Naples safe for a girl on her own?

[adverb]

I work on the ship, and for our last day in Naples, I thought I would just explore the town. I would be by myself and I was just thinking of grabbing the various hop on-hop off busses around the city. I am a young female and I will be traveling alone. How safe will I be? I’ve heard mixed things about Naples.

 

The other option is to take the ship’s tour of Easy Naples. I would be in the comfort of a bus, and would we just be driving around seeing the sights, but it’s only for a couple hours. How long would I need in Naples to see the important things?

 

Thanks in advance.

[euro cruiser]

If you are particularly fearful, or unsure exploring on your own, the HOHO bus is probably a good option for you. However, if you get off the bus to explore, be prepared to wait quite a while for the next bus to pick you up. The routes on the map are fairly long (see map here: http://www.viator.com/mapShow.jspa?id=1010&productId=1016&productType=SIC&code=2916NAP&) and traffic is bad.

 

I've spent a fair amount of time in Naples on my own and am comfortable exploring on my own. Like any city anywhere in the world, I do my best to be aware of my surroundings and not do things that would make me an easy target.

 

As for how long it takes to see things, it depends on what "see" means to you. The outside of most important sites isn't the attraction - many of the great churches of Italy, for example, are pretty dull on the outside. You have to get off the bus and go inside to find out what all the fuss is about. The same is obviously true for any museums - the outside isn't what people go there for.

 

If you are an instructor on a ship, don't you have multiple opportunities at each port, over time? Why not do a little reading up and pick one or two things to see each time you hit a particular port, rather than a scattershot approach?

 

For instance, if you are interested in history, you might focus on the Archeology museum, the royal palace and castel nuovo. Those three sites, which are fairly close together (you might want to take a cab to the museum, for example, but walk back), could easily occupy an entire day if history is your interest.

 

Art? You could spend an entire day at Capodimonte, or combine it with MADRE (the modern art museum) and a few churches with important art.

 

Churches? Within walking distance of the port are at least a dozen, all of which contain important art and historic items.

[adverb]

Thanks for your suggestions. This is actually our last time in Naples so I was trying to figure out what to do to make the most of it. I hadn't seen Naples before so I thought I would give it a look.

 

I think i might do Herculaneum in the afternoon and maybe ride the bus around Naples in the morning. Maybe grab a pizza. Would I better to walk?

 

 

The HOHO bus has several routes. If I were to just stay on the bus, is there one route your recommend?

[Hlitner]

Well, we have a strong dislike of Naples and avoid the city whenever we are on driving trips in the region (we also run out of town when on a cruise). That being said, as long as you are exploring the city in the daytime you should be safe....with the biggest danger being dealing with the traffic crossing streets. Naples does have more then its share of crime, but as long as you are walking around the main streets in town during daylight it is like any other city. Of course you should take the usual precautions against purse snatchers....which is true in any European city.

 

Hank

[euro cruiser]

I think i might do Herculaneum in the afternoon and maybe ride the bus around Naples in the morning. Maybe grab a pizza. Would I better to walk?

 

 

The HOHO bus has several routes. If I were to just stay on the bus, is there one route your recommend?

Really, it's a waste of money to pay over 20 Euros for a bus ride, especially if you're only using it for a few hours in the morning. If you only have a few hours, just visit Castel Nuovo (just across the street from the cruise port) and/or Palazzo Reale (about a block away from there) and call it a morning. The bus ride isn't going to show you anything - Naples beauties can't been seen from a bus.

 

Hank and I have a running thing about Naples - as I've said to him before, one of these days we're going to be in port there on the same day and I'm going to make a Naples lover out of him, or exhaust myself trying!

[adverb]

Thanks for the advice. What's in Palazzo Reale?

 

Also, any recommended places for pizza?

[Hlitner]

Hank and I have a running thing about Naples - as I've said to him before, one of these days we're going to be in port there on the same day and I'm going to make a Naples lover out of him, or exhaust myself trying!

 

Well, if you are buying the pizza and beer (both good things in Naples) you might get me to convert :)

 

Hank

[RachelG]

I don't think Naples would be unsafe to walk around in as long as you stick to the areas where tourists go. Women who live there walk around all the time. You just need to be sensible--lots of pickpockets, etc, but it is not dangerous as far as being attacked, esp in the daytime. I would go get pizza at Da Michele. It is near the train station. Then I would go to the archeological museum because that is where the mosaics from Pompeii are now.

[riffatsea]

Have you walked around in other Italian cities on your own?

I ask because many Italian men assume that if you look at them and make eye contact you are inviting attention from them! Just be aware!

[euro cruiser]

What's in Palazzo Reale?

 

See here: http://palazzorealenapoli.campaniabeniculturali.it/?set_language=en

 

 

 

Also, any recommended places for pizza?

Lots of people swear by Da Michelle, it's been several years since I've been there.

 

I found this list (http://www.10best.com/destinations/italy/naples/restaurants/pizza/) which puts Port'Alba first. I ate there in February this year and thought it was okay, but first among all? I think not.

 

I like Da Ettore, which is 9th on this list.

[D4]

...The HOHO bus has several routes. If I were to just stay on the bus, is there one route your recommend?

 

We rode the Naples HOHO bus in November. It is unusual in that you can board any HOHO bus and each bus does all the different colored routes. You just keep riding the bus and it does every route, one after another. When we were on it, very few people ever got off it.

 

DH can't walk a lot and this was our last port so he needed a day to rest before our post-cruise days in Rome. It worked out well for us.

[Adsmama]

To me, Naples was ugly and not really worth seeing... I would check out other places nearby if it was me.

[zadik]

....I don't think Naples would be unsafe to walk around in as long as you stick to the areas where tourists go. Women who live there walk around all the time.....

 

Yeah, but they carry a 45 barreta in the purse.

[cabincop]

I have walked around Napoli alone with no problems, single female 40's. I went and saw the San Generro church and museum had a pizza went shopping, it was fine. Crossing streets are a challenge but still I enjoyed it. I would take a cab to wherever you wanted to see first and then walk around. Enjoy and be careful

[Hlitner]

Yeah, but they carry a 45 barreta in the purse.

 

I think you are confusing Naples Florida (where many do carry) with Italy :)

 

Hank

[adverb]

Thanks everyone for your help. I ended up walking around Naples in the morning on my own without any problems and had some very good pizza (not Da Michelle but maybe next time). The Castle was closed, though, boo :(

[Keith1010]

I am glad to hear that you were fine on your walk in Naples.

 

Even though all went well if I saw this thread I would have advised not going out on your own. Too many things can happen. We have seen first hand single people being mugged in this town.

 

There is a cruise line that we sail with regularly and all of the crew are always told to go out in pairs or in small groups day or night. Personally, I think this is excellent advice.

I would have given the same advice.

 

Keith

[Hlitner]

Thanks everyone for your help. I ended up walking around Naples in the morning on my own without any problems and had some very good pizza (not Da Michelle but maybe next time). The Castle was closed, though, boo :(

 

Good the hear it all went well, You now need to get a T-short that says "I walked around Naples and Survived" and wear it on your next Med cruise.

 

Hank

[samavarcruiser]

NAPLES has been known as being DANGEROUS ever since WORLD WAR 2... using a motorcycle and a sharp knife to cut the shoulder strap on a woman's purse then racing away was INVENTED IN NAPLES