Napoli

Sitting in a Neapolitan taxi last weekend, en route to a leisurely weekend on the Amalfi Coast ,  I was struck once more by what an amazing city this is.  The taxi driver as ever talked non stop, displaying a friendly pride for his city whilst managing to gently cast into the conversation all

Don’t forget to wander through Galleria Umberto

the Italian expletives I know as he negotiated the most chaotic traffic system I have ever seen.  The roadworks around the train station and port still remain three years after my first visit here, and will probably remain another twenty because this is a city that defines chaos and yet remains unflinchingly static, a city rife with problems and yet full of gentle but tough people who display great pride and dignity.  A city with a both deserved and undeserved reputation for crime, poverty, dirt and danger.  Napoli really is a city of contrasts, because here you will also find outstandingly beautiful architecture, food to die for, some of the friendliest people you could ever meet and breathtaking views.  For me Napoli encompasses chaos and calm, stress and tranquility and urban grit mixed with pure beauty.

The Bay of Naples is a beautiful sight.

Being so close to Amalfi and Capri, a night in Napoli makes sense and whilst it is not a city for everybody I felt I had to write this post to squash the fear that people feel when they consider coming here, and instead present you with the vast and rich possibilities that this city has to offer, go now before it becomes truly discovered!

Chiaia

One of the many narrow streets leading off Via Chiaia

This is my favourite neighbourhood in Napoli, and here you will find big brand designer shops, small boutiques, elegant cafes and cocktail bars as well as trendy hangouts, traditional restaurants and a warren of little streets crammed full of bars and restaurants and locals sprawling out onto the street on a summer’s evening.  The area starts at metro stop Amedeo and is encircled by the road Via dei Mille where you will find all the big brand designer shops.  It is between here and the seafront that you will find the maze of streets that have so much to offer, and I think this is the best place to come in the evening whilst also being worth a look during the day.

The built up backdrop to Chiaia

The road Via Chiaia, full of clothes shops, connects this area to the historic centre and is really atmospheric with little narrow streets leading off it.  At the end of Via Chiaia you will find yourself at the Palazzo Reale and Piazza Plebiscito for which you will definitely need your camera!  Neoclassical in design Piazza Plebiscito is an incredibly beautiful pedestrianised square just near the seafront with Palazzo Reale on one side and the Church of San Francesco di Paola on the other, the building of this church originally started under French rule and the semicircular colonnade is a marvel of architecture.

Unfortunately this area doesn’t have a vast array of hotels, we opted to stay in Hotel Micalò primarily because of its amazing location across from the sea and at the foot of Chiaia.  A boutique hotel it was certainly eclectic, with a hard to find scruffy front door leading into an equally scruffy courtyard,eventually you find yourself in the hotel, which is actually beautifully designed and very modern.  The bedrooms are on two floors, with the bathrooms on the mezzanines, and the bedrooms overlook a park and the seafront.  Whilst not a truly luxurious choice it still offers upmarket and comfortable accommodation in a fantastic area. Rooms start at €133 no view and €150 with view.

Panoramic photo necessary for the Church of San Francesco!

Vomero

View from the terrace of the ceramic museum

Some of the ceramics on view at the museum

This is another neighbourhood I love , and when you are ready to escape the manicness of the centre this hilltop leafy suburb provides the perfect respite, as well as offering beautiful views across the bay.  To get here take the funicular to Centrale Piazza Fuga or Chiaia-Cimarosa and upon exiting you will immediately find a relaxed residential neighbourhood full of nice little shops to browse.

This area is home to the lovely Parco della Floridiana which houses a ceramic museum in the park’s villa.  Quite a random museum, you have to really like your antique ceramics but the surroundings are relaxing and at the back of the villa there is a lovely terrace with fabulous views over the bay of napoli.

Castel Dell’Ovo

Getting artistic whilst taking our evening stroll

A small marina just off the promenade, I would definitely recommend wandering down here.  The restaurants are more touristy than elsewhere but if you want to eat fish it’s a good place to go and it’s extremely pretty with all the boats, especially at night.  After wolfing down your fresh fish I would recommend a stroll along the promenade and if it’s a summer evening you will find part of the road pedestrianised and most of the local population out in full force for their evening passeggiata, this creates a wonderfully atmospheric and vibrant atmosphere and is an experience not to be missed.

The boats create a picture perfect view.

I have eaten in the restaurant ‘La Scialuppa’ which was an atmospheric and traditional restaurant with a predominantly fish menu, the food was excellent quality and there was a good mix of tourists and locals, the outside terrace has a view onto the water and is worth booking in advance for.  I also tried the ‘Transatlantic’ which was much bigger and had quite a varied menu.  However, it was mainly tourists eating there and whilst the food was very nice it was not out of this world, however the view onto the marina was and so it was worth it for that alone.

Bus TOURS!

Can you believe I took this photo from the top of a bus!? The coast road offers great views throughout the trip.

I’m a big fan of the city bus tours as I think they offer a great way to see and learn about the city before you start to tackle it whole, and I found the ones in Napoli really interesting.  There are two lines and line B takes you right along the bay of napoli and is wonderful.  Sitting at the top of the bus with the wind in your hair, surrounded by breathtaking views of the bay of napoli was a delightful experience, made all the more wonderful by the fact we were there midweek in April and so had the bus to ourselves! The bus turns around at Parco Vergiliano offering you the chance to get off and explore the park should you wish.  Line A takes you into the city and whilst the traffic can prove slow and frustrating, it is a

The views from the bus en route to Capodimonte were equally impressive

good way to see the city whilst being able to hop on and off at all the major museums.  The bus also took us up to Capodimonte, an area sitting atop a hill casting its presence over Napoli.  The views en route to this area were again wonderful and once there you have the chance to explore the area which offers attractions such as the ‘Museo di Capodimonte’, ‘Porcelain Factory’ and ‘The Catacombs’  All definitely worth hopping off the bus for!  City sightseeing buses offer various stops throughout the city, for line B you will need to start near the castello nuovo, tickets €22.

Food and Drink

They take great pride in their food in the south and so it’s hard to go wrong really, especially as Napoli isn’t massively touristic.  The essential meal you cannot leave without trying is of course the pizza, this is where you will find the true Neapolitan pizza (only three topping choices and with a thick crust) and oh my, it is amazing! Personally I think when eating out in Napoli, keep it simple.  This way you will experience not only wonderful home cooked food, but you will also feel the true authenticity of the city and the chaos of eating with the locals (do not eat early if you want this!) However, if you are looking for something really upmarket and special then there is ‘Il Commandant’ , this is a one star michelin restaurant, on the 10th floor of hotel romeo it offers panoramic views over the bay from a crisp and modern setting.

In addition to pizza, the mozarella di bufala is incredible in this region and it tastes absolutely amazing.  A great many dishes are made with aubergine (which also tastes incredible) and the mix of aubergine, fresh cherry tomato and melt in your mouth mozzarella is mouthwateringly delicious.  Wash it all down with a bottle of Fiano or Aglianico and you will be happy I promise!

Accommodation

A few of the luxury hotels tend to be near the port, as they offer easy access for the frequent ferry services to Sorrento and Capri.  This location offers a decent base as you are near the centre, although you will have to negotiate the ongoing roadworks around the Castello Nuovo which can be frustrating.

‘Il Romeo’ – home to a michelin restaurant, this is five star modern luxury albeit a bit overrated.  However, it is near the port and so handy should you be heading onwards by boat.  Price start at €200

‘Palazzo Alabardieri’ – fabulous location close to via chiaia, a small opulently decorated boutique hotel, old fashioned and elegant with friendly staff.  Prices start from €133

‘Hotel Il Convento’ – if you would prefer to stay more in the thick of things this lovely 3 star is the perfect choice.  Centrally located in the historical centre just off Via Toledo, you will truly feel at the heart of the city here.  Friendly staff and clean fresh rooms, good value for money.  Rooms start at €80

Safety

Napolitan grafitti

Napoli has a reputation for being extremely dangerous, however personally I felt it no less safe than somewhere like Barcelona for example and I have never had any problems in all the times I have been here. Possibly the most dangerous aspect to my trips has been crossing the roads! With about four ‘lanes’ of traffic weaving in and out of each other, crossing even on zebra crossings can be like taking your life into your hands.  My advice is either find traffic lights to cross at, or else attach yourself to a local and follow their lead, stay close to them though as a few seconds can make all the difference!

As with any vast and sprawling major city it is best to be vigilant at all times.  Wear your bag across your shoulder and keep it zipped,  pay attention and try and avoid walking down any of the really narrow streets.  At night there are usually taxis about so hop in one of them if you feel uncomfortable, but make sure before you set off to make them turn the meter on.  I would also avoid staying near the train station, it’s not that safe and not that pretty either!  In regard to cameras and phones as long as you are careful everything will be fine, so don’t stress and enjoy the chaos!