Guide to Naples, Italy

In this guide to Naples, Italy, I highlight my time in the southern part of Italy and explore the region. With only a day and coming from a cruise ship, our one day in the Naples region is long but rewarding.

From the port of Naples, our tour first takes us to the port of Salerno where we board a ship to the Amalfi coast. Here we explore this beautiful coastline and spend time in Amalfi itself. From here we head to lunch in Pompeii and then explore the ancient city once buried by towering Mount Vesuvius. From there we head back to Naples to end our tour.

Map of Naples:

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A Map of Naples

Itinerary:

Early morning in Naples we board a bus from the Naples port and head south towards Salerno. Traffic is horrendous because it’s a Friday and Italians are heading to the coastline to enjoy the weekend. Usually an hour drive from Naples it took us nearly two hours due to traffic.

From Salerno port, we took a small boat out in the Tyrrhenian Sea. We pass and are passed by hundreds of boats all with the same idea. The Amalfi coast is so famous during the summer months that driving into the Amalfi area can take hours. Boats are the preferred way now as you get a fantastic view of this beautiful coastline. For about 30 minutes, we sit and just take in the landscape while snapping photos.

Naples – The coastline of the Amalfi Coast

Our little ship pulls right up to the village of Amalfi where we get to stay for around 2 hours exploring. Amalfi was once the seat of one of the smallest Duchy’s in Europe and pretty much just controlled the Amalfi coastline. Although small, it dominated the area and became pretty wealthy.

Amalfi today is no more than the city, and it’s fun to explore the village. We first visited the famous church that is undeniably the most popular sight in Amalfi today. It is beautiful both inside and out and still works as a functioning church today.

From here we then walked around the city center and the main street aligned with shops. You can find the usual trinkets like cheap souvenirs but also items like limoncello, Italian meats, and crafts. Our guide specifically said that Amalfi is a little more pricey compared to things we would find in Pompeii, especially the limoncello. If you’re not familiar, that’s the bright yellow drink made from local lemons. After some coffee and a local dessert, it was time to head back to Salerno.

Going back towards Naples was a little easier although Pompeii was just as packed. As you can imagine, hordes of tourist descend on Pompeii to see this ancient ruin, and I can certainly see why. With Mount Vesuvius looming in the background, Pompeii is really well preserved. It’s incredible to see that parts of this ancient city were basically frozen in time.

Before that, though we were provided a nice Italian meal in a large room. Although lacking in ambiance, the meal was surprisingly lovely with an endless supply of Italian house wine. Just what I need before our walk around the hot sun of Pompeii.

Now Pompeii is vast, in fact massive. You will not get to cover everything you want to see in a day. Also, the grounds can be crowded, especially in the main square. There is plenty to see, explore, and learn. We were lucky to have a guide that does a tour like this every day.

For me, the best part of Pompeii is not the structures or buildings, although they are cool. No, it’s the history like the artifacts and actual outline of people who were trapped the day Pompeii exploded. If you look closely enough, you will learn the everyday life of Pompeiians from rich to poor. Original items are on display, but sometimes a copy is made, and the original item is at a museum in Naples.

Naples – Roman sculpture at the front of Pompeii

We did feel we were too rushed, though. We only had about 2 hours, and that is nowhere near enough, especially if you want to take it all in. I think that was the most disappointing part of it. We wanted to see more and experience all of it. However we only got to see the highlights, and although we learned a lot, we maybe saw only 10% of the entire excavation site.

Although we didn’t get to see everything we want, we have to admit that staying out in the heat is exhausting. You only care so much, and then you have to admit that it’s time to relax. A day in the Naples area is not enough, and we didn’t get to see much of Naples, just driving through and from our cruise ship. However, this was still one of our more memorable stops during this cruise.

After taking in this coastline and Pompeii, it was time to head back to Naples. Naples itself is a large, hilly city and unfortunately, we really didn’t get to explore it. I think coming back to this region places like Capri, Sorrento and Positano would be on my list.

Naples – Shawn on an empty street in Pompeii

Favorite:

Some of my favorite restaurants and spots around Naples, Italy.

Restaurants

Cafe across from the Cathedral of Saint Andrew the Apostle.

Spots

Almafi coastline from the ocean

Pompeii with a view of Mount Vesuvius

What to Wear:

In this guide to Naples, I want to point out what to wear in Naples for men. This will roughly follow my other Italian suggestions given that your style will not differ from while traveling to other European cities. I also have “What to Wear in Rome” guide for both men and women style that will undoubtedly help while visiting Naples.

Shirts

Like our guide said, Naples is way more relaxed compared to Italians to the north. Like for Sicily, clothes can be more comfortable, and there isn’t a need to dress up. Besides if you’re traveling in the summer, it will be pretty hot. Even in the winter months, although it will be cool, it will still be mild. Linen and cotton work well for this. Colorful shirts or light color shirts are ideal in the summer sun.

Pants/Shorts

Like your shirts, you’ll be most comfortable with cotton and linen material as it can be pretty hot during the day. Perhaps at night if you feel like dressing up, bring some slacks, but it’s not necessary. The idea for your pants and shorts is that it will be the base color for your outfit and something to mix and match.

Shoes

Sandals, flats, or sneakers would be the ideal shoes to bring. Remember that you’ll probably be walking a lot, so comfort is vital. Leather is a good look with sandals and canvas material for shoes are pretty comfortable. I wore a pair of Toms that are stylish and comfortable. Don’t overthink it, and comfort is critical. I would stay away from any tennis shoes as this is not a typical European look.

Accessories/Gear

You don’t need too many accessories, but perhaps a watch or bracelet would be stylish. As a traveler, you may need to carry a backpack to store your valuables. Heading to touristy destinations just be careful with expensive items, although more likely than not, you should be fine.

Design

Like the rest of southern Italy style in Naples is way more relaxed. You won’t find that clothing is too constraining compared to the mainland of Italy. Men still wear stylish clothing, but it’s more of a relaxed Mediterranean vibe. It’s easy to feel more “resort” style here. But always keep it classy, you want to look good.

Your materials should be simple, and I would choose simple designs, nothing too elaborate. Prints are perfectly okay, and I encourage them if they are paired well. Below I have an example of the ideal look.

An Ideal Look:

What I Loved:

The Naples region is gorgeous, and that is undeniable. There is a reason that even Italians go to this region during their time off. And there is something different about southern Italy compared to Italian cities up north. There certainly is a more relaxed vibe, and the colors seem more vibrant. That may have to do with the amount of sunshine this region always gets. For me, the best part about this region is the history and beauty.

What I Disliked:

Traffic here is pretty bad, and that has to do with too many tourists. I’m obviously part of the problem, but Italy definitely has seen more travelers causing overcrowding. In the summer months, you feel like you’re in a tourist trap and that kind of sucks. But you have to take it in stride and ignore the mass amount of people.

Ideas and Tips:

Pompeii is fantastic and certainly worth a visit for a full day even. Herculaneum is another ancient city nearby, and I heard even better.

Amalfi Coast by the ocean is really cool. First, you bypass the traffic, and you also get a fantastic view of the coastline. Seems like boats leave from Salerno.

Capri, Sorrento, and Positano are also worth a visit.

Coming by cruise, these are the top attractions although some decide to climb Mount Vesuvius.

Thoughts:

To sum up this guide to Naples, this region was another great stop on our cruise itinerary. It is filled with more attractions than anybody can complete in one day, and I think it would be better to stay a lot longer. Pompeii alone would take a couple of days to cover. In the end, we only saw the highlights, but it was undoubtedly a fun excursion.