If you've sometimes felt that all European cities are beginning to look the same, you should spend some time in Naples, which is like nowhere else you have ever been on Earth.

It’s had a pretty bad press over the past few hundred years, starting with a reputation for squalor and prostitution in the 17th Century, and continuing to the present-day, with stories about organised crime, uncollected rubbish mountains and street thefts.

It’s the city, it seems, that everyone – not least other Italians – loves to hate.

The old centre is home to a handful of restaurants that serve the most delicious, and most authentic, pizza

The simple fact is Naples is no more intimidating than any other large city. But its great advantage is it’s ten times more fascinating than most, a mixture of different historical periods that pitch up in one intense, often decrepit, melting pot.

It is also perfectly situated for seeing some of the finest sights that Italy has to offer – Pompeii and Herculaneum, the mighty slopes of Vesuvius, the fabled islands of Naples Bay, and the Amalfi Coast.

Honestly, Naples could be the next Barcelona if only it got its act together. But it never does, which is what makes it unique.

Above all there’s lots to see, as you might expect from a place that only a couple of centuries ago was the second largest city in Europe.

It’s a city of grand architecture fallen on hard times, of superstition cultivated in the shadow of Vesuvius, and of fast-paced people who live every day like it might be their last.

The cathedral in Naples is a good example of this. It’s home to the holy dried blood of the city’s patron saint, Gennaro, which miraculously liquefies three times a year, amid much anticipation and ceremony – because if it doesn’t happen, the city is said to be doomed.

Nearby, you’ll discover the catacombs of San Gennaro, which date back to the 3rd Century.

The catacombs of San Gennaro, located in the northern part of the city, date back to the 3rd Century

The 14th Century writer and poet Boccaccio met his muse Fiammetta at the Gothic church of San Lorenzo Maggiore (history lurks on every corner in Naples), while the adjoining street is crammed with shops selling presepe, or Christmas cribs, and all the ingenious figures that go with them – a peculiarly Neapolitan tradition.

The historic centre is a Unesco heritage site, and with good reason. The towering palaces and narrow streets, and ancient churches and underground passages are unique, and help make Naples probably the most unchanged city centre in Europe. Indeed, the centre follows the street plan of the ancient Greek city, Neapolis.

In Naples, you’re more likely to find an artisan picture-framer than an outlet of Benetton, and a glorious pizzeria than a branch of McDonald’s.

It’s a place where the cult of chance and death is still very much alive in churches such as Santa Maria delle Anime del Purgatorio.

The church’s basement is crammed with shrines to the unknown dead – people still come here to pray despite the practice being banned by the Vatican.

Have a look also at the famous Cappella Sansevero, the brainchild of an 18th Century prince who not only commissioned its incredible sculpture of the Veiled Christ, but also experimented with the bodies in the basement: a man and woman whose capillaries and organs have been preserved (but very little else) are a creepy yet compelling sight.

Naples is perfectly situated for seeing some of Italy's finest sights, including Mount Vesuvius

Unsurprisingly perhaps, Naples isn’t always this weird – Via Toledo is a shopping street that could be situated in any Italian city.

Well, almost. On its far side, the Quartieri Spagnoli is as crowded and atmospheric as anywhere in the city, while above rises the hill of Vomero, which is scaled by various funicular railways.

In Vomero you will find a different Naples, the perfect place to take an early evening stroll while browsing its shops or enjoying an ice cream.

And the views of the Bay are predictably fabulous. I’d say they are best enjoyed from the terrace of the ancient San Martino monastery.

Of course, Naples is a big place, and like any major city it can tire you out if you try to cram too much in.

But in the islands and resorts of the Bay it has perhaps the world’s most glamorous and alluring set of suburbs, which can be reached easily thanks to speedy catamarans and hydrofoils.

For example, you can be in Capri in 45 minutes, and while its designer stores and over-priced cafes might not feel like much of an escape, the island itself is stunning, and has some beautiful, relatively untrafficked corners that aren’t difficult to reach.

The slightly lesser-known islands of Ischia and tiny Procida on the other side of the Bay are equally accessible – and delightful.

Back on the mainland, Sorrento is a wonderful resort almost entirely given over to the pursuit of pleasure. It is just an hour away from Naples by train.

The final reason for coming to Naples is perhaps the most important one: food. More than any other city it is the Neapolitan diet that is responsible for our decades-long notion of Italian food.

Pasta is a staple, especially served with a garlicky tomato sauce, and pizza was invented here. The old centre is home to a handful of unpretentious restaurants that serve the world’s most delicious, and most authentic, pizza.

Meanwhile, the street food – deep-fried rice balls, fried courgette flowers, fried pizzas, and mussels with hot peppers – provides the final delicious ingredient.

And the city’s coffee is, even according to other Italians, the best in the country.

Basically you can eat like a king, for less than almost anywhere else in Italy. And there’s one other thing: Naples does not attract a huge number of tourists, and as such it makes by far the most value-for-money base for seeing the far more touristy stuff beyond, such as the islands and the Amalfi Coast, where hotel prices are among the highest in Italy.

Just get to Naples now – before the city finally gets its act together.