Destination guide: Naples

Naples, capital of the region called Campania on the west coast of Italy, started life around 2,500 years ago as Neapolis ('new city'), a thriving Greek commercial centre. Today, it is the third most populated city in Italy after Rome and Milan, with more than one million inhabitants.

The city is dominated by the dramatic vista of the Bay of Naples spilling out in front of the mighty Mount Vesuvius - the awesome volcano whose eruption wiped out Pompeii and Herculaneum in 79AD.

This is a working city, and it's what gives Naples such an edge and an attitude (after all, this is the actress Sophia Loren's home town). There's no denying that the city is chaotic, overcrowded, dirty and noisy - but this is all part of its unique and authentic charm.

In many ways, Naples captures the spirit of the Italian south - the passion, the noise and the sense of the everyday drama of life. With its narrow streets overhung with rows and rows of washing, ancient churches, a medieval university, bustling street markets and hundreds of cafés, bars and restaurants, Naples really is an unforgettable place.

Although you may be hampered by the lack of signposts, Naples is a great city to explore on foot as most of the major sights can be found close to its main streets. From the piazza del Plebiscito, head north along Via Toledo (also called Via Roma) towards Piazza Dante.

To the east, the narrow Via del Tribunale and Via San Biagio dei Librai run through the historic centre of the city - the Spaccanapoli (literally 'split-Naples') - which is where you'll find many of the city's most reasonable restaurants and hotels.

South of the Palazzo Reale is the Santa Lucia district, and to the west is the port of Mergellina. Overlooking the city is the hill-top Vomero district, which you can easily reach using the funicular to access great views of the bay.