Naples travel guide: where to stay, what to do, and where to eat in Naples, Campania, Italy.
Best souvenirs
Authentic items worth bringing home.
Presepe figurines and nativity miniatures
Where: Via San Gregorio Armeno workshops, 80138 Napoli; small figurines from about €5 (~$5.75), large scenes cost much more
Corno / cornicello lucky charm
Where: Stalls and gift shops on Via San Gregorio Armeno, Spaccanapoli and Via Toledo; a small charm costs about €2–€10 (~$2.30–$11.50)
Neapolitan chocolate
Where: Gay-Odin, Via Toledo 427 and Via Chiaia 237; the foresta log is sold by weight
Pastries to carry home (sfogliatelle, babà, pastiera)
Where: Pasticceria Scaturchio (Piazza San Domenico Maggiore 19) and other historic bakeries; pastiera is an Easter speciality
Silk ties and scarves
Where: E. Marinella, Riviera di Chiaia 287/a; expect premium pricing
Capodimonte porcelain
Where: Museo e Real Bosco di Capodimonte shop (Via Miano 2, 80131 Napoli) and gift shops; ask for a crowned-N mark or a certificate of origin, since imitations are common
Limoncello and Campania wine
Where: Specialist wine shops (enoteche) in Chiaia and on Via Toledo; bottles must go in checked baggage on flights
Coffee, pasta and Neapolitan food products
Where: Supermarkets and delicatessens around Via Toledo and Via Chiaia; sealed packs travel well
Traditional markets
Where locals shop and travellers find treasures.
Mercato di Porta Nolana
Naples' loudest street market near Napoli Centrale station: fresh fish, seafood, fruit, vegetables, cheese and household goods, around the medieval Porta Nolana gate.
Where: Porta Nolana, Centro Storico
Hours: Mon–Sat, roughly 7AM–2PM (stalls vary; busiest before 10AM; Sunday limited)
Mercato della Pignasecca
One of Naples' oldest street markets, off Via Toledo near Montesanto: produce, street food, fried snacks, fish and cheap clothing stalls.
Where: Montesanto / Quartieri Spagnoli edge
Hours: Mon–Sat, roughly 8AM–2PM, with some stalls open until about 7PM (varies)
Shopping districts
Neighbourhoods known for retail.
Via Toledo and Galleria Umberto I
Chiaia: Via Chiaia, Via dei Mille, Via Calabritto and Piazza dei Martiri
Via San Gregorio Armeno and Spaccanapoli
Via Port'Alba and Piazza Dante
Vomero: Via Scarlatti and Via Luca Giordano
Porta Nolana and Pignasecca street markets
Malls & modern shopping
Air-conditioned, international brands, and food courts.
Galleria Umberto I
A late-19th-century glass-and-iron arcade facing Teatro San Carlo, with a cross-shaped plan under a high dome; home to boutiques, jewellers and cafes.
Hours: Arcade open 24 hours as a public passage; shops generally Mon–Sat 10AM–8PM
Bargaining tips
Negotiate like a local.
Bargaining is not customary in shops, galleries or chocolate and tie shops; prices are fixed
At street markets such as Porta Nolana and Pignasecca, produce and fish prices are quoted per kilogram; ask 'Quanto costa al chilo?' and do not haggle hard
Small discounts on a multi-piece presepe order in San Gregorio Armeno workshops are possible; ask politely ('Può fare uno sconto?')
Compare prices before buying Capodimonte porcelain and presepe figurines; hand-made pieces cost more than factory copies
Pay by card in shops and by cash at market stalls; carry small notes and coins
Customs & restrictions
What you can and can't take home.
Items:
- Custom
- Tax-free shopping (VAT refund)
- Detail
- Non-EU residents can claim VAT back on qualifying purchases above €70.01 (~$80.51) in a single shop displaying a Tax Free sign. Ask for the tax-free form at the till and have it validated at the customs desk before leaving the EU.
- Custom
- Shop hours and the pausa
- Detail
- Many shops close from about 13:30 to 16:30 and on Sunday; large shops in Via Toledo and Chiaia often stay open all day. Market stalls close in early afternoon.
- Custom
- Counterfeit goods
- Detail
- Street sellers offer fake designer goods; buying counterfeits can lead to a fine for the buyer under Italian law. Buy brands only in shops.
- Custom
- Greetings in shops
- Detail
- Say 'Buongiorno' when entering a shop and 'Arrivederci' when leaving; staff often expect to be greeted before serving.
- Custom
- Receipts
- Detail
- Shops must issue a fiscal receipt (scontrino); keep it for tax-free claims and returns.