The most widely spoken language in Naples is a mixture of Italian and Napulitano (Napolitan). Napolitan is sometimes described as an Italian dialect, but may be considered a separate and sometime unintellegible language. Napolitan does not enjoy any official status, but it does have a rich literary tradition and it is still thriving in Campania and adjacent parts of Lazio, Abruzzo, Basilicata, Molise and Calabria.
This said, the official language of Naples (as of all of Italy) is Italian and practically everyone speaks it.
Napolitan has strong spanish and french influences originating from the their occupation in the area. Therefore, some spanish and french words may be understood by the locals, more so than in other parts of Italy.
English is the most commonly spoken foreign language, although the average knowledge of English is extremely low.
Eat
Pizza comes from Naples. Look for pizza margherita, the original one, with tomato, basil and fresh mozzarella toppings. Eating a pizza in Florence or in Rome is not the same as eating it in Naples!
In Naples every pizzeria makes a good pizza, but if you want to eat pizza where the real Napolitans go, go to Da Michele (Via Cesare Sersale, 1-3) or Trianon a Forcella (Via P. Colletta 46, it's just in front of Michele). These pizzerias make the authentic pizza, but be careful because they are located near Forcella which is not the safest part of Naples. So don't wear your Rolex when you go there!!! In particular, Michele has a unique feature: they only do pizza Margherita or Marinara (just tomato, garlic and oregano, and a splash of oil, of course!). They say that these two kinds are the original pizza, if you add too much toppings you'll loose the real taste of the pizza, that is very simple, made only of a good, thin base, good tomato, and fresh mozzarella (if this is the case).
Some others places very popular among the Neapolitans are almost all the pizzerie in Via dei Tribunali: in particular Di Matteo (# 94), Il presidente, Sorbillo, and his sister, a few doors away (informally known as "la vecchia", the old lady, from the owner of the pizzeria, a very small places with only 4 or 5 tables, that looks like a pizzeria of 50 years ago - very hard to find, but it's worth it!)
It's easy to find a good pizzeria, just look for one without tourists!
Neapolitan cuisine in general features much seafood, befitting its status as an ancient and still functioning port. You will find many sauces based on garlic sauteed in extra-virgin olive oil, tomatoes, and local red wines. Some of the sauces are arrabbiata ("angry") or fra diavolo ("the Devil's brother"), which means they will contain hot pepper. It's a great cuisine. Enjoy!
Mozzarella is also tipical of the region, you should not miss the opportunity to taste the fresh real one!
The city and region are also famous for their pasticceria (pastries), which is often filled with ricotta cheese, among the best are:
