Naples, Italy travel journal

Naples, an Italian city full of character

We spent three days in Naples, a southern Italian city full of contrasts, with its lively narrow streets, historic heritage and seafront. Dominated by the silhouette of Mount Vesuvius and renowned for its cuisine, Naples is a city that never leaves you indifferent.

Its reputation is sometimes controversial, but it is precisely this blend of history, vibrant atmosphere and everyday life that makes it so interesting to explore. We discovered the city on foot, taking time to enjoy the atmosphere of its neighbourhoods, and also devoted part of our stay to visiting the archaeological site of Pompeii.

Explore our selection of photographs and read the story of our few days in Italy.

This photo report brings together images from our three days in Naples. We did a great deal of walking — but is that not the best way to discover a city? We were nevertheless glad to use the metro once or twice when the distances were too long, especially to reach the seafront. As for food, our accommodation was very close to three restaurants serving local specialities, giving us the chance to try — and love — their pizzas, gnocchi and pasta dishes!

We visited Naples during the French autumn half-term holidays, in the second half of October. Temperatures are usually still pleasant for exploring the city on foot at this time of year. We did have some rain on the third day, but it did not spoil our stay.