Naples on a weekend: itinerary from Friday to Sunday

"See Naples and then die": this is how the German poet Johan Wolfgang van Goethe described the splendid city of the sun, maybe inspired by its historic center, among many other Unesco World Heritage Sites in Italy, its breathtaking landscapes, its history and its people.

A fantastic city like Naples offers its visitors an unforgettable experience that perfectly matches with fast trips, we already wrote about it in our itineraries to discover the city in one day only or in one day and a half.

Traveling when you have little time today is no longer a limiting situation, but rather an opportunity to make the most of your tourist experience, especially if you know who you should ask for advice. For example, in Naples, in the heart of the Central Train Station there is InStazione, a concierge service ready to welcome you at its desk as soon as you get to the city. Thanks to InStazione you will be able to plan and organize your holiday, including tailor-made and unique experiences, together with a team of professionals that will support you in all your requests, problems or desires. 

But now, let's head deep into our itinerary: find out together with us what to do on a weekend in Naples!

Art, food, natural beauty: a weekend in Naples should be carefully planned so as not to miss anything worth seeing in this tour in the city between Friday, Saturday and Sunday. As concentrated and walkable as its historic center is, there are several neighborhoods to visit, sometimes slightly dislocated: the especially mention the districts of Chiaia, Sanità and Posillipo.

Our first advice is to consider a way to get around Naples by public transportation, perhaps with access to the city's most beautiful museums, parks, palaces and partner attractions, in complete comfort. It's not impossible: all of this is included in our Naples city pass which will allow you to visit the city immersing yourself into its magic (more info to the button below). And for a truly authentic experience, discover how to enjoy Naples as a Neapolitan!

Furthermore, here's a very useful guide on where to stay in Naples!

We have created for you this complete guide of must-see essentials to best plan with us your travel itinerary for a weekend in Naples.

Friday evening has arrived, and we finally come to the city to experience a fantastic weekend in Naples together! If you arrive at the central station, you really must visit the InStazione desk. After getting help in planning the details of your stay, in these first hours we suggest you take it easy and enjoy a first walk through the streets of the center and along the seafront. You can easily reach this area of the city, at the Municipio stop, by taking metro line 1 directly from Piazza Garibaldi.

Why not, while you become familiar with the city atmosphere, give yourself some time to watch the brilliant and romantic sunset that illuminates the sea of Naples with beauty, giving the viewer a wonderful view on the gulf and Vesuvius.

After this 'welcome ritual', to start off on the right foot and enjoy all night we suggest you enjoy the city nightlife a bit with a fantastic happy hour in one of the many clubs that offer music and aperitifs, perhaps in the famous Vico Belledonne.

Here we are, our itinerary discovering Naples on a weekend through its wonders officially begins, a travel experience absolutely worth trying to treat yourself to a weekend in the city of the sun.

In this tour we will discover what to see in Naples in the weekend to concentrate the best of this splendid city in a few hours of travel. We start on the first day, Saturday, where we will explore the Spanish Quarters, the Toledo metro station, the Cathedral, Via S. Gregorio Armeno, the Galleria Umberto I (Umberto I Gallery), the historic Caffè Gambrinus and the best of the city center between Piazza Plebiscito, the Royal Palace, the S. Carlo Theater and the seafront, all accompanied by excellent Neapolitan street food!

First morning dedicated to the most folkloristic district of Naples: of course we're speaking of the Spanish Quarters, a place that fills the city with sounds and colors, an unmissable stage if you want to discover the true essence of Naples.

Immerse yourself in the alleys of the neighborhood and look up to see the clothes hanging out in the sun, the traditional "panari", the wicker baskets lowered from the balconies for the transport of objects, and the exceptional Street Art that distinguishes the Spanish Quarters.

Through it most popular alleys, colorful murals portray some of the most famous people who have made the history of the city, so much loved by all Neapolitans: among them, of course Diego Armando Maradona, Totò, Massimo Troisi and Pino Daniele.

Visit the picturesque streets of the most colored neighborhood of Naples for an experience that will strike your senses!

From the Spanish Quarters, take the metro from the Toledo stop and get off at the Duomo stop to reach San Gregorio Armeno. Toledo is considered the most beautiful metro station in Europe and in the world!

Raise your eyes to be fascinated by the beauty of the "Crater de luz", the cone of light that crosses the 40 meters deep of the station. Keep your cameras at hand: play of light and shadow will give you a breathtaking view!

After taking the metro to Toledo, get off at the Duomo stop and in a few minutes you will find yourself in the famous alleys of the artisan shops of San Gregorio Armeno.

San Gregorio Armeno is the famous Neapolitan street to admire statuettes and cribs handmade by master craftsmen.

The best time to visit it is between November and December, to breathe the true Christmas atmosphere, however, it is also worth a visit at other times of the year, where you can appreciate the work of the artisans with more tranquility.

Indeed, you will not only find Christmas nativity scenes, but also statuettes of Neapolitan tradition such as Pulcinella or statuettes depicting politicians and famous people of Italian and international news.

Don't forget to also visit the beautiful Cathedral of Naples to discover the magic of the city's main place of worship, whose walls also contain the famous Treasure of San Gennaro!

From the Duomo metro stop, get off at Municipio and roll your eyes again to admire the dome of the Galleria Umberto I (Umberto I Gallery), which is 57 meters high.

The Gallery was built between 1887 and 1890 in honor of the King of Italy Umberto I, visiting Naples together with Queen Margherita, to whom the homonymous pizza was dedicated.

It is an impressive architectural work, which extends for 147 meters in length and which uses 4 entrances: Via Toledo, Via Santa Brigida, Via San Carlo and Vico Rotto San Carlo.

Leaving the Gallery, pass by the Gran Caffè Gambrinus to taste the traditional Neapolitan espresso and sfogliatella, a typical dessert of the city, and reach Piazza Plebiscito.

The evening of Saturday is approaching on this fantastic weekend in Naples: why not treat yourself again to a beautiful walk in the city center, among the most beautiful, elegant and rich in the world?

The evening is the most suggestive time to walk with amazed eyes and ever more enthusiasm among beauties such as Piazza Plebiscito, the Royal Palace, the Teatro S. Carlo or the Maschio Angioino, but also the wonderful seafront where you can see the iconic Castel dell'Ovo or the shadow imposing Vesuvius.

Are you hungry but don't feel like giving up on exploring the city on foot? We suggest you enjoy the legendary Neapolitan street food!

Our itinerary to discover what to see in Naples in a weekend continues, we start again from the Sunday with great enthusiasm and energy and ready for new adventures.

After having an authentic Neapolitan breakfast, the program for this second day includes a long morning stroll through the city center, admiring its beauty even in the sunlight of Naples, then continuing with the fantastic experiences to discover the underground city, the Veiled Christ and Her Majesty...the Neapolitan pizza!

Do not miss a visit to Piazza Plebiscito (Plebiscito Square), the majestic square from which to admire the Basilica of San Francesco di Paola and the Royal Palace. With its 25,000 square meters, it is one of the largest squares in Italy!

Legend has it that no one is able to cross the square blindfolded and pass between the two equestrian statues keeping the trajectory straight.

It is said that it was Queen Margherita who cast this curse on her prisoners. Anyone who succeeded in the feat would be granted freedom, but no one ever succeeded.

In reality, the surface of the square is very bumpy, so this seems to be the reason why it is difficult to walk the 170 meters blindfolded without losing the sense of orientation.

Will you be the lucky one? You just have to blindfold yourself and try it!

Once you have attempted it, we suggest you take Sunday morning to visit the sumptuous Royal Palace of Naples, you won't regret it!

From Piazza Plebiscito you reach the seafront of Naples. For over 3 kilometers you will enjoy the famous and exciting view of Vesuvius, which will leave you breathless with the magnificent colors reflected on the water while you admire one of the most beautiful and famous landscapes in the world!

In front of you, it will stand out the imposing Castel dell'Ovo (Ovo Castle or'Egg' Castle), the oldest castle in the city that stands on the waters of the sea, creating a super suggestive panorama, especially at sunset. With the arrival of the summertime, with its warm weather and its brilliant colours, a fantastic boat tour to discover this icon of the city is a must if you are getting to Naples!

The curious name of the castle comes from a related curiousity: legend has it that the poet Virgil hid an egg inside, which would have protected Naples from misfortunes and plagues, at least until it would have remained intact.

To enjoy the wonderful view even in the evening, we recommend dinner (but also lunch) in Borgo Marinari, the area of bars and restaurants under Castel dell'Ovo, close to the sea.

A top moment on the second day is surely the visit of the unmissable Underground Naples: subsoil that has a 2400-year-long story, full of tunnels, cisterns, catacombs and aqueducts. Here's the complete guide on how to get to the underground city.

You will immerse yourself in a journey to 40 meters deep in which you will discover all the secrets of Underground Naples and you will be fascinated by its beauty and its curiosities.

From the Greco-Roman aqueducts to the air raid shelters of the Second World War, you will admire a Naples like you've never seen it before!

To reach the next stop – Sansevero Chapel – you will pass by many restaurants where you can enjoy the typical Neapolitan cuisine.

You can't end your weekend in Naples without admiring the Veiled Christ, the magnificent sculptural work created by Giuseppe Sanmartino in 1753 and kept at the Sansevero Chapel.

This marble sculpture represents the lifeless body of Jesus Christ wrapped in the shroud. But the magnificence of the work lies precisely in the meticulousness with which the marble shroud was made, to the point of seeming real. Indeed, it allows us to glimpse the features and the suffering expression that transpires from the lifeless body of Christ.

It seems that the work has caused many visitors the Stendhal syndrome...let yourself be fascinated by this masterpiece too!

For an end with a bang on your weekend in Naples, if you still haven't, at dinner treat yourself to the typical Neapolitan pizza, Italian pride and appreciated all over the world, with more than four centuries of history.

We recommend you taste the original Margherita pizza, with tomato, mozzarella and basil, created in honor of Queen Margherita visiting Naples in 1889.

For a truly amazing food experience you only have to check out the button below, or choose from the best pizzerias in Naples!

The weekend in Naples ends here, a fascinating itinerary discovering the city of the sun on Friday, Saturday and Sunday through its history, its attractions, its traditions and its tastes.

Are you looking for an alternative to include other iconic local destinations in your travel itinerary? Then you absolutely must take a look at the InStazione guided tour to discover Vesuvius and Pompeii, a complete package for over half a day trips to visit these wonderful places with all the convenience of a concierge service attentive to all your needs.

Before saying goodbye, here's for you also the super complete guide about the best experiences and attractions to enjoy in Naples in your future return to the city for an even longer vacation full of adventures! We are sure that after this trip Naples will never leave your heart!