How tourism is changing Naples - for better and for worse

Euronews

14 hours ago

When I visited Naples almost a decade ago, guidebooks, hoteliers, and well-meaning locals all warned me of the foolhardiness of being a lone foreign woman in the city.
Most adamantly, they urged me not to set foot in the Quartieri Spagnoli, a neighbourhood then notorious for crime and violence.
Fast forward to 2025, the 2,500th anniversary of the city's founding, and Naples' metamorphosis is hard to keep up with. When I asked my taxi driver for recommendations for where to eat that evening, his first suggestion was 'anywhere in the Quartieri Spagnoli'.
Over the last decade, the endeavours of tourists to discover 'authentic' areas and the entrepreneurship of residents have aided the opening up of the quarter. It is representative of what is happening all over the city, with both positive and negative knock-on effects.
2,500 years after its birth, Naples is revelling in a tourism boom while simultaneously experiencing accelerated downsides that most cities learn decades later.
Naples' moment in the spotlight is long deserved. As the city is justly celebrating, it is a palimpsest of 2,500 years of history that comes together in a heady, alluring, theatrical concoction.
Within the grid plan centro storico - the city's historic centre - alone, 2nd-century catacombs lie beneath your feet as you walk shaded alleys lined with decadent 16th-century palazzos. Heavy stone-carved churches hide 4th-century mosaics and 17th-century Caravaggio paintings.
Throughout the year, there are various events to celebrate the anniversary. The lavishly gilded 18th-century Teatro San Carlo has a rich programme of performances.
A new section of the prestigious Archaeological Museum of Naples (MANN) opens in early June, and the Museo di Capodimonte will inaugurate a new exhibition space dedicated to porcelain in November.
Guidebook descriptions of Naples have condemned the city to be forever associated with the adjective 'gritty'.
It's true that, where destinations like the Tuscany countryside, the Amalfi Coast and Cinque Terre are curated to the point of becoming spurious, Naples delivers authenticity in droves.
But 'gritty' has also been a euphemistic way to nod to Naples' long-standing problems with waste management and crime.
The city is now working hard to address these problems. Last year, the council announced new strategies for keeping the streets clean.
'We announce the arrival of important news for the improvement of collection services,' the director of Naples' waste management services ASIA Napoli said.
'Among these are a new website, the updating of communication services with citizens, and the progressive installation of technological infrastructures for waste disposal and collection monitoring in the city.'
Crime rates are also decreasing, with thefts down 6 per cent in 2024 compared to 2023 and robberies down 17.75 per cent.
Coupled with the city's clean up is a change in the kind of tourism it's welcoming.
From the Krug-branded rooftop terrace of the five-star Romeo Hotel Napoli, champagne-sipping guests have a sweeping view of the bay of Naples, shadowy Mount Vesuvius, and the day's cruise ship arrivals.
In summer, an average of three liners dock in the city a day, disgorging tens of thousands of tourists into its streets.
But unlike Venice or Santorini, Naples' size can more easily digest the influx, and even benefit from it. According to my taxi driver, cruise passengers are a big earner for private transport companies, tour groups and souvenir shops.
Another relatively new market for Naples is the luxury traveller. Currently, there are only a handful of five-star hotels in the city, compared to over 50 in Rome and nearly the same number in Florence.
But several more big chain openings are in the pipeline, including a Radisson, a Roccoforte and a Marriott.
Romeo Hotel seems to have foreseen this emerging market. Opened in 2008, its cutting-edge glass and steel structure, packed with avant-garde artworks from the owner's collection, still feels very on trend.
The hotel is now upgrading its amenities to cater for the developing luxury market, with a vast Sisley Paris spa, a cigar room, an infinity pool with glass sides, and a haute-cuisine Alain Ducasse-inspired restaurant.
The improvements have proved popular. The property now sees many more international guests and recently hosted footballer Scott McTominay and family during his championship final (and win) for the city's Serie A club Napoli.
Tourist arrivals have been increasing in Naples (up 15 per cent from 2023 to 2024), and the visitors are becoming more diverse.
'We've definitely seen a wider mix of nationalities,' says Inès Sellami, owner of the art gallery-cum-guesthouse Atelier Inès.
'A few years ago, it was mostly Italians, Germans, and maybe the occasional French couple. Now we get Americans, Brits, Koreans, Australians, even solo travellers from South America or India.'
Visitors are also taking more time to see the city. 'People used to come for just one or two nights. Now they're staying 4 or 5 nights, using Naples as a base but also diving deeper into the city itself,' says Sellami.
'More guests are interested in local art, cooking experiences, and the stories behind things, not just ticking off monuments.'
The tourism boom has been a boon in some ways. 'It's brought a lot of energy and opportunities. Some areas that were run-down have new life now, new cafés, art spaces, boutique hotels, young people opening businesses,' explains Sellami.
'It's created work, especially for younger generations who wanted to stay in Naples but didn't see a future here. And there's a new sense of pride, locals see that visitors appreciate our traditions, our food, our creativity.'
However, the city council needs to get a firm grip on the situation to halt the already pervasive adverse effects the tourism influx is having.
Rising visitor numbers are fuelling growth in the short-term rental market, which in turn has sparked a housing crisis similar to those experienced by hotspot destinations like the Canary Islands and Barcelona.
A study from 2023 found that platform-mediated short-term rentals are displacing low-income inhabitants from the historic centre of Naples.
It said that Airbnb listings between 2015 and 2019 in Naples increased by 553 per cent, and they are concentrated in the neighbourhoods suffering the highest economic hardship.
According to Tourism Review, renting an apartment in the historic centre cost between €550 and €600 ten years ago. Today, those prices range from €1,200 to €1,400, effectively doubling in a decade.
This is a particularly worrying trend because, despite increased job opportunities from tourism, wages are not seeing a substantial increase. The city has one of the highest rates of youth unemployment in Italy at 43 per cent.
For Sellami, a crucial strategy for easing the strain of tourism is to spread it out more and encourage visitors to explore beyond the usual spots.
Instagram and TikTok's tunnel vision view of the city - Diego Maradona murals, pizzerie and seaview spritz - means visitors crowd the centro storico and waterside Lungomare.
'There are amazing neighbourhoods that still don't see many tourists,' she says.
She also suggests that better transport connections and clearer signage would help, too, especially in English.
'Most of all, I think we should focus on quality tourism, people who come with curiosity and respect,' she adds. 'If we welcome them properly and share the real Naples, everyone benefits.'
The onus is on the tourists themselves, too. Sellami says it is not unusual to find visitors who treat the city like a theme park, making loud noise at night and disrespecting churches or monuments. A common theme in overtourism complaints across Europe.
But in general, she is optimistic about the city's development.
'It's been quite a transformation,' she says. 'Now people are coming for Naples, they're discovering the food, the art, the raw beauty of the city. It's still not a polished city, but I think that's part of the appeal.'
Thousands of passengers are facing major disruptions to flights today after Israel launched attacks on targets in Iran.
Airspace across Iran, Iraq, Israel and Jordan was plunged into chaos after Israel launched a missile attack on Iran overnight on Friday. It prompted a scramble to divert dozens of flights and alter scheduled services, leaving thousands of passengers stranded in unexpected destinations.
Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport is closed until further notice, and major carriers including Emirates, Lufthansa, Air France, United, and Delta have cancelled flights to the region.
If you are travelling to affected countries or have a trip planned, here are the latest updates and advice from authorities.
Dozens of flights to and from Israel's Ben Gurion Airport were cancelled or delayed on Friday, including Etihad Airways, Delta Air Lines and Air France services.
Israel's flag carrier, El Al Airlines, has suspended flights to and from Israel and has said it is moving some of its planes out of the country as it braces for retaliation from Iran.
Israeli airline Israir is also evacuating its fleet from Tel Aviv's airport, which it said was expected to remain out of operation over the weekend.
Many international airlines had already halted services to and from the airport after a missile fired by Yemen's Houthi rebels on 4 May landed nearby.
After the strike, Iran, Iraq, Jordan and Syria closed their airspace. Aviation authorities in Iran have closed the country's airspace until further notice, according to state media reports.
Tehran's Mehrabad Airport will remain closed until 1:30 am on Saturday, state news agency IRNA reported on Friday afternoon.
Amman's Queen Alia International Airport in the Jordanian capital has not said when it would reopen and is advising passengers to contact their airlines.
Syria's civil Aviation Authority chief Ashhad al-Salibi told the official SANA news agency that Syrian airspace would be "temporarily closed" until 3 pm (2 pm CEST) as part of "precautionary measures". Jordan has now reopened its airspace to allow through traffic with prior permission.
Early on Friday, Iraq also suspended all traffic at its airports, according to state media reports.
The country's eastern border with Iran is one of the busiest air traffic corridors in the world, where many flights cross from Europe into Asia. Eurocontrol estimates that at least 1,800 flights have so far been impacted on Friday to and from Europe alone.
Iran's Imam Khomeini International Airport swiftly halted both inbound and outbound traffic following the strike, with 16 flights cancelled on Friday.
Flights which were in Iranian airspace when news of the strikes hit were diverted or returned to their point of departure.
Air traffic is being diverted either south, via Egypt and Saudi Arabia, or north, via Turkey, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan.
More than 10 international flights that were forced to change their routes landed at Heydar Aliyev International Airport in Baku, Azerbaijan. Among these flights were those operated by leading airlines such as AJet, Fly Dubai, Air Arabia, Jazeera Airways, Etihad Airways, and Turkish Airlines.
A total of 29 flights carrying 2,427 passengers were diverted to Cyprus, with 20 flights from Europe and the US landing in Larnaca and 9 in Pafos. Diverted passengers will be offered hotel rooms, local media said.
About 1,800 flights to and from Europe have been affected so far on Friday.
Lufthansa has suspended flights to Tehran and said it would avoid Iranian, Iraqi and Israeli airspace for the time being. The airline has halted flights to Tehran and Tel Aviv until 31 July, and its flights to Amman, Beirut and Erbil in Iraqi Kurdistan until 20 June.
Swiss, Switzerland's national carrier, which is also owned by Lufthansa, has suspended all flights to Tel Aviv until October, and flights to Beirut have been suspended until the end of July.
Low-cost carrier flydubai said it had suspended flights to Amman, Beirut, Damascus, Iran and Israel. Several other flights operated by the airline have been cancelled, rerouted or returned to their departure airports.
Emirates has cancelled flights to and from Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Iran on Friday and some on Saturday.
Qatar Airways said it had "temporarily cancelled" flights to Iran and Iraq due to the current situation in the region.
Etihad Airways, the UAE's national carrier, also cancelled services from Tel Aviv on Friday and had rerouted some services.
Hungarian-based budget airline Wizz Air has suspended flights to Tel Aviv and rerouted flights impacted by the closed airspace for the next 72 hours.
Air France flights to and from Tel Aviv have been suspended "until further notice" after the closure of Israeli airspace, as has Ryanair. Dutch airline KLM has cancelled all flights to Tel Aviv until at least 1 July.
Delta Air Lines has advised passengers that travel to, from or through Tel Aviv may be affected until 30 June.
Israeli airline El Al has cancelled all its scheduled flights to and from Israel on Friday and Saturday over security concerns and possible Iranian counterattacks, DPA reported. The airline, which is known for operating its routes even in times of conflict, urged passengers to make provisions for overnight stays abroad until the security situation changes.
El Al said it would allow passengers with departure tickets until 28 June to cancel them and convert them into travel vouchers.
New bookings for flights scheduled through 22 June have been suspended until the situation is clarified.
Many other flights have been cancelled, rerouted or returned to their departure airports. If you have a flight booked to affected countries, including Lebanon, Jordan and Azerbaijan, you are advised to monitor airline and airport websites closely for updates.
The UK's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advises against all travel to Iran.
It warns that British and British-Iranian dual nationals are at significant risk of arrest, questioning or detention. Having a British passport or connections to the UK can be reason enough for the Iranian authorities to detain you, it adds.
If you choose to travel to Iran against official government advice, research your destinations and get appropriate travel insurance. Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency.
Spain's foreign ministry has issued a warning for Iran stating, 'Current travel recommendations against travel to Iran under any circumstances are reiterated.'
It also says that it has not excluded the possibility of the situation deteriorating in the coming days. The ministry recommends travellers follow updates closely on the social media and communications channels of the Spanish Embassy in Tehran.
Romania's Foreign Ministry (MAE) asked its citizens in Israel to notify their representatives in the country of their presence and to follow the instructions of local authorities.
The institution also issued a recommendation to avoid travel to Iran, in the context of Israel's aerial strikes on Iranian nuclear installations.
Bulgaria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has similarly called on citizens who are in the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran to leave the country immediately.
'Those who have to stay should strictly adhere to the security instructions of the local authorities, as well as regularly inform themselves about the situation, avoid places that are military sites or where events related to the gathering of many people are held,' the Foreign Ministry said.
Preventive measures to increase security in case of an escalation of the crisis were discussed, as well as possible approaches for the evacuation of Bulgarian citizens from the Middle East region.
Foreign offices warn that your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against their advice. This means going to areas where they have issued a 'no-go' warning or advise against all but essential travel.
If you do so, you are likely to be left without coverage for incidents, including medical emergencies and evacuations.
It may also mean that if you are arrested or put in detention, your country's embassy or officials have limited ability to help you.
If you have booked with a travel agent or tour operator, contact the company directly to understand your options.