Discussion
Naples is a very interesting city which I visit annually on my way to Ischia.
Lots of exploring, good food, markets, hidden gems of buildings, real old time Italian feel.
There is a darker side and there are areas around the train station I wouldn't visit.
It's sensible to take precautions, don't wear a watch or Jewelry and keep your cash and cards secure.
Lots of exploring, good food, markets, hidden gems of buildings, real old time Italian feel.
There is a darker side and there are areas around the train station I wouldn't visit.
It's sensible to take precautions, don't wear a watch or Jewelry and keep your cash and cards secure.
I think Naples sounds as though it would be fabulous.
It is really not. It is dirty and crime ridden.
It's real benefit is the proximity to some breath taking scenery and epic historical sites. I don't recommend staying in Naples itself but the surrounding areas are indeed lovely. Never been to the beautiful Ischia mentioned above but we have a family house a couple of hours South of Naples (not Italian, just love the area)
It is really not. It is dirty and crime ridden.
It's real benefit is the proximity to some breath taking scenery and epic historical sites. I don't recommend staying in Naples itself but the surrounding areas are indeed lovely. Never been to the beautiful Ischia mentioned above but we have a family house a couple of hours South of Naples (not Italian, just love the area)
Kateg28 said:
I think Naples sounds as though it would be fabulous.
It is really not. It is dirty and crime ridden.
It's real benefit is the proximity to some breath taking scenery and epic historical sites. I don't recommend staying in Naples itself but the surrounding areas are indeed lovely. Never been to the beautiful Ischia mentioned above but we have a family house a couple of hours South of Naples (not Italian, just love the area)
Horses for courses.It is really not. It is dirty and crime ridden.
It's real benefit is the proximity to some breath taking scenery and epic historical sites. I don't recommend staying in Naples itself but the surrounding areas are indeed lovely. Never been to the beautiful Ischia mentioned above but we have a family house a couple of hours South of Naples (not Italian, just love the area)
I've travelled a lot in Italy and Naples is edgy and a rough diamond that stirs the emotions.
It's not for everybody and I don't think I would live there but there is so much there that the usual tourist destinations don't have.
You may or not be aware that they are cleaning up the main drag, truthfully I think that's taking away some of it's "charm".
For instance I find Sorrento and Taormina much too touristy others love it.
Edited by avinalarf on Tuesday 30th July 14:10
Pericoloso said:
It's a bit rough.
I always recommend ,as do many others ,Lucca in Tuscany.
It's not big but it's near enough to Florence ,Siena and Pisa.
+1I always recommend ,as do many others ,Lucca in Tuscany.
It's not big but it's near enough to Florence ,Siena and Pisa.
We went to Lucca on our honeymoon. It's beautiful, and off the tourist trail (or it was when we went anyway, things might have changed a lot in 14 years!)
Good idea to "scratch" Naples as you have a family, IMO.
We can also recommend Lucca. We were based there for a week maybe 3 years ago. Lovely little town, just to wander, do some culture, etc. Has 4 km of walls to walk or bike along, great. Lots of nice restaurants too. Modest number of tourists.
Also, good for days out by train to Florence (1 1/2 hours), Pisa (1/2 hour), and Viareggio (3/4 hour) if you fancy a day on the beach. You can organise train tickets, pay for them, and get the tickets online in UK before you go.
One downside to Lucca is the difficulty driving into/out of the walled city. It really is a maze. This featured on Top Gear many years ago. There is also a large ZTL, so, if you have a car I'd advise parking outside the walls of the town and if you take it to your hotel ask them to get you a temporary permit so you can get to/from the hotel carpark without incurring a fine every time.
R.
We can also recommend Lucca. We were based there for a week maybe 3 years ago. Lovely little town, just to wander, do some culture, etc. Has 4 km of walls to walk or bike along, great. Lots of nice restaurants too. Modest number of tourists.
Also, good for days out by train to Florence (1 1/2 hours), Pisa (1/2 hour), and Viareggio (3/4 hour) if you fancy a day on the beach. You can organise train tickets, pay for them, and get the tickets online in UK before you go.
One downside to Lucca is the difficulty driving into/out of the walled city. It really is a maze. This featured on Top Gear many years ago. There is also a large ZTL, so, if you have a car I'd advise parking outside the walls of the town and if you take it to your hotel ask them to get you a temporary permit so you can get to/from the hotel carpark without incurring a fine every time.
R.
"See Naples and die" - Not because it was the last thing you needed to see 
It's a city with a huge amount of character, but not one I'd suggest you take your family around the side streets and back alleys of.
We spent a long weekend there a few years ago. We stayed in a lovely hotel, a former convent, above the city with views of it, the Bay and Vesuvius (along with a hideous 1970s tower block slap bang in the middle of the view that really, really, really, really needs knocking down!).
One day we walked down the steps to town, the steps were littered with discarded needles and we ran the gauntlet of junkies asking if we could spare a few Euros... We only did that once.
But... the castles, the view, Herculaneum, the acquifers under the city, even the streets themselves are great and full of character, if not charm in every case.
I liked Naples and would go back, but you definitely need your wits about you.
M
It's a city with a huge amount of character, but not one I'd suggest you take your family around the side streets and back alleys of.
We spent a long weekend there a few years ago. We stayed in a lovely hotel, a former convent, above the city with views of it, the Bay and Vesuvius (along with a hideous 1970s tower block slap bang in the middle of the view that really, really, really, really needs knocking down!).
One day we walked down the steps to town, the steps were littered with discarded needles and we ran the gauntlet of junkies asking if we could spare a few Euros... We only did that once.
But... the castles, the view, Herculaneum, the acquifers under the city, even the streets themselves are great and full of character, if not charm in every case.
I liked Naples and would go back, but you definitely need your wits about you.
M
Sa Calobra said:
Okay! Scratch that as it's a family break.
We went on a family break to Naples, had a fantastic time. As said, a rough diamond of a city. Herculaneum if great, as it the walk up Vesuvius, and the train down to Sorrento. Great food too. Just ask the hotel receptionist to put a ring around the no go bits on your map, and your fine.
Went there last year, flew into Naples and stayed 3 nights at a b&b while visiting Pompeii, Herculaneum etc before going off to Ischia, Capri etc
The hotel organised transport and we were picked up from the airport and taken straight to the hotel in the old town, had a lovely few nights even though we had been warned Naples is a horrid place and very dodgy. Walked down to the port and did the rest of our holiday, on the way back we came back into Naples very early with a view to exploring it a bit more before an evening flight. This time the taxi dropped us of at the central station, this is night an day, this area is not pleasant at all and we did not feel 100% safe walking around, I'd not be happy if that's the area I was in.
If all you experience is around the station then I can see why people don't like Naples but we enjoyed it for the short time we were there.
The hotel organised transport and we were picked up from the airport and taken straight to the hotel in the old town, had a lovely few nights even though we had been warned Naples is a horrid place and very dodgy. Walked down to the port and did the rest of our holiday, on the way back we came back into Naples very early with a view to exploring it a bit more before an evening flight. This time the taxi dropped us of at the central station, this is night an day, this area is not pleasant at all and we did not feel 100% safe walking around, I'd not be happy if that's the area I was in.
If all you experience is around the station then I can see why people don't like Naples but we enjoyed it for the short time we were there.
In October 2015 wife and I flew into Naples, stayed the night in town before getting the train next morning from Central Station to Palermo in Sicily. Not knowing any better at the time, we booked a hotel close to the station. On the morning of the flight the hotel called us to say that they did not have available the room we booked 6 months previously but we should go to the hotel and they will arrange alternative accommodation. So, we arrived at the hotel at around 10:30pm and were told that we had been booked in a hotel nearby, whereupon the porter took our luggage and we walked following him.....past the strip joint next door, maybe a dozen ladies of the night and numerable comatose bodies lying on the pavement. An unpleasant and threatening 10 minutes. The hotel we ended up in was appalling: a central light but no lampshade, a threadbare carpet, a wardrobe and a double bed with questionable bed linen etc, and that's it. There was a lot of noisy coming and going during the night; easy to guess what was going on. Needless to say, we declined the hotel breakfast, left early, and had a panini and coffee at the station.
We had also booked the hotel for the return journey. We had serious concerns but I did phone ahead and they guaranteed the room would be available. On arrival we were upgraded (not by much I think) and there was a bottle of prosecco in the room. We also got a 10% reduction at check out. Turned out to be a reasonable hotel after all in a dodgy location.
We did notice that there was a lot of building and road works going on nearby so I suspect the area has been cleaned up now...if that's possible!
R,
We had also booked the hotel for the return journey. We had serious concerns but I did phone ahead and they guaranteed the room would be available. On arrival we were upgraded (not by much I think) and there was a bottle of prosecco in the room. We also got a 10% reduction at check out. Turned out to be a reasonable hotel after all in a dodgy location.
We did notice that there was a lot of building and road works going on nearby so I suspect the area has been cleaned up now...if that's possible!
R,
BigMon said:
Pericoloso said:
It's a bit rough.
I always recommend ,as do many others ,Lucca in Tuscany.
It's not big but it's near enough to Florence ,Siena and Pisa.
+1I always recommend ,as do many others ,Lucca in Tuscany.
It's not big but it's near enough to Florence ,Siena and Pisa.
We went to Lucca on our honeymoon. It's beautiful, and off the tourist trail (or it was when we went anyway, things might have changed a lot in 14 years!)
I've been to Naples 4/5 times and it's a lovely city - you'd be crazy to miss it. Of course, it has it's less attractive bits and you should use common sense - but the same advice goes for pretty much anywhere. It's no different to places like (for example) Birmingham or Manchester.
I was in Paris at the weekend and inadvertently slipped into the bowels of Barbès after taking a couple of wrong turns - not the best place to be but would it put me off staying in Paris or recommending it to others? Not a chance - it's a fantastic city.
I was in Paris at the weekend and inadvertently slipped into the bowels of Barbès after taking a couple of wrong turns - not the best place to be but would it put me off staying in Paris or recommending it to others? Not a chance - it's a fantastic city.
A while ago now, but I did a day trip from Sorrento. Like others said there was a air of danger around the station area, and rubbish piled up in the streets etc. There were large squares that in any other Italian city would be rammed with tourists, but in Naples they were deserted. We didn't venture too far down the narrow side streets but what we did see was pretty and fascinating. An interesting place!
I went on short family trip to Pompeii, Sorrento, Capri etc stayed in 4 star hotel opposite Naples station, which made it easy to get to various places. But there were dogs sleeping in the planters, the lifted routinely dropped 10 ft & there was step up / down to get off. The roof top pool was a scummy half filled hot tub. The streets were lined with rubbish & rubble almost like there had been skips there but the skip itself had been stolen & the contents left behind.
We had a lovely time.
We had a lovely time.
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