Naples

Napoli

Things to do and places to visit ...
and of course, Caravaggio in Naples.

Don't forget... this is not a guidebook, just some things I like about this city.

1. The Napoli Top 10
( 9 + Caravagio, of course)

2. Two days in Naples

3. Caravaggio in Naples

4. Even more Food

In 1995 the historical centre of Naples entered in the UNESCO world heritage list. It’s a huge and heterogeneous territory that involves different districts and it testifies the long history of the town. In particular the city centre that corresponds to the ancient Neapolis, with its long and narrows streets, still keeps the typical and regular chessboard structure of greek and roman cities. Buildings of the Roman Empire are visible too, especially the ruins of a theatre and a market. Then, there also are stratifications of different ages that have seen the succession of various people and cultures. For example there are many medieval and baroque churches that contain a lot of valuable works of art.

Among the most important cultural sites is the National Archeological Museum that is a landmark for ancient art. Here there are the finds from Pompeii and Herculaneum. An other important museum is Capodimonte, containing a rich artistic collection from the Middle Ages to today.

The underground city is very interesting too. It is possible to visit ancient tufa quarries that in the past where used as cisterns and also as shelters during the Second World War.

The Napoli Top 9 things to do ... (it's Top 10 if you include Caravaggio, which of course you must).

1. OK...you have arrived at the train station

A marvel of modern Italian design, this cavernous hall is a confusion of signs and shops. Simply "head for the light"... the far wall of glass opens out onto a concourse where taxi drivers fight with passengers and other drivers alike. Neapolitan drivers are aggressive and not always willing to yield to pedestrians. Be very, very careful when crossing streets, even at marked crossings.

2. Taxis ... the ride of your life

If you have had the thrill of being driven around Rome you will have had about half the experience of a taxi trip in Naples. Road rules?... you are kidding! It is basically a free-for-all on the roads. I have been in a taxi where we were stopped (surprisingly) at traffic light intersection and being overtaken by the taxi behind us, who then turned hard right across our front at speed. Just close your eyes and hold on!

3. Where to stay and eat

You probably have sorted this out already, but if you want a recommendation there is only one answer... at the Royal Continental Hotel on the waterfront promenade, Via Partenope. This is a 4 star gem, straight out of the sixties. Not a small place, but not a multinational and it won't break the bank. The front rooms all have a balcony that looks out across the Bay of Naples, with Vesuvius off to your left and Isola di Capri straight ahead. Take the breakfast... you won't be disappointed.

Easy walking to the main streets and sights of downtown Naples plus a thousand bars and restaurants on the car-free promenade. Directly opposite is the island with the Castel dell'Ovo and several very good seafood restaurants. I recommend either the Trattoria O'Tabaccaro or the Trattoria Castel dell'Ovo.

Pizza. Of course, pizza. Eat it. Eat it all and don’t split it. It’s your obligation to Naples. Pizza originated in Naples and is taken very seriously here. There are even rules about what types of flour, tomatoes, cheese and olive oil can be used in authentic Neapolitan pizza. Be sure to seek out a restaurant with an authentic wood-burning oven – if you've never tried pizza cooked this way before, you're in for a life-changing experience!

Seafood in Naples restaurants is cheap, plentiful and excellent. Spaghetti alle vongole is a specialty, mixing pasta with clams, and the more adventurous can try purpetiello affogato – poached octopus.

4. Getting about in Naples

On foot is fine (particularly if staying down on the waterfront), but getting from district to district is best achieved on the Metro underground trains. Just getting into some of the stations is an experience in itself. The Dante Metro station is entered via a couple of long, deep escalators, with the coloured wall murals and tiles changing and getting darker as you descend... you feel like you are entering an underwater cavern. Other Metros have art installations. Overall the Metro is surprisingly efficient.

Investigate the "Visititalia Naples" Card or the "Naples Red Pass"... includes all public transport and entry to many (but not all) museums.

5. The main shopping street (not the main market street [item 6 below]) and a couple of important sights on the way.

I am going to set this as if you are approaching from the waterfront promenade. It is an easy and interesting walk if you head towards or start at the Piazza del Plebiscito. On entering the Piazza you will get a surprise... this is not what you imagined Naples to be like! It is vast, with the Royal Palace (with I am told, a lovely viewing deck on the roof, although I have not been there) on one side (check out the statues in the niches) and the Pantheon-like Basilica Reale Pontificia San Francesco da Paola on the other.

You will doubtless now feel like a coffee or a snack. A must visit is the Gran Cafe Gambrinus, located front left corner (with your back to the Basilica) of the Piazza. Established in 1860, Gran Caffé Gambrinus is one of oldest bars in Naples. Line up with the locals at the bar for a stand-up coffee, or treat yourself to the local speciality, Sfogliatelli (delicious Neapolitan pastry) in the salon.

Keep walking away from the Piazza, around the roundabout but straight ahead onto the Via Toledo. This opens up as the main shopping street of Naples and well worth a snoop all the way to the Dante Metro. Almost immediately on the right you come to the Galleria Umberto 1, one of the most architecturally impressive grand malls of Italy, rivaling the galleries of Milan and Rome for its elegance and style. All along the Toledo, to the left is the packed "Quartieri Spagnoli" residential area known for its roots in the Mafia. I am assured it is safe to venture in... maybe one day!

At No 185 Via Toledo (I think this is a bank) you find Caravaggio's The Martyrdom of Saint Ursula (More about this on the page "Caravaggio in Naples" below).

It is quite a distance along The Toledo, but once at the wide open Piazza that is the Monumento a Dante (some nice open air cafes), cross the Piazza to the far-left corner, past all the open-air booksellers, and into the arcade/tunnel like Port'Alba, which is full of interesting book and knick-knack shops.

The arcade comes out at the via San Sebastiano... cross directly into the via S.Pietro a Maiella which will take you into the historical centre, The Spaccanapoli (below).

6. The most interesting street in Naples ... via Dei Tribunali, with some outstanding things to see
(... and there is a Caravaggio at the end of it!)

After a short dogleg, the via S.Pietro a Maiella turns into the via Dei Tribunali. This, and the streets surrounding, is the heart of the historical centre of Naples, The Spaccanapoli. This long, narrow, straight roman street will take a couple of hours to stroll as it is a wonder of shops selling all forms of authentic Neapolitan street-food (go on ... try the deep fried pizza), restaurants, local shops and churches. You want the best pizza in the world from the city that invented pizza... try to get into the Pizzeria Decumani about half way along.

Almost immediately into the via Tribunali, at the Piazza Luigi Miraglia, take a detour right onto the Via Raimondo de Sangro di Sansevero. At the end of this narrow lane, on the left, is the Church and Museum Sansevero (ticket office to the right), containing a number of extraordinary sculptures of a fineness that is astounding. The "Veiled Christ" is ... well ... I don't know, just astounding. How did the sculptor (Giuseppe Sanmartino, completed 1854) create such a wonderful face under a translucent veil of marble? I also love the marble fishing net in the right-hand corner. Return to the via Tribunali.

As you pass the church Santa Maria della Anime del Purgatorio ad Arco, see if you can join a tour of the crypt, where for centuries, local Neapolitans have been praying over and protecting the bones of relatives they believe to be still in a state of purgatory, in return for fortune and favours from the dead.

Continue your wandering along the via Tribunali, crossing over the wider Via Duomo (The Duomo [Cathedral] is just along this street and not overly inspiring) and in about 100 metres on the right you will encounter the dark entranceway to Pio Monte della Misericordia. The Church contains a number of interesting artworks, but the one you have come to see is the knockout Caravaggio The Seven Works of Mercy. (More about this on the next page "Caravaggio in Naples" below)

Having had your fill of this astonishing work, retrace your steps back along the via Tribunali to Via San Gregorio Armeno, which heads off Tribunali to your left at the Piazza SanGaetano (almost back at Pizzeria Decumani and also the place where the subterranean Naples tour goes from. I have never been game for this tour ... not my thing ... but I digress). Welcome to Christmas Alley.

Walking down Christmas Alley (also known as Via San Gregorio Armeno) is a must do when visiting the city. The pedestrian street is only about 200 metres long, but it’s filled with artisan workshops and hundreds of nativity scenes, known as presepe. Shops are open all year round. In December, it’s extra festive and feels like Naples’ version of a Christmas market. Christmas Alley is the ultimate place to find specialty figures for a nativity scene. Nativity scenes from Naples aren’t just about Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus though. They’re elaborate scenes that depict a whole village and are quite unique from your average manger. You’ll also find modern politicians and celebrities right along side biblical characters. Yes, Elvis was in Bethlehem and no nativity scene is complete without him. The cost of a presepe can vary greatly depending on quality and size. From miniature baskets to types of cheese, you can choose and customise every detail imaginable in the village. Some pieces can start at just a few euro, but a complete nativity scene with intricate figures could easily cost a few thousand dollars. Some presepe even have a water feature and electricity. Along with every piece imaginable to build a custom presepe, you’ll also find plenty of Pulcinella figures in the form of ornaments, statues, paintings, key-chains … you name it. Pulcinella is a puppet character that’s typically shown wearing a loose white outfit with a black mask. He was first introduced to the commedia dell’arte in 17thC. and is still a symbol of Naples today. If you can’t take a whole presepe home with you, a little corno (horn) will certainly fit in your suitcase. These red chilies are said to ward against the Evil Eye and bring good luck. At just a few euros, they also make an interesting gift or souvenir (or not... hey, I have always associated Naples with chili, haven't you?).

At the end of Via San Gregorio Armeno, turn right along via San Biagio dei Librai, another crowded street, but this with more shops selling religious artifacts mixed in with the bars and food shops. Continue on to the Piazza S. Domenico Maggiore, with the famous Pasticceria Scaturchio, a Naples institution, where the Babà was invented. Babà is a moist, sweet fruitcake style dessert that everyone should experience at least once while visiting Napoli.

Continue along the Via Benedetto Croce until the via Santa Chiara, with the imposing tower and wall of the Church of Santa Chiara. Well worth a visit, especially the garden cloisters decorated with majolica tiles and frescoes ... see your guidebook. Almost opposite on via Benedotto Croce is the mighty facade of diamond shaped projections, some carved with strange runes, the Church of Gesu Nuova ... again, consult your guidebook. Originally a palace built in 1470 for the Prince of Salerno, then confiscated by the Jesuits in the 1580's, then the Franciscans in the 18thC., then back to the Jesuits in the 19thC.

Note the column in the piazza opposite... this is the Spire of the Immaculate Virgin, also known as a "Plague Column" erected to invoke the Virgin Mary's protection from the plague, rampant in the 17thC. There are two others around Naples.

7. The best Museum in Naples... The National Archaeological Museum has one of the world's best collections of Greek and Roman antiquities, including mosaics, sculptures, gems, glass and silver, and a collection of Roman erotica from Pompeii. Many of the objects come from excavations at Pompeii and other nearby archaeological sites. One of the most interesting and most famous museums in the country. Given how much history, both Greek and Roman, has occurred on the grounds of the city, you’ll be unsurprised to learn that the Greek and Roman collections are some of the most extensive in the world. This includes the well-known Farnese Collection, which contains some of the most stunning examples of ancient sculpture that you’ll ever see. But for most, the museum’s main draw is the artifacts rescued from the ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum and brought here for safekeeping. Check your guidebook.

8. The best art gallery in Naples...The Capodimonte Museum and Park, built as King Charles III's hunting lodge, houses one of Italy's richest museums with a great picture gallery and collection of majolica and porcelain. You can wander around the royal apartments and the surrounding park, too. It is located about 20 mins. away on the hill to the north of the city, best reached by taxi. Here you will find Caravaggio's The Flagellation of Christ ... more details on my "Caravaggio in Naples" page (below). Not an easy place to return to Naples from either. There are buses. Sometimes.

9. Pompeii and Herculaneum ... of course you are here to see these two big attractions. I have spent days wandering about these in rain and shine. Best advice ... get a guide. Triples your appreciation of the scope of these sites and gets access into the best buildings and restorations. Also, take food with you. The cafe inside the Pompeii site is awful, but the restaurants in the main car park are passable.

10. Caravaggio in Naples ... click here for the Caravaggio page

Feedback, advice and additions welcome ... enjoy your time in Napoli.

Scott

48 Hours in Naples

See Naples and die, the old saying goes, suggesting that life isn't worth living without visiting this vibrant and chaotic city, the third-largest in Italy. Problem is, many tourists fear for their safety visiting this undisputed wild child, more known for its plethora of pickpockets and links with organised crime than for its many, albeit sadly overlooked, charms.

To drop Naples from your Italian tour, however, would be a mistake. This is a city with brio to burn and an underbelly Rome, Venice and Florence couldn't possibly hope to emulate. And with a bit of common sense (don't go flashing that new Rolex while you wander lost through the backstreets, for example) you'll wonder why you didn't make the effort to visit years ago.

Once the capital of the Kingdom of Two Sicilies, Naples boasts a wealth of art, culture and architecture rivalling Italy's biggest tourist cities, and includes the world's most famous archaeological site at Pompeii. It's home to countless churches, majestic castles and lavish palaces and from whichever angle you look at it, the Gulf of Naples offers one of the most splendid panoramas on earth. And the icing on the cake? Naples is the birthplace of pizza. Neapolitan pizza so good, it makes Rome's version seem like cardboard.

Getting there and staying one-two nights.

The high-speed train from Rome takes just over an hour and once you arrive, no questions about it ... Hotel Royal Continental, Via Partenope 38-44, also known as Borgo Marinari.

This 4.5* hotel has mid-century italian modern in spades and looks out onto the Castel dell'Ovo and the Bay of Naples with Capri in the distance.

Neapolitans are known for their hedonistic attitude - the still-active volcano, Mount Vesuvius, which buried Pompeii in 79AD and last erupted in 1944, dominates the city skyline, a constant reminder that life is meant to be lived to the full. This devil-may-care attitude is evident in the cuisine (at times, not even pizza escapes the deep fryer), such as creamy mozzarella di bufala and ricotta-rich sweets. Of course, the freshest seasonal vegetables, fruit and frutti di mare is available everywhere, but kiss the diet goodbye when you visit because the golden rule is to embrace excess like the locals.

Once the bags are dropped, start the evening at any of the bar/restaurants along the via Partenope with an Aperol Spritz in hand.

DAY ONE

Or grab a city map and head for the bustling centro storico (historic centre), which received a world heritage listing from UNESCO in 1995. For Naples at its anarchic best, fork off Via Roma and the Piazza Carita to the Pignasecca market in Montesanto where you'll find terrific delis, seafood and fruit stalls. The adventurous can try a plate of raw tripe with a drizzle of lemon served at a tripperia or pop in to Friggitoria Fiorenzano for a sample of those ubiquitous Neapolitan fried foods.

Backtracking to Piazza Carita, look for Gelateria della Scimmia (the latter word meaning monkey), because it's never too early to eat ice-cream. A stone's throw from here is the Spaccanapoli; a long, knife-straight street which takes its name from the fact it splits Naples in half. Walk past the black market stalls and shops, through Piazza del Gesù with its beautiful spire of Guglia dell'Immacolata and pop in to the 14th-century church of Santa Chiara. Hidden out the back are ornate gardened cloisters, a Baroque oasis offering a break from the incessant noise outside.

EAT AND DRINK

Friggitoria Fiorenzano

Try salty, deep-fried artichokes and polenta. Piazza Montesanto, 6, +39 081 5512 788.

Gelateria della Scimmia

Purveyors of traditional Neapolitan gelati. Piazza Carita, 4, +39 081 5520 272.

Scaturchio

For mid-morning coffee and to-die-for sfogliatelle. Via Portamedina, 22, +39 081 5513 850.

L'Antica Pizzeria Da Michele

Queue early for some of the city's best pizza. Via Cesare Sersale, 1, +39 081 5539 204.

Pizzeria Di Matteo

Another busy pizzeria, with good reason. Watch the pizzaoli at work. Via dei Tribunali, 94, +39 081 455 262.

Pizzeria Sorbillo

Try the Margherita at this family-run pizzeria in the heart of the historical district. Via dei Tribunali, 32, +39 081 446 643.

Cantina della Tofa

Local favourite in the Quartieri Spagnoli (Spanish Quarters). Vico Tofa, 71, +39 081 406 840.

Trattoria Dell'Oca

For home-made pasta at a family-run trattoria. Via S. Teresa A Chiaia, 11, +39 081 414 865.

Gambrinus

Up-market café long favoured by the chattering classes. Via Chiaia, 1, +39 081 417 582.

La Cantinella

Michelin-starred ristorante. Via Nazario Sauro, 25, Lungomare di Santa Lucia, +39 081 7648 684, lacantinella.it.

La Bersagliera

Seafood, pizza and views over the Bay of Naples. Borgo Marinari, +39 081 7646016, labersagliera.it.

Mammina Pizzeria e Cucina Genuina

Waterfront views and plenty of charm. Via Partenope, 18/15, +39 081 240 0001.

Enoteca Belledonne

Cosy, funky wine bar popular with locals. Vico Belledonne A Chiaia, 18, +39 081 403 162.

Pizzeria Brandi

Lays claim to inventing the Margherita. Via S. Anna di Palazzo, 1, +39 081 416 928.

Trattoria 'Ntretella

Try the daily specials in this basement trattoria. Salita S. Anna di Palazzo, 25, +39 081 419 692.

Superfly

Funky bar off the tourist trail. Via Cisterna dell'Olio, 12.

Il Buongustaio

Tiny trattoria. Via Lanzieri, 27, +39 081 427970.

Back on the Spaccanapoli, stop at Scaturchio, a coffee shop and pasticceria on Via Portamedina, to order a sfogliatella, the city's most famous sweet (alongside the rum-soaked, spongy baba). The ricotta and candied fruit-filled sfogliatelle comes in two forms: the scone-sized frolla, made with a kind of shortcrust pastry, or the shell-shaped riccia, made from puff-pastry. Wash it down with another espresso: Italians concede that the further south you go the better it gets, with Naples considered the bean queen. When ordering your coffee, ask for it amaro (bitter) if that's the way you like it, because sugar may be added even if you don't ask, as in the local favourite of sugar beaten with cream and coffee.

After your coffee stop, take a peek up Via San Gregorio Armeno, a hilly stretch which exclusively sells nativity figurines and presepe (cribs), before arriving at the intersection of Via Duomo. Up the hill is the famous church where the city's faithful flock in thousands twice a year to see the 'miracle' of San Gennaro, when the blood of the city's patron saint is said to liquefy.

To head back towards the city and the sea, take Via dei Tribunali, which runs parallel to the Spaccanapoli, and duck in to the lavish Cappella Sansevero. Built about 1590, its highlight is the Veiled Christ, a delicate marble masterpiece by local sculptor Giuseppe Sanmartino. Note too, La Pudicizia (modesty), the statue of a woman whose belly obviously inspired the modern-day Neapolitans. For a spooky contrast, walk down a set of stairs to find the standing skeletons of a man and a woman whose vital organs remain intact, said to be the work of the alchemist who built the chapel. In keeping with the theme, the nearby church of Santa Maria delle Anime del Purgatorio ad Arco holds the bones and tombs of the city's lost souls, while at the church of Pio Monte della Misericordia glimpse Caravaggio's Le Opere di Misericordia (Seven Acts of Mercy).

If the sfogliatelle stop is already a dim and distant memory, there are a stack of pizzerias in the vicinity. Neapolitans argue over which pizza place is best, but if the queue is any indication, L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele wins. (You may have to find the patience to wait for at least an hour for a table.) Locals say the only way to get a seat is to pass the pizzeria at 11.30am and return an hour later - to wait another half an hour. Da Michele serves only two flavours of food and beverage: Margherita and marinara pizza, Peroni beer and bottled water. Other good pizzerias in the area include Di Matteo and the family-run Sorbillo.

To walk off the extra calories, take the number 460 bus from Piazza Dante and hop off at the palace and museum of Capodimonte. Built by King Charles III to indulge his passion for hunting, the sprawling park is full of joggers and art lovers visiting the museo, where Botticelli, Raphael, Bellini and Caravaggio jostle for space with modern wunderkinds including Andy Warhol, whose red Vesuvius gushes with yellow lava against a green, pink and purple sky. Bus back to Piazza Dante and walk towards the sea along Via Toledo, lined with elegant and wasted palazzi. Have courage and veer right to walk up into the Quartieri Spagnoli, or Spanish Quarters, which doesn't deserve its unsavoury reputation. Built for troops during the city's Spanish occupation, the sunlight-deprived rabbit warren of narrow streets is crammed with food shops, bars, barbers and beauty salons and offers a glimpse of life that has not changed much over the centuries. The locals tend to leave their doors wide open so you can stare into the bassi, the traditional, tiny Neapolitan street-level home.

With your first day in Naples all but over, you could head to one of the ristoranti in the Quartieri for dinner, including local favourite Cantina della Tofa, but if your feet can carry you for another 15 minutes, head for Trattoria Dell'Oca in Via S. Teresa in Chiaia. You can't go wrong with any of the home-made pastas, while the soufflé, served with a piping hot dark chocolate sauce, is worth the wait.

DAY TWO

Kick-start your second day in Naples with yet another delicious pastry or sfogliatella, and though you can enjoy these pretty much anywhere, for a touch of class head along Via Toledo (pop in to the Galleria Umberto, not unlike Milan's huge domed Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II arcade) and enter the Neapolitan café favoured by the city's intellectuals and nobles for centuries, the chandeliered Gambrinus. Nearby, you can wander the gardens of the Royal Palace and admire the entrance to the Teatro San Carlo opera house.

When you finish, head across the sprawling Piazza del Plebiscito, dominated by the Pantheonesque Church of San Francesco di Paolo, until you hit the Gulf of Naples, overshadowed by Vesuvius in the distance.

Who needs an excuse for lunch after a morning walk? Steer right and look out for the Michelin-starred La Cantinella, listed as the city's finest noshery, combining kitsch, bamboo-heavy décor and old-style service with home-made pasta, a few modern twists on flavour and superb meat and seafood. A few metres further, step down to the seaside promenade of Borgo Marinaro, opposite the magnificent Castel Dell'Ovo (egg castle). Splurge at La Bersagliera restaurant or move onwards along the bay to stop for a pizza or frittura (fried seafood) at the string of eateries, including the popular and charming Mammina Pizzeria e Cucina Genuina, with its million-dollar views.

Stroll along the bay until you reach the ferry port of Mergellina, where a string of chalet bars offer sweets and savoury treats served by white-tuxedoed waiters. Meander back through the Villa Communale public park and take a left up Via Calabritto, lined with the likes of Gucci and Armani, to Piazza dei Martiri. If you're in the mood to shop, go left and follow the grid of small streets which comprise swank Chiaia, stopping for a vino in Enoteca Belledonne or any of the hip clubs in the zone.

Before you know it, it's time for cena (dinner) already and if you still haven't managed to eat Naples's most famous dish, walk up Via Chiaia towards Piazza Del Plebiscito until you reach Brandi, the city's oldest pizzeria, which claims to have invented pizza Margherita (for Queen Margherita in 1889). Or try Trattoria 'Ntretella nearby, a tiny quaint basement trattoria dishing up local food.

If you want to get off the tourist trail at night, swill an aperitivo at Superfly, a groovy little bar not far from Piazza del Gesù, then make a beeline for Il Buongustaio, a one-room trattoria with a cupboard-sized kitchen near the Pignasecca market in Montesanto, to eat authentic local dishes. One thing worth doing before you leave Naples is catching the funicular from Montesanto or Via Toledo to Vomero and visiting Castel Sant'Elmo. From its rooftop you just may have an inkling as to why everybody should see Naples at least once in their lifetime.

ALSO ... if you can fit it in or worth an extra day

Pompeii

Don't miss this famous historic site. pompeiisites.org.

Or ... if you can't get to Pompeii, visit the National Archaeological Museum, Piazza Museo 19

Its collection includes works from Greek, Roman and Renaissance times and especially Roman artifacts from nearby Pompeii and Herculaneum.

Capodimonte National Museum and Gallery

Home to works by Italian masters. Via Miano, 1, +39 081 7441 307, museocapodimonte.beniculturali.it. Closed Wed.