Old Naples is the historic core of the city: the gridded neighbourhood of quiet streets, bungalows, and tropical gardens that stretches between the Gulf and the main commercial arteries. Third Street South and Fifth Avenue South are the twin poles of activity — lined with galleries, independent restaurants, boutiques, and outdoor cafes. The streetscape is unusually pleasant by Florida standards: low-rise, walkable, shaded, with no big-box retail or chain restaurants in sight.
The architecture ranges from 1920s Craftsman bungalows to mid-century modern villas to more recent constructions that try, with varying success, to fit in. Walking the residential streets north and south of Fifth Avenue reveals the private money that underlies Naples: immaculate gardens, discreet mansions, the occasional art deco gem. The neighbourhood is also the access point for the city's best beaches, with beach access paths cutting between properties to reach the Gulf.