City guide · Napoli
Naples
From the Greek street grid to the Bourbon kingdom, read Mediterranean urban history on the Bay of Naples
The historic centre of Naples layers a Greek colonial city, the Roman legacy, and the palaces and churches of the Angevin and Spanish eras into a single street grid. See the old town and the National Archaeological Museum first, then head to the castles and public squares by the bay, and you can connect the excavated finds, city life and the city's position on the sea. Other places in the city worth a visit: Castel Nuovo and the underground archaeological routes. Pompeii lies in another municipality and is best planned as a separate day trip.
History
How the city came to be
UNESCO traces the history of Naples back to Neapolis, founded by Greeks in 470 BC, and the Italian National Tourist Board also describes the earlier settlement of Parthenope. Close to the bay, it continued to serve as a port in the Roman world and in later Mediterranean trade. After the Byzantine period, the Norman, Swabian, Angevin and Spanish eras each left their own layer in the streets, churches and palaces; Castel Nuovo and the Basilica of Santa Chiara are key landmarks of the historic centre. Under the Bourbons Naples became a royal capital, and the nineteenth-century unification of Italy changed its political position. In 1995 the historic centre was inscribed as a World Heritage Site, but the listed area is the old town of Naples and does not include the site of Pompeii outside the city. When you visit today, understand the artefacts in the Archaeological Museum, the original site at Pompeii and the old town streets still in everyday use as separate things.
- Around the 9th century BCThe early settlement of Parthenope forms.
- 470 BCGreek colonists found Neapolis.
- Roman periodThe city becomes part of the Mediterranean network of transport and culture.
- 6th centuryThe city enters the period of Byzantine rule.
- Middle AgesNorman, Swabian, Angevin and other ruling layers leave their architectural legacy in turn.
- Bourbon periodNaples becomes a royal capital.
- 1860The unification of Italy reaches Naples.
- 1995The historic centre is inscribed as a World Heritage Site.
Must see
Places you shouldn’t miss
Historic Centre of Naples
Follow a Greek street grid that is still in use and read the layered history of a port city across antiquity, the Middle Ages and the modern era…
Naples National Archaeological Museum
See the ruined city at Pompeii first, then come back to the museum to see how frescoes, mosaics and everyday objects tell the story of life ther…
Before you go
Rules to know in Naples
Italy: Cover shoulders and knees in churches – the Vatican turns away those who do not
Do
- Cover your shoulders and knees, whether you are a man or a woman
- Take off your hat before going in
- Carry a scarf or cardigan and put it on before entering
- Switch your phone to silent and keep quiet
- Smaller churches vary: follow the notices and staff
Don’t
- Don't wear sleeveless or low-cut tops, shorts above the knee or miniskirts
- Don't walk around or take photos during Mass
The Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St Peter's Basilica admit only appropriately dressed visitors and check at the door, so you can be stopped even after queuing; other major cathedrals often check too.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Official site: Vatican Museums – Useful advice
Rome's Spanish Steps: no sitting, eating or drinking
Do
- Walk up the steps and keep moving after your photo
Don’t
- Sitting, resting, eating or drinking on the steps
Banned by Rome's urban police regulations since 2019; media report fines of €250, rising to €400 for dirtying or damaging the steps.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: ANSA: Rome bans sitting on the Spanish Steps (2019)
Italy: No photos in the Sistine Chapel, and no flash elsewhere
Do
- Put your phone away and keep absolute silence in the Sistine Chapel
- Elsewhere, take personal photos only without flash
- Watch for no-photo signs at temporary exhibitions and loaned works
- Leave large backpacks and umbrellas in the free cloakroom
- Apply for permission for commercial or publishing use
Don’t
- Don't sneak photos or videos in the Sistine Chapel
- Don't use selfie sticks, tripods or stands
- Don't touch exhibits or block the way
The Vatican Museums ban photos and video with any electronic device in the Sistine Chapel, and guards can make you delete them on the spot; flash damages pigments and disturbs others.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Official site: Vatican Museums – Useful advice
Italy: Dress neatly in town and keep swimwear for the beach
Do
- Wear clean, well-fitting smart-casual clothes in town
- Wear comfortable flat shoes for cobbled streets
- Put on a cover-up or change before leaving the beach
- Dress a little smarter for dinner and aperitivo
- Carry a scarf or cardigan in case you visit a church
Don’t
- Don't walk around town or enter shops in swimwear or bare-chested
- Don't go to restaurants in scruffy or worn-out clothes
Italians value a neat appearance (bella figura), and scruffy clothes come across as disrespectful; some seaside towns also have bylaws against wearing swimwear in town, with possible fines – check local notices.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Cultural Atlas: Italian Culture – Etiquette
Italy: Shake hands and say "Buongiorno" at first; let others start the cheek kiss
Do
- Shake hands with eye contact and a smile when you first meet
- Say "Buongiorno" by day and "Buonasera" in the evening
- Use "Signore" or "Signora" with the surname until invited to use first names
- Cheek kisses among friends are usually one on each side – follow their lead
- Touch cheeks lightly and kiss the air
Don’t
- Don't say "Ciao" to people you have just met
- Don't start a cheek kiss with someone you have just met
- Don't imitate hand gestures you do not understand
Being too casual or going in first for a kiss carries no penalty but can make people uncomfortable; in the south, men often kiss only family members, so following the other person's lead is safest.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Cultural Atlas: Italian Culture – Greetings
Italy: Drink coffee standing at the bar, and order cappuccino only in the morning
Do
- Drink standing at the counter (al banco) like locals – it is cheaper
- Check prices before sitting down: table service (al tavolo) costs more
- Watch whether locals pay first or order first
- Order a "caffè latte" if you want a latte
- After a meal, order an espresso or a caffè macchiato
Don’t
- Don't order just a "latte" – you will get a glass of milk
- Don't order a cappuccino after lunch or dinner
- Don't pay the bar price and then carry your coffee to a table
You will rarely be refused a cappuccino in the afternoon, but you will be marked as a tourist; Italians usually drink it in the morning and have espresso after meals, believing it aids digestion without milk.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Wikipedia: Cappuccino
Show 1 more rules
Italy: Understand "coperto" and "servizio" on the bill – tipping is up to you
Do
- Check each charge on the bill before paying
- "Coperto" is a per-person cover charge, not a tip
- If "servizio" (service) is listed, no extra tip is needed
- If you are pleased, round up or leave a few euros in cash
- Ask for the bill with "Il conto, per favore"
- To tip by card, tell the waiter the total before they key it in
Don’t
- Don't treat the coperto as the tip and refuse to pay it
- Don't snap your fingers or shout for the waiter
- Don't feel you must leave a large percentage
A coperto shown on the menu is a charge you owe; tipping itself is optional, and an oversized tip looks out of place. Practices vary by region and restaurant, so go by the menu and bill.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Wikipedia: Coperto (Italian)
Trips beyond the city
These places can be explored from this city but lie outside it. See each place for transport and visiting guidance.
How do you like this place?
More cities in Italy
Roma
Rome
5 places
The 'Eternal City': the Colosseum, the Pantheon and the Vatican, a state within a city
Venezia
Venice
3 places
A maritime republic built on a lagoon: St Mark's, the Doge's Palace and Carnival
Firenze
Florence
2 places
Cradle of the Renaissance: the Duomo, the Ponte Vecchio and the Medici city of art
Verona
Verona
1 places
An old city in a bend of the Adige: the Roman Arena, the opera festival and Juliet's balcony
Milan
Milan
3 places
From Roman capital to Renaissance art, walk Milan's old town to understand the modern capital of design