10 of the Best Neighborhoods in Naples and How To Visit

To experience the essence of Naples, head for the Historic Center (Centro Storico). Here you’ll find the alleyways lined with hanging laundry and the fading beauty that gives the city its character—but also some of the top historic and cultural sites, such as the Sansevero Chapel (Museo Cappella Sansevero) on the northern side of the neighborhood, to the San Carlo Opera House (Teatro di San Carlo),one of Europre’s oldest opera houses, on the southern side.

While you can easily spend hours (or days) exploring this part of the city, you can save time and can get a feel for the district on walking tours.

Although the Spanish Quarter, a maze of historic alleys lined with colorful shops and restaurants, is part of Naples’ Historic Center, it’s so unique that we’re considering it its own district.

You won’t find la dolce vita here. This hilly zone is a more rough and tough neighborhood where you can hobnob with residents that speak more Neapolitan dialect than Italian. The area has an emerging alternative street art scene and some of the best local no-frill specialties, such as fried pizza (try it on a food tour of the area).

Walk past Santa Lucia’s art nouveau buildings along pedestrian-friendly Via Nazzario Sauro, and you’ll soon reach Borgo Marinaro, a clutch of bobbing boats and waterside restaurants where, according to Greek legend, the siren Parthenope washed ashore after her music failed to seduce Odysseus.

While sightseeing tours sometimes stop here after visiting Castel Nuovo (Maschio Angioino) and the historic center, you can easily climb to the terraced roof of Castel dell’Ovo. The seaside fortress offers iconic views of the Gulf of Naples and Capri.

Ask a Neapolitan where to do some serious shopping, and they’ll likely answer Via Toledo or Vomero, an upscale neighborhood in the hills facing the sea. Getting there is half the fun, as the easiest way to climb the hills is with the Central Funicular (Funicolare Centrale). Take it to Piazza Vanvitelli, the heart of the district, and explore the shops along Via Alessandro Scarlatti on foot.

Make sure you leave enough time to view the Neapolitan art in the Charterhouse and Museum of San Martino (Certosa e Museo di San Martino), a former monastery turned museum, and to see the panoramic views over the city from Castel Sant'Elmo, a former fortress.

Posillipo is an affluent neighborhood on the northern side of Naples. The residential area on a hilly peninsula is challenging to reach on public transportation, so you’re better off visiting on a motorcycle tour or by taxi.

However you get there, ensure you have the time to see the Pausilypon Archaeological Park, with the remains of a Roman villa and amphitheater, and the Gaiola Underwater Park, a dreamy swimming spot with submerged ruins and an abandoned villa atop a small offshore island.

Cosmopolitan Chiaia comprises two pedestrian-friendly areas: the lungomare (seaside promenade) along Via Francesco Caracciolo, where Neapolitans take their evening passeggiata (stroll), and Via dei Mille, packed with high-end shops, stylish eateries, and elegant bars.

Culture enthusiasts should head for the Museo Pignatelli, a grand neo-Renaissance villa hiding behind the Riviera di Chiaia with 19th-century art and furnishings. Or, pay a visit to Galleria Borbonica, which features underground tunnels and World War II-era air-bomb shelters.

Among Italy’s great cities, Naples lies a bit off the beaten path—and Rione Sanità is its most off-the-beaten-path neighborhood. Though the district has traditionally been one of the city’s poorest (and is still more than a little rough around the edges), it’s experienced a renaissance in recent years, drawing interest for its street art and paleo-Christian catacombs.

Rione Sanità also houses one of Italy’s most fascinating museums: the National Archaeological Museum (Museo Archeologico Nazionale), with its artifacts from Pompeii and Herculaneum.

Of Naples’ three Roman roads called decumani, Spaccanapoli is the most famous, a point of reference for locals and travelers alike. It splits the historic center in half, starting in Via Benedetto Croce and continuing along Via San Biagio dei Librai.

The street overflows with eclectic shops and crumbling courtyards, and it’s here where you’ll discover that parts of Naples haven’t changed much in centuries. Make sure to check out Via San Gregorio Armeno(Christmas Alley), where artisans hawk handcrafted pastori (nativity figures), and Naples Underground (Napoli Sotterranea), a subterranean archaeological site with air-raid shelters, Greek-Roman aqueducts, and a Roman theater.

Pozzuoli is a (small) city on the west side of the Naples metro area that’s easy to reach on the metro or Cumana rail. If you’re looking for lesser-known gems or need a breather from the city’s full-throttle frenetic pace, Pozzuoli is a reliable bet.

Take a day trip to visit the mercato ittico, an atmospheric fish market near the port, and explore the Phlegraean Fields (Campi Flegrei), a regional park within a caldera, aka a large volcanic crater. Pozzuoli is also a stone’s throw from the Underwater Archaeological Park of Baia, where you can scuba dive among submerged ruins without much previous diving experience.

Insider tip: Ferries for the islands of Ischia and Procida depart from Pozzuoli and can be less crowded than those departing from Naples.

This leafy hilltop district is synonymous with the Capodimonte Museum (Museo di Capodimonte), which houses one of Europe’s greatest art collections (including masterpieces by Caravaggio) in a grand Bourbon palazzo. Plan to explore hallway after hallway of artworks by Neapolitan painters and old-world masters like Raphael, Titian, and Caravaggio—preferably with an art historian or on an art tour to help you better appreciate them.

Outside, check out locals picnicking and booting around soccer balls in the Real Bosco (Royal Woods), a public park in front of the palace.