Intense, gritty, loud, busy. The smells of food permeate the air. Vespas navigate the narrow streets, whisking by you with speed and precision. There is a pride among its people and a certain cheekiness. As one local told us with a smile, “Here, red lights are optional.”
This is Napoli!
And, yes, for some, Naples can be a sensory overload and it may not be the first choice for one’s first visit to Italy. When my hubby and I told people we’d be visiting this city on our Southern Italy trip, we were met with the following reactions, “Really? Why? Isn’t it dirty and crime-ridden? Why would you want to visit there?” Well, there are several reasons. My grandparents came from there so I felt family and history pulling me to visit. We also wanted to visit this city as part of our trip to the Amalfi coast.
Many visitors fly into Naples and immediately take a train or car down to Sorrento, the gateway to the Amalfi Coast. What a missed opportunity! We chose to spend a couple of days in this delightful city and are so glad we did. The third largest city in Italy and with a history spanning over 2,800 years, did you know that Naples lays claim to the prestigious title of the oldest continuously inhabited city in Italy?
So, are you ready? Well, take out your bottle of limoncello, put on some Dean Martin, and sit back and read why I believe Napoli should be on your Southern Italy bucket list.
It’s real Italy.
The Napoli people are real. The food is real. There are no pretenses here and that’s why I loved it.
It’s gritty and lively and makes no apologies for being so. Wander its streets with its walls full of graffiti. You’ll soon discover that graffiti is mostly art, not derogatory words. Enjoy its people’s love and admiration for football (soccer) star, Maradona
Talk to its people (a little Italian goes a long way), step into any of its pastry shops, coffee bars, and restaurants, and taste the flavors of this city.
And that leads to the next reason to visit…
Its food is delicious and cheap.
The Margherita pizza was invented here. Just four simple ingredients …dough, mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil.. and you have one of the world’s most delicious and cheap meals.
Legend has it that this pizza was invented in June 1889, when the Royal Palace of Capodimonte commissioned the Neapolitan pizzaiolo Raffaele Esposito to create a pizza in honor of the visiting Queen Margherita. This pizza’s ingredients represent the colors of Italy’s flag.
For about 5-6 euros or ~$6 you will be served an individual pizza about 12 inches in diameter that may be hard to finish but is worth every bite.
Then there’s Napoli’s street food. From fried pizza to a cup of fried calamari, there is something for everyone. Fish is a staple of the Napoli diet. After all, the Bay of Naples is at their doorstep. And of course, then there is pasta! Need I say more?
Pastries are a staple of every Neopolitan’s breakfast usually served with an expresso. (I’ll get more into their passion for this drink in a bit.) Sink your teeth into their famous rum baba, a pastry that resembles a small cake. It is saturated in syrup usually rum, and sometimes filled with whipped or pastry cream. Of course, the sfogliatella, which resembles a lobster tail is another delicious choice. Pair this shell-shaped pastry with a sweet or creamy filling with a coffee and your day is perfect. And for this lady, gelato is on the menu anytime of day.
Coffee, or more specifically espresso, is king.
In Napoli, espresso rules. Of course, you can order a cappuccino, usually drank only in the morning, or cafe americano. Neopolitans drink their coffee typically standing up at a coffee bar.
And these amazing people carry on a tradition called caffè sospeso.
When someone is happy in Naples, instead of paying a cup of coffee for himself, he just pays another one for someone else; it’s like offering a cup of coffee to the rest of the world.”
Grazie, Napoli for your kindness!
History is everywhere you look.
Did you know that Naples is a UNESCO World Heritage Site? It is a commercial and cultural center with a major port, medieval castles, churches, and a university.
From every direction, you take in stunning views of the Bay of Naples and Vesuvius. If you plan on visiting Pompeii, Naples is the perfect jumping-off point at just a short 20-minute train ride. Visiting Vesuvius takes a bit more planning and requires a bus or car ride to get to it. I suggest booking a tour for this, like we did. It gets busy and you can get shut out of being allowed to enter.
Yes! This couple climbed to the top!
Whether you want to wander the streets and take in the local action or enjoy the history and beauty of the Naples Cathedral, the extensive collection of Pompeii and Roman artifacts at the National Archaeological Museum of Naples, and the stunning views of Naples from the top of Castle Sant’Elmo (reached by a funicular), there is so much to experience in this magical city.
Local wines and, of course, Limoncello!
Limoncello is an Italian lemon liqueur mainly produced in southern Italy, especially in the region around the Gulf of Naples, the Amalfi Coast, and Sicily.
Then there are their wines! Campania is the region where Naples is located and is renowned for its wine production. It is home to famous wine areas such as Avellino, Benevento, and Caserta. Explore the Avellino wine region, known for exquisite white wines like Fiano di Avellino and Greco di Tufo.
It’s Christmas 365 days a year.
No visit is complete without walking down Christmas Alley in Naples (also known as Via San Gregorio Armeno) It is pedestrian-only and just about 200 meters long. Filled with artisan workshops and hundreds of nativity scenes, known as presepe, there is something for everyone. Even window shopping is fun. The shops are open all year round and would love to experience this in December. And don’t forget the corneto, the red pepper that provides good luck. But you can’t buy it for yourself. It has to be given to you or you have to give it to someone for its magic to work!
