Hold on to your camera and grab a slice of Neapolitan
life
See historic Naples
Here's our free guide to Naples
Naples (known as Napoli to Italians) is a major city
of nearly 4,000,000 people (a local is called a Neapolitan)
located in the south west of Italy and also the centre of the
Campania region. Naples is a very old city - something which
probably contributes to its traffic problem and overcrowding.
The reason for the congestion is that during the middle ages, it
was forbidden for a Neapolitan to build outside of the city
walls so, as a result, streets in Naples became narrow and
buildings became taller.
Naples is a popular stopping off point for visitors to Pompeii
and Vesuvius which are a relatively short drive to the south.
Unfortunately the Neapolitan crimewave has not attracted the
best of publicity in recent years with organised gangs
patrolling the streets on their scooters looking to pick off
unwary tourists. As a result Naples has lost a considerable sum
in tourist revenue.
Apart from that less prepossessing Neapolitan aspect, Naples,
conjures up the most romantic images of Italy with red wine,
pizza (Naples is the home of the pizza), chocolate and fruit-flavoured
ice cream, loud music, operatic singing and washing draped from
the balconies of tenement blocks. The Italian 'donna' calling to
her friend across the street comparing the whiteness of their
linens and sharing recipes for the ubiquitous pasta, spaghetti
and ravioli. Also originating from Naples is limoncello
(something you either love or you hate) which is a distilled
lemon liqueur and drunk in special-shaped glasses.
Even if you speak fluent Italian, you will still struggle with
the strong Neapolitan accent which is completely unlike any
other dialect. It is very harsh and is also spoken at a
seemingly higher speed than Italian itself.
The best way to see Naples (and also Vesuvius and Pompeii to the
south) is in an organised group. Apart from the benefits of
having a guide, there is also safety in numbers and, although
the mayor of Naples has targeted crimes against tourists, it is
still prevalent and the many narrow, overcrowded streets provide
a perfect getaway.
Some places to visit in Naples (Napoli):
Palazzo Reale
San Francesco di Paola and Piazza Plebiscito
Teatro San Carlo
Galleria Umberto
Castel Nuovo or Maschio Angioino
Via Toledo or Via Roma
Quartieri Spagnoli
Spaccanapoli
Gesł Nuovo
Santa Chiara
San Domenico Maggiore
Cappella Sansevero
San Paolo Maggiore
Naples Underground
San Lorenzo Maggiore
San Gregorio Armeno
Duomo
San Giorgio Maggiore
Museo Archeologico Nazionale
Museo Nazionale di Capodimonte
Castel Sant'Elmo
Certosa di San Martino
Villa Floridiana
Castel dell'Ovo
Riviera di Chiaia
Posillipo
We hope you will use our free guide when you next visit Naples.
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