Naples spent decades shaking off a reputation it never fully deserved, and the work is finally paying off. Italy's third-largest city has seen crime fall, investment roll in, and a new wave of visitors arrive – some drawn by fashion campaigns shot on its streets by the likes of Dolce & Gabbana and Vivienne Westwood in 2023, others by word of mouth from locals who insist the city has changed.
The biggest milestone yet: Naples will host sailing's Louis Vuitton America's Cup in 2027, the first time the event has come to Italy. It follows the 2012 and 2013 World Series warm-ups, which drew more than half a million spectators and, according to hoteliers, began rewriting global perceptions of the city. Picture elite catamarans racing past Mount Vesuvius and Castel dell'Ovo and you get why the images did the trick.
Money is following the marquee event. A multi-million euro redevelopment is under way on the promenade by Castel dell'Ovo – the oldest castle in the city – where joggers, cyclists and waterside diners at restaurants like La Scialuppa and Zi Teresa have already reclaimed the waterfront.
The hotel scene is strong by any European standard. Grand Hotel Parker's, open since 1870 and once home to Oscar Wilde and Virginia Woolf, anchors the upmarket Chiaia district, where you'll also find Persika, a new Michelin Guide listing serving Nordic-inflected Italian dishes, and the natural wine bar Puteca. Across the water, the Grand Hotel Vesuvio has hosted Sophia Loren, Pavarotti and Keanu Reeves. For something modern, Romeo Napoli pairs a Kenzo Tange-designed rooftop pool with an art collection that includes Warhol's take on Vesuvius.
Art seeps well beyond the hotels. The Edit Napoli design fair returns this October at La Santissima, a former military hospital turned cultural hub in the Spanish Quarter. And Naples' metro doubles as a gallery: more than 250 art commissions span 16 stations, with Line 1 standouts at Materdei, Università and Toledo – home to the vast blue mosaic cone of light above the escalators.
The nightlife is as cheap as it is characterful. In the Spanish Quarter, €1 Aperol spritzes are the norm – the only real hazard being the mopeds tearing through alleys wallpapered with Diego Maradona murals. On Piazza Monteoliveto, students and twenty-somethings drink Super Tuscans at Vino Franco, a spot favoured by Dua Lipa. Round off the evening with a martini at Seventies-inspired Bar Viper, then stumble to Pizzeria Antonio Sorbillo for €6 pizzas.
Practically, it's an easy and affordable trip. Ryanair flies from London Stansted from £33 return, easyJet from Gatwick, Luton, Manchester, Bristol and Edinburgh from £16.99, with a flight time of about three hours. On the ground, doubles run from €114 at Hotel Piazza Bellini to €507 at the Grand Hotel Vesuvio, with Grand Hotel Parker's from €399 and Romeo Napoli from €511.
The reporter's takeaway: travelling solo as a woman, she felt safe wandering from the Spanish Quarter to Toledo. For anyone still picturing Naples through its old headlines, the city they're missing is one of Europe's most exciting short breaks – chaotic, yes, but with the sea and Vesuvius always a few minutes away.
Original report: The Independent Travel
