Month guide · Naples · Italy
Naples in December
What December is really like in Naples: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
December is a quieter month with trade-offs. Expect average highs of 14°C (57°F), lows of 6°C (43°F), about 11 rainy days and roughly 9.3 hours of daylight. Festive, with presepi in churches, struffoli honey balls and New Year's Eve fireworks over the bay.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 14°C (57°F) / 6°C (43°F)
- Rainy days
- About 11
- Daylight
- About 9.3 hours
- Sea temperature
- 16°C (61°F)
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in December
December is the 11th-warmest month in Naples: days average 14°C (57°F) against a yearly average high of 21°C (70°F), and nights fall to about 6°C (43°F). Rain falls on roughly 11 of its 31 days. Compared with November (18°C (64°F)), December is cooler; by January highs stay near 13°C (55°F).
- Sunrise (15 December)
- About 07:21
- Sunset (15 December)
- About 16:36
- Daylight
- About 9.3 hours
- Sea
- 16°C (61°F)
Winter (December–February). Mild but wet, with Christmas presepi, quiet museums and the lowest prices; some island services are reduced.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, December rates 3 for crowds (the peak is April at 4) and 3 for hotel prices (highest in July). Prices sit in the middle of the year's range.
Events in December
- Feast of San Gennaro (16 December)
- New Year's Eve concert and fireworks in Piazza del Plebiscito and along the seafront (31 December)
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in December
With frequent rain, plan around indoor sights and keep outdoor time flexible.
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Religious site · Centro Storico
Naples Cathedral and the Treasure of San Gennaro
The Gothic cathedral contains the baroque Chapel of the Treasure of San Gennaro, where a vial of the saint's blood is said to liquefy three times a year.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Art
- Architecture
Waterfront · Santa Lucia and the Lungomare
Lungomare promenade
Walk it in the early evening for the passeggiata, and stop for a taralli and a cold beer on the rocks.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Couples
- Outdoors
- Kids
Viewpoint · Posillipo
Posillipo and Parco Virgiliano
At the tip of the Posillipo headland, the terraced Parco Virgiliano looks out over the Gulf of Pozzuoli, the island of Nisida, Procida and Capri.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Couples
- Outdoors
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Neighbourhood · Quartieri Spagnoli and Via Toledo
Quartieri Spagnoli
Enter from Via Toledo and explore by day; keep phones and bags secure in the narrow lanes.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Photo spot
- Food
What to pack
For highs near 14°C, lows near 6°C and 11 wet days: layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings; a packable rain jacket for showers; comfortable walking shoes.
Is December a good time to visit Naples?
A quieter month with trade-offs, with 2 notable events on the calendar. If your dates are flexible, April–June and September–October are better overall. Compare every month.
Naples in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is December a good time to visit Naples?
It is a quieter month with trade-offs. Festive, with presepi in churches, struffoli honey balls and New Year's Eve fireworks over the bay.
+How warm is Naples in December?
Average highs are around 14°C (57°F) and lows around 6°C (43°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Naples in December?
Expect rain on about 11 days of the month.