Feb 7, 2025 • 5 min read
26.01.2025 - 21:57 / lonelyplanet.com
Jan 26, 2025 • 5 min read
Naples, Italy's third-largest city, thrives on contradictions. As one of the oldest continuously inhabited urban areas in the world, Naples is both chaotic and cultured, opulent and gritty, exuberant and understated, with architectural gems to discover around every corner.
Founded by Greeks in the first millennium BCE, Naples has witnessed over 2500 years of history unfold from its magnificent perch along the Mediterranean Sea, with Mount Vesuvius looming in the distance.
We can thank Naples for inventing pizza, but culinary delights abound, and caffè culture is found in its many charming coffee bars. Many tourists skip Naples as they make their way to the Amalfi Coast or Pompeii archeological park, but this intriguing city, with its captivating architecture, rich history, and mouth-watering culinary traditions, is not to be missed.
Here's everything you need to know before your trip to Naples, Italy.
The best time to visit Naples is in the late spring, before the summer crowds arrive, or the early fall when the hectic tourist season has come to a close, yet the weather is still sunny and warm.
Winter is even less crowded, offering more opportunities to meet the locals, but you may meet some rainy weather.
The Christmas season is hectic in Naples. However, the many festivities and holiday traditions, including the Neapolitan tradition of creating elaborate presepe (nativity scenes), make it a great time to visit despite the local crowds.
If it's your first visit to Naples, consider staying in the bustling "Centro Storico," the heart of Naples. Naples' entire central district is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, complete with cobbled streets, elegant palazzos, and historic churches around every corner.
For a more relaxed stay, Chiaia, Naples' seafront neighborhood, offers luxe hotels with stunning views of the Mediterranean Sea. Chiaia is best known for its many independent fashion boutiques, but you'll also find high-end shops here such as Prada and Armani.
Families will enjoy a stay in Posillipo, a quieter, more residential neighborhood located along the northern coast of the Gulf of Naples. Posillipo is home to several beaches and parks. Don't miss Virgiliano Park, a green oasis in the city where terraces overlooking the whole Gulf of Naples offer vistas of the beautiful islands of Ischia, Capri, and Procida.
Italian is the official language in Naples. That said, most people in Naples and Campania speak the lively Napolitano (Neapolitan) regional dialect. You'll find English spoken in most hotels and restaurants, but pack an Italian phrasebook and learn a few key phrases before your trip so you can communicate with locals.
The Euro is the official currency of Naples and the rest of Italy.
Feb 7, 2025 • 5 min read
Multiple earthquakes are rattling Santorini, a volcanic island in Greece, prompting authorities to dispatch rescuers with tents, a sniffer dog and drones, and to shut schools on four islands.
Feb 6, 2025 • 9 min read
Want to get away to a less-visited but breathtakingly beautiful part of Italy? NEOS Airlines has you covered with the launch of the first-ever nonstop flight to the southern Italian state of Puglia in June.
To my right, two 70-something regulars at the Exhibition pub in York, England, peppered me with questions on American politics, taught me how to recognize a fresh pint of beer (it should leave a path of foam on the glass) and invited me next door for a curry at their favorite Indian restaurant.
A spike in seismic activity has raised concerns of a potentially powerful earthquake on the Greek island of Santorini, prompting some residents and travelers to evacuate as a preemptive safety measure.
My wife and I have been living as full-time nomads since 2019 and have already visited more than 43 different countries.
Jan 30, 2025 • 5 min read
Jan 28, 2025 • 5 min read
Package holidays have historically been touted as an affordable travel option, but prices are rising in some of the most popular European destinations.
From skiing and surfing to hiking and stargazing, there’s no limit of things to do in the adventurer’s paradise that is New Zealand. And if we needed another reason to break free from the chains of our desks, New Zealand has just loosened its visa restrictions for remote workers.
Jan 28, 2025 • 14 min read