Naples, situated in Southern Italy, is a big, bold city filled with food, culture, art, and archeological wonders. Read our Ultimate Guide to 2 Days in Naples for what you must see when you visit.
Naples has cast off its rowdy reputation and stepped out of the shadow of Italy’s more touristic destinations to offer an authentic alternative without the crowds by marrying a cultural revival with its world-class cuisine. Packing this city’s myriad museums, galleries, and archaeological wonders into a single itinerary is challenging. However, this ultimate guide to two days in Naples covers all the experiences you won’t want to miss in Southern Italy’s biggest and boldest city.
Visit the Cultural Sights During Your 2 Days in Naples
In the heart of the city’s historic center is its crown jewel, the Naples National Archaeological Museum, home to one of the world’s finest collections of Roman sculptures and artifacts. Aficionados of Ancient Egypt will also delight in the museum’s Egyptian exhibition, with its gilded relics and spooky mummies. However, the main draw here is the collection from Pompeii and Herculaneum, the two ancient cities destroyed by the 79AD eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Alongside beautifully restored frescoes and mosaics recovered from the doomed sites, plaster casts of the eruption’s victims have preserved their final moments in perpetuity. A visit to the museum is best paired with a morning trip to the Pompei archaeological site.
Fast forward a few centuries, and old meets new at the nearby Donnaregina Contemporary Art Museum (MADRE). Vibrant frescoes adorn the walls of this 13th-century palace, whose permanent collection includes works from Sol LeWitt, Anish Kapoor, and Andy Warhol. A long-standing commitment to improving gallery representation for female artists sets MADRE apart; temporary exhibitions from leading and emerging women in the art space are a highlight here. Don’t miss the view from the rooftop terrace, where Minmo Paladino’s colossal leggy horse sculpture keeps watch over impressive panoramas of the city.
MADRE Museum. Photo by Giancarlo De Luca
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Soccer is King in Naples
Those who might balk at the suggestion that a soccer stadium should feature in a list of Naples’s top cultural sights underestimate the god-like legacy that the late Diego Maradona achieved during his playing career at SSC Napoli. The controversial player has been immortalized in street art across the city, and Argentina jerseys outnumber Italian ones here. A tour of the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium, where SSC Napoli plays, traces the soccer club’s history and recalls how Maradona became the savior of a city. Watch SSC Napoli take on one of their rivals in a match. The cauldron of noise whipped up by Napoli’s fervent supporters is as much a spectacle as the soccer game.
A Street Mural Depicting Soccer Legend Diego Maradona. Photo by Giancarlo De Luca
If soccer is Napoli’s lifeblood, then so, too, is pizza. Napolitanos proudly claims that theirs is the best pizza in Italy–unsurprising, given that this was its birthplace. For authentic Neapolitan pizza, make for Via Dei Tribunali, the city’s so-called “Pizza Alley” tucked away in the historic town. La Pizzeria Sorbillo hogs the headlines here, but there are plenty of other top-drawer pizzerias if you don’t have an appetite for Sorbillo’s line.
Naples is said to be the birthplace of pizza. Photo by Doug Loynes
Historical Sights to See During Your 2 Days in Naples
Castel Sant’Elmo is a medieval fort built for its strategic location atop Vomero Hill, overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea and the city of Naples as it cowers in the shadow of the menacing Mount Vesuvius. Along with the view from the affluent hilltop neighborhood of Posillipo, the panoramas here are the best in the city. On the seafront lies another medieval castle, Castel dell’Ovo. The fortress’s name derives from an ancient legend that a magical egg was built into its foundations and that terrible misfortune would befall the city of Naples should the egg ever be broken. Mercifully, the egg must have remained intact: Naples is thriving, and the pretty marina is one of the best spots in town to grab a seafood dinner.
The City from Castel Sant’Elmo. Photo by Giancarlo De Luca
A Visit to Pompeii Archaeological Park
A visit to Naples wouldn’t be complete without a day trip to the Pompeii Archaeological Park. Tour operators promise round-trip transportation from Naples and skip-the-line guarantees. Still, I went by myself and waited for less than twenty minutes to enter, despite arriving in the early afternoon during peak season. Getting to it is straightforward. Take the Circumvesuviana train from Naples Centrale to Pompei Villa Dei Misteri, directly opposite the Park. A self-guided tour is possible with the help of a nifty official app that guides the maze of ruins and offers some much-needed historical context. This allows you to wander with wonder among the ruins of a civilization laid low by history’s most infamous natural disaster at your own pace.
Pompeii Archaeological Park. Photo by Doug Loynes
While every tourist spending two days in Naples will surely build Pompeii into their itinerary, far fewer make time for Herculaneum, another ancient town buried by the same volcanic eruption. This is a shame because Herculaneum has several advantages over its more famous sister site. The crowds are smaller, and the slow-falling ash here meant that buildings have been better preserved. Herculaneum is a smaller site than Pompeii, and it’s conveniently located on the same train line, making it possible to do both in one day.
Additional Attractions to Check Out in Naples
Two days in Naples might be enough time to experience the city’s big-hitting attractions, but there are more archaeological wonders and vibrant local hotspots beyond the headline acts. Here are some more places worth checking out.
Where to Stay For Your 2 Days in Naples
The volcanic island of Ischia in the bay of Naples boasts grand boutique hotels in Aragonese castles, but it’s too remote to work as a jumping-off point to explore the rest of the city. It is better to stay in the heart of the action, and few neighborhoods are livelier than the historic Sanità-Vergini, where you can find Michelin-star pizza for $5. The pick of the lodgings here is the beautiful family-run Casa d’Anna ai Cristallini. Housed in a traditional Neapolitan townhouse on the doorstep of the Archeological Museum, Casa d’Anna is more than just a boutique hotel. It’s also a veritable treasure trove of antiques and artworks lovingly chosen by the owner that speaks to Naples’s colorful history.
The Lounge at Casa D’Anna. Courtesy Casa D’Anna
Most excitingly, the Casa d’Anna sits atop one of the city’s most remarkable archaeological discoveries. Accessible via a small staircase next door, the Ipogeo dei Cristallini (Hypogeum of the Crystals) is a 2300-year-old sprawling necropolis comprised of four tombs that house some of the most perfectly preserved Hellenic frescoes around. Used by the Greeks to bury their dead, the necropolis was discovered centuries later by the Romans. Too fearful of entering one of the tombs for its striking fresco of the gorgon Medusa, they left it sealed, preventing mold from entering and thus preserving the painting’s vibrant colors.
The Ipogeo, which only opened in the Summer of 2022, is managed by the owners of Casa d’Anna. Still, it’s a separate entity with its own admission fee for essential restoration work.
The Medusa Fresco at Ipogeo dei Cristallini. Courtesy of Ipogeo dei Cristallini
Articles Related to Ultimate Guide to 2 Days in Naples, Italy
What to Plan For Your 2 Days in Naples
Once you’ve ticked off Naples’s top attractions, the best way to experience the city is to get lost among its charming alleys. Then, do as the locals do and kick back with a coffee and a fiocco di neve (“snowflake” pastry) or a slice of pizza.
The Amalfi Coast. Photo by Doug Loynes
If you have more than two days in Naples, explore the three islands in the Bay of Naples. Ischia has the best hotels and thermal spas, and Capri is rightly lauded as the jewel of Southern Italy. But Procida has its own understated beauty that has caught the eye of filmmakers. Its picturesque fishing village of Corricella had a starring turn in Anthony Minghella’s The Talented Mr. Ripley.
Enjoy Naples as part of a Southern Italy road trip through Campania. Hire a car in Naples and spend a few days exploring the city before heading south to Sorrento along the Amalfi coast, one of Europe’s most spectacular coastal drives. Plan your trip to Italy or anywhere in Europe, and find inspiration from Wander With Wander. Have an upcoming weekend trip or a long layover? Check out our other 2 Days Ultimate Guides.
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Ultimate Guide to 2 Days in Naples, Italy
Source: wanderwithwonder.com
