American Airlines is adding a new seasonal service from their Philadelphia hub (my hometown) to Naples, Italy giving travelers a daily direct gateway to the Amalfi Coast starting June 5th and ending in October. Just another reason to love my hometown hub of PHL. The beauty of this new route is that you can fly into to Naples and out of another Italian city or vice versa into Rome (year round service to Philly) and home from Naples. Naples isn’t quite the first Italian city folks think of to add to their itinerary but it should be considered.
First impressions of Naples Italy
My first impression of Naples was in the taxi from the Naples airport was a bit of grittiness and then upon arriving at my waterfront hotel, I embraced the beauty of the city. It took a few days to get a sense for this city which is full of Italians living their lives while tourists cross their paths on the daily. Unlike Venice which seems built for tourists only now, Naples is a real working-class city full of history and surrounded by beauty.
Visiting Herculaneum
While folks are heading to Pompeii, you can use the local train from Naples to Herculaneum which I found to be quite the surprise. Touring Herculaneum with a guide is a fantastic way to see the ruins and gain new insights. A guide will explain the sites with more detail and answer all your questions about the colors you’ll see. Herculaneum isn’t as large as Pompeii so the visit will be much quicker so make time to enjoy lunch at a nearby café before boarding the train back to the Naples train station. Of note is that the site is downhill from the train station but alternatively up hill for the return. Wear good shoes, apply sunscreen, bring a hat and a bottle of water.
Naples Pizza
The oldest pizza shop in Naples is L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele has a limited menu printed on the wall and you can expect to wait for a table. I was able to skip the line as a single diner but was seated at the table across from a stranger eating with his friends from California. There are no separate tables so be prepared if your group is an odd number such as three, you’ll be sharing with a solo diner like me. Naples is full of so many pizza restaurants you can create your own quest for the best pie.
Naples Bike Tour
A bike tour of Naples is not an easy decision as the traffic rules seem nonexistent and the hills a bit daunting no matter how hard you pedal up. That said, seeing the city by bike is always a unique experience to explore further. My Bike Tour Napoli ride was just me and the guide, a local college student studying the arts. We had a memorable ride when asked to pose as background to serenade singers in the park being filmed for a television segment. You never know what will happen in Naples.
Naples Underground Tour
The history of Naples can be found many meters underground. Walking through years of history and artifacts up to and through WWII when it was used a bomb shelter. A few notes when visiting the Naples Underground Tour – its cold underground which can be a nice change to the heat outside, there are many steps down and back up and you’ll likely get lost trying to use google maps like I did so use CityMapper or look for the blue flag.
Day Trip from Naples to Capri
A day trip or longer to visit Capri, Italy in the summer is such a good idea despite the crowds. You will need to be strategic though – I suggest trying to be one of the first off the ferry if you can if you are keen to take the funicular to the top of the island. The lines will quickly swell as the funicular is limited in the passenger load.
Taking a boat tour on Capri – When you buy your ferry ticket in Naples you can include the next tour by boat – around the island and to the Blue Grotto (note you need to transfer from one boat to another so wear good shoes). If you have a combo ticket then you have a short walk to the next boat to board. There’s also a ticket booth to buy a ticket separately.
The orange bus is another transit method on Capri to take you to the main bus terminal at the top where you can transfer to another bus to Anacapri and again if visiting the Blue Grotto. The orange bus is small and holds about twenty people, mostly standing with a scary view of the tight roads and the water below.
Final Thoughts – PHL to NAP
I spent nearly a month in Italy and began my visit in Naples before making my way up to Milan with stays in Sorrento, Capri, Florence, Venice so I’m excited for this new route from Philadelphia to Naples, Italy. Naples can be a great gateway to your Italian adventures.
My favorite time to visit Italy is September/October but I’ve visited in the hot summer months too so as long as you have time to explore (ten days is nice start) you can explore beyond Naples. I would pair Naples with the Amalfi Coast, Naples + Capri or Naples with a train visit to another Italian city. Remember that Naples isn’t a tourist mecca as Rome is set up to be, isn’t the shiny city on the water like Venice – its a city full of life and life is messy, chaotic and gritty and that’s what makes the memories so wonderful. I hope you enjoy your visit to Naples.