Naples in 3 Days: tips, what to see, and much more

If you want to spend 3 days in Naples and you don't really know where to start to make the most of your days, don't worry because I have the perfect itinerary for you. You will get to know in depth all its historic centre, visit the main basilicas and museums, walk through the underground network of streets and make a fascinating excursion to Pompeii and its emblematic volcano.

For a first contact with the city, I have prepared a full day where you will visit some of the must-see places in Naples, such as the Cathedral and the Archaeological Museum. You will also be able to taste some of the most delicious dishes of its gastronomy and stroll around the historic centre, discovering its underground network.

Visit the Archaeological Museum and Dante Square

I suggest you get up early this first day to make the most of the day and head for one of the most important museums in Naples. The Archaeological Museum has a lot to see and is full of all kinds of remains and antiquities ranging from faraway places like Egypt and the Orient, to the very remains left by the eruption of Vesuvius.

It is considered one of the oldest and most important archaeological museums in the world and is definitely a must on your trip to Naples. To get there, you can take the metro or bus to the Napoli Piazza Cavour stop, although it's in a very central area and if you're staying in a tourist hotel, you can certainly walk there. I recommend buying a ticket for the National Archaeological Museum in advance. It costs around £20 but if you're lucky and you're on the first Sunday of the month, it's free!

Discover underground Naples

Leaving the museum, you'll have the entire old town of Naples to explore. I suggest you walk just 5 minutes to the entrance of one of the most popular Neapolitan tours; the underground city.

There are guided tours every hour and the entrance fee is around £13, a great bargain to get you into the underground tunnels. You can even come to the surface and see the remains of an ancient Roman theatre.

These underground tunnels are one of Naples' great treasures and, although not suitable for people who suffer from claustrophobia, a tour of the Naples underground is an excellent way to explore streets that are thousands of years old and were even used during the bombings of World War II.

Take a rich gastronomic tour

By the time you get to the surface, you've probably started to get hungry. For lunch you can opt to try your luck in one of the restaurants in the centre. Wherever you go, I assure you that the Neapolitan-style pizza and pasta will be top-notch.

However, since you are in one of the most central areas of the city, I suggest you invest your lunchtime in one of the best gastronomic tours to try all the specialities.

This way, for around 13, you'll have a specialised guide who will take you through the streets of the oldest areas and give you a taste of the best mozzarella, different types of fried pizza, local dishes and, of course, the typical gelatto. Booking a food tour in Naples will make your mouth water!

Visit the Cathedral and the Basilica di San Domenico Maggiore

On a full stomach everything looks better and, now that you've had lunch, I suggest you go and see two of the architectural emblems of the old town of Naples: its Cathedral and its Basilica of San Domenico Maggiore.

The Cathedral, also known as the Duomo, is the most important religious centre in the whole city and, although it may seem less striking than other cathedrals in Italy, it has great significance for Neapolitans. It was built in the 14th century and has an extraordinary treasure trove of silver figurines inside. Entrance is free and, just after lunch, it is not usually crowded with tourists.

As for the Basilica of Domenico Maggiore, it is only a 10-minute walk from the Duomo and, although it tries to go unnoticed on the outside, inside it has a whole display of Gothic art that has made it a reference point in the city. It is said that Saint Thomas Aquinas himself lived in its chambers. Admission is also free, although you can pay around €5 for a guided tour.

Stroll around Piazza Garibaldi and Porta Nolana

To end this first full day, in which you will have already done many of the things to see and do in Naples, I suggest that, after leaving the basilica, you head west until you reach Piazza Garibaldi. This is one of the city's nerve centres, as it serves as a connection point for all forms of transport. It has a statue dedicated to Giuseppe Garibaldi, the famous Italian politician and military man.

From here, you can reach in a few steps the famous Porta Nolana, a large marble arch with two towers that was once one of the city's gateways.

Just 5 minutes from here, you can reach the Piazza del Mercato, a place steeped in history where, given the time of day, you can stop for a rest and a bite to eat in one of the trattorias.

For this second day I have prepared for you a whole itinerary around the area closest to the port that includes all kinds of cultural attractions, as well as time for shopping and delicious food. You will see the Castel Nuovo in the morning and the Egg Castle at sunset, visit the great Galleries of Umberto I and see the treasures hidden in the Royal Palace, go ahead!

Visit the Castel Nuovo

You will start this second day by heading, either on foot or by metro, to Piazza Municipio, from where you can see the huge Castel Nuovo, located in the harbour area of Naples, one of its most historical and cultural areas.

This castle, built in the late 13th century in the middle of medieval times, impresses visitors with its five huge defence towers and its enormous moat. The entrance fee is only about 5€ and it is a great plan to do early in the morning without so many people.

Outside the views are incredible and it is worth going to see the small church of Palatina, located in the inner courtyard or the Hall of the Barons, which has many paintings of the time.

Shopping at the Umberto I Gallery

On leaving the Castle, and so that you don't get overwhelmed by seeing historical remains all the time during your trip, I have prepared a more dynamic and different plan for you. Taking advantage of the fact that you are only a few steps away from the Castello Novo, I suggest you visit the important Galleria Umberto I.

Originally, these famous galleries, made up of large glass and iron domes, were designed to clean up the bad reputation of the entire port area. Today, it is one of the most important shopping areas in the city.

I recommend that you take a leisurely stroll around and, apart from taking photos, browse the windows of the many shops in the lower part, whether you want to buy gifts or a holiday treat.

Try the best pizza in Naples

After a morning of sightseeing and shopping, you're bound to feel like stopping to recharge your batteries. Don't worry because you are in an area full of restaurants and local food. You can opt for a bite to eat at one of the restaurants inside the Galleria, but if you don't want your wallet to suffer too much, you can wander around the surrounding area.

Naples is full of top-quality pizza places. Whether you want to eat on the go or sit down in front of a knife and fork, in this area of Naples you can find places that specialise in the popular Neapolitan fried pizza.

See Piazza del Plebiscito and enter the Royal Palace

After lunch, you can't miss another must-see stop, the Piazza del Plebiscito, just a few minutes' walk away. This is one of the most important places and, due to its enormous size, has become the place where all the important events of the city take place. This huge square has the famous Basilica of San Francesco di Paola, in neoclassical style, which you can marvel at its façade and even go inside to see its interior.

You will also find another of Naples' treasures, due to its excellent state of preservation, the Royal Palace. This building took almost 200 years to build and nowadays, you can enter to tour all its rooms and chambers, which will transport you to the 17th century.

Entry costs around £23 and buying a ticket to the Royal Palace is a must if you want to learn a little more about the city's modern history.

Watch the sunset at the Castel del Ovo

To end this second day, I suggest you walk about 10 minutes south and watch the sunset at one of the most photographed castles in Naples: the Castello del Ovo, or Egg Castle in English, which is also free to enter.

Its curious name comes from a legend that Virgil would have placed an egg inside, predicting that, if it were to break, Naples would be doomed to a great tragedy.

It is one of the oldest buildings still standing in the city and simply walking around what were once the castle's dormitories and cells is impressive. If you are passionate about castles and their history, I recommend you to book the tour of the castles of Naples. You will love it!

In these first two days you have been in Naples, you have had time to get to know its streets and visit some of the most essential places.

That's why, to make your trip even more complete, for this last day I have an excursion in store for you that will leave you speechless; a visit to the Vesuvius volcano and the ruins of Pompeii.

There are many excursions from Naples to Vesuvius and Pompeii so you can choose the one that best suits your tastes. Even if you are very short of time, you can choose to go just to see Vesuvius, which is no more than 30 minutes from the centre. However, I'm going to give you a complete one-day itinerary so that you won't be left wanting for anything.

Visit Pompeii on an organised tour

Most of these tours are all-inclusive and, for around £103, you can even arrange to be picked up at the hotel where you're staying. From there, you'll start the tour with a tour group of usually no more than 15 people.

In just over 30 minutes you will have reached the impressive ruins of the ancient city of Pompeii, which was razed to the ground centuries ago by the volcano Vesuvius. The tour includes entrance to this impressive site, which is considered to be one of the largest archaeological sites in Europe.

Take a walking tour of the city of Pompeii

Upon arrival, you will be met by a guide who will take you on a 2-hour tour of the ancient city. Pompeii has a lot to see and do; you'll see the ancient Forum, the baths and even the brothels. Having been completely buried under lava, you can also see preserved artefacts from the period and even human remains of people who couldn't escape the eruption.

If you prefer, you can do the tour on your own by buying a ticket for around €10 and get to Pompeii in a rented car or regional train. However, I recommend booking an excursion to Pompeii from Naples, as it will ensure that you can see the whole city in one morning and not miss anything.

Make a stop for lunch in Pompeii

If you've finally decided to visit Pompeii on your own, you're probably wondering where to eat in Pompeii that is cheap and tasty so you can continue your tour. One of the best places in the area is undoubtedly I Matti, where you can eat a good Mediterranean dish and recharge your batteries.

However, if you choose to take an organised tour, lunch will be included and you can sit down to a tasty pizza while you rest and continue on your way to the fatal crater.

Climb to the top of Vesuvius

Just 40 minutes from Pompeii lies the volcano that eventually wiped the city off the map; Vesuvius. One of the best ways to get the food down a little is to take an accessible hike that is well signposted and will take you in just over an hour to the top of the volcano, from where you can see the crater.

This volcano is one of the few still active in Europe and, although it is dormant, if you look out you can see the plumes of smoke rising from its bowels. From the top of this imposing place, you will have a privileged view of the entire port of Naples.

You can also choose to make your own way from Pompeii or from Naples to Vesuvius by bus for less than €5.

As you will have seen from this itinerary, Naples is a city that is easy to walk around and generally has all its tourist attractions grouped together in one area. Even so, if you are staying in a remote area, the city has both a bus and metro system.

If you are coming to Naples for a few days, you can also consider taking one of the city's tourist buses, which will take you quickly and comfortably to the most emblematic places so that you can condense your visit and see everything.

This is also an ideal scenario in the hot months as Naples in summer tends to have a big increase in temperatures and humidity and, believe me, it's nice to be able to go sightseeing with air conditioning.

Naples is a city full of history that you discover with every step you take. If you have a few days off or want to take advantage of a 3-day long weekend, don't think twice and come and fall in love with this beautiful Italian city.