I was in Naples for the first time in the early days of Ferragosto, when all the non-tourist life in all of Italy goes on a two week on vacation. However, Naples is a major port and tourist city. We didn’t run into the «where to dine» problem here. Museums, major churches and pizzerias are operating at a normal pace. Some non-essential stores, minor attractions and offices of companies working for the locals are closed. For tourists, life doesn’t stop here.
Naples weather
The tourist season in Naples is considered to be from April to October. The high season, which implies the maximum number of tourists and the highest prices, in Naples is July and August. The low season is from November to early March: during this time it rains several times a week, the temperature does not exceed 10—15C, and a chilly wind blows from the sea.
On the Neapolitan Riviera, the beach season starts in the first days of June (the water warms up to 20—21C) and lasts until September. The resorts of the Neapolitan Riviera include the islands of Ischia and Capri and the towns of the Amalfi Coast: Salerno, Amalfi, Positano, Salerno, Cetara, Vietri sul Mare and some others.
We got off the plane in Naples on August 17. While we were going through passport control and getting our luggage, it was raining lightly. Naples greeted us with warm air, a pleasant breeze and a slight smell of hydrogen sulfide. We did not notice the exhausting heat in the middle of August: it was the most comfortable 28—30C, which can be imagined.
Naples has a typical Mediterranean climate with mild, humid winters and hot summers. April, May and October are considered the best times for sightseeing. The coldest and windiest month is February.
Italian site with up-to-date weather statistics
Holidays in Naples
There are a few days a year when all Italians take a vacation. On these days, most museums and almost all stores are closed. Only tourist restaurants serve tourists. If you rent an apartment, don’t forget to buy groceries the day before.
- January 1 — New Year (Capodanno)
- January 6 — Epiphany (Epifania di N.S.)
- April 25 — Liberation Day (Anniversario della Liberazione)
- May 1 — International Workers' Solidarity Day (Festa del Lavoro)
- June 2 — Festa della Repubblica (Feast of the Republic)
- August 15 — Ascension of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Assunzione S. Vergine Ferragosto)
- November 1 — All Saints' Day (Tutti i Santi)
- December 8 — Immaculate Conception (Immacolata Concezione)
- December 24—25 — Christmas (Natale) First and second days of Easter (Pasca)
Naples has several regional festivals when it’s worth coming to town.
Maggio dei Monumenti («May Monumenti», Maggio dei Monumenti).
In many Italian cities there are days when the most closed museums, monasteries and palaces are opened to the public, but only in Naples it lasts a whole month. Every year the festival gets a new theme. Thus, In 2016 the program was dedicated to King Charles Bourbon, in 2017. — to the great Italian comedian Toto. All musical evenings, theater and opera performances, and exhibitions are dedicated to the main theme of the festival.
The detailed program of the festival is published on the commune’s website.
Ravello Music Festival
Small but beautiful Ravello becomes the music capital of the coast from July to September with a rich program of music festivals.
Madonna di Piedigrotta.
Another music festival, now of folk music, is dedicated to the Madonna of Piedigrotta and is celebrated every year in early September. The first celebrations are said to date back to the 13th century. The festivities start at the foot of the Posillipo hill, on which stands a Catholic basilica with an ancient grotto that, according to legend, was the resting place of the Roman poet Virgil.
The main event of the festival is the parade of giant figures-characters of Neapolitan fairy tales, which follows from the square of the royal palace Palazzo Reale, to the Basilica. In Naples' central square, Piazza del Plebiscito, a gala concert takes place, even featuring world-class artists. The jolly folk festivities, accompanied by the timeless Neapolitan hits «O sole mio» and «Santa Lucia», continue well past midnight.
The Festa di Piedigrotta lasts only one day, but the cultural events marking this date stretch for another week.
City Day and St. Januarius (Gennaro) Day
On September 19, Neapolitans celebrate the day of martyrdom of their patron saint Saint Januarius, and with it, the City Day. On this day in the Neapolitan Duomo (St. Januarius Cathedral), the miracle of St. Januarius takes place: the dried blood of the saint liquefies in a vial and sometimes boils. The same can be seen on December 16 (the anniversary of the saint’s miraculous rescue of the city from the eruption of Vesuvius) and the Saturday before the first Sunday in May (the anniversary of the transfer of the saint’s relics to Naples).
The composition of the ampoule of «blood» is not known to anyone, but scientists have reproduced the composition with identical properties from chemicals available already in the Middle Ages. Still, Neapolitans believe in the patronage of the saint, and if the miracle of St. Januarius does not happen, they consider it an extremely bad omen. In the twentieth century, the miracle failed three times: in 1939 before World War II, in 1944 before the eruption of Vesuvius, and in 1980 before the terrible earthquake from which, it is said, Naples cannot recover to this day.
Pizza Festival («Pizzafest», «Pizza Village»).
Every year the best pizzaiolos from all over the world come to Naples for a week. Keep an eye on the calendar, as you can only taste the world’s best pizza these days in Naples. In 2017 -2019 the festival took place in June, in 2019 in September, and in 2020 it will occupy the first week of June.
Check the festival’s website for a detailed schedule.
Italian national holidays
There are several public holidays in Italy, which are official days off. Some of them are accompanied by colorful performances, and it makes sense to adjust your trip to them, but the main thing a tourist should take into account is that on such days everything around may be closed.
Easter
Catholic Easter falls annually between March 22 and April 25. In Naples, Easter is celebrated with a pompous parade. In 2020, Catholic Easter falls on April 12.
Ferragosto (Assumption of the Virgin Mary)
From August 15, the whole of Italy moves to the sea for 2 weeks. In towns and cities, big and small, all non-tourist businesses close down: stores, factories, offices and even restaurants, but on the coast, life booms. In these two weeks, everyone who has the opportunity goes on vacation, in the cities remain only tourists and those unfortunate Italians whose lives are connected with the tourist business and the maintenance of the life of the municipality. There are no special celebrations during these days, in the tourist towns you may not even notice the inconvenience, but if you go to very tiny non-tourist places, it may well turn out that there will be nowhere to buy a bottle of water.
Christmas and New Year’s Eve
The first days of January are an official public holiday, when not only companies and factories are closed, but even tourist sites across the country: museums, stores and restaurants.
Naples boasts a colorful Christmas and New Year’s Eve celebration: hundreds of crèches and creches are set up throughout the city throughout December, and New Year’s Eve is famous for its grand fireworks displays.
I recommend a good website with a schedule of events in Naples.
Sale season in Naples.
In Italy, the beginning and end of the sales differ by a few days each year. Winter sales start around the 2nd Saturday of January and last for 2 months, while summer sales start on July 1 and last until mid to late August.
