest operating opera house (1737). The wonderful frescoes in its domed roof, the brocaded six-level galleries and its perfect acoustics make it one of the most important sights in Italy. Via San Carlo 98, 80132 Napoli, www.teatrosancarlo.it 

Napoli Sotterranea: Discover an amazing underground world, 40 metres beneath the streets of Naples’ historic centre. Roman aqueducts and cisterns, a Greco-Roman theatre, a Roman marketplace with untouched shop fronts (1st century), and the oldest Early Christian catacombs (2nd century) in Italy with exquisite frescoes are just some of the wonders brought to light by archaeologists. Access is via various points in the city and the guided tours offer an unforgettable experience. Address: Piazza San Gaetano 68, 80138 Napoli, www.napolisotterranea.org 

Cappella Sansevero: Built in the early 17th century, this stunning chapel-mausoleum dedicated to the aristocratic Di Sangro family has for centuries been surrounded by an aura of mystery. At the centre of the mystery are the impressive 18th-century marble statues that adorn its central gallery, the unworldly plasticity of which makes them appear transparent. The most famous sculpture in the chapel is the beautiful “Christ Veiled under a Shroud” by Giuseppe Sanmartino. Address: Via Francesco de Sanctis 19/21, 80134 Napoli, www.museosansevero.it 

Museo di Capodimonte: Built in 1738 in the lush gardens of a green hill with a view over the gulf of Naples, the royal palace of the Spanish king Charles III is home to the invaluable Farnese Collection of European paintings as well as those of the Bourbon dynasty. The collection unfolds over 160 rooms and covers the period from the 13th to the 19th century. Among its many items, you can admire works by Titian, Raphael, Masaccio, Botticelli, Bellini, El Greco, Caravaggio and Bruegel.Address: Parco di Capodimonte, Via Miano 2, 80137 Napoli. www.museocapodimonte.beniculturali.it 

Castel Nuovo: The story of this grand medieval castle that stands on the Naples beach begins in 1279 as the royal residence and fortress of the Angevin dynasty. It was an important centre of arts and letters, playing host to major figures of European civilisation, such as Boccaccio, Petrarch, and Giotto, who painted the frescoes in the historic Cappella Palatina. Today the castle hosts a fine exhibition of Renaissance and Neapolitan painting (15th-20th centuries).Address: Piazza Municipio, 80133 Napoli. 

Museo d’Arte Contemporanea Donnaregina (MADRE): Naples’ Museum of Contemporary Art is housed in a wonderful 19th-century palazzo, which has been radically renovated by the celebrated Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza. Its permanent collection includes works by important 20th-century artists, such as Anish Kapoor, Richard Serra, Jeff Koons and Jannis Kounellis. Address: via Settembrini 79, 80139 Napoli, www.madrenapoli.it 

Palazzo Reale: A symbol of Spanish rule over Naples, the city’s grand royal palace (1600) is today a museum with a rich collection of baroque and neoclassical works of art and objects. The royal apartments also house the National Library of Naples, containing unique treasures such as the 2,000 papyri discovered at Herculaneum.Address: Piazza del Plebiscito 1, 80132 Napoli, www.palazzorealenapoli.it

Take a stroll through the legendary open-air markets of the historic centre, the Mercato di Porta Nolana and Pignasecca, a living theatre of gestures and lively conversations in the Neapolitan dialect, in amongst the colourful stalls selling fish, vegetables, breads, various cheap household items and plentiful counterfeit goods. Visit the Mercato di Antignano in the chic district of Vomero for a large range of textiles, bags, shoes, second-hand clothes and household goods. Discover fantastic antiques in the fiera antiquaria every Sunday, in the Villa Comunale di Napoli park.  
Look for expensive labels in clothes and accessories in the department stores and shopping centres of via Toledo (the main commercial road of Naples) as well as around Chiaia: the kingdom of Italian luxury brands (via Chiaia and Piazza dei Martiri), the exclusive boutiques (especially along via dei Mille), and some of the top tailors of Italy. Here it is definitely worth buying some shirts, leather items, silk umbrellas and ties, all handmade and of excellent quality. Enter the elegant 19th-century Galleria Umberto I gallery for chic Italian fashion. Climb up Vomero hill to browse in the elegant boutiques of via Scarlatti.
Exploring the streets of Spaccanapoli (via San Biagio dei Librai, via Tribunali), where you can ferret out unique treasures for gifts and souvenirs, from mandolins to porcelain commedia dell’ arte masks, is a must. Don’t leave Naples without a detour to via San Gregorio Armeno, the empire of presepi: wooden or ceramic miniatures with figures and objects representing Nativity scenes.

Naples is the homeland of pizza, mozzarella di bufala and genuine salsa di Napolitana, made with the deep red San Marzano tomatoes of Campania and piennolo grape tomatoes, which grow on the slopes of Vesuvius. Here no one cooks better than one’s “mamma mia”, a fact that is underlined in the countless family trattorias and osterias that comprise the city’s culinary backdrop.
In Naples you should try the authentic (and outrageously cheap) version of Pizza vera Napoletana, in two simple and basic varieties: margherita and marinara. In the restaurants of Naples you can sample dishes such as pasta e fagioli (pasta and beans), spaghetti alle vongole (spaghetti and clams), risotto alla pescatora (with seafood), parmigiana di melanzane (baked aubergines with mozzarella and tomato sauce), timballo (pasta pie with a meat, fish or cheese filling), insalata caprese, as well as the freshest seafood from the Mediterranean (with a particular preference for anchovies, octopus and squid). Accompany your meal with an exceptional red or white wine from the vineyards of Vesuvius, such as the Lacryma Christi. If you are out and about, then you must try some friggitorie, the king of deep fried Neapolitan fast food. Ask for a cuppetiello, a paper cone with various bite-sized snacks, such as zeppoline (pizza dough), potato croquettes, fried mozzarella, arancino (rice balls with mince meat, peas, tomatoes and mozzarella) and squid rings.
Top off your gastronomic adventures with a stop for a strong, small espresso (with a few drops of whiskey or Sambuca, to taste) at the café-bars of Bellini Square, enjoy a piece of Sfogliatella or rum baba in the wonderful patisseries of Galleria Umberto, follow the locals for an afternoon aperitivo with orzata or the traditional aperitivo at 8 in the classic Italian bars of Chiaia. The nightlife of Naples is as intense and Mediterranean as its people, with trails through the bars of the historic centre, the clubs of Chiaia, the stylish lounge bars of Vomero and the beach bars of Posillipo, with a view over the gulf of Naples.

• Festa di San Gennaro: The religious feelings of the Neapolitans come to the fore three times a year, the central event being the feast of St Januarius, the city’s patron saint, on 19 September. Crowds of faithful gather at the Cathedral of Naples, where, through the power of prayer, the “miracle” of the liquefaction of the saint’s blood, which has been stored for centuries in the crypt of the cathedral in dried form, takes place. The “miracle” is repeated on two other occasions in the year (16 December and the first Saturday of May) and is believed to be an omen of good luck for Naples.
• Maggio dei Monumenti: A cultural institution, the festival of the “May of the Monuments” celebrates the city’s rich artistic and architectural heritage with a month of theatrical productions, concerts, exhibitions and literary encounters. This great festival marks the opening to the public of the city’s major monuments and art collections, which are closed throughout the rest of the year.
• Napoli Teatro Festival Italia: For three weeks starting in early June, Naples welcomes the most innovative theatrical productions from Europe and the world, transmitting the theatrical experience to every corner of the city. Performances are given in theatres, museums, archaeological sites, castles, old industrial buildings and the neighbourhoods of the historic centre.
• Napoli Film Festival: Ten days of independent European and Mediterranean cinema, with screenings of and dedications to the great masters of Italian cinema and the glamorous appearances of many Hollywood stars. The festival, which takes place in late September, is already 17 years old and has launched a satellite festival called “41st parallelo”, held every November in New York.

Getting from the airport to the city

Aegean Airlines lands at Naples International Airport (Capodichino Airport), 7 km northeast of Naples. At the airport you will find duty free shops, and many boutiques selling clothes, travel accessories, local food products and art works, a bank, foreign exchange offices, ATMs, a post office, restaurants, cafes and bars. Wi-Fi is free throughout the airport. An interfaith chapel can be found in the outer section of the departures area. If you want to reach the departures gate sooner, buy the fast track pass (5 euros) and avoid the queues at security. The fastest and easiest way to reach the city centre is to take the Alibus shuttle bus, which directly connects the airport with Naples Central Station (Piazza Garibaldi) and the port (Piazza Municipio). The shuttle buses depart daily every 20 minutes, from 6.30 to 23.40. The journey to Naples Central Station takes 10-15 minutes, and an additional 15 minutes if continuing to the port.