Naples, Italy for the Natural Wine Lover: A Wine-Focused Guide to the City

Cathedral hop — The number of intricate cathedrals in Naples is staggering. Start at Basilica Reale Pontificia di San Francesco da Paola in the Piazza del Plebiscito and then wind your way throughout the city, stopping in all of the cathedrals to read about their history and soak up the incredible art (for free!)

Food tour — Naples is a place people come just to eat! It's an ideal city in which to take a food tour that will also include snippets of the city's intricate history as you walk through different neighborhoods.

Galleria Umberto — A gorgeous shopping arcade constructed in the late 1800s. It's beautifully designed and a nod to Naples' rich history. Walk through, take your time, find your zodiac sign in the tiled floor mosaic. Plus, it's free!

Lungomare di Napoli — Head here at sunset, or when you just need a break, and find a seat alongside all of the locals who are just hanging out by the water, enjoying the view. Naples is a feast for the senses, and sometimes you need a break with an uninterrupted view of the sea and Mount Vesuvius.

Museo di Santa Chiara — A welcome respite from the busy Via Benedetto Croce, this ancient cloisters-turned-museum is gorgeous. Stroll through its walled gardens, admiring the hand-painted tiles and beautiful plants, and duck inside the attached museum to learn a bit about the monastery's history.

Piazza del Plebiscito — Located in the heart of the city and near several must-see attractions, you have to at least pass through Piazza del Plebiscito when you're in Napoli. It's a giant car-free square that often hosts events, and it's also a great place to people watch!

Royal Palace of Naples — One of the top tourist sights in Naples is absolutely worth a visit!

The palazzo boasts different eras of art and architecture and design all clamoring for attention within this one historic building. Paintings from the 17th century, tapestries from the 18th, an ornate collection of clocks from the 18th and 19th centuries, sculptures from the 19th… the opulence of a bygone Naples haunts this palace, and even years later the monarchs who amassed these collections seem to be competing with one another. Add to all of this the fabulous architecture with its many layers of renovations done by each monarch to bring the palace up to their current trends. It’s truly breathtaking with almost no evidence that it was severely damaged by a bomb in World War II.

Sansevero Chapel Museum — A tiny art museum that really packs a punch. This old chapel turned art museum houses the famous veiled statues by Giuseppe Sanmartino. It's worth a stop, and it doesn't take too long as the collection is small. Book tickets in advance; the museum does sell out!

CU.QU. / cucinadiquartiere — Friendly staff, interesting food, natural wine, amazing environment: CU.QU. has it all. The food menu changes daily based upon seasonality and what the chef wants to cook; the dishes showcase local ingredients and traditions in fresh new ways. The wine is local, low-intervention and delicious; plus, they often host local winemakers to share and talk about their wines. CU.QU. is tucked away in one of Naples’ winding side streets, and most of their tables are located out on the sidewalk. With twinkly lights stretched across the street and a miniature shrine to the Virgin Mary gracing the end of the block, the ambiance is perfect. (CU.QU. is not to be missed if you're a natural wine lover. Make a reservation!)

Espresso Napoletano SpaccaNapoli — Start your day off at this unassuming corner coffee shop. It's not so much for the atmosphere that you're here, it's for the best pistachio cornetto you'll have on your entire trip. Any wine-focused vacation needs a good breakfast and coffee to start the day off right, and this place offers both at a very good value. Afterwards, the natural wine scene in Naples is just around the corner, and you'll be close to all of the best destinations.

Gran Caffè Gambrinus — An iconic coffee shop for Naples! It's not to be missed when you're in Napoli, and it is the perfect place to stop in for a pick-me-up espresso between all of the natural wine tastings. Not only is it beautiful and worth a visit just for the experience, but Gran Caffè Gambrinus is centrally located, making it an easy place to pop in and enjoy a coffee at the bar when dining at any of these recommended natural-wine focused places.

Indovino — If you’re looking for a cozy after-work haunt to sip on some killer natural wines alongside locals, this is it. Indovino has a brilliant selection of wines from all over Italy and the perfect casual atmosphere in which to enjoy them. The wines are delicious! Light, flavorful, fresh. As the sun goes down and the twinkle lights above the street flicker the tables fill with locals. (It doesn't hurt to make a reservation here!) Indovino is the ideal spot in Naples to have a nice glass of natural wine and pretend like you’re a local.

OAK Napoli Wine and Craft Beer — Located on the Via Benedetto Croce, affectionately known as Spaccanapoli, OAK is close to many of the most popular museums, churches and tourist spots in the city. It's tucked in an alleyway off the crowded pedestrian street, giving you a moment of rest from all of the sightseeing. They offer an extensive list of craft beers, a good selection of natural wines and organic food to go along with it. This is a casual place, easy to pop into with no reservation and very tourist friendly.

Puteca Wine Bar — Tucked away on a quieter side street with tables that spill out onto the sidewalk, Puteca is a great place to grab a glass of wine with a friend before dinner. They have a vast bottle selection (in fact, you can stop in to buy bottles to take home) and a refreshingly short by the glass menu. The menu features low-intervention wines from Italy: a couple of whites, an orange, a rosé and a couple of reds from nearby wineries. The staff at Puteca are extremely hospitable, happy to chat about the wines on offer that day. Puteca is definitely worth a visit for a pre-dinner drink.

Spuzzulè Winebar — Named after the Neapolitan dialect word spuzziulare, which means “to have a snack”, Spuzzulè is a charming tiny natural wine bar in the Spanish Quarter. It’s decorated with quirky recycled materials: the bar is an old car, the tables are made of antique trunks and old fishing materials decorate the walls. But most importantly, the wine list boasts an impressive selection of low-intervention wines from the area. It is important to note that Spuzzulè honors its namesake: the snacks here are not to be missed. Share a giant charcuterie board: meats, cheeses, fruits, bread, honey piled on a board, all from Campania. Italy is a food-lovers heaven, and Spuzzulè is a prime example of why.

Zazzu - Gusto Sano Napoletano — Zazzu is a small bistro that serves regional foods and natural wines. Zazzu has a fresh take on traditional Neapolitan dishes, using only seasonal local ingredients. Their menu is veggie-heavy and filled with amazing flavors; the fresh food complements the natural wine perfectly. Zazzu is the ideal spot for sitting back with a glass of wine, watching the city go by and listening to the symphony that is Naples… the speeding scooters, the animated conversations, the arguments and laughter, the traffic, the sidewalk cafe merriment.