About Naples, Tips about Napoli

10 reasons to visit Napoli

 

Surely Naples (or Napoli) is a fascinating and charming city for its millenary history, art, culture, food, accommodation, music, views, and people. Walking along its picturesque streets and alleys is like living on a stage where the senses, the voices, the perfumes, the smells, and the faces mix and live against the background of the beauty and spell of this city. There are so numerous reasons to visit Naples because Naples has so much to offer: whether you love art, food, enjoyment, fascinating sites, or else you will find the full answer to your expectations. So listing ten reasons to come here is reductive on one side but can also be an incentive to organize a trip to discover our splendid city. Not only Naples offers thousands of interesting things to see and to enjoy, but it is also the starting point to see gorgeous sites within a stone’s throw, like Pompei, Ercolano, Vesuvius, Sorrento and Amalfi coasts, Capri and Ischia islands, etc.
Come to discover Naples and, once you are here, I’m sure you’ll get a grip on it!

 

Historical Center
Declared World Heritage Site by Unesco, it is one of the most interesting and beautiful Italian historical centers and the largest of Europe. It boasts churches, palaces, and ancient monuments and is a site full of fascination and liveliness where you can feel the soul of the city. You will be enchanted by its alleys and surprised every time you take a turning for an eye-candy suddenly appearing. Please don’t forget to take your camera with you!

 

 

 

San Severo Chapel
This chapel is one of the true pearls of the Historical center, just near San Domenico square. It displays the outstanding and famous statue of the Veiled Christ. This marble sculpture carved by Giuseppe Sammartino in 1753, shows the figure of Christ lying under an incredibly thin veil. His facial features, body, and wounds are visible through the cloth and create incredible visual effects. Don’t forget to visit the underground chamber where you can admire the Anatomical Machines, a male and a female human skeletons with intact artery and vein systems.

 

 

 

Food
Food in Naples is a tourist attraction! Let’s start with the pizza, the symbol of Naples together with the Vesuvius and the blue sky. It is an ancient traditional dish that you can find in any street or restaurant: fried pizza, cut into pieces, filled, with or without tomatoes, with vegetables or seafood, it can satisfy the most demanding taste. If you stop at a restaurant you will have to decide if to start your meal with a pizza or a plate of spaghetti. Naples, is also the home town of spaghetti, according to the Neapolitan tradition with tomatoes or seafood. But you won’t have any doubts about how to finish your meal: babà, pastiera or a sfogliatella if you haven’t had already one during the morning!

 

 

Napoli Sotterranea
It refers to what lies underfoot Napoli: tunnels, tanks, and cavities dug into the tuff. Since the Greeks and through the centuries people mined there tuff to fortify the city walls. Napoli Sotterranea extends for thousands of miles and its cavities impress for their grandeur. But also the Catacombe and the Roman market under San Lorenzo church belong to the subsoil of our intriguing city.

 

 

 

Holy Crib in Napoli
Streets and alleys in the historical center are always most appealing. One alley can’t be compared to any other places in the world: San Gregorio Armeno street. This street, just a few meters long, is overcrowded with tiny shops of artisans working all the year-round to realize the Holy crib, figures, and decorations for Christmas. During December, the atmosphere becomes frenzied but also magical.
These are just a few good reasons to come to Napoli listed at random. But there are so many others that could be a discovery even for the Neapolitans! So… visit Naples !!!

 

 

Archeological Museum
It is one of the most important and leading archeological museums in the world, particularly noteworthy for the Greek and Roman sculptures, and the mosaics recovered from Pompei. But surely outstanding is the marble grouping of the 12-foot tall Farnese Bull, the largest ancient sculpture ever found, carved from one marble piece. It is called so because it belongs to the Farnese family’s collection of ancient Roman statues also housed here.

 

 

Madre
Although Napoli is so rich in ancient valuable works of art, modern art is acquiring a more and more significant role. The MADRE museum, which is a museum of contemporary art Donna Regina, is housed in a XIX century building and offers permanent collections of works of Italian and international artists as well as single exhibitions.

 

Capodimonte Museum
This museum is hosted in the Royal Palace of Capodimonte, built according to the will of Charles of Bourbon. The palace is surrounded by a large and green park and works by Caravaggio, Raffaello, Botticelli, Michelangelo, Tiziano, and many other artists are displayed here. The park is loved by the Neapolitans for its beauty, its clean air and for the chance, it offers of jogging and walking or playing football on Sunday mornings and summer evenings.

 

Amalfi and Sorrento coasts and Islands
Visit the stunning Amalfi and Sorrento coasts with breathtaking views and characteristic towns, but also the islands of Capri, Ischia, and Procida. They may be reached by car or bus or train or of course hydrofoils for the islands. These are all places known all over the world and it will be quite difficult for you to decide which site you’ve loved best or where you’ve had your best meal.

 

 

Pompei and Ercolano
Pompei and Ercolano are considered the most magnificent and important archeological sites in the world. The ruins of amphitheaters, baths, mosaics, temples, shops, and houses give a unique view into the lives of ancient Romans. The two towns hit by the eruption of the Vesuvius in 79AD have perfectly preserved thanks to the ashes that covered them and walking along their streets is a fascinating and moving experience. Both of them are a few kilometers far from Napoli and can be easily reached by car, train, and bus.