A trip to Naples is a journey into some of the best that Italy has to offer. We had such an opportunity and we were enthralled with the city of Naples after our 3 days were over. If you’re planning your family trip to Naples, you can simply follow the Naples itinerary that we used for our trip. See what worked for us, what didn’t and what we would’ve changed. Using our experience you can plan a brilliant vacation to Naples for your family.
Our 3 days in Naples
Our family trip to Naples started with an extra part of the end of a day as we had spent the previous 4 days in Rome. We took the train from Rome to Naples. That was a fairly easy process and I recommend making the trip between the two cities if you can.
Our first evening was simply to settle in to our Airbnb apartment and find food. But first, the apartment. It was brilliant. We loved every bit of it. It was perfect for what we wanted and it delivered so much more than we could have ever expected.
The apartment was in the historic center of Naples. This is a wonderful location because of its proximity to most things and also because of the tremendous character of the neighborhood. The building that we stayed in was unlike any other place I’d ever stayed in before. It was truly a unique Italian experience.
I really like that the apartment was only about a 5 minute walk from the metro stop and near so many nice markets and restaurants. We stopped every morning to grab some breakfast that usually consisted of fruit and pastries.
One of my favorite experiences was visiting a market on the same street as our apartment. It was there that I tasted the freshest mozzarella that I’d ever had in my life!
I’d love to stay in Centro Storico area again during my next stay in Naples.
Once we’d marveled at and appreciated our apartment enough, we made our way out onto the streets of Napoli. It was quite the experience. It was obvious pretty early on that there is no city quite like Naples. We were going to love this place!
The energy and feeling that the city gives off was immediate. It made you want to be there, to be out in the streets, even if it was just to walk around and explore.
As the sun fell, the streets really came alive. We were on the search for a famous pizzeria, possibly the most famous in Naples. L’Antica Pizzeria Da Michele. The walk was exhilarating as the sun fell along the narrow back streets so full of life and history . We were tired and hungry by this point, so we wouldn’t make it to our destination. Instead, we found a suitable replacement.
Toto e Peppino was a great introduction to culinary Napoli. Between the pizza and the limoncellos while sitting outside watching the city go by we were thoroughly pleased with our first few moments in Naples. But we had so much more ahead of us.
Day 1 – Wednesday
Starting out the day with a nice fresh breakfast from the markets near our apartments was very nice. We stopped at one to get some fruit and another to get some pastries. It doesn’t get much better than that. Even though the gentlemen in the fruit market didn’t speak a word of English we were able to communicate and got what we needed.
And it goes without saying, but i’ll say it anyway. Italian pastries are just about the best thing ever.
We took great advantage of the fact that our apartment was so close to the metro station. We then were able to use that as our primary way to get around the city.
From Dante station we only had to go one stop to get to Toledo station. I had heard that Naples had an excellent metro system and they definitely lived up to expectations. It was clean, efficient, easy to use and prompt.
As nice as it was to use the metro system, we were in for a surprise once we reached the Toledo station. I had no knowledge of the fact that it is one of the best metro stations in all of Europe. Really a work of art. We were happy to spend a bit of time admiring the colors and artistry of the station.
Once we reached via Toledo we loved it. It’s a very lively area full of stores, stands and people everywhere. It was a nice walk down this energetic street. If we had more time, I would’ve liked to spend more time here.
We did have some time, so we did a little shopping and I was able to purchase a couple of ties (I wish I’d grabbed more). Of course there is always time to stop for gelato and there were plenty of opportunities for that as well.
One thing that we noticed from our first evening is that Naples is much cheaper than Rome. The difference in price was quite noticeable in food, clothing and jewelry. That’s another great reason to visit Naples, especially if you’re already in Rome.
One of the things that I loved about walking down via Toledo is the side streets that branch off of it. Many of them are quite scenic and make for some amazing photos.
Piazza del Plebiscito
This massive piazza is the largest in Naples and quite the remarkable space. The way that we came upon it added to the view as well. We came down via Toledo which took us right into the piazza. This piazza has served many purposes throughout history. Today it is one of the top sites in Naples. It’s home to the Basilica Reale Pontificia San Francesco da Paola and Palazzo Reale di Napoli, two very impressive buildings. It’s the Basilica that really dominates the space even though it sits back, creating a vast open space in front of it.
The piazza maintains its charm in part because it is pedestrian only. We were able to wander around, enjoy the view and take photos at our leisure.
As we passed through the piazza we made our way to the waterfront. We then followed the walkway almost all of the way down to Castel dell’Ovo. We had planned to visit the castle, but ended up making a change of plan and just admired the building from the outside.
The walk down Via Nazario Sauro along the waterfront gave us some pretty awesome views of the bay all the way out to Mt. Vesuvius and of course down to the castle. We also got to check out the side streets that run into Via Nazario Sauro and it’s a nice little area to explore.
After a bit of walking we made our way to our bus stop, because now it was time for the beach!
Bagno Elena
Yes, there is a beach in Naples. And while it’s not exactly Capri or Ischia, it’s nice for what it is. Framed by Naples architecture and the illustrious Palazzo Donn’Anna on the end, Bagno Elena beach serves as a nice respite from the heat that Naples in the summer can bring.
It’s great for families because the water is calm, with smaller waves and it’s clean. We were there in June and it wasn’t overly crowded at all. There is a family friendly atmosphere as we noticed that there were numerous children there. But again since it wasn’t overly crowded, if you wanted relaxation you could get that as well.
Our kids loved this place. It turned out to be one of the best things to do in Naples, Italy with kids. They constantly bring it up as their favorite part of the trip. It’s well worth the visit if you’re looking for a quick beach fix while you’re in Naples.
The changing areas were kind of small, but they were clean and easily accessible. The staff was friendly, nice and helpful even though we don’t speak much (any) Italian.
There was a cost of 12 euros to use beach, but it’s discounted to 10 euros if you arrive after 2pm.
It was easy to get to as well. We took the 140 bus which dropped us off basically right in front of the entrance. Once we went down some steps and paid our entrance fee, we were in.
Other options will drop you off at Mergellina which is a bit further away and about a 15 to 20 minute walk.
We spent our time enjoying the water and sun, hunting for seashells and splashing in the waves. Judging by the laughter from the families and kids nearby it seemed like it was a great day for everyone who was at the beach that day.
Closing time was at 5pm so we packed up, changed, and we made our way back to our apartment. If it wasn’t for closing time, we very easily could’ve spent another hour or two at Bagno Elena.
We took the bus back to our apartment, but of course there was some construction. The bus ultimately wouldn’t drop us off where we planned. But that didn’t end up being a problem at all because the bus driver and the passengers made sure that we got off at the right stop. They were all kind and super helpful. As we were trying to explain our stop, they in turn were trying to explain to us that the bus was taking an alternative route and would not be stopping where we anticipated.
I’m very grateful for their kindness and helpfulness.
The altered route gave us an opportunity to walk the streets and side streets of Naples and get an eye opening look at how some of their citizens live. It was the kind of authentic experience that I always look for when I’m traveling and I’m appreciative that we were able to experience that.
Changes:
I would have loved to stop by Posillipo Panoramica. On our itinerary we planned to stop by Posillipo Panoramica after we visited the beach. It’s not too far, and we could have simply stopped by on the way back to our apartment. It would have been fairly easy to access via bus and tram; however, after we finished with the beach we were ready to head back to the apartment to eat.
Posillipo Panoramica provides one of the best views of the city that you will ever find and planning to go as the sun is setting is an even better idea.
Since it’s fairly close to the beach and will likely be on the way back to your accommodations, this would be a great addition to your itinerary.
Day 2 – Thursday
Pompeii
Getting to the Pompeii archaeological site was an easy trip since there is a direct line to the famed site. We took the local metro to the main train station and then took the train to Pompeii. One of the drawbacks is that it was incredibly crowded. Like standing room only. It was like that for several trains so it wasn’t like you could wait for the next train for things to clear out. You just had to deal with it. Fortunately even though it was hot, it wasn’t super hot and it was bearable.
As a word of caution, the situation of overcrowding makes it a situation that’s ripe for pick pockets. We were kindly warned to watch our pockets a couple of times by locals who knew better.
Fortunately the crowd did thin out a bit the further we went and it wasn’t that bad of a ride.
Once we got off the train it was maybe a 5 or 6 minute walk to the entrance of the site. Since it was a warm day, i immediately noticed the mistake that i had made. I was only one of about 3 people that I had spotted that had long pants on. As a word of advice, if you’re going in June (like we were), July or August, do not under any circumstances wear long pants.
It wasn’t too bad, but it was bad enough. The site is out in the open, with very little shade. This means that it gets lots of sun so dress accordingly. At least I did have my hat.
Despite the heat, it was an amazing experience to be able to walk around the ruins of the ancient city.
We didn’t opt for the tour or the audio tour, but on second thought, I felt that would have added quite a bit to the experience. There is a lot that needs explaining since it’s just an open site with very little signage or explanation. And wow, is there a lot to see.
We were able to walk ancient streets, see the House of Faun, piazzas, temples and markets. Walking among the ruins of the homes and the streets they sat on was perhaps the most interesting. So much of the city is well preserved that we were able to imagine what life was like back then.
It’s a lot of walking on uneven surfaces so makes sure that your footwear is up to the challenge, because if it’s not, you won’t last long.
Our kids seemed to enjoy the little adventure and trip into the past as we explained as much as we could. Again, this is where an audio tour would greatly benefit, especially little ones who may not be as interested in this type of thing.
There is also a small museum on the premises that we unfortunately didn’t get to visit. I was able to briefly walk through it. It gives more background information on the city and its demise and would probably be worth the time to stop through.
We would have stayed longer, but the heat was becoming too much. We had planned to make it there much earlier. Our efforts were derailed by a bit of a slow start and then were slowed down again trying to catch the train, not realizing how large the crowds would be.
The result is that we arrived at the site at close to noon. That wasn’t ideal, as the sun was just unforgiving at that part of the day at that site.
If you’re bringing kids be sure to have them covered with hats, sunglasses, etc. otherwise they’re going to be ready to go as soon as they get there.
Once we were done with Pompeii, we hopped our train back to Naples (much less crowded this time). We were all pretty tired after our little adventure, so we just rested and went for dinner later and called it a day.
Changes:
I definitely would not have worn pants to Pompeii. That was a big mistake. Also I would have made sure to leave as early as possible to beat the heat and the crowds. It was really the sun and heat that cut our visit short, so I think that we all would’ve enjoyed the site more if we arrived much earlier.
I also would have purchased an audio tour to give us a more in depth experience and more meaning behind what we were seeing.
If you start early enough you could possibly fit another activity in later in the day. If you’re traveling with kids, that may or may not work because if we started earlier, we probably would’ve stayed longer and we’d still be tired out.
Going to Pompeii in the morning pairs well with a later dinner with the accompanying stroll through Naples streets.
Day 3 – Friday
Ischia
Ischia is such a beautiful island just off the coast of Italy. We were happy that we had the opportunity to include Ischia in our itinerary and experience it for our self. We took the metro to the port and then took a hydrofoil over to Ischia. Our ride was about 40 minutes or so.
The hydrofoil dropped us off at Casamicciola Terme. Once off the boat we crossed the street to find a small shop that sold bus tickets. We purchased some, waited for our bus to Sant’ Angelo and we were on our way.
The bus found its way to just outside the little village of Sant’ Angelo and dropped us off. We had short walk into the village since it is pedestrian only and happily grabbed some gelato on the way.
Sant’ Angelo is one of many great spots to visit on the island of Ischia, especially if you’re there for a day trip. It is an exceptional village and we really liked that it was pedestrian only. Its white buildings and homes in some sections really give it its Mediterranean vibe and then the colors of other parts add to the feel.
We were in Sant’ Angelo primarily for the scenery and for Sant’ Angelo Beach. Like Bagno Elena, there was a fee for the beach chairs and umbrella, but we happily paid it because it was such a beautiful area.
One thing that I wasn’t aware of is that many if not all beaches in this area are covered in pebbles and not sand like Bagno Elena, so that was a bit of a disappointment. Not only because it was hard for us to walk on, but once in the water, there was an unmistakable sinking sensation. Because of this, it was difficult to comfortably move around. After a few moments, we packed up in search of another, more comfortable beach.
The beach itself was pretty, very clean and nice. If you’re used to those types of beaches it would have been a perfect spot to enjoy. It was pretty crowded and everyone seemed to enjoy it, so I suppose that it’s primarily a matter of what you’re used to. The one thing that I did notice is that hardly anyone was in the water.
Leaving that beach, we headed to Maronti Beach, which I heard was one of the best beaches on the island. To make it to Maronti Beach, we had to take a water taxi. This cost a few euros, but was a fun experience as the little boat took us from Sant’ Angelo, across the water to Maronti beach. The ride was about 20 minutes or so, but was very scenic and peaceful.
Manonti Beach unfortunately for us was just as pebbly as Sant’Angleo beach. Fortunately, even though there was a fee for this beach as well, it was a beautiful beach and less crowded. The beach stretched for a long distance in either way of where we were sitting. After a while we kind of got used to the pebbles somewhat and the kids loved playing in the water at the beach.
There’s also a restaurant and places to change near the beach. The whole area was beautiful.
Once we were done at the beach we took a bus to Ponte Ischia and caught the slow ferry back to Napoli.
The slow ferry was a nice change in that even though it took longer to get back, we were able to sit on the deck outside and admire the sun setting over the water and the birds flying near and following our ship. From the deck we were able to enjoy the entire area as the boat made its way back to Naples.
Changes:
If I would have found out about the beaches ahead of time we could have saved some time for other things. We wanted to explore the town of Ischia Ponte as well as the Aragonese Castle. There was just too much to do in so little time. While Ischia is an ideal option for a day trip from Naples, I wish that we could have devoted 2 days to the island. One day for beach hopping and another day to see and do other things.
Unforgettable Naples, Italy
By the end of our 3 days in Naples, Italy we were pleasantly surprised and impressed. We loved the food, the people, the sites and so much more. We discovered so many reasons to love Naples and are anxious to go back.
Have you been to Naples? What are some can’t miss activities that we didn’t get to? You can share them in the comments.
