We stayed in an apartment in Chiaia which is full of lots of shops, cafes and restaurants and it was the perfect spot as it was such a short distance from the port and train station, as well as being known as the clean area of Napoli so it was the prime location. We'd booked an Airbnb which I find a lot better than staying in hotels as you just have more space. The only downside is not having breakfast included but I guess that gives you a chance to find some cute cafes and eat out.
We did a few day trips visiting Capri, Pompeii and Sorrento and spent a little bit of time exploring Naples and trying out a few places that locals had recommended, including the famous L'Antica Pizzeria Da Michele which according to Eat Pray Love author Elizabeth Gilbert is the best pizza in the world. I have to say it's going to be hard finding a margherita pizza that tastes even slightly better than this place. We did have to wait over 30 minutes for a table but it was so worth it, and I can now say that I've tried the best pizza in the world and fallen in love with it.
I might add another post about what we got up to in Capri and Sorrento in more detail but here's a list below on a few of the must-see and dos when in Naples.
-Take a walk along the sea and visit the Castel dell'Ovo which is the castle on the water. It is free to climb up although you may not be able to view some rooms as they're used as meeting rooms, but the best part is definitely the view from the top. It also has a gorgeous view around the entrance and there's so many restaurants and bars next to the water.
-Visit Toledo train station which is definitely one of the most beautiful train stations I've seen in Europe, and close to it is Via Roma, a street full of shops and cafes.
-If you fancy spending some time shopping then Via Dei Mille in the Chiaia district is full of designer shops and so many cafes that are perfect for Gelato stops.
-Walk through the Galleria Umberto which is normally pretty busy and full of lots of shoppers. You'll find the famous Sfogliatelle which is a pastry stuffed with ricotta cheese and a hint of lemon. The building reminded me of Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan and if you've been lucky enough to visit the fashion capital of Italy you'll know how beautiful it is.
-Get some fried pizza from Zia Esterina Sorbillo and take a walk through Piazza Plebiscito for the prettiest views of the city. The fried pizza is a speciality and it is similar to a Calzone pizza but with a lot less filling and it is deep fried instead of being baked. I got a margherita and it was so delicious as the filling stayed warm for ages and the dough was so soft but crispy as the same time.
