A tiny fishing borgo below Posillipo where time seems to slow – walk down Via Marechiaro and the city melts away into a peaceful, almost-island calm of sea views and swimming off tufa-stone lidos. Splurge on a seafood dinner over the water. Tip: find the marble plaque to the classic Neapolitan song ‘A Marechiaro’ with its famous window.
A sprawling Sunday flea market by the Agnano racecourse where, it’s said, the whole universe turns up for sale – emptied cellars, Murano glass, old clocks, Eastern-bloc relics and endless curios. Worth it just to marvel at the strange character of the objects. Watch your belongings.
One of Naples’s most-loved local markets, up in Vomero – less touristy but packed with stalls of food, clothes and accessories at bargain prices, complete with folkloric shouting vendors. Great for shoes especially. It’s a market, so mind your belongings and don’t get talked into ‘leather’ that’s plastic.
The one venue in Naples that truly earns the name jazz club – cosy, welcoming, and home to the city’s best live jazz and open jam sessions (musicians can sign up free at the start of the night). Open for dinner too. Tip: grab a good table and a salami-and-cheese platter.
In the heart of the Quartieri Spagnoli, Fernanda fries her legendary pizza fritta from her ‘basso’ (ground-floor Neapolitan home) – light, delicious and pure street-food soul, in the neighbourhood that is the real heart of Naples.
Where to stay in Naples? A local guide to the best neighbourhoods, from the buzzing Centro Storico to the seafront calm of Chiaia and the Lungomare.
How many days do you need in Naples? A local guide to the ideal trip length, plus the best day trips to Pompeii, Capri and the Amalfi Coast.
Where Neapolitans really go out: live jazz, piazza spritzes and a clifftop drink over the bay.
Skip the tourist queues. Where Neapolitans actually eat, from Keste pizza to fried street food and the markets locals shop.