Nightlife · Naples · Italy
Naples nightlife
Where the evenings happen in Naples, from early drinks to late nights.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Velvet, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Naples nightlife is mostly outdoors, with crowds on squares and in alleys rather than in clubs. Students fill the historic centre, while Chiaia's baretti draw a dressier crowd. The main areas are Piazza Bellini and the historic centre, Chiaia baretti, Lungomare and Mergellina and Vomero.
Key facts
- Nightlife areas
- 4
- Stay near the action
- Chiaia
- Local drink
- Neapolitan espresso
Where to go out
Piazza Bellini and the historic centre
Student bars, cheap drinks and crowds spilling into the square near the university.
Chiaia baretti
Small cocktail and wine bars around Vico Belledonne a Chiaia and Via Bisignano, busiest at weekends.
Lungomare and Mergellina
Evening strolls, seafront bars and late-night snacks with views over the bay.
Vomero
Local bars and pubs around Piazza Vanvitelli.
Nightlife tips
- Nights start late; squares fill after 10pm.
- Metro and funiculars stop around midnight on most nights; plan for a taxi later.
- Keep valuables secure in crowded nightlife squares.
Evening sights
Architecture · Santa Lucia and the Lungomare
Teatro di San Carlo
If you cannot see a performance, the short guided tour shows the auditorium and royal box.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes for a tour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Couples
- After dark
- Architecture
What to drink
- Neapolitan espresso — Short, strong and often sweetened, drunk standing at the bar with a glass of water. The tradition of caffè sospeso, paying for a coffee for a stranger, began here.
- Limoncello — Lemon liqueur made from the thick-skinned lemons of the Sorrento peninsula and Amalfi Coast, served ice-cold after dinner.
Evenings through the year
Sunset and the overnight low decide how long the outdoor part of a night lasts. July has the warmest evenings, with lows around 20°C (68°F).
| Month | Sunset (15th) | Overnight low | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | About 16:59 | 5°C (41°F) | 10 |
| April | About 19:42 | 9°C (48°F) | 9 |
| July | About 20:34 | 20°C (68°F) | 2 |
| October | About 18:23 | 13°C (55°F) | 9 |
Getting home late
- Walking — Cross streets decisively and at crossings; scooters and cars rarely stop otherwise.
- Metro — Metro Line 1 links Piazza Garibaldi (central station), Università, Municipio, Toledo, Dante, the Archaeological Museum and Vomero, with several stations decorated as 'Art Stations'.
- Ferry — Ferries and fast hydrofoils leave Molo Beverello and Calata Porta di Massa for Capri, Ischia, Procida and Sorrento, with more frequent services in summer.
- Taxi — Official white taxis offer fixed fares on common routes such as the airport, station and port; ask for the fixed fare (tariffa predeterminata) before setting off.
Late-night bites
- Fried pizza — Friggitorie and pizzerias in the historic centre and Sanità.
- Cuoppo — Friggitorie in the centre, Pignasecca market and along the seafront.
- Fried pasta omelette — Pizzerias across the city serve it as a starter.
Staying safe at night
Pickpocketing and bag-snatching are the main risks, especially around Piazza Garibaldi, on buses and on the Circumvesuviana. Traffic is chaotic, so cross roads carefully, and keep phones out of reach on busy streets.
- Emergency number
- 112 (European emergency number)
Where to stay for nightlife
$$$ · Best for couples, shopping, nightlife and luxury
Chiaia
Chiaia is Naples's polished side, with fashion boutiques on Via dei Mille and Via Calabritto, the long Villa Comunale park along the seafront and a cluster of small bars, the baretti, around Vico Belledonne a Chiaia. It is calmer than the centre, with a funicular up to Vomero and an easy walk to the Lungomare.
- Good
- Calmer, well-kept streets; Good restaurants and bars; Near the seafront
- Watch out
- A 20-minute walk to the historic centre; Pricier than the old town
- Nearby
- Villa Comunale, Lungomare, Piazza dei Martiri, Chiaia funicular
Questions travellers ask
+Where is the best nightlife in Naples?
Piazza Bellini and the historic centre, Chiaia baretti and Lungomare and Mergellina. Student bars, cheap drinks and crowds spilling into the square near the university.
+Which area of Naples is best for nightlife?
Chiaia: Elegant shopping streets and aperitivo bars between Piazza dei Martiri and the sea.