Europe
Top 5 things to do in Naples, Italy
Want to know the top 5 things to do in Naples in our opinion? And we recommend the best place to stay in Naples for travelling couples.
While there are plenty of things to keep you busy in Naples it’s true that most travellers only spend a day or two visiting the area. To help you maximise your time here are our top 5 things to do in Naples.
Top 5 things to do in Naples
Kayak Naples
If you haven’t already then check out our Kayak Napoli post. It has been the best adventure we have had in Italy so far and it was a great way to explore the Naples coastline.
Warm turquoise water laps against the side of your kayak as you paddle along beside the cliffs. With huge caves to explore and ancient roman ruins to snorkel around there is much more than just paddling involved as well. And it’s not only for the super adventurous as it’s at a very leisurely pace.
Eat Pizza in Naples
Naples is the birthplace of pizza. And not the crusted cheesy crap that you would usually get from Pizza Hut or the local chippy after a big night out, but genuine pizza.
With wafer thin handmade bases and fresh mozzarella spread across a deep red tomato sauce there is nothing better than a Naples Margherita pizza. Definitely recommend checking out Sorbillo Pizzeria on Via dei Tribunali for the finest in town.
Explore the ruins of Pompeii
In the height of the Italian summer there are not many things worse than spending a few hours in the intense heat. However, if you get to Pompeii early in the morning you will be rewarded with cooler temperatures and a fascinating look into the lives of a whole town that was frozen in time.
Paintings on brothel walls and garden statues still stand basically untouched from when they were buried under metres and metres of burning hot ash. Humans and animals lie contorted in pain where there lives were suddenly lost.
Make sure you take an official guided tour when you get there and this shouldn’t cost more than 12 euro per person. The audio guides in our opinion suck but not having anything will leave you wandering around aimlessly for several hours.
Swim along the Amalfi Coast
If you are not planning on a separate trip to the Amalfi Coast then you will need to take a day trip to visit the area. While some of the towns are touristy there is a very good reason for it. Amalfi is worth visiting just for the scenery!
The small towns cling to the rocky shoreline with the Tyrrhenian Sea lapping at their bases. Grabbing a gelato in one hand and striking along the coast by boat or in a bus on butt-puckering windy roads is a must for anyone visiting the Naples area.
Take your togs, jandals and a beach towel and escape the city madness for a few blissful hours of relaxation.
Catch the Cable Car
We love a good view.
Catching the central city cable car to the Castle standing guard over Naples provides an excellent vantage point to gaze into the distance. From Naples to Sorrento the various developments crowd the waterfront as far as the eye can see.
In the background Mount Vesuvius towers silently above it all waiting patiently until one day (hopefully never) it may rain fire again.
Obviously there are dozens of things to do in Naples but these are just our favourite five things to do in Naples.
Where to stay in Naples? Hostel of the Sun of course!
If you are spending a few days exploring the top 5 things to in Naples then you definitely want a good base. And you can’t go wrong with Hostel of the Sun.
Location
Situated next to the harbour it is only a minutes walk to the public tram and a few minutes walk into central Naples. Basically the perfect location for resting your feet and head after a day of adventure travels.
The Rooms
Hostel of the Sun is perfect for travelling couples as they have really nice private rooms which seem more like hotel rooms. The shower was a little small but having your own private bathroom is a huge plus.
The dorms, which we stayed in one night, have typical bunk beds with private lockers and were surprisingly quiet. The perfect option if you are on a budget.
Photo courtesy of Hostel of the Sun
Other Amenities
We love free stuff like most budget backpacking couples so having free breakfast is the key for a good hostel. A simple affair but a tasty one with cereal, toast and random cold meats and cheese. Tea and coffee is also available all day.
WiFi is free and available in every room as well as in all the common areas.
The kitchen has all the trimmings but is a wee bit on the tiny side. You have to wait your turn or have an experience like Adela with a disgusting, topless English guy reaching over you to wash his dishes.
Staff
No doubt you will meet the owner Luca as he pops in and out all the time to check up on things and he truly loves his hostel. We couldn’t have asked for better recommendations from the staff like our Kayak Napoli adventure and guided tour of Pompeii.
Social Atmosphere
For a tiny common area the social scene was surprisingly good. They have a small bar and huge collection of DVDs with comfortable couches but most people seemed to just want to chat and catch up with everyone else. A really chilled out feel to the whole hostel.
Negatives
Hate to nit-pick but even though they provided a kitchen it was just too small for 70 odd people. We were just lucky most of them were too lazy to cook so ordered Naples Pizza every night.
Photo courtesy of Hostel of the Sun
Cost
Per person: $35 Euro for a private room and $18 Euro for a 8 bed mixed dorm room.
Overall
Highly recommend the Hostel of the Sun for backpacking couples who want a bit of privacy as well as other travellers on a budget for the dorms. Having free breakfast, WiFi and a kitchen is how every hostel should operate and there is a reason why it has won so many HostelWorld awards.
Disclaimer: We were guests of HostelWorld but as always our thoughts are always our own.
Europe
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Europe
Paris on a Budget: Best Cheap Eats in Paris
While Paris used to be regarded as an expensive city, you can now enjoy Paris on a Budget. Use our guide to find the Best Cheap Eats in Paris.
Although Paris has a reputation for being one of the most expensive cities globally, the rumors are now unfounded. In 2012, Paris dropped ten places in the Mercer cost of living survey. And with the Euro looking weak, now is probably a good time to find cheap flights and discover the city of love on a budget.
Eating in Paris can catch a lot of tourists out. Avoid the expensive restaurants serving fancy dishes like salmon wellington and snooty maître d’s on the Champs Elysees and follow our guide for the best cheap eats in Paris. Spend less on food and possibly splurge on friendly hotels in Paris instead!
Girl eating croissant in Paris
Best Cheap Eats in Paris
Head to the Marais
Famous for its selection of ethnic eateries, the trendy Marais area of Paris is perfect for picking up a quick snack.
Check out L’As du Falafel, where you can grab a flatbread bursting with golden fried balls of falafel, smothered in hummus and accompanied with red cabbage. For €4 to take away, you can’t argue with that. Simply head to Chez Hanna down the street for equally tasty food at similarly low prices if it’s too busy.
Enjoy an Oriental baguette.
Vietnamese food is popular in France, and nowhere can you see the fusion of two cultures more clearly than at Saigon Sandwich in the Belleville district of Paris. Their specialty, banh mi, is light and crusty French baguette filled with flavors of South East Asia.
There are only a few options (poulet, boeuf, Maison, and unique), but for €3 ago, you could happily sample them all.
Find French food on the cheap.
Believe it or not, there are some restaurants specializing in French cuisine that won’t see you stumbling into your overdraft. Les Temps des Cerises is one of them.
Described by Yelp as a “Dive Bar,” nothing could be further from the truth. Run by a cooperative, it attracts a distinctly bohemian crowd. The menu is small, but the food is prepared from ingredients that sing with freshness and high quality.
Eat like a local celebrity …
Rumour has it that Pierre Herme, one of Paris’s most celebrated pastry chefs, visits the Belleville restaurant Le Baratin. The prices are surprisingly low for the delicious Argentinian fare.
Time Out Magazine recommends the tuna carpaccio with cherries or the spicy basque lamb. Pop in at lunchtime for the prixe fix menu. At €18 for three courses it’s hard to complain.
… or eat like a local office worker
Bistro Victoires is a favorite amongst Paris’s locals. It doesn’t look like much from the outside, and the wine list leaves a lot to be desired, but when you sit down to enjoy some of the best steak frites in Paris, all else will be forgiven.
Portion sizes are enormous, and the waiters often remind patrons that if they order a starter, they won’t be able to tackle the main course. Despite being a famous location steps away from the Palais Royal, it still manages to be a hidden gem.
What are your tips for finding the best cheap eats in Paris?
Europe
Travel Tip: Train to Pisa from Florence
Whether you spend a half-day or full day in Pisa, we recommend that you Train to Pisa from Florence. It’s the fastest and cheapest way to get there.
Traveling by train is one of the best ways to see the beautiful countryside of Italy. The train from Florence to Pisa takes about an hour, and the journey is stunning. The route takes you past vineyards and medieval villages, through tunnels and over bridges, with breathtaking views of the Tuscan hillsides. You can even see the Leaning Tower of Pisa as the train approaches the station.
Upon arrival in Pisa, you can explore the historic center and visit the famous cathedral, before enjoying a leisurely lunch overlooking the River Arno. With its stunning scenery and convenient location, a train trip from Florence to Pisa is a great way to spend a day in Italy.
How to get to Pisa from Florence
You have a couple of different options for your own half-day trip to Pisa from Florence depending on how you like to travel. But if you are like us and enjoy travelling around Italy by public transport, then you will definitely want to train to Pisa from Florence.
Train to Pisa from Florence
Florence and Pisa are less than 100 km apart and the easiest way is to train to Pisa from Florence. The entire trip one-way takes approximately an hour depending on your route with no transfers.
Trains leave from Florence S.M.Novella for Pisa Centrale a few times every hour. The closest train station to the leaning tower of Pisa is Pisa San Rossore, but it’s not worth the extra time or transfer required. Pisa itself is small and it takes less than 30 minutes to walk to the leaning tower from Pisa Centrale.
Plus you get to explore more of the city such as the River Arno lined with beautiful stately homes.
If you want to book online then a one-way ticket by train to Pisa from Florence will cost from €7.80 (US$10.40) in 2nd class. It is important to make sure that when you are searching online via the Italian train booking site, Trenitalia, you search for “Firenze” rather than Florence.
The train schedules are very easy to understand so we recommend booking your ticket from the self-service machines on the train platform. The return journey is just as easy in reverse. Just watch that you don’t miss the last train around 10pm most days and carry cash with you for the ticket.
Finally, validate your ticket before boarding the train. We forgot a couple of times but used the typical “I’m a stupid tourist” line to get out of any fines.
Bus to Pisa from Florence
Another option is to catch the bus to Pisa from Florence.
There are two main bus companies, Terravision and Autostradale, run regular buses to and from Pisa Airport and Florence Airport into the Florence city centre, they don’t actually go into Pisa itself. The train to Pisa from Florence is so reliable, fast, and cheap, that you may not want to consider this option.
However, there are some advantages to taking the bus. You will see a lot more scenery from the window of the bus, and it’s definitely cheaper; sometimes you can find fares as low as 4 Euros, especially on Fridays.
Driving to Pisa from Florence
If you have hired a car or scooter in Tuscany then you might look at driving to Pisa from Florence. However, even though the distance is less than 100km, the trip will still take approximately 1 hour.
Aside from the fact that the train to Pisa from Florence typically takes less time than driving, you also have to avoid the crazy Italian drivers. Not to mention trying to find a carpark in two of the most popular cities in Italy. Impossible.
Guided Tour to Pisa from Florence
If you have been enjoying the sunset in Florence and all the city has to offer then you might want to take in a guided tour to Pisa from Florence. Not only do you get a great guide to learn all about the history of the area, you also don’t have to worry about getting to Pisa from Florence.
You might want to check out this guided tour around Pisa or get a little bit more adventurous and try out a segway tour in Pisa. Perfect for the family and it will keep the kids entertained between stops.
If you have a whole day, and haven’t managed to fit in a hike around Cinque Terre, then we recommend looking into the Pisa and Cinque Terre day tour. Lasting roughly 12 hours, you will travel from Florence to Cinque Terre, with a 2 hour stop in Pisa to see all the main sights.
We also reckon guides help you get the best photos, as they have seen all the poses.
Tell us below if you have taken any funny photos in Pisa!
We have been wearing out our jandals (Kiwi for flip-flops) on our travel adventures around the world since 2009. We think our blog is thought provoking and a little witty. But we have been proven wrong before. Find out more about us here...
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