The New York Times carried a fascinating op-ed on Italian tourism.
I often say it’s best to go where the tourists aren’t, frequently that means travel to popular destinations during shoulder season when hotels aren’t overrun and you can find better deals and upgrades.
It also means overlooked destinations, and though the New York Times is covering it the data suggests that Southern Italy is worth considering.
- Only 13% of tourists who travel to Italy visit Southern Italy.
- Naples is the third largest municipality in Italy after Rome and Milan. It’s one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. But there’s an average of fewer than 3 flights a day in total from German airports to Southern Italy.
- Naples is apparently just ahead of York and Stuttgart as a tourist destination.
The Italian government isn’t doing much to get the word out,
The Italian Tourist Board spends an astounding 98 percent of its budget on salaries, with basically nothing left for its actual job of tourism promotion.
They did spend $50 million on the Italia.it website — but it was plagued with problems that remind of healthcare.gov.
For my Saturday evening pondering, a visit to Naples and Sicily?
(HT: Marginal Revolution)
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Sorrento and Pompeii didn’t seem to lack tourists when I visited in late May a few years ago, though both remained great places to visit despite it all.
No one goes to Naples because of its reputation for crime, especially theft (an Italian showing us around remarked that, “In Naples, even the pickpockets have pickpockets”). I have no clue if the reputation is warranted.
Capua and Brindisi on the other hand very few tourists. There’s an ancient Roman arena in old Capua that’s almost as big as The Colosseum, but better preserved, and almost no one was there when I visited it. Brindisi was certainly a bit rundown, but had the best seafood I’ve had in Italy.
Naples is like Mexico City, you don’t want to go there BUT just south (Sorrento, Amalfi, Positano, Capri) is delightful and well worth a trip
Not just Naples, but the whole of southern Italy! This past October, we went to the Puglia region and it was wonderful. The people, the food, the wine! Lecce is my new favorite Italian city. Warm wonderful beaches and great restaurants that are inexpensive. Very nice boutique hotels that are inexpensive. Check out the caved city of Matera!
Agree with Robert, last time I was in Naples there was a garbage strike, mountains of garbage on the street.
Can’t beat Naples if you want a suit made … not in London, Hong Kong, New York or anywhere else can you find the caliber of tailor you’ll find in Naples (if you’re willing to pay).
I also found this hilarious: “The Italian Tourist Board spends an astounding 98 percent of its budget on salaries, with basically nothing left for its actual job of tourism promotion.”
That’s European efficiency for you…
Naples isn’t the same picturesque Italian city that many of the cities in Northern Italy are, but it still has a treasure worth at least a daytrip: The National Archaeological Museum there is spectacular.
I spent 2 1/2 days in Pompeii on my last trip, and it was the perfect amount of time. I stayed at the Hotel Del Sole which is directly across the street from an entrance to the ruins, and I highly recommend it to anyone considering visiting — I could see the ruins from my bed! The first day I visited Pompeii (staying after 4-5pm gives you 2-3 hours of tour-group-free time to really enjoy the ruins), then I hiked up Vesuvius and visited Herculaneum in the evening on the second day, and did the Archaeological Museum in Naples on my way back North.
I had an amazing time, and Southern Italy has plenty of hidden gems. It was noticeably less touristy and reminded me more of Athens and a few other Eastern European cities, but if you can look beyond the rough exterior, there are some beautiful places to visit.
I have always had this crazy dream of flying into Palermo and motorcycling around Sicily for a week…
Mexico City is amazing, definitely worth a trip, infinitely safer than people think.
Spending 2 weeks in Southern Italy in August for this exact reason. Matera, specifically, looks amazing…like Petra but under the radar.
Sicily is fabulous. Cannot recommend highly enough. Spent two weeks there and saw much of the island. Totally worth it.
This is true. Head down to the heal of the boot. The coastline is beautiful, and old towns wonderful. Very few tourists.
Skip Naples and instead purport to get to know the rest of Italy… The way to go is to rent a car, drive thru the “strade proviciale” (off the major highways) and head to smaller towns in areas near to less visited cities; a visit to Umbria, particularly the countryside around Perugia is sure to delight anyone looking for more than the touristy experience…
Paestum is certainly worth checking out if flying into Naples – some of the best preserved Greek temples in the world!! Puglia is a fantastic region and still undiscovered by Americans with uncrowded beaches. I loved driving through Alberobello and seeing all the Trulli houses and spending an evening in the hill town of Cisterino. There are a plethora of agriturismos and they range from clean and basic to uber luxurious. Matera is definitely worth a night or two.
Naples wasn’t particularly nice when we stayed there last year on an Italy trip.
That said, the archeology museum they have there is fantastic, and worth a visit if only passing through. It gives you a chance to see some of the more significant artifacts found from Pompeii.
Some great comments here. Had an incredible time in Umbria last summer–we later spent two days in Tuscany and I couldn’t believe how many tourists were there. Spending a week in Puglia this summer.
my last trip to Naples area was great. Apart from the scenic amalfi coast the city itself is particularly rich in culture and history. Some areas like the one right by the train station is pretty ghetto at night but overall I felt ok to go around as a tourist during the daytime. Would love to explore more places in the south next time, especially Sicily.
There’s a distinction to be made here (and some have above already). Southern Italy is fabulous. We thoroughly enjoyed Pompeii, Sorrento, Positano (the entire Amalfi coast area), Taormina and even Catania.
Messina and Naples are industrial, hard cities that don’t have a ton to offer the non-adventurous tourist. If you work hard you can peel back the layers, but Naples did not strike me as inviting.
Just finished up a trip to southern Italy a few days ago. We really liked Naples even with its bad reputation. We did not feel unsafe. We did a self guided romp through all of the oldest pizza places in Naples, the birthplace of pizza. A very unique and fun trip! I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it especially couples with a trip to positano and ravello.
Sicily and southern italy are great–for the precise reason that they aren’t overrun with tourists! The people are very warm and inviting but English is not spoken as widely there so it’s always nice to know some Italian. I got married in my ancestral hometown in Sicily last year and everyone that went said it was the best wedding they’d ever been to.
Off the beaten path: Tasmania. Seriously worth it. About the size of Ireland, has a range of climates, and there’s an awesome pennyfarthing festival in February! The Saturday market year round in Hobart, even in the off season, puts so many street markets to shame. And it’s a great place to trace Irish history.
Read upon Thomas Francis Meagher – Irish rebel, sentenced to Tasmania, American Civil War general, governor of Montana. Read the hilarious “In Search of McCarthy” by late Pete McCarthy. In two travel novels I found him funnier than Bill Bryson’s collection of travelogues.
Naples is a pit!!!
Trust me on this one
We based in Sorrento and. made day trips to Positano, Capri,Pompeii,and Herculaneum.
Do not miss Herculaneum-an absolute gem.read about it on Wiki
Tho in true Italian fashion, when we went to train station to return to Sorrento,it was on fire and we had to taxi back
The crime issue really isn’t that bad for tourists with even the slightest bit of intelligence. I’m thinking that the commentators here badmouthing it have never actually been themselves.
Once in Naples was enough for me for other than catching the ferry to Capri, but as others have said, the rest of southern Italy is wonderful. Capri, Pompeii, Positano, and Sicily were fab.
Thank you for bringing this to light.
I was enamored and charmed by Sicily last year and will go again this year.
Spent a week in October with Siracusa as a base last year and it was awesome. And cheap. Amazing food, 4 cultures’ worth of stuff to look at, and a volcano.
Gary, my wife and I are heading to Rome and Naples in May. Cannot wait. We are staying with friends in Germany before heading down to Benevento (South of Rome). Naples and the Amare Coast. Cannot wait!
Very timely article. My wife and I have already been to the more popular spots in italy. (Including Cinque Terre, Genoa, and The Amalfi Coast) we loved all of it and have been discussing a trip for next spring to the Apuglia, Calabria, and Sicily regions. Lots of great comments here. I look forward to reading more.
What perfect timing for this post! I’m currently on the Azamara Quest and will be visiting southern Italy, specifically Sorrento, Pompeii, Positano and Sicily in the next few days. So there you have it, I’m one person that will be visiting southern Italy. I hope it’ll be amazing.
Sadly I won’t be doing Naples. =( Maybe next time.
@Robert – Naples like Mexico City? really? Naples is not even a million people, Mexico City is 25 million filled with museums and history. Mexico City is amazing, and no less safe than any city that size.
Just an FYI…the Amalfi Coast is truly one of the wonders of the world but in my humble experience AVOID the height of the summer tourist season or expect to be stuck in horrendous traffic as there is only one main road in and out and hairpin/switchbacks filled with caravans of tour buses and tourists. I’ve spent time there in May and September as well and much much less crowded but still warm. Obviously don’t miss Pompeii and Herculaneum.
Are google maps driving estimates accurate? Has anyone actually driven in Rome? I’m going but just the way I am, I tend to avoid the bigger cities except to sneak in and get the obligatory portrait to show to the folks , yes we really were in front of THAT place. I’m staying north but then again I now live in the south, so vacationing in the North just makes sense on a weird existential balancing of the chi, ying and yang , level. My son does have interest in Pompeii however but I think he thinks he’s going to see a volcano in action. That’s Hawaii.
Barry, I would say that Google Maps estimates for Naples and points South are accurate. We drove from Catania up to Naples with many stops in between (Taormina, Messina, Pompeii, Amalfi Coast) and ran into few issues. I can’t speak for driving in Rome.
I loved my trip to Naples. I’ve been to the Amalfi coast 3 times, but the first two times skipped Naples. The third time I didn’t and I’m so glad.
The Museum is where many of the best artifacts from Pompeii are. The food is awesome. The bay is beautiful and some good value hotels to stay on points.
I wouldn’t go during a garbage strike however.
@Barry Manil0w – According to one of my guidebooks, “Driving in Rome is reserved for locals and those who have simply run out of challenges in life.” 🙂
It was 2001, but I went to Italy twice that year, both times basing myself in Naples. It’s a misunderstood city. Definitely.
A lot of US government agencies operate in much of the same fashion here in the US. Spend, spend, spend! Waste, waste, waste!
You must visit Matera (and it’s ancient city, where The Passion Of Christ was filmed). Great food and people…. Also, nearby small towns, such as Accettura (Festa Di San Giuliano in May / June).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sassi_di_Matera
http://www.accetturaonline.it/blog/il-maggio-di-accettura-2012/
Southern Italy is very little known but there are wonderful cities and places