Naples Travel Guide
Italy's third-largest city thrives on the chaos that prevails amid its busy streets. This is the place where pizza was allegedly invented, its restaurants continuing to serve some of Italy's finest cuisine.
Sheltered by the Bay of Naples and dominated by the slopes of Mount Vesuvius, Naples is imbued with the best of nature's bounty. The city juxtaposes superb museums, Renaissance structures and Baroque churches, against crumbling tenement blocks and poor neighbourhoods. Noisy markets sell a collection of items, from high-quality fresh produce to fake designer goods.
Roads are characteristically hectic with gung-ho moped drivers weaving wildly through the streets and frustrating traffic jams clogging the city's arteries. Despite these less refined elements, Naples is a fascinating destination and a great base from which to explore popular attractions such as the Amalfi Coast, Pompeii and Herculaneum.
The city's transport hub is located around the immense Piazza Garibaldi, on the east side of Naples. Southwest from here is the Piazza Bovio, and branching to the left of it, the Piazza Municipio and nearby Piazza del Plebiscito. On the watery edges are the Molo Beverollo and the Stazione Marittima, the point of departure for ferries. From the reaches of Spaccanapoli, visitors can explore the historic part of Naples with its numerous palaces and churches.