Practical Naples guide
What we wish we had known the first time.
Getting around
Walk the centre. Metro Line 1 links hills, museum and Toledo. Funiculars climb to Vomero. For Pompeii, Herculaneum and Sorrento use the Circumvesuviana (crowded in summer — leave early). Islands: ferries and hydrofoils from the main ports. A car in the centre is often a punishment; on the Amalfi Coast in high season, bus and sea usually beat driving.
When to go
April–June and September–October balance heat and queues. July–August: dawn starts, water always, book key tickets. Winter: fewer crowds, great food and museums, some rain.
Food without brochure clichés
Coffee at the counter. Pizza where locals fill the room. Fried snacks as a bite, not three meals. Water — Pompeii sun does not forgive.
Mistakes to avoid
- Pompeii + Vesuvius + centre + Capri in one day.
- Arriving at busy attractions without a ticket in peak season.
- Flip-flops on basalt paving and crater paths.