Neapolitan Holiday is, following the example of Mendelssohn's 4th Symphony, Elgar's In the South: Alassio, and Respighi's Roman Trilogy, a thoroughly “sunny” piece through the use of instrumental colors. The inspiration for this composition, which describes a festive day in Naples, came from a vacation the composer took in southern Italy. After the festive opening, a kind of serenade sounds. No sooner has a passing parade faded away than the dance begins.