Can anyone tell us how we would get around in Naples if we don't rent a car? We hope to fly in,no hotel reserved yet so we are open to any suggestions.

Any restaurants you have tried and would recommend?

The one way not to get around Napoli is in a car. The traffic is often gridlocked and walking is frequently the only practical means of getting around. New metro lines have been under construction for years, but I don't know when they open.
If you don't know the area, I'd recommend staying somewhere like Sorrento which is used to foreign tourists. Napoli itself can be very intimidating for a first-time visitor.

We got around Naples mostly on foot. We used a bus once and took a taxi to the airport. The fare seemed reasonable. We stayed near the main train station to be handy for trips to Pompeii and Herculaneum as well as arrival from Rome. It's not the nicest area but it suited our itinerary.

Cabs work fine, Walking is good. The funiculars take you up and down hill.

We stayed at the Excelsior -- but the exchange rate was better then. We enjoyed the restaurant Da Ettore in Santa Lucia.

Even if you did rent a car, you wouldn't be using it IN the city itself.
On a very brief visit a few years ago, I got around by walking. My cousins who met me there took a bus back to the train station after we spent the day walking around. Many years ago when I was in Naples for several days, I remember using the funicular, in addition to walking.

Thank you everyone. From what your saying I can assume it's not far from the station to where ever we want to go?

I've made note of the restaurant. Thanks a bunch!

There is an all day travel pass - I seem to remember called the Giranapoli, which enables you to use the metro, bus, tram and funicular railways all day within the city (So you cannot use it to get to Pompeii etc.) I bought the ticket at the station, and I seem to remember it being around €3 (This was about 3 years ago).

It proved very useful. I certainly would not assume that where you wish to go is close to the station, Naples does sprawl a bit, and is hilly.

Hi Tim,

I stayed for just one night in the Chiaia district, very nice. My hotel was the Pinto Storey a 3* nicely renovated. I took a taxi from the train station to hotel and the driver was honest and fare OK. I had a good, detailed map of Napoli, so I knew he wasn't running me around - and this was during Friday evening rush hour - whohoo! I did use the metro to go to the Arch Museum and then back to the train station. Turns out the Pinto Storey is located right at the Piazza Amadeus which has a metro stop. It was a Saturday and the metro was full but not crowded.

Buon viaggio!

Hi T,

See www.mappy.com and www.viamichelin.com for maps.

There is a rudimentary metro system, two funiculars and a good bus system.

We stayed in Spaccanapoli and walked a lot.

You might find the Naples part of my trip report helpful:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34451044