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Al Barcadero
Turn left down the steps as you walk towards Borgo Marinaro and you'll find this unpretentious waterfront bar. Grab a beer and watch boat-rowing fishermen and a menacing Mt Vesuvius.
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Aret'a'Palm
Red velvet curtains, a soaring palm on the piazza and a laid-back crowd of artists, actors and academics who flock here as much for the jazz and blues as for the inspiring wine list. On summer evenings, an elderly man sets up a stall in the piazza and sells cheap beer for those with more thirst than money.
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Around Midnight
One of Naples' most famous jazz clubs, this tiny swinging bolthole features live music six nights out of seven. Concerts are generally mainstream, but the occasional blues band puts in a performance.
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Bellini
The gorgeous 19th-century Bellini theatre is a classic picture in gold and red. Suitably, the repertoire tends to be fairly conservative, with big-budget musicals and classics such as Shakespeare, Manzoni and Oscar Wilde.
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Bourbon Street
A red-brick slice of New Orleans in Napoli. Smooth American and Italian jazz musicians perform virtually every night to a mixed-age crowd of head-swaying jazz aficionados.
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Cappella della Pietà dei Turchini
Home to the baroque Orchestra Cappella della Pietà dei Turchini, this deconsecrated church is an evocative venue for classical concert of mostly 17th- and 18th-century Neapolitan works.
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Chandelier
Chandelier is a slick pic of shiny white floors, black walls and a bright-yellow motorbike on show beside the bar. Popular for evening aperitivo , its perma-tanned clientele nibble and chill to house, pop and R&B.
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Cinema Modernissimo
The hip and the arty head here for a mix of art house, retro and mainstream flicks. The complex includes a small cinema-themed library and is slap-bang on bar-packed Via Cisterno dell'Olio. Films are dubbed in Italian.
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Cinema Plaza
Featuring two screens, this cinema is popular with the district's well-heeled denizens, who come here for a film fix of the mostly blockbuster variety.
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Depot Cruising Bar
This gay playpen attracts men with one thing on their mind, and it's not Kylie - think skin flicks, cruising maze and dark private cabins. Check the website for themed leather, uniform and naked nights. The club is located just off edgy Piazza Carlo III, so catch a cab home.
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Enoteca Belledonne
Exposed brick walls, ambient lighting and bottle-lined shelves set the elegant scene at Naples' best-loved wine bar. Grab the savvy wine list and swirl, sniff and sip your way to bliss.
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Farinella
Skip the restaurant and head straight for the chocolate-toned bar. Here, style-savvy locals nibble on aperitivo gems such as steamy risotto and tapas and kick back with fruity Martini Pleasers.
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Freelovers @ Edenlandia
Set in a Disney-style theme park, this is a queer summertime favourite. Groove under the stars beside a fairytale castle or crash into a cutie on the dodgem cars. Music is poppy and the vibe is fun. You'll need a taxi to get back into town.
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Freezer
Blue neon and acid-green walls set the postmodern scene at this Berlin-style bolthole. Dressed to kill in latex and plastic creations, a mixed crowd of extravagant clubbers hits the floor for high-octane house and electronica.
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Fusion Bar 66
Vintage Turkish lanterns and gilded gold and silver chairs give this place a funky ethnic vibe. A 30-plus crowd spills out onto the street, living it up to jazz, lounge and the occasional live bossa nova act.
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Galleria Toledo
Tucked away in the Quartieri Spagnoli, this is the spot for cutting-edge and experimental new work from local and international playwrights. Occasional film screenings include offbeat international arthouse. Check the website for upcoming events.
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Grooming
One in a row of quirky bars, Grooming is a hit with Vomero's rich kids. Under its hanging African masks, they sip aperitifs, snack on panini (sandwiches) and gaze out over city and sea. Head in early for food as it tends to run out.
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Kestè
A student hot spot, with tables spilling onto the square and a pop painting of San Gennaro above the DJ deck. Monday to Saturday, punters bop to pop, electronica and world beats. Sunday features live blues, folk and jazz.
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Kinky Bar
Though its name may suggest otherwise, there are no whips and chains here - just a funky smoky cellar pumping out dub and reggae, man. A mainly student crowd packs the place, with overspill packing out the bar-lined street outside.
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La Mela
Chiaia's 30-something 'It' crowd saunters here for civilised clubbing after drinks at Farinella. DJs spin mainstream sounds and the look is uber-chic. Dress to impress or face rejection at the door.
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Lontano da Dove
Literary types head here to sip espresso, talk Baudelaire and tap their fingers to Chet Baker. Close to Piazza Bellini, this erudite cafe also hosts poetry readings and occasional jazz performances. Turtleneck sweaters are optional.
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Mercadante
Recently restored, the 18th-century Mercadante is home to Naples' major theatre company, the Teatro Stabile. A bumper season of high-standard productions includes new and classic Neapolitan, Italian and international works from the likes of Luca de Filippo, Roberto de Simone and Paul Léautaud.
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Mutiny Republic
Artful clubbing awaits at this funky centro storico newie. A friendly, boho crowd kicks back on silky sofas, eye up cutting-edge art and get down to DJ-spun jazz, electro-soul and disco funk or to live acts with a world music edge.
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Officina 99
No Philippe Starck lighting here, just an abandoned factory packed with hardcore lefties, punks and raw live acts ranging from radical Neapolitan rap to anti-Establishment reggae. Gigs are sporadic, so call ahead or check the website.
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Otto Jazz Club
Up the hill towards Vomero, Otto's is arguably the top jazz joint in town. It has hosted some of the biggest names in jazz and today still features top-quality concerts by mostly local, sometimes international artists.
