10 Free Things to do in Naples (Italy) From A Local!
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Are you planning your next trip to Italy on a budget and you need some ideas? Let me show you 10 free things to do in Naples (Italy). My hometown has so much to offer and I’m sure you’ll love it!
There are a lot of things to do in Naples for free. While many places in Italy can be super expensive, Napoli can be visited for less… if you know all the tricks! Discover the best of Naples on a budget and start planning your next trip!
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Below you can find some of our favorite tours, hotels and more!
Top Experiences and Tours in Naples:
1. Naples Underground: Entry and Guided Tour
2. Sorrento, Positano and Amalfi Tour
3. Pompeii and Mount Vesuvious Full Day Tour
4. Catacombs of San Gennaro: Entry and Guided Tour
Our Favorite Hotels in Naples:
1. Grand Hotel Vesuvio
2. Hotel & Apartments Piazza Bellini
3. B&B Hotel Napoli
Click to check out the updated rates for renting a car!
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Why should you visit Naples?
Napoli is the third largest city in Italy, with a long Summer that goes from April to October. Spring in the southern regions is in fact generally way hotter than northern Italy.
There’s a really good chance you’ll be able to walk around in t-shirt and shorts. Or that you can hit the beaches, especially if you’re planning to visit the Amalfi Coast.
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The best part of it?
Visiting Naples can be incredibly cheap.
You can explore my gorgeous Napoli in one day on a self guided walking tour. Or just sip espresso while sitting at one of the cafes.
Neapolitan coffee here is an art and a way of life!
What if you get hungry?
Eating in Naples like a local will save you a ton of money.
But there’s one thing you should tap into, if you really want to experience this gorgeous city in Southern Italy.
Street food in Naples isn’t only delicious: it’s also incredibly cheap!
Especially if you avoid the tourist traps.
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1. Get a tan at Lungomare Caracciolo
This long street, together with via Partenope, was closed to traffic a few years ago.
It has thus become a large seafront promenade (“lungomare” in Italian).
It is common for Neapolitans to go for a stroll at Lungomare Caracciolo.
If your budget allows it, you can also rent a bicycle to spend some quality time near the sea.
Enjoying the sea at Lungomare Caracciolo is one of the free things to do in Napoli that comes with perks.
While there is only a tiny patch of sand that we know as “Lido Mappatella“, you can still get a free tan.
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A Walk At Lungomare Caracciolo in Naples (Italy)
Avoid paying a fee to access Lido Mappatella and just take advantage of the rocks.
More often than not, us Neapolitans just lay down on the low wall!
Just make sure you’re decent while you do it! Wearing a swimsuit in this case would be frowned upon.
Opt for a pair of shorts and a top!
This picturesque marina in Naples has yet another bonus.
There are so many restaurants and cafes for every pocket. In case you get hungry, get yourself some Italian gelato or a sfogliatella!
2. Welcome the fishing boats
Wake up early in the morning and walk over to Molo Luise.
Every morning the fishermen return on their tiny boats, colored in white, red and blue, to sell their catches.
This is one of the things to do in Naples that will give you the chance to mingle with the locals.
Neapolitan families and restaurant owners make sure to be there to buy the freshest fish ever.
Everyone seems super happy, even if it’s an ungodly hour in the morning.
After all, this is one of the best fish markets in town, with the best prices.
Not a tourist trap, but an authentic gathering place for the locals.
Colorful, picturesque and tourist-free, Molo Luise is also the perfect spot for photos and videos!
Love Neapolitan Food?
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It’s filled with nonna’s recipes: the authentic, traditional Neapolitan dishes we all love here.
Which mean “family” to me.
You’re welcome to use them and if you love’em like I do, just send me an email and let me know!
3. See the sights of Piazza del Plebiscito
The biggest piazza in Naples can contain more than 100.000 people: Piazza del Plebiscito will take your breath away.
The view is simply marvelous.
On the North, coming from the sea, you will see the hills that lead up to Castel Sant’Elmo and the Certosa di San Martino.
On the East, the Royal Palace shows off its oldest facade and beautiful statues.
This is one of the things to do in Naples that not many tourists think of.
You can take pictures of the guard post and of the statues for free. No need to pay a ticket to get inside!
On the West marvel at the curved Church of San Francesco da Paola, with its gorgeous colonnade.
Click to watch our video:
Naples in 1 day – What to Do
Piazza del Plebiscito in Napoli is the starting point to many tours of the city.
It is also central enough that most of the highlights of my beloved Naples are within walking distance.
Win-win!
4. Visit the Church of San Francesco da Paola
While at Piazza del Plebiscito, there’s something else you should absolutely add to your Naples itinerary.
The half-moon shaped Chiesa di San Francesco da Paola can in fact be visited for free!
A late incorporation to the colonnade designed by Joachim Murat in 1809, it was commissioned by King Ferdinand I in 1817. After Napoleon was dispatched.
This religious building is similar to the Pantheon in Rome. Its dome is 53 meters (173 feet) high, making it one of the tallest in the city.
Not many Naples travel guides will tell you about Chiesa di San Francesco da Paola. Yet inside you will find quite a few absolutely stunning paintings and statues, created by the most popular Italian artists.
Definitely one of the must see things in Napoli!
5. Meet friendly “Napoletani”
In the evening, throughout the week, the youngsters in Naples mostly gather in Chiaia. Which is located by the end of Lungomare Caracciolo.
This part of Naples is full of small bars and wineries.
Once you get there, you will have the chance to meet a lot of new people. Because the truth is that us Neapolitans are particularly friendly.
Even those who don’t speak English will probably find a creative way to communicate!
Visiting Naples is also just walking in the narrow streets or by the sea, listening to the music coming from the bars. It is one of those activities that us locals love to do.
Which is completely free, of course.
Down in Piazza San Pasquale you will find some of the trendiest clubs in Naples. Like the always crowded Enoteca Belledonne, or the most famous steak house in Naples, the James Joyce.
That’s where you have to go if you want to meet the fun locals!
6. Hit the Instagrammable spots in Naples
Whether you’re Insta-famous or not, there’s one thing you must do in Naples.
Taking lots and lots of pictures!
Make sure to hit all the instagrammable spots. They can be easily added to your itinerary, and they sure make a good bonus for your travel photo album.
Make sure to stop at Via Toledo, which is also one of the most famous shopping streets in Napoli. You will find a ton of ancient buildings, vintage boutiques and sfogliatella stores.
Another great place is definitely the Chiaia area, which is next to Lungomare Caracciolo. Take gorgeous pictures with Mount Vesuvius on the back and Castel dell’Ovo!
The Gulf of Naples is stunning no matter the season.
There are a lot more places where you can stop for pictures, including Piazza del Plebiscito, the Royal Palace gardens, as well as Galleria Umberto I.
They can all be visited for free!
7. Visit the Art Stations
According to CNN, the Toledo station, one of the Naples Metro Art Stations, is the most beautiful in Europe.
Built like colorful museums, these subway stations can be visited for free by those who have bought a subway ticket.
The Art Stations in Napoli have been designed to be beautiful and comfortable. They were also meant to reinvent the lesser known districts, especially the very old ones.
The most interesting ones are Toledo, inspired by the Gulf of Naples, and Università, the most colorful one, all in pink, white and green. The perfect Instagrammable spot!
The Naples Art Stations are on Linea 1.
Make sure you use this subway line as you visit Naples!
8. Explore Christmas Alley
Did you know that there is a place in Naples where it’s always Christmas?
Via San Gregorio Armeno is in fact also known as “Christmas Alley”.
In this narrow cobblestone street you’ll find “Neapolitan presepi”. Nativity scenes handmade in terracotta and wood.
While the handmade presepi can be expensive, visiting San Gregorio Armeno in Naples is still amazing.
This narrow vicolo is distinctive and full of life. There’s also the chance to see the artisans at work. For free!
Click to watch our video shot in Via San Gregorio Armeno in Naples!
9. Discover “Castel dell’Ovo” (Egg Castle)
According to a legend, Merlin, the legendary magician, hid an egg in the foundations, while building this castle.
Should the egg ever break, Naples will fall.
Throughout the years, this has become one of the most romantic parts of the city.
A lot of couples love to walk hand in hand in the evening on the little stone bridge that connects the castle to Via Partenope.
A few parts of Egg Castle are also free for you to visit during the day.
Next to the castle there’s Borgo Marinaro, where you will find more fishing boats and a couple of candlelight restaurants.
Castel dell’Ovo and Borgo Marinaro are also perfect if you’re planning a romantic honeymoon in Italy!
Click to see all the best places to visit in Italy as a couple
10. Take a stroll through the Centro Storico
Naples historic city center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Not only that. It is also the most ancient part of the city!
At Centro Storico you will find the Duomo, a 13th century Gothic Cathedral.
In front of the Cathedral there are a lot of tiny workshops that make wedding gowns.
Brides from Naples and the surrounding area always come here first, when they have to buy a gorgeous dress for their special day!
Centro Storico is full of free things to see in Naples. This is where you’ll also find Via San Gregorio Armeno.
Do you need more?
Know that you’ll get to take great pictures of the most authentic parts of Napoli!
Find the best hotel prices for your next trip to Naples (Italy)!
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Travelling Dany – Danila Caputo
Danila Caputo is a bilingual travel writer living in between Naples and the Amalfi Coast (Italy), graduating from the University of Naples Suor Orsola Benincasa in Foreign Languages and Literature. She travels and works with her husband Aldo, photographer and videographer. Their blog chronicles their adventures around the world, their love for the USA (where they have family), Italian/European culture and tips on how to be responsible travelers. You can find out more about their latest trips and their life on Youtube, Instagram and Facebook.