A great way to spend a rainy day in Napoli…read more The guided tour itself takes between 90 minutes to an hour 45. It worth it. There is a good amount of stairs. There's several different paths through the catacombs. If you're claustrophobic, it would be a good idea to skip doing this part.

Checks the box off for interesting tour to take in a foreign city. Tour itself was 5 stars, the…read morewait and the crowds dropped it a star. Underground tours in Naples are very popular with multiple sites and entry points, this one being the main location. Entrance is via an alley along Via dei Tribunali, one of the main stretches in the historic center, and on a Sunday noon it was packed with visitors waiting for their tour times. Like probably 70-80 people waiting in a 12 x 20 foot area...a fair number of staff on hand wrangling the lines, telling people/groups with pre-bookings to line up in front of those without. Each person basically has to talk to a staff member to figure out exactly who they should be standing behind. Then there are staff members calling out times for each tour at the front, Italian then English alternately. I'm not sure why they don't implement an easier, more straightforward system, for each language--one line for prebooked and one line without. Tickets can be booked in advance online by tour language and they ask you to be there 15 minutes prior to your time slot. This is most certainly not only recommended, but required if you want to avoid inadvertently missing your timeslot due to the confusing line as mentioned above. Also their website refers to the online tickets as "skip-the-line" though to be clear you are essentially just booking a spot in advance, you still need to wait in line at the entrance. And hands down book in advance. They "guarantee" entry at the door (as I heard a few different staff members mention to certain people in line), however what they don't initially mention is this is only after all pre-booked visitors enter, so this could mean an indefinite wait of 30 minutes, an hour, 1.5 hours...who knows. For safety reasons entry is only possible via guided tour, and there are limits to the size of each group. They definitely push it though, considering my group of about 35ish was one of several groups to go down in staggered times of about 15-20 minutes apart. Once the guide directs the group to enter the pathway leading underground, they make you line up along the stairs while another group exits, then your group can enter. It's several flights down (then back up) so I saw some elderly with walking handicaps and families with strollers struggling. Honestly I wouldn't recommend coming here if you fall into either group. I imagine it could be dangerous for the former (think slippery stone in some areas) and there was a toddler crying during two-thirds of my tour that made for a very distracting experience if you consider the cavernous reverberations. After waiting in line for about 15-20 minutes outside, then another 10-15 minutes on the stairs inside, the tour itself lasted about an hour and fifteen minutes after we finally got downstairs. It was very informative and our guide tried her best to crack jokes and maintain a light-hearted atmosphere while at the same time projecting her voice as loud as possible and telling other nearby groups to keep their voices down (yes, bc there were a few different groups in close proximity sometimes so she had to practically yell to be heard). She shared about the history, functions (aquifer, munitions storage, landfill, war bunker, etc) and unique conditions (cool temps and high humidity) that makes this subterranean complex such an integral part of Naples' story. The last 20 minutes was dedicated to visiting the ruins of an ancient Roman amphitheater only a few minutes walking from the Sotterranea entrance/exit. It's in a separate building altogether on a residential street and it was intriguing to see the intersection of antiquity and modern life. Tickets are €18 for adults, €15 for students 11-24 yrs old, €10 for children 5-10 yrs old. Time slots available on the hour from between 10am to 7pm daily, last entry at 6pm. For more info: https://www.napolisotterranea.org/en/

Took tour of Pompeii & Vesuvius w/ lunch. Not a great start as we fought the masses off our cruise…read moreto find our tour... every guide had a paper held up w/ names except ours. We asked around & then found our guy (Luka). He had the name of tour on paper but wasn't holding it up. We had to wait for lates & pick up non cruisers elsewhere as well.. so a couple of delays. Bus was filled - every seat, & he did an info session in broken English, so we got over half the story. We had a few other tours in 3 other countries w/ excellent English speakers. The tour took us to Pompeii but first we had a detour through an art gallery to "visit restrooms" but really it was a sales pitch for their jewelry/art. The tour was w/ a different guide, thomaso, who was good but a bit of language barrier. It was about 2 hrs guided. Then we wasted about 30 mins waiting for restroom/snack break before walking to bus for our lunch stop. We ate at Kona restaurant about halfway up the volcano with I'm amazing view. We were told a light lunch which turned surprisingly into a huge 6 course meal. Included a drink, bread, a four appetizer sampler, slice of pizza, a bowl of pasta, and a piece of cake. All the food was real good and the servers were nice... But it did take well over an hour to eat. We finished up the rest of the way to the top of the volcano. It was a pretty serious hike from the parking area to the rim. It was self-guided with no tour guide. There were gift shops & food at the top as well!! But once you get to the top, the panoramas were insane and the inside view was cool. We agreed as a group to cut the mountain visit an hour short so we can get back to the port by 4 PM still, since long lunch and our other delays pushed the whole tour off schedule. The overall tour was pretty good, the bus was nice and the three stops were great. it could be a little better organized/ arranged to speed things up. Also if the guides' English was better that would've helped to make it 5 stars.

Loved spending the day with Connie, Giuseppe and Francesco from World Tours…read more Booked via ShoreExcursion.com. Our tour left from Naples. Pick up was so easy right from the port. I was lucky to sit between Concetta (Connie) Violante and our amazing driver, Giuseppe, as we had a full tour. Like the VIP seat. Connie and Giuseppe were really an amazing team as we explored Sorrento, the Amalfi Coast and Pompeii. After a short stop at the Limoncello Di Capri showroom, we headed to Sorrento. The views overlooking the coast were stunning. Love how Connie gave us so much historical background information along the scenic drive. Once in Sorrento, we passed by a festival in Piazza Tasso on the way to Limoncello everything. Limoncello kitchen towels. Limoncello soaps. Limoncello headbands. Limoncello board shorts. Limoncello biscotti. So nice to weave through Sorrento exploring the neighborhood. Our meeting place to go back to the van was near the Santuario della Madonna del Carmine. What a beautiful church. Perfect for a quick visit while waiting for the rest of the tour group in Sorrento. Next stop was at a charming local restaurant. Loved the bruschetta, pasta pomodoro and limoncello tiramisu at Ristorante Turistico. Everything was so fresh and so delicious. I can see how they have been in business since 1957. The final highlight was Pompeii. We literally walked across the street and met our fabulous archeological host, Francesco. He really made Pompeii come alive with his jokes and Raiders of the Lost Ark theme music. The earphones were so key as our group spread out exploring, listening and taking photos. Francesco Scarico grew up near Pompeii and when other kids were playing soccer, he was exploring the ruins. His passion for this sacred slice of history was so evident throughout the afternoon. The theater, the kitchens, the gym, the plumbing systems. Even though I have previously visited Pompeii, I learned so much. As the granddaughter of a plumber, I found the ancient plumbing system so interesting. How did they collect the water? Why were there raised stones in the streets? So that people would not step on sewage. How did they flush the toilets? Using a plunger and gravity. Francesco also took us to the Forum, talked about the mushroom cloud trees, and told us about his finds that are in the archeological museum. The impressions of people and their pets frozen in time since 79 AD was so chilling. You have to respect the power of Mount Vesuvius. On a lighter note, our visit to the Lupanare was quite unexpected. Choose a menu. Pick a room with a rock-hard bed and then enjoy a few minutes of pleasure. Apparently, there was also a place for the ladies to enjoy the gladiators by day who earned some extra cash as gigolos by night. This was one of the best tours that we took on our family Mediterranean vacations. Connie, Giuseppe and Francesco treated us like family. We loved the songs in Italian and the language lessons in Nepalitano. Ti ringraziamo molto per la gentilezza che hai mostrato alla nostra famiglia!

From the owner: Visite guidate a Napoli poco convenzionali per scoprire i mille volti di una città ricca di storia,…read moretradizione, cultura. Cene spettacolo all'insegna della napoletanità.

Two stars is kind of generous. The admission fee was included with our tour, but we ended up…read moretipping 10€ which honestly looking back. I feel like I shouldn't have. Oh well. The experience was about 3 minutes inside the cave. The bulk of the time was standing in line, then sitting in the cramped boat trying to get in and out of the cave due to the traffic jam. Not really worth it in my opinion. Keep in mind that if the water level is too high. They will close this "excursion" and offer the boat ride instead, which we also got to done, and was able to capture some neat photos. I would recommend the boat ride over this one.

I would suggest getting a private tour if you really want to see the Blue Grotto. When we purchased…read morethe tickets for this, we were told it was one hour total & assured we'd be back on time. What they should've said was that they cannot guarantee how long it'll take bc it all depends on how busy the entrance to grotto is. But that's not even accurate bc they radio back & forth so they know how many boats are waiting. After two hours & being nowhere near close to the front of the line, the majority of people on our. tour had to head back on another boat without seeing the Grotto, or we would've missed our ferry tickets, not to mention, the boat was only partially covered - people were in direct & very hot sun for the entire time waiting. No water served on boat. Even the waiting process before boarding the boat was a mess - very disorganized.

La Gemma is wonderful, both the B&B and the woman. Gemma is the perfect host - warm, professional,…read moreand incredibly knowledgeable. She will give you an overview of the major tourist destinations and some local tips. If your interests lie out of the ordinary, she probably knows about it already or she'll look it up for you. In the evening or at breakfast she will ask about your day with genuine interest. My room was perfect. Comfortable bed with quality linens, plenty of space for two bags. Dependable and fast WiFi, powerful air conditioning, and a really cool skylight with multiple shade and opening settings. The bathroom was perfectly clean and functional. In particular I love that the shower had a hand held and a rainfall shower head (and simple controls for hot/cold water). The breakfast spread of fruit, breads, and pastries alongside various spreads rivaled any larger hotel. Coffee was brewed fresh when you presented yourself and served with an energy you won't find elsewhere in Napoli. The location in Piazza Dante is perfect for exploring. You can walk to the city center and major sites easily. The main train station (to visit Vesuvio, Ercolano, Pompeii, or further south) is easily walked. The port for ferries to Ischia and Capri is downhill and easily walkable even with a bag packed for the beach with food and water. If you are traveling with a +1 or very heavy bags, take up Gemma's offer to have private transfer from the airport. It takes just 30 minutes compared to 90 minutes and costs only a few Euros more. Take it from someone who schlepped a small roller bag onto a bus packed like sardines, across Piazza Garibaldi and cobblestone streets, and up and down several flights of stairs in the Metro. You will need to climb some stairs to reach the B&B.

From the owner: Our business specializes in making our Guests feel like home away from home. All we do is welcome…read moreYou with passion, professionalism and knowledge of our beautiful city of Naples.

My only regret is that I took Francesco's class on my last day in Naples instead of on the first…read moreday of our trip. I a big pizza fan, and as soon as I got to Naples I visited all of the well-known pizzerias you would read about in different magazines. De Michelle, Di Matteo... The pizza Francesco had us do with our own hands was just as good if not even better. It's a fun, hands-on class, and Francesco is a great teacher. He explained the science behind the recipes, gave us some background about Neapolitan pizza, and also introduced us to other local restaurants we wouldn't have heard of if it wasn't for him (not many locals speak English very well, plus, the dude is a huge foodie so he knows what he talks about). This was the highlight of our visit to Naples. Worth every penny.

We met up with Francesco at the Metro and first stop was a (tiny) espresso before taking a short…read morewalk to our pizza-maestro's restaurant, Giù Giù. Tommaso was outside to greet us. The time sped by as we learned about authentic Napoli pizza, making dough, the oven, cheeses, tomatoes and so much more. It was just the 2 of us and Francesco looked after us and was super-attentive. In no time we were tasting cheeses and comparing different tomatoes, making our own dough, trying Scugnizielli (omg - I was in food heaven) and laughing loads. Despite getting ready for opening, Tommaso was with us the whole time, showing us what to do and gently correcting our mistakes. We learned so much and in a relaxed, enjoyable way and that was down to Francesco. You guys are amazing and we will never forget our time spent with you. I 100% recommend this tour to everyone. And you get to eat first class pizza! There is no better way to spend your time in the city of Naples.