10 Things to Do in Naples at Christmas

Have you bought a ticket for the month of December and are wondering what to see and do in Naples? Well chosen! The capital of Campania fills up with lights and takes to the streets with its traditional nativity scenes.

Our top 10 starts with the icon of the Neapolitan festivities: those traditional nativity scenes. However, there is much more to Naples...

In Naples, nativity scenes are not simply a representation of the birth of Jesus but a cultural phenomenon that mixes religion, history and current events. During the Christmas season, Via San Gregorio Armeno is full of cribs made by the old artisan shops.

You can buy everything from whole nativity scenes to individual figures, as well as details such as huts and ceramic animals. To help you with this difficult task, we have compiled a short list of the most typical souvenirs:

• Maradona figurines. It's no secret, Neapolitans are crazy about football and the Argentinian is by far the most loved player. El Pibe de Oro led SSC Napoli to two championship wins in the late eighties and is still very much loved. The San Gregorio Armeno figurines include famous personalities and Maradona was not to be missed.
• Scio Scio, a character who keeps the evil eye away. He is represented with the typical buatta, an incense burner that was used to spread aromas.
• Corno Rosso, a bright red lucky horn. According to local tradition it should always be given as a gift, you don't have to buy it for yourself!
• La Bella 'Mbriana, a good but capricious spirit. She lives in houses and favours only people she likes. She is traditionally portrayed as a beautiful woman wearing a long white dress.
• Pulcinella, the Neapolitan character from the Commedia dell'arte. She wears a wide white tunic girded by a black belt. The hat is also white and contrasts with the black mask covering her face. His main characteristic is the irony he uses to mock the powerful.

While you decide what to buy, you can treat yourself to a calzone napoletano, a pizza stuffed with ricotta, tomato, mozzarella and salami. It can be baked or fried and is a classic Christmas street food. After the walk you can visit another neighbourhood landmark, the Veiled Christ of Naples.

Edenlandia is a theme park in the Fuorigrotta district. There is a bit of everything: bumper cars, a Ferris wheel, escape room, roller coasters and much more. There is also a large skating rink called "Regno di Ghiaccio".

As usual, a ticket costs around €5 for both adults and children. Edenlandia is open from Monday to Friday from 15:00 to 21:00 and from 10:00 to 24:00 on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.

Getting there is quite easy, as it is very close to the Cavalleggeri Aosta metro station (line 2). If you are interested in other activities with the kids, I recommend you to read the post about visiting Pompeii with children.

Naples' most majestic square is located halfway between the promenade and the central Via Toledo. At Christmas time you should not miss a stroll around the area.

Its structure is somewhat unique: it is made up of two bodies, one semicircular and the other rectangular. The Basilica of San Francesco di Paola and the Royal Palace stand on each corner.

It is the hall of Naples and every December it hosts a gigantic Christmas tree. It can be a fir tree or an artificial cone but the result is equally charming. Given the large size of the square, it is often complemented by a Father Christmas of lights or other decorations.

On thenight between the 23rd and 24th of December, Neapolitans have only one goal: to buy the freshest fish. To do so, they usually go to the Porta Nolana fish market, popularly known as "mercato ncopp'e mura". It is worth a visit just to see the locals crowding the stalls to buy lobsters, prawns, clams and the "capitone", the adult female eel used in a typical Christmas recipe.

In the meantime, you can liven up the walk by trying the "pizza a portafoglio", a small pizza that is wrapped and closed like a wallet. It is an icon of Neapolitan street food and if you feel like repeating, I recommend the creations of Antica Pizzeria Port'Alba (Via Port'Alba 18) and Pizzeria Fortuna (Via Mancini 8).

For more information on this topic, I recommend reading the post on the best food tours in Naples.

In December, Father Christmas arrives at the foot of Vesuvius. You will find him in Parco Robinson, a green area with both Mediterranean and tropical trees and plants. It is located on the perimeter of the Mostra d'Oltremare, the main fairground in southern Italy.

The Christmas village is a must-see if you are travelling with children. As well as Father Christmas, the little ones can decorate a tree and gingerbread men, write a letter to Father Christmas, listen to stories and enjoy the Christmas Circus.

The price is usually around €13 for adults and €10 for children. You can buy tickets from Ticketone or at the ticket office.

Like other cities around the world, Naples also has some Christmas markets when the holidays arrive. Strolling through them and doing some shopping is something that both adults and children enjoy. In this case, I recommend you visit the one located in Il Vomero.

Il Vomero is a neighbourhood on top of a hill overlooking the historic centre. In the 17th century, aristocratic families moved to the hill to escape the plagues that plagued the city. The neighbourhood has retained its essence and is dotted with tree-lined avenues, belvederes and Art Nouveau buildings housing luxury shops.

Every December, the neighbourhood hosts a Christmas market with typical wooden houses. You'll find handicrafts, nativity scenes, home decorations, paintings and much more.

Stalls are located on Via Luca Giordano, Via Enrico Alvino and Via Merliani, in Piazza Muzii, inside Mascagna Park and opposite the covered market on Via Kerbaker.

You can easily reach it by metro line 1 (Quattro giornate and Vanvitelli stops).

Before sitting down to the table for Christmas Eve dinner , it is traditional to go for drinks in the Chiaia neighbourhood. The epicentre of Neapolitan nightlife is concentrated around a square and three streets: Piazza dei Martiri, Via San Pasquale, Via dei Mille and Via Gaetano Filangieri.

This area is within walking distance of the waterfront and has a wide range of bars. Here are my favourite places to go:

• Barril, a lounge bar with a beautiful garden. Here you can enjoy a glass of wine or an original cocktail while listening to jazz and bossa nova. Neapolitans claim they make the best mojito in town (Via Fiorelli 11).
• Chandelier Cafè, where every drink is a work of art. On 24 December they often organise a highly coveted brunch (Vico Belledonne a Chiaia 34/35).
• Birdy's Bakery, the American bakery in the heart of Naples. It was so successful that they opened a second branch in Portici, a town hall in the urban belt (Vico Belledonne a Chiaia 14).

Did you know that Naples is home to the oldest opera house in Europe? It was inaugurated in 1737, 39 years before the Teatro alla Scala in Milan! King Charles III of Bourbon commissioned the work to Giovanni Antonio Amadeo, one of the leading architects of the Renaissance. The building is located in the heart of the city, a stone's throw from the castle and the royal palace.

In December, the Teatro San Carlo hosts festive shows such as the famous Neapolitan comedy "Natale in casa Cupiello", Christmas concerts, jazz jam sessions, Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker" and other exhibitions.

The Christmas programme usually starts at the end of November and ends at the beginning of January. For more information I recommend you check the official website.

Naples is known for pizza, but its gastronomy goes far beyond that and includes desserts with a long history. The first on the list dates back to the time of Magna Graecia, an expression indicating the areas of southern Italy colonised by the Hellenic city-states:

• Struffoli, dumplings made with a mixture of eggs, flour, sugar, butter and a choice of limoncello, aniseed or white rum. Once fried, they are garnished with pieces of cedar, candied fruit and coloured sugared almonds. For the best ones, locals recommend a visit to the former pastry shop Giovanni Scaturchio
• Divino Amore, soft pastries made with almonds, sugar and candied fruit. You'll recognise them by the typical pink icing, although there are modern versions covered in dark chocolate. They were invented as a tribute to Beatrice of Provence, mother of King Charles II of Anjou.
• Raffiuoli, sponge cakes covered with apricot jam and almond paste or with ricotta dolce (sweet ricotta) cream and chocolate beans. According to folklore, they were invented in the 18th century by the Benedictine nuns of San Gregorio Armeno. Many claim that the best are found at Pasticceria Capparelli (Via Dei Tribunali 327).
• Zeppole di Natale, tasty fritters made with boiled potatoes, eggs, flour and butter. Once fried, they are sprinkled with vanilla sugar and cinnamon. You can find the real thing at Pasticceria Ranaldi in the Quartieri Spagnoli neighbourhood (Vico Lungo Gelso 97).

During the Christmas season, the cultural institution is usually open in the evenings. It is the ideal occasion to stroll among European works of art from the last seven centuries.

The royal site of "Capo di Monte" was founded in the 18th century as a hunting reserve of Charles of Bourbon and is surrounded by a large park. For more information on how to get there, opening hours and entrance fees, I recommend you take a look at the official website.

In the last month of the year, the weather is generally mild. To put it in plain English, temperatures fluctuate between a minimum of 5° and a maximum of 15°. With an average of 120 mm of rainfall, December is the third rainiest month of the year, while snowfalls are very rare and are mainly concentrated on the summit of Vesuvius.

If you are lucky enough to see this beautiful scenery live, I recommend visiting Vesuvius with an organised tour. You will see an atypical landscape where the candid surfaces contrast with the blue Mediterranean and the islands of Ischia and Procida in the background.