Have you got a spare week in winter and you’re not sure what to do with it? Today, we’ll make the case for why Naples is a great place to visit in the winter season. We’ll also include a forecast for December, January and February so you can know what to expect. Here are the seven reasons why you should go to Naples in winter!
Presepi
Nativity scenes from Naples
There’s no better place to see nativity scenes in Italy than Naples – the ‘Neapolitan crib’ art has been a local tradition for centuries and craftsmen still continue to amaze us today with incredible pieces of art. You can also buy various figurines, scenes or even entire nativity scenes in Naples. The best place to see the local Presepi is in San Gregorio Armeno Street, where the Naples Christmas Market is held every year.
It’s warm(er)
Temperatures in Naples in winter
There’s nothing more pleasant during the cold and damp winter than to fly somewhere much warmer. Naples is not bad for this, as you can see days reach even 20°C in December. Generally, you can expect the average temperatures to be around 13-15°C – it’s no Spain or Cyprus, but it’s certainly decent. One downside is that it’s very rainy in Naples during that time, so check the forecast ahead of time to see whether you can find a relatively dry week.
Fewer tourists in winter
How to avoid the crowds in Naples
If we exclude Christmas for a moment, then winter is a really good time to visit Naples if you’re not a fan of crowds. You can expect much smaller crowds at the beginning of the year so make use of it. The smaller tourist count also means that prices for accommodation and flights will typically go down a lot. You’ll also find many post-Christmas sales in January, so go wild.
If avoiding crowds is high on your priority list, then we’d recommend you avoid Christmas, as it’s a real doozy.
Befana in Piazza Mercato
The Witch of Italy
A unique part of the festive season in Naples is the epiphany celebrations – every year, Piazza Mercato celebrates epiphany with a massive market. This is the time when you’ll find many Befanas around Naples, giving children (and big children) sweets or coal – Befana is a witch-like character which has many legends associated with her, but the main one goes like this:
The legend, now rooted in Neapolitan legend goes that the three kings, on their way to Bethlehem, got lost and asked an old lady for directions, but the woman was reluctant to help. She later felt guilty about this, prepared a basket of sweets and went out in search of the hut where the little baby lay. She knocked at every house, and left sweets for all of the children she met … and she continues to search for Jesus today, leaving sweets as she goes.
(from NetFerry!)
Valentine’s Day in Naples
The City of Love
Though Naples may have a bit of an ill reputation, it’s still a fantastic romantic getaway, both the city itself and its surrounding area. We highly recommend a day trip to Positano or Capri with your other half.
Visiting Pompeii made easier
Less heat, fewer people
Thanks to what we’ve already talked about – meaning fewer tourists and mild weather – it’ll be a more pleasant experience to visit Pompeii. Believe us, walking the rocky paths of Pompeii at 35 degrees Celsius gets very unfun very fast. At around 15 degrees Celsius and with very few people around, you’ll be able to immerse yourselves much more deeply.
The best pizza in the world
Pizza in Naples
Though Neapolitan pizza isn’t a winter exclusive or anything, the queues in the high season can get a bit unbearable at times. There’s also a higher chance of the pizza being rushed due to the traffic. As such, you’ll be able to find a nice pizzeria with more ease and the warmth of the pizza will also be a nice counterbalance to the brisk weather outside.
Weather in December
Temperatures in Naples
Temperatures in Naples in December fluctuate around 14-15°C – this year, on the first of December, we’ve had 20 degrees! Nights get quite cold, at about 7°C. As we’ve mentioned, these months are quite rainy – December will have about 11 days of rain, so take an umbrella, just in case.
Weather in January
Temperatures in Naples
January doesn’t stray too far away from December, though it is a bit colder, at about 13°C average. Nights are also colder, down to 5°C. The upside is that there’s less rain overall.
Weather in February
Temperatures in Naples
Towards the end of the month, you can expect the temperatures to go up a bit, though most of the month is pretty much the same as January, including night temperatures. There’s even less rain in February. Though it’s not super warm, it’s still a decent getaway for Valentine’s Day.
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