One day in Naples

Day by day

1. Day 1: National Archaeological Museum and Sansevero Chapel and the Veiled Christ

   National Archaeological Museum, Sansevero Chapel and the Veiled Christ, Spaccanapoli and the decumani and Via San Gregorio Armeno, then Teatro di San Carlo in the evening.

   1. Morning

      National Archaeological Museum

      Visit before Pompeii to understand what you will see there, and head first to the mosaics on the mezzanine. Allow 3 hours.

   2. Late morning

      Sansevero Chapel and the Veiled Christ

      Photography is not allowed inside; take time to look at the veil from several angles. Allow 45 minutes.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Neapolitan pizza

      Historic pizzerias on Via dei Tribunali and in the Sanità and Quartieri Spagnoli; expect queues at the famous names.

   4. Afternoon

      Spaccanapoli and the decumani

      Walk it end to end in the morning, then return to Via dei Tribunali at lunchtime for pizza. Allow 2–3 hours.

   5. Late afternoon

      Via San Gregorio Armeno

      Visit on a weekday morning outside the Christmas season to watch artisans work without the crush. Allow 30–60 minutes.

   6. Evening

      Teatro di San Carlo

      If you cannot see a performance, the short guided tour shows the auditorium and royal box.

Before you go

• Sansevero Chapel and the Veiled Christ: Queues are long and entry is limited; book a timed ticket online.

If it rains

• Swap in Naples Underground (Centro Storico): Wear comfortable shoes and skip the narrowest passage if you are claustrophobic; there is a way around.
• Swap in Piazza del Plebiscito and the Royal Palace (Santa Lucia and the Lungomare): Combine the palace with Teatro di San Carlo and coffee at a historic café on Piazza Trieste e Trento.
• Swap in Galleria Umberto I (Via Toledo): Look up from the centre of the cross to see the full height of the dome.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 7–9 hours of visiting over one day, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 9.3 hours in December to 15.1 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

Getting between stops: Walking. The historic centre, Via Toledo, Piazza del Plebiscito and the seafront are all within about 20–30 minutes' walk of each other.

More or fewer days

• 2 days in Naples
• 3 days in Naples
• 4 days in Naples
• 5 days in Naples
• 7 days in Naples

Questions travellers ask