Best Things To Do In Naples In 1 Day

Southern Italy doesn't just exist in the movies and if you go to Naples, even if it's just for a day, you'll realise just how worthwhile it is. You 'll fall in love with this city, but if you're short on time, here's an itinerary to get the best of it. In the morning, you could start your walk from the top of the Vomero, one of the most important hills in the city. And you can close the day by the coast, watching the sun set over the sea.

It's true that much of what you can see will depend on the weather, the climate and how much you want to see. So that you don't have any excuses, I've prepared a list with a one-day tour of the city so that you know exactly what to see and do in Naples in a short time. Are you up for this whirlwind tour?

And what better way to start than from the top of the Vomero hill? If you come in a taxi from the airport, you won't get lost, because you can see the whole city.

Here you will see the huge castle that presides over this hill: Castel Sant'Elmo. It is gigantic and you will be amazed, as from here you can admire the whole city and it is already 700 years old.

It is a medieval military fortification that the then king of Naples decided to build because of its strategic position. Ideally you should be here from 8:30 am when it opens and you can visit it for free, so you don't have to spend any more money.

This castle was already there centuries before the whole of Vomero was populated and even before most of the city. In addition to its sublime architecture and views, the castle houses a permanent museum, dedicated to all kinds of works produced between 1910 and 1980. You're sure to find more cultural activities and collective events that bring together hundreds of people if you visit.

If you have very little time, don't get too complicated: from Castel Sant'Elmo you can take all the pictures you want and you can take away the image of one of the best symbols of Naples.

Walk around its fortification posts, grottoes and internal ramps in half an hour and get the best interior and exterior view of the city.

It's still early in the morning, so when you finish your visit to Castel Sant'Elmo, prepare your way down the hill. You could take the Vanvitelli station on metro line 1 to get off and stay at the Museo station, our next stop, but that wouldn't be as iconic as going by funicular.

There are four funicular systems in Naples, three of which go up the Vomero, making them an indispensable part of the city's public transport. Not many cities use these funiculars and for those who don't know them, they are an attraction in themselves, as they look like trains going downhill.

Although there are three options which are the Centrale, Chiaia, Merghellina and Montesanto funiculars, the latter is the one you should take.

When you take the funicular, it is best to stay at the Corso Vittorio Emanuele station. This is an amazing, panoramic street and you will enjoy walking along it for the views. If you stay at this station, you can walk about fifteen minutes north, cross at via Salvator Rosa and you will arrive at our next stop: the Archaeological Museum.

Welcome to the National Archaeological Museum, one of the largest archaeological centres in Europe. It makes perfect sense, because the proximity to the ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum is so close that Naples has become an archaeological capital.

This building was built at the end of the 16th century, but it was first a riding school and then a university, so the museum only came much later. It was only in 1777 that the first museum work began and in 1860, after the unification of Italy, it became the National Museum.

If you arrive at this museum at around 10 or 11am, you will be able to do a very powerful tour in two hours. In case you stay 2 days in the city or more, it would be better if you could see more exhibitions. But do you really want to leave Naples without having passed through here?

A couple of hours is enough to understand what this museum is all about and you can extend your tour until around 1pm without being delayed any further from your itinerary.

The entrance fee is 15 euros and it is worth it from start to finish. When you're inside the museum, you can see up to five levels of collections, but my advice is to focus on two: on the ground floor you can see the Farnese collection, which houses the Farnese Bull, one of the most important sculptures of antiquity.

Then you can go down to the basement, where there are the beautiful mosaics that have been discovered in Naples and the Egyptian collection.

If you've finished your grand tour of the Archaeological Museum then let there be no doubt: it's time for lunch. From the museum you can start walking down two streets along via Enrico Pessina until you reach the dazzling Piazza Dante, where a street that is the heart of the city begins: via Toledo.

If you have more time, there is nothing better than taking a gastronomic tour of Naples to discover its food. In any case, you don't have to worry either, as this is the street where you will discover how incredible it is to eat in this city.

Right in Piazza Dante you will be able to have lunch in some of the best restaurants and trattorias in Naples, such as the trattoria Leon d'Oro or the Antichi Sapori. All of them conquer the palates of tourists and locals alike. Enjoy your lunch overlooking the beautiful square and rest for a while, because there is still a bit of walking left.

When you finish eating, continue down via Toledo so you can stumble upon quaint shops, such as Mario Talarico's handmade umbrella shop, a symbol of the city.

This is one of the most famous and characteristic streets of Naples that crosses the entire edge of the Quartieri Spagnoli and connects you to the Umberto I Gallery. If you missed something to buy or if you want to spend a few extra hours shopping, then via Toledo is the place to be.

This via is a good meeting point for planning new tours and itineraries, within Naples and throughout the Campania region. Once you've gone down a few blocks, just cross over to the Galleria Umberto I.

Continue down towards the sea. If you take a slight detour, you will enter the Galleria Umberto I, one of the most beautiful places in the city. As its name suggests, it is a gallery where you can shop in the best shops in the city. Its roof is made of iron and glass, which makes it totally transparent and allows sunlight to enter.

Even if you're not going to buy a pair of socks, the Umberto I gallery is a spectacle in itself. In the centre of the gallery there is an octagon from which you can take all the photos you want.

Its dome is imposing and can be seen from a large part of the city. In addition, its internal buildings are truly spectacular, combining tradition with modernity.

The restoration of many buildings has given magnificent results, so inside and outside, you can enjoy all kinds of food or even see nightlife venues or potential rooms for rent. A lot of luxury worth a visit.

Sure, there's plenty to do, but walking past Europe's oldest theatre is not an option.

When you leave the gallery, you will find yourself in front of the Teatro de San Carlos. Although many dispute this title, it is a fact that the Teatro di San Carlo, as it is known in Italian, is the oldest opera house still in operation in Europe. Moreover, it is a truly beautiful structure.

Founded in 1737, this theatre is older than Italy itself and saw the greats of opera come and go, as well as serving as a model for the construction of many more theatres. In the mid-19th century, one of its curators was even Giuseppe Verdi, one of the most notable Italian opera composers.

You will probably only have time to take a photo, but sometimes there are operas in the street and right in this space, opposite Piazza Trieste and Trento, you can have a snack and a coffee at the historic Café Gambrinus, where all the stars have passed through in Naples.

We are nearing the end of the walk and now the only thing left to do is contemplate. That is why, next to the theatre of San Carlo, there is Piazza Plebiscito, a really big space. On its sides are beautiful buildings such as the Basilica of San Francesco di Paola and the Royal Palace.

This square is really big, so don't be surprised if when you visit it there is a cultural event or even a rally. Of course, you are more likely to find an event if you travel to Naples in summer.

You can't miss the beauty of the Royal Palace, nor the basilica, which if you have enough time, you can enter in about five minutes for all its architectural and artistic beauty.

If you walk a little further east, you can reach the Piazza Municipio, an elongated square with an impressive fountain: the fountain of Neptune.

The truth is that anyone passing by here cannot fail to catch a glimpse of the god Neptune. Especially if in the background you can see the Castel Nuovo, a medieval castle that looks like something out of a film.

Is it getting close to sunset already? It's been a long journey, hasn't it? Don't say goodbye too soon, because the Castel dell'Ovo, or Castel dell'Ovo in English, is the best place to watch the sunset.

This castle, located right next to the sea, is the oldest in the city and began to be built in the 1st century BC. All you have to do is walk along via Ammiraglio Ferdinando Acton for a couple of kilometres along the coast until you reach via Partenope and then down to the tiny peninsula where the castle is located.

If you take a guided tour of this beautiful castle, you will probably be told that its name comes from a legend that claimed that the poet Virgil had a magic egg hidden in the castle that was responsible for the construction never being destroyed. However, the egg was broken and in addition to the collapse of the castle, the city was plagued with various evils.

What about you? Do you think this could have been true? This is a topic you can discuss over dinner, so head to the cafes and restaurants in the marina behind the castle, such as the Trattoria Castel dell'Ovo for the best pizzas or the Officina del Mare for the best seafood while watching the night fall and breathing in the sea air.

If you're only in Naples for a day and you're looking for an extensive sightseeing tour, then be prepared to walk. However, this is not the only option. For starters, there are tour bus options in the city that can take you on fantastic tours, without you having to use public transport. If you're looking for convenience, this is a great option.

But if you decide to use public transport, Naples has a metro system with two lines (1 and 6) and there are also several train lines that pass through the city and can even take you a little further afield. Add to that the iconic and fantastic funiculars and buses. In total you have:

• Naples metro lines 1 and 6.
• Line 2, operated by Trenitalia
• Naples Funiculars (Chiaiaia, Morghen, Montesanto and Mergellina)
• Circumvesuviana train (Naples-Sorrento)
• Train Circumlegrea
• Train Cumana (Naples-Pozzuoli)

All the route I suggested can be done on foot, but there are places where it is advisable to take the funicular, especially from the Vomero to the lower part of the city. If you need to get to the coast quickly, you can even take the metro line 1 from the top of the city.

In any case, you can buy the Unico Napoli card, with which you can use all the transport systems, no matter if they are operated by different companies.

Although individual trips cost just over one euro, you can play it safe and buy the card, especially if you are using Naples as a starting point for excursions to other places in the region, such as Pompeii or Mount Vesuvius.