Train from Rome to Naples, Day trip

We started our morning early to catch one of the first trains to Naples. If you’re looking for a short day trip from Rome, this is the perfect way to experience another incredible Italian city. Naples is just about an hour away by train, and we took the Italia train. The earlier you book, the cheaper your tickets will be—so definitely plan ahead. The trains are clean, comfortable, and give you the chance to see parts of Italy you’d never catch from a car window.

I’ll be completely honest—before arriving in Naples, I didn’t quite know what to expect. I’d heard very mixed reviews: some people adore Naples, while others say “Don’t go, you’ll get scammed, it’s scary.” And I’m sure things do happen.

But for us? We had a wonderful experience in this historic, one-of-a-kind city.

At first glance, Naples is rugged, loud, gritty, and crowded. You’ll walk through narrow alleys, dodge motorcycles, and feel the rush of a city that’s been alive for centuries. But once you move past that (and avoid getting hit by a Vespa!), the city’s charm starts to shine—especially through its incredible street food scene.

This blog will share where we stayed, what we saw, and how we ate our hearts out in NAPLES!

Where to Stay

We stayed at Atmosphere Del Centro Storico, and upon arrival, we were greeted by our lovely host. Our room had old-world charm and truly felt like staying at a family member’s home. She gave us a map marked with all the best local spots to explore and, of course, where to find amazing pizza.

Once you arrive in Naples, make sure you’ve mapped out your hotel or the places you want to visit. We walked from the train station to our B&B—just be aware of overpriced taxis, something our host kindly warned us about.

Luckily, our B&B was only a 20-minute walk away.

As you can imagine, Naples has no shortage of pizzerias. Our first stop was Mazz Bar—a lively restaurant tucked into an arched alleyway where every wall is covered in graffiti and layers of colorful spray paint. The alley is narrow, with motorcycles cruising past every few minutes, adding to the city’s gritty charm.

If you’re lucky, you can grab a seat next to Pulcinella, the iconic Neapolitan character from classical Italian theater. Locals say he brings good luck, and honestly, it’s just fun to sit beside him while you enjoy your first taste of Neapolitan cuisine.

We enjoyed our pizza outside under a canopy of art and graffiti.

I ordered the original Margherita Pizza (tomato sauce, mozzarella and EVO and basil) a simple pizza with incredible taste. Husband ordered Piccerella Pizza tomato sauce, mozzarella, sweet salami, cooked ham, mushrooms, olives and evo.

You can see Piccerella in the background

Looking for Luck?

What makes Mazz restaurant worth a stop?

You can get a seat next to Pulcinella.

Pulcinella is a classical character taken from an early form of theatre and later puppetry and is a part of Neopolitan culture, symbolising the voice of the people. Visit the bronze statue in Via dei Tribunali in the old historic centre and rub the nose for good luck.

It's always worth a try!

If you are short on time and want to see a church I highly recommend Chiesa del Gesu Nuevo, Church of the New Jesus. A beautiful church with high ceilings and beautifully decorated marble mosaic floors.

Once you enter the church you are engulfed in beauty. We actually stayed here for awhile and enjoyed all the details of the ceiling, and alters.

With all the walking—and dodging motorcycles—we eventually got a little thirsty. In Naples, limoncello is served right on the streets. This bright, lemony liqueur is mainly produced in Southern Italy and is the second most popular liqueur in the country. It’s traditionally enjoyed as an after-dinner drink, but honestly, in Naples it feels perfectly acceptable any time of day.

Salute!

We also needed—well, wanted—a little snack. Naples is known for its amazing street food, and it’s perfect fuel for continuing your walk around the city.
Here are some of our favorites:

At Stiamo Friggitori, we tried crispy deep-fried mozzarella balls, crunchy fried crab legs, and a limonciotto—a deep-fried rice ball flavored with lemon and saffron.

My mouth is watering just writing this!

That evening we had dinner with friends at Sannino Pizzeria. Since they are chefs we let them order for the table. We started dinner with fresh Mozzarella and assorted meats.

Panzerotti, deep fried pizza with meat and cheese.

Eggplant and Margherita pizzas were ordered.
Eggplant was our favorite.

We also tried Campania-style pasta e patate, a comforting Neapolitan dish made with noodles, potatoes, and smoked mozzarella. It quickly became my new favorite dish—creamy, cozy, and full of flavor.

Looking for a sweet treat?

While wandering through the city, we stopped into Carraturo Vittorio, a pastry shop that has been delighting Naples since 1955. We couldn’t resist trying their sfogliatella—or “little leaves”—a flaky, shell-shaped pastry filled with a sweet mixture of ricotta, milk, candied egg, and sugar. It’s as delicious as it sounds.

Another must-try is the Babà, a soft, sponge-like pastry soaked in rum syrup. The rum definitely had a kick, and honestly, the Babà ended up being my favorite sweet treat of the day.

Did you even go to Italy if you didn’t try gelato? We ended both evenings with two scoops of creamy, authentic Italian gelato. We loved IL Gelato—and as a bonus, it was conveniently located right next to our B&B. Talk about the perfect way to end a night in Naples!

The city streets are currently filled with blue and white streamers hanging overhead—draped across streets, decorating restaurants, and strung through the narrow alleys. It’s an incredibly festive time in Naples as the city celebrates the probable victory of their long-awaited third Scudetto, a triumph they haven’t seen since the legendary Maradona era.

On our last day in Naples, we decided to try L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele. We arrived right at opening—11:00 AM—and lucky for us, there was no line. Normally, the wait can be well over an hour, and they hand out numbered tickets to hold your place. Since we went so early, we were able to sit inside and were served one of the first pizzas of the day. Talk about perfect timing!