Naples

Vibrancy, Vespas, Vesuvius

Undulating beside the Bay of Naples, this UNESCO World Heritage city is a maze of narrow streets and cable cars. Although it has an incredible array of churches and monuments, it’s the sheer energy, pulsating life, and buzz of Vespas that really make it exciting.

At first you could mistake this for chaos, but given time you’ll see there’s method to the madness. The stunning, curved portico of the Royal Palace. The perfectly thin pizzas which originated here. The red pepper trinkets to ward off the evil eye adorning practically every old town doorway. All are crafted to perfection.

While all this goes on at street level, below is Underground Naples – a series of tunnels you can visit and even a Graeco-Roman theater which you stop at before emerging into someone’s house!

Head up to the Posillipo area for stunning views of the city and Vesuvius in the distance. The volcano itself can be visited and looking down from it towards Pompeii and Herculaneum gives context to the thousands of artifacts now on display in the city’s National Archaeological Museum.

As for accommodations, Booking.com has a wealth of hotels near Naples Airport, old town B&Bs, city center apartments and more to help you make the most of your stay.