There are a number of festivals, holidays and other events celebrated in Naples each year.
The main ones are listed below.
For all Italians, the 6th of January is the day when the benevolent white witch Befana, who predates Santa Claus in Italy, arrives on her broomstick with presents and candy for all children who have been good during the year, or a lump of coal if they have been bad!
March/April: Holy Week (Settimana Santa -national holiday)Solemn processions and passion plays in the streets mark the week leading up to Easter in Naples.
April 25: Liberation Day (Festa della Liberazione – national)To commemorate the end of World War II in Italy, celebrations and parades are held throughout the city.
May 1: Labour Day (Festa del lavoro -national holiday)Artistic associations organise events in the historic centre of the city: performances, workshops, street theatre, and more.
June 2: Republic Day (Festa della Repubblica, national holiday)Commemorates the national referendum voted on this day in 1946, when the Italian people chose a republic instead of a monarchy. In Naples, as in the rest of Italy, celebrations include official ceremonies, a military parade, fireworks, concerts and street parties.
August 15: Ferragosto (national holiday)To celebrate the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, masses and processions are held in her honour in churches and streets throughout the historic centre.
September 19: Feast of San Gennaro (local event)The feast day of Naples' patron saint is the most important religious festival of the year. The faithful flock to the Duomo to see whether San Gennaro's blood, stored in vials at the cathedral, will liquefy, a recurring miracle that is believed to indicate the saint's intervention, thus saving Naples from wars, epidemics and natural disasters over the centuries. Misfortunes having struck the city in years when the blood failed to liquefy include the bubonic plague in 1527 and the major earthquake in 1980. A mass is held at the cathedral, followed by an elaborate procession through the streets of Naples.
November 1: All Saint's Day (Ognissanti - national holiday)All Saints Day is a holiday in Italy. It is the celebration day of all Saints, with numerous events organised in churches all around town.
November 4: National Unity and Armed Forces Day (Giorno dell'Unità Nazionale - national)For this official commemoration of Italian reunification and the end of the First World War, military parades are held across the city.
November–December: Christmas Market (local event)During this period, Via San Gregorio and the adjoining streets are taken over by stalls of craftspeople who make and sell figurines of the Holy Family, the Three Kings as well as all other accessories required for creating manger scenes, a vibrant local tradition.
December 25: Christmas (Natale - national holiday) December 26: Santo Stefano (national)Celebrate the birth of St. Stephen. Traditionally, Italians sit down to a large and festive meal with their families.
| Month | Min. Average Temperature (°C/F°) | Max. Average Temperature (°C/F°) | Average Rains (MM) | Best Time to Travel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 3/37 | 12/54 | 104/4.1 | Not the best period to go |
| February | 4/39 | 13/55 | 99/3.9 | Not the best period to go |
| March | 6/43 | 14/57 | 86/3.4 | Not the best period to go |
| April | 8/46 | 18/64 | 76/3.0 | Not the best period to go |
| May | 12/54 | 22/72 | 50/2.0 | Good period to go
|
| June | 16/61 | 26/79 | 33/1.3 | Good period to go
|
| July | 18/64 | 29/84 | 25/1.0 | Good period to go
|
| August | 18/64 | 29/84 | 40/1.6 | Not the best period to go |
| September | 15/59 | 26/79 | 81/3.2 | Not the best period to go |
| October | 11/52 | 22/72 | 129/5.1 | Not the best period to go |
| November | 7/45 | 17/63 | 162/6.4 | Not the best period to go |
| December | 5/41 | 13/55 | 121/4.8 | Not the best period to go |
Naples' Capodichino Airport is located about 6 kilometres (4 miles) north-east of the city centre.
Naples is a city that demands to be explored on foot. But it also offers an efficient public transport system serving all districts, despite its famously chaotic and congested streets.
There are two main rapid transit lines:
Naples has an extensive network of bus routes offering excellent coverage of the city. Buses 130, 139 and R2 are particularly useful for travelling between the city's main tourist attractions. As mentioned above, the TIC is also valid for all bus lines in Naples, prices remain unchanged. For more information, please visit the ANM website (Azienda Napoletana Mobilità, www.anm.it).
Taking the funicular is a must for all those eager to enjoy superb views overlooking Naples and its bay. The Centrale, Montesanto and Chiaia funiculars link the city centre to Vomero, the museum district, while the Mergellina links the Via Manzoni to the coast. All four funiculars run about every 10 minutes from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. As mentioned above, the TIC is also valid for all funiculars in Naples. For more information, please visit the ANM website (Azienda Napoletana Mobilità, www.anm.it).
Naples has several tram lines, some of which offer a convenient way to travel between the city centre and the seaside: Line 1 departs from Napoli Centrale train station and crosses Piazza Garibaldi and other points in the city centre before heading along the waterfront to Piazza Vittoria. Line 2 departs from Piazza Garibaldi and serves the city centre. As mentioned above, the TIC is also valid for all funiculars in Naples. For more information, please visit the ANM website (Azienda Napoletana Mobilità, www.anm.it).
Upon your arrival in Naples, you can get in touch with local tourism professionals for further information and to help organise your stay.
Azienda Autonoma di Soggiorno, Cura e Turismo di NapoliOffers practical information and many useful recommendations (accommodation, restaurants, public transport, festivals, cultural events, etc.).
The official website of Italy's national tourist board (Agenzia Nazionale del Turismo, ENIT) provides a wealth of information on Naples.
The currency used in Italy is the Euro (EUR).
INR 1 = EUR 0.01
EUR 1 = INR 100
The above exchange rate is given for information because is variable.
See your doctor before you travel. It is recommended that you obtain insurance covering health care expenses as well as medical evacuation or repatriation before you leave home. Naples counts several hospitals and medical institutions, as well as quality medical practitioners and health specialists.
For a stay of less than three months, travellers from the Schengen area and various countries of the European Union need only be in possession of a national identity card or a passport valid for the duration of their stay in order to enter Italy.
As a general rule, all other travellers are subject to visa requirements, although citizens of some countries may enter Italy for a short stay of up to 90 days without a visa.
For further information, visit the website of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs: http://vistoperitalia.esteri.it/home/en
To enjoy peace of mind during your stay in Naples, visit the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of your country.
Here are a few basic Italian phrases that will make your stay in Venice a little easier:
Hello / Good morning / Good afternoon: Buongiorno
Good evening: Buonasera
Goodbye: Arrivederci
Yes: Si
No: No
No, thank you: No, grazie
Thank you very much: Grazie mille
Please: Per favore
I don't understand: Non capisco
Could you repeat ?: Può ripetere ?
What time is it ?: Che ora è ? / Che ora sono ?
Sorry: Mi scusi (formal)
Excuse me: Scusatemi (plural)
Airport: Aeroporto
Train station: Stazione
Taxi: Taxi
Hotel: Hotel / Albergho
Hospital: Ospedale
Bank: Banca
Telephone: Telefono
I'm (…): Sono (…).
I'm looking for (…): Sto cercando (…).
How much is (…)?: Quanto costa ?
Do you have (…)?: Ha (…) ?
Where can I find (…)?: Dove si trova (…) ? / Dove posso trovare (…) ?
Where can I buy (…)?: Dove si compra (…) ? / Dove posso comprare (…) ?
I'd like (…): Vorrei (…).
Tipping
At restaurants that have waiting staff, a 10 to 15% service charge (servizio) is usually included in the bill. If the service is exceptional, you can certainly leave a few euros more. Some restaurants also apply a cover charge (pane e coperto, literally "bread and cutlery"), which is not considered as a gratuity, but is instead a set, nominal fee you will need to pay regardless of what you eat. You should therefore be wary of the very attractive prices posted in the windows of certain restaurants, because they may not include either the servizio or the pane e coperto!
