One day in Naples

[NCteacherlovescruising]

We will be spending one day in Naples, arriving around 12:30 or so. We’ve hired a driver to pick us up at our hotel in Amalfi and drop us off at our hotel in Naples, the Royal Continental. We have a 9:40 AM flight to Athens the next morning. Any suggestions on what we should do?  We want to try their pizza. We’ve watched some YouTube videos but nothing jumped out as a must do. Things close enough to walk from our hotel would be ideal, but we would consider needing some sort of transportation. Would also consider a beach day if there is a nice one that would be close and easy to get to. (We will have already seen Pompeii)

[euro cruiser]

Forget the beach; while there are some places to get wet that are technically in Naples, no one who lives on the east coast of the US would call them a beach.

 

There are castles, the royal apartments, some amazing museums and churches, all within walking distance of your hotel.  Have you considered checking out the Veiled Christ at Sansevero?  

 

Sansevero Chapel Museum (museosansevero.it)

[marazul]

The National Archaeological Museum is outstanding.  A lot of the important finds from Pompeii are here.  And more.

https://mann-napoli.it/en/home-english/

[NCteacherlovescruising]

9 hours ago, euro cruiser said:

Forget the beach; while there are some places to get wet that are technically in Naples, no one who lives on the east coast of the US would call them a beach.

 

 

Noted. Thanks!

 

9 hours ago, euro cruiser said:

There are castles, the royal apartments, some amazing museums and churches, all within walking distance of your hotel.  Have you considered checking out the Veiled Christ at Sansevero?  

 

Sansevero Chapel Museum (museosansevero.it)

No, we had not. Thanks for the suggestion!  I know there’s a big castle but I believe it’s far from our hotel. (Not the one we can see from the hotel)

 

38 minutes ago, marazul said:

The National Archaeological Museum is outstanding.  A lot of the important finds from Pompeii are here.  And more.

https://mann-napoli.it/en/home-english/

Yes, I do recall thinking that would be interesting, especially a few days after visiting Pompeii. 
 

 

Our hotel charges 5 euro/hour to visit their pool and only allow so many visitors at a time. Is this common practice there?  

[marazul]

37 minutes ago, NCteacherlovescruising said:

Our hotel charges 5 euro/hour to visit their pool and only allow so many visitors at a time. Is this common practice there?  

I don't think it is a common practice. Does it apply to hotel guests or only to the public? Either way, it is a fraction of what you would pay for beds and umbrella at a beach even if there were  one nearby.  It is cheap for the convenience of going for a swim right at your hotel after a hot day of sightseeing.  When you check in ask if you need to reserve the time for later in the afternoon. 

[euro cruiser]

I don't know, but I'd guess it has something to do with a very small pool and a large hotel, needing to control usage.

 

From your hotel to Castel Nuovo, the one at the port, is just under one mile on foot.  The other large castle is Sant'Elmo, up on the hill.  For that one you'd take the funicolare up the hill.

[edinburgher]

12 hours ago, NCteacherlovescruising said:

Any suggestions on what we should do?

The Archaeological Museum  should be of interest as you have already visited Pompeii.

 

And the views from the Castel Sant Elmo mentioned above are jaw droppingly fabulous on a clear day.  There is a viewing area and telescopes.You might also enjoy taking the little funicular up  and it is only a short walk from there.

 

the Cloister of Santa Chiara and "Christmas St." ( Via San Gregorio Armeno) are also within walking distance.

 

Reviews of all on Tripadvisor to help you decide.

 

No need to look for pizza as it is sold everywhere.

[NCteacherlovescruising]

5 hours ago, marazul said:

I don't think it is a common practice. Does it apply to hotel guests or only to the public? Either way, it is a fraction of what you would pay for beds and umbrella at a beach even if there were  one nearby.  It is cheap for the convenience of going for a swim right at your hotel after a hot day of sightseeing.  When you check in ask if you need to reserve the time for later in the afternoon. 

Hotel guests have to do this. You do need to reserve in advance. And you must go to the pool deck to do so. Seems so strange. The pool doesn’t look tiny online but maybe it’s small for the size of the hotel. 🤷‍♀️

4 hours ago, euro cruiser said:

I don't know, but I'd guess it has something to do with a very small pool and a large hotel, needing to control usage.

 

From your hotel to Castel Nuovo, the one at the port, is just under one mile on foot.  The other large castle is Sant'Elmo, up on the hill.  For that one you'd take the funicolare up the hill.

I think we’re going to try to see Sant’Elmo. According to google maps it’s a long walk from our hotel though. I’m sure the hotel can provide suggestions on transportation. 

4 hours ago, edinburgher said:

The Archaeological Museum  should be of interest as you have already visited Pompeii.

 

And the views from the Castel Sant Elmo mentioned above are jaw droppingly fabulous on a clear day.  There is a viewing area and telescopes.You might also enjoy taking the little funicular up  and it is only a short walk from there.

 

 

We have these two on our list now to see. Dh also added a couple others places if we still feel like doing something other than walking around. We may just head back to the hotel for a swim and then dinner and go to bed early because once we get to Athens, which is where we’re meeting up with our friends, we will be non-stop for several days.

 

4 hours ago, edinburgher said:

the Cloister of Santa Chiara and "Christmas St." ( Via San Gregorio Armeno) are also within walking distance.

 

Reviews of all on Tripadvisor to help you decide.

 

No need to look for pizza as it is sold everywhere.

Yes, I’m sure!  It doesn’t look that appealing, and I’ve heard it’s soggy, but we must try it!  

[marazul]

13 minutes ago, NCteacherlovescruising said:

 Yes, I’m sure!  It doesn’t look that appealing, and I’ve heard it’s soggy, but we must try it!  

The pizza? No, it isn't soggy. It would be closer to, let's say a Margherita like they make at Brixx in Charlotte than what you find at the big pie pizza places.

 

I think you might change your mind after you try it. Make sure they make it with buffala mozzarella. You can also get excellent pizza in Amalfi and in that whole area. A number of good places near the Amalfi cathedral. Try it in both towns so you get a chance to try different topping combinations. Just don't expect it to look like anything that came out of Domino's. 

[euro cruiser]

Do not follow google maps to get to Castel Sant'Elmo, they've got it all wrong.

 

It's an easy walk (eight-tenths of a mile) from your hotel to the funicolare centrale at Piazzetta Duca d'Aosta (the Augusta stop).  You take it to the top station, Fuga.  It's at this point that google maps screws you all up and has you climbing when you don't have to.

 

As you exit the funicolare station you go to your right, then turn right onto Via Domenico Cimarosa.  Walk to the first corner and turn left onto Via Raffaele Morghen.  Walk past the big Carrefour supermarket and you'll see on the right an escalator.  Take this and at the top cross the street and take the next escalator.  You'll be facing another funicolare station, to the left of this station you'll see a brown sign with white lettering pointing you toward the castle.

 

 

The walk at the top is one-half mile.

 

Once you're up there, consider checking out the certosa di San Martino.  They have an eclectic collection of items including some amazing presepe, the nativity scenes that Naples is famous for.

Edited June 15 by euro cruiser

[NCteacherlovescruising]

20 minutes ago, marazul said:

The pizza? No, it isn't soggy. It would be closer to, let's say a Margherita like they make at Brixx in Charlotte than what you find at the big pie pizza places.

 

 

We love Brixx!  

20 minutes ago, marazul said:

I think you might change your mind after you try it. Make sure they make it with buffala mozzarella. You can also get excellent pizza in Amalfi and in that whole area. A number of good places near the Amalfi cathedral. Try it in both towns so you get a chance to try different topping combinations. Just don't expect it to look like anything that came out of Domino's. 

I can see us trying pizza everywhere. It’s one of my favorite foods!  

[marazul]

9 minutes ago, NCteacherlovescruising said:

 

We love Brixx!  

I can see us trying pizza everywhere. It’s one of my favorite foods!  

Enjoy! 

[Hlitner]

12 hours ago, NCteacherlovescruising said:

......

 

Our hotel charges 5 euro/hour to visit their pool and only allow so many visitors at a time. Is this common practice there?  

Forty years of extensive independent travel in Italy, and I have never heard of such a thing!  It a hotel told me that, we would be looking for a different hotel (even if we did not plan on going to the pool).  We do agree with the advice to forget a beach, and also forget the pool :).  Plenty of places to get pizza (we have been underwhelmed by the famous places and delighted by unknown venues).  Since you will only have the afternoon, just walking around town, perhaps stopping at a museum (especially on a hot day), and having a nice lunch and decent dinner, would keep us happy.

 

Hank

[marazul]

On 6/15/2024 at 3:57 PM, NCteacherlovescruising said:

 

We love Brixx!  

I can see us trying pizza everywhere. It’s one of my favorite foods!  

You might want to try 'A Taverna do' Re, a very good pizza and Neapolitan specialties restaurant.  It is near the port and not far from your hotel.  You could share a pizza and then try some of the local pasta dishes such as Gnocchi alla Sorrentina or Linguine alla puttanesca.  

https://www.atavernadorenapoli.it/