Is it worth travelling south to Naples when I visit Italy later this year

Asks Jellybean

A. Naples is the third most populated city in Italy (after Rome and Milan), and is the capital of the Campania region. It is situated between Vesuvius and the Phlegrean Fields and is stretched around the Bay of Naples. It has a mild climate and is one of the Italy's most important industrial centres and trading ports (Italy's largest).

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It is well worth visiting as you'll either love it or hate it. It is polluted, crowded, loud and chaotic, but it also has a certain charm that encourages people to return again and again. It has great restaurants (it is the traditional home of the pizza), cafes and bars and is like nowhere else in Italy probably because it is less ordered and stylish, but it feels a lot more real too.

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Q. Is it a good city for sightseeing

A. Naples is very big so it can take you a couple of days to get your bearings and the best sights are scattered around the city, so it is best to have a guide book or at least a street map when you visit. The Centro Storico or old town can be found between Via Toledo and Piazza Garibaldi, it is full of very narrow and dark streets (because the buildings are so high) that are easy to get lost in. Look up to the sky for some welcome light and you'll be met by rows and rows of drying washing on lines and pulleys attached to opposite buildings.

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It is well worth visiting this district and popping into the Duomo, a huge gothic cathedral, and a big tourist attraction, that dates back to the 13th Century and is dedicated to the patron saint of Naples, San Gennaro. Disaster is supposed to reign in the city if two phials of San Gennaro's blood do not miraculously liquefy three times a year - they usually do which is lucky, and it is celebrated by large processions. The blood (and his skull) is housed in a chapel within the cathedral. His crypt can also be found beneath the cathedral, as can the basilica of Santa Restituta, the oldest structure in Naples.

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If you like visiting old buildings and churches Naples has lots to offer. The Certosa of San Martino convent near Vomero Hill is well worth a visit. It has a beautiful 16th Century church in its grounds with its atrium dating back to the 14th Century, it contains lots of original marble and gothic arches. The Chapel of the Crucifix contains a crucifix that, legend has it; spoke to St Thomas of Aquinas who taught at the convent.

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Other churches to visit include the San Lorenzo Maggiore on Piazza San Gaetano, it is a fantastic gothic structure that also contains a convent and bell tower. The Church of Sant'Anna Lombardi on Piazza Monteloiveto is full of Renaissance art. The Cappella Sansevero is the tomb-chapel of the di Sangro family, decorated by the sculptor Guiseppe Sammartino in the mid-eighteenth century, which is infamous for its carvings that include a supposedly very realistic carving of a dead Jesus Christ.

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The Ges� Nuovo church is notable for its lava-stone facade. It used to form part of a 15th Century palace and has several paintings by Ribera inside the church. Opposite this is one of the city's treasures, the church of Santa Chiara, which was damaged during WW2 and has been rebuilt since respecting its original architecture. It is a good, tranquil place to visit to escape the noisy streets outside. It is decorated with green, blue and yellow majolica tiles and hung with wisteria.

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Located on Piazza del Municipio you'll find the imposing Castel Nuovo. This castle was built in 1282 and today houses the Museo Civico in its fantastic gothic rooms. Another castle, Castel Sant'Elmo can be found in the V�mero Hill district and can be reached by the Montesanto funicular. It was built in the 14th Century and boasts the highest and best panoramic views of Naples over to Mount Vesuvius.

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The Teatro San Carlo is the largest opera house in Italy, it is best to visit it on a guided tour (which start at 9am) to capture the history and elegance of the building.

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The Museo Archeologico Nazionale (National Archaeological Museum) is one of the best places to visit in Naples. It houses a stunning collection of exquisite frescoes and mosaics from Pompeii and Herculaneum and the Farnese collection of antiquities. The Palazzo Reale di Capodimonte houses the city's other major museum the, Museo Nazionale di Capodimonte. It is well known for its collection of paintings that include Madonna and Child by Botticelli abd Annunciation by Lippi.

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Q. What else can I do in Naples

A. Shop and eat! Shopping is good fun here as many original craftsmen still ply their trade and their workshops can be found in the narrow streets of the city. You can find original work by gold workers, engravers, wax workers, glove makers, stone carvers, metalworkers, jewellers, ceramicists and coral experts.

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If you're after designer stuff visit Galleria Umberto 1, it is an impressive covered gallery (dating back to the 19th Century) that houses lots of exclusive shops; or take a stroll along Via Chiaia.

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Food is also really important here, whether it is eating in one of the city's numerous restaurants or shopping in the street markets. The Forcella quarter of the city is renowned for its markets as is the fish market on Porta Nolana.

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If you have the energy to go clubbing the best clubs can be found on Via Bellini. The Murat Liveclub is one of the best and plays jazz/funk and Latin grooves every night. Or visit Bourbon Street a lively jazz club. You can also catch live music and alternative theatre at Latano da Dove.

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Q. When is the best time to visit

A. In spring the weather is mild and very pleasant, the summer months can be very stifling, especially as the city is so crowded and full of traffic.

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Q. Is it easy to get around the city

A. The traffic is a real nightmare - so you will get to your destination on foot a lot quicker than any other mode of transport and most sights can be visited this way once you get your bearings. However, if you're too tired to walk you can buy a Giranapoli ticket, which is valid on the subway, buses and funiculars. Tickets can be bought from stations and tobacconists. Alternatively, taxis can be hailed from anywhere and have a �2 minimum fare.

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By Karen Anderson