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Begin your tour of Naples’ two oldest main streets at Piazza del Gesù, where you can admire the Guglia dell’Immacolata and the rusticated façade of the church. Further along, enter Santa Chiara to take in the medieval tombs and then around the back to see the famous tiled cloister.

Continuing on, stop for a drink at one of the cafés in Piazza San Domenico, where you will note that the Guglia di San Domenico has mermaids sculpted on its base. Across the street, stop in at the church of Sant’Angelo a Nilo to see its Donatello bas-relief, and at the next corner, look for the ancient statue of the god of the Nile, known familiarly as “The Body of Naples”. Follow the street all the way to Via Duomo, pausing at the shops of all kinds along the way.

Next, visit the culturally amazing Duomo , and then go behind it to see the earliest guglia , topped by a statue of San Gennaro, and Caravaggio’s revolutionary painting The Acts of Mercy in the Pio Monte della Misericordia . Double back along Via dei Tribunali, where you can visit more fascinating churches, including San Gregorio Armeno and Santa Maria delle Anime del Purgatorio ad Arco .

Finally, head for Piazza Bellini, where you can relax and have a drink or a full meal at one of the friendly cafés.

Start the tour in the cool of the morning with a visit to Solfatara (opens 8:30am), the vast volcanic lava cap about 1 km (0.5 mile) north of the town. This stark, bizarre site will set the tone for the day’s musings on the ephemeral nature of all things. Next, head back towards town on the Via Vecchia di San Gennaro and take a quick left on Via Domiziana, which follows the ancient Roman road of basalt stones built to link Rome to Puteoli (Pozzuoli). Visit the Santuario di San Gennaro and see the spot where Naples’ patron saint met his martyrdom under Emperor Diocletian.

From here, turn back and go down Via Vecchia di San Gennaro to the Piscina Cardito, a 2nd-century cistern with a vaulted ceiling supported by pillars. Continue on to the great Anfiteatro Flavio and try to imagine what it might have been like, with full scenery and exotic beasts springing out of trapdoors. Next, follow Via Terracciano along to the Terme di Nettuno, huge terraced baths, and on the opposite slope the Ninfeo di Diana, a fountain that may have been part of the baths.

Work your way down towards the ancient port, most of it now underwater, to the Serapeum (market). Walk up onto the promontory, the Rione Terra, to visit the 2,000-year-old Duomo (cathedral).

Finally, enjoy a well-deserved lunch at the Antica Trattoria da Ciuffello (see Antica Trattoria da Ciuffello, Pozzuoli).

You never know quite what you’ll find in the way of old prints and period objects here – a browse might turn up anything from an 18th-century engraving to an Art Deco-style poster from the 1930s.

This 11th-century abbey is notable for its paintings by pupils of Luca Giordano.

One of Old Naples’ finest antiques shops. Specialities are furniture and ceramics from the 16th to the 19th centuries. Nativity figures are also on offer.

The approach to this disco is via a walkway excavated out of a seafront rock face, while the dance floor seems to be suspended above the waves. The decor includes ethnic masks and parrots.

The farmhouse here is actually situated in an evocative volcano that died out over 10,000 years ago. In this impressive scenery, time flows slowly, and you can appreciate the changing of the seasons.

The farm’s organically grown produce tempts most guests to sign on for half-board, but anyone can stop by for lunch or dinner as long as they telephone ahead. The farmhouse has airy rooms, many of which have good views down to the sea.