Do NOT do these things in Naples, Italy

Naples is the third largest city in Italy (behind Rome and Milan) but is the most densely populated city in Italy. It is the birthplace of pizza and home of the Margherita pizza!

When we recently travelled to Italy, Naples was not on our list of places to visit. However, after our Pompeii day tour from Rome, we realised some of the best pizza in Italy (and in fact the world) is found in Naples. Fortunately, we had built some spare days into our plans for this exact reason – to explore places we didn’t know we needed to! So for our last full day in Italy, we purchased our fast train tickets and headed to Naples. Boy! Were we surprised (in a very good way!)

Our day in Naples was amazing but we have to warn you – do NOT do these things in Naples:
1. Do NOT go to Naples with the idea of it being like other Italian cities! Naples is a very different city to Rome, Florence and Milan. It has a very South American vibe, and the locals worship Maradonna. It is gritty, it is dirty, but it is amazing.
2. Do NOT miss doing a guided tour of the Catacombs of San Gennaro! These date back to the third century and provide an amazing insight into the religious and cultural practices of the time. The tours are run by passionate and knowledgeable guides and you learn so much about a truly unique attraction.
3. Do NOT go to Naples and not eat pizza! It is like going to Sydney and not seeing the Opera House or the Harbour Bridge! Hit up a pizzeria outside the tourist sites for a great value feed. Stay longer so that you can enjoy more pizza, you will want to eat all of the pizza you can during your time in Naples. But don’t just take our word for it – Masterchef Judges Matt Preston and Gary Mehigan have recently named Naples as being home to the best pizza in the world!
4. Do NOT try to do it all in one day – if you have limited time, pick 3-5 things to see or do that are in close geographical proximity. We used the @visit.a.city app – which provides walking times between attractions/locations and has Google Maps integration. This allowed us to maximise our time on the ground but due to the sheer size of the city, you should look to spend 3-5 days to explore more areas within Naples.
5. Do NOT miss the opportunity for good luck and good fortune! There are so many superstitions, traditions, and good luck objects in Naples that you would be remiss to not rub the nose of Pulcinella or pick up a lucky horn or ten.
6. Do NOT forget to take photos! Naples is so different to other parts of Italy, you will want to look back on your time here and even day dream about returning one day.