Naples in December: What to Expect

Naples in December is underrated in a way that's almost frustrating to say, because it's so obviously true and so few people act on it. The pizza is as good in December as it is in August. The Museo Nazionale is extraordinary year-round. Pompeii without 30,000 visitors is a completely different experience. The weather is mild by any northern European standard. And the Neapolitans, who run their own presepe (nativity scene) tradition with more enthusiasm than almost anywhere in Italy, treat December with real ceremony.

Weather

Mild and sometimes rainy. Naples in December averages 8°C to 14°C, with rain possible particularly in the first half of the month. It's significantly warmer than Rome or Florence in December. The sea is cool but the coastal views remain excellent. A light jacket and a waterproof layer cover most situations. The sun appears regularly between rain spells, and the light on the bay and on Vesuvius is good for photography.

Crowds and Prices

Quiet, and very affordable. Pompeii in December has a fraction of the summer visitors: you can walk the Via dell'Abbondanza without being swept along by a tour group and actually look at the mosaics at a normal pace. The Museo Nazionale Archeologico, home to the best of the Pompeii finds, is manageable on any December morning. Flights are cheap, accommodation in the city centre drops in price, and the local restaurants operate at a pace where they can actually give the food the attention it deserves.

What's On

The presepe tradition in Naples is genuine and extraordinary: the streets around San Gregorio Armeno, the Christmas street of Naples, are lined with artisans selling elaborate nativity figures and scenes. December is when this street is at its most active, with new figures commissioned and old ones repaired for the season. The cathedral has its own nativity display. Pompeii and Herculaneum are both open year-round and are significantly more enjoyable in December conditions. The city's pizza culture is year-round, but December has the advantage of eating by the window of a warm pizzeria while rain hits the streets outside.

One Thing to Watch

Naples has a reputation that outpaces its reality. Petty theft and moped snatching do happen, particularly in the tourist areas and around the station. Keep bags on the wall side of the pavement rather than the road side, and be aware of your surroundings in the Piazza Garibaldi area. December's thinner crowds actually make this slightly easier to manage than in summer.