Big square used for events to hold a lot of people. The architecture is simply lovely and detailed…read more I only walked outside of it. It sits on a large square for events if needed

Naple's most iconic square is framed by Prefettura di Napoli a government office on the north, on…read morethe south by Palazzo Salerno (Sede del Comando Territoriale Sud - currently military offices), by the royal palace on the east, and Basilica of San Francesco di Paola to the west. The last two are open for visitors and pretty quiet on an April evening. The port area and waterfront public park Giardini del Molosiglio are nearby within walking distance to the southeast. As magnificent and grand as these surrounding buildings and others nearby are, this piazza also very much a piece of the local cloth. Where school groups and tourists frequent during the day, is open space in the evening for kids riding bikes and playing soccer, for families taking walks with strollers and dogs. While I was there it was fun to see a group of students singing along to a couple musicians on a guitar and mic, a few kids flying kites, the sun setting to the west casting a warm glow onto the structures in the square. Fun facts: - named after a plebiscite (aka referendum or survey) which united Naples with the rest of Italy. - Joachim Murat, bro-in-law of Napoleon had planned to dedicate the square to the emperor though when the Bourbon rulers were restored to the throne plans changed. Hence today the two statues in from of the church are Bourbon kings Charles III and his son Ferdinand I. They also instructed the completion of the neoclassical basilica along this square. - there's a local game/tradition of attempting to cross the square blindfolded starting from the center of the main entrance of the royal palace with the goal of walking directly in the middle of the two statues. Legend is that it's an impossible feat, due to the irregular shape of the square, uneven cobblestones and slight slope. - the square became a parking lot in 1963 to deal with the overflow of cars in the city, then reconfigured back to pedestrian only in 1994.

Piazza Tasso is a lovely square in Sorrento…read more Lucky to stumble across a local festival on our cruise ship tour to Sorrento and Pompeii. Our tour guide was not sure what they were celebrating. Take time to check out the beautiful baroque yellow church and everything Limoncello while you are in the neighborhood. The lemons in Sorrento are enormous and the geography reflects their impact. Limoncello granitas. Lemon pasta. Lemon biscotti. Lemons on everything from dish towels, baskets and bags to headbands. My sister-in-law even bought a pair of swim shorts that were covered with a large lemons in the pattern. Nice for a short stop while exploring Sorrento. Tip: There is a bathroom next to the church. It takes one euro each.

This is a great square in the center of Sorrento which have a bunch of great shops around it, great…read moreplaces to eat, and their Main Street which, for the most part, is closed to all car traffic except for security and business support. The smaller walking streets around it are pretty cool too for all kinds of things and souvenirs if they are desired. There are some great places for coffee too. The square can get pretty busy with cruise ships coming in and out of Naples and Sorrento so if you like it a little less crowded, get there early or in the off season.

Intriguing architectural facade for appreciation if you're in the neighborhood!…read more Commissioned by Nicola Moscati, marquis of Poppano in 1738, the Rococo design is attributed to Ferdinando Sanfelice, who connected two existing palazzo buildings with an imaginatively devised double staircase, also used in other buildings by the same architect. This was referred to as "falcon's wings" due to the curving arched outline of the ascending staircases on either side of an octagonal base. In the 19th century the lower apartments of the building were purchased by businessman Tommaso Atienza, nicknamed lo Spagnolo (the Spaniard), hence the building's current name. This is quick walk-by situation, neither the building nor stairs are open to the public. You can walk through the base of the stairs from one side to the other, both sides used as a parking lot currently as of April 2026.

Mount Vesuvius is pretty bare and dusty; nothing polished about it. You feel where you are the…read moreentire time. It's not long, but it's enough to slow you down. At the top, you're right at the crater. Just you, the edge, and a very real reminder of what it is. A beautiful view of the Bay of Naples behind you but at the same time knowing it's that same volcano.... The one that buried Pompeii changes the tone a bit. It's not dramatic; just heavy. Worth doing the hike but just don't expect it to feel super touristy.

100% worth the headache it was to get there from Naples via transit! It was #1 on my bucket list…read morefor a reason.

Only stop in Capri long enough to catch a $20 cab to Anacapri. Shopping area so quaint. A far cry…read moredifference from the congested/tacky shopping marts at Capri. No cheap trinkets here. If your idea of shopping in Italy is "T-shirts, shot glasses and gelatis", this will not appeal to you. But, if you love quiet walks with lovely linen and ceramic shops, no Vespas running you over and nobody shouting at you to eat at their restaurant, you'll love it as much as I do. No smell of petrol. Just the aroma of the abundance of flowers and puddled cobblestones.

If you have a short amount of time when visiting Napoli (Naples) and want to see ancient Romans,…read morethen Herculaneum is a great option. Highlights/Tips: + Can be reached by public transportation; however, there is a bit of a walk from the stop + Extremely well preserved + While smaller than Pompeii, there are less crowds and you can easily see all structures and key sites with a 2.5 hour visit depending upon how long you stand and look. + If you really want a more in depth understanding of the site, I'd go with a guide. While you can do a self guided tour, I feel that a guide can provide much more context and clue you in on additional things + Accessibility- some may find the experience a bit strenuous; however, the roads/ paths into the structures are much easier to navigate than Pompeii. They seem to be much flatter and not as steep. If you are a wheelchair user, I would highly recommend seeking recommendations from other individuals as I can't speak to this. +Shade- This is especially important during the summer months. There are more shady spots to be found in the Herculaneum. I would recommend going in the Gymnasium cave like area if you really need to cool down. ***Watch your step, especially if it has rained and/or just in general. Some of the areas for walking are uneven stones and I saw quite a few older individuals slip and cause themselves potentially ending vacation injuries on the day I went.

We wanted to tour some Vesuvius ruins, and like most people assumed Pompeii was the place to go…read more But luckily while researching I found Herculaneum...the much smaller and closer option for our brief stay in Naples. The train station was a short walk away. They provide (and require) free lockers for large backpacks. The grounds are fairly small and therefore quite manageable to wander in a couple hours. Everything was neat and clean, signed well, and easy to tour on your own...although there are guided tours of course.

Excellent place to walk and take a guided tour. I used a separate tour company that provided a 10…read moreperson tour with an actual archeologist. This site is in much better condition than Pompei so you get a better feeling for daily life and the layout of an ancient city. You can also take a self guided tour with a headset or just walk around by yourself. Prices are very reasonable. Parking is a breeze and cost 6€. Entrance ticket was €11 per person. The gift shop is excellent. Bathrooms near the gift shop and at the beginning do the tour. There are gift shops in the parking lot but they are very much tourist in nature. Save your parking ticket and take it with you. You pay when you leave BEFORE you get to your car.

Ercolano was the other city disseminated by the unforgiving lava of Mount Vesuvius. Archaeological…read moreexcavations are still underway. Neighboring this historical city is the modern city, literally across the street. A self-guided walking tour takes you down through layers of the ancient city. You can only imagine what was considered their sophisticated lifestyle in their time. The swampy waterways are open and visible; currently occupied by ribbiting frogs. There are hundreds of 'houses' where observers can mentally picture where one would place furniture if it were their place today. Unfortunately, these aren't habitable. Some homes restrict the number of entrants. Ancient art is everywhere: in the tiles, on the walls, along and within the building structures, and on some artifacts. All of these unintentionally left-behind... including their own remains of human bones.

One of the best experiences I've ever had. We had an archaeologist-led private tour and couldn't…read morehave asked for more. Amazing history, absolutely huge - I didn't understand the scale of Pompeii until we were there. Worth the trip to Napoli to visit Pompeii alone! Spectacular 10/10 highly recommend!!

The Scavi di Pompei is the English name for the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, which is an ancient…read morecity once buried by ash from the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. It's one of the most remarkable sites in Italy for visiting, and I would suggest at least make it a half day trip or a minimum three hours visit here.