Getting to know Napoli

Naples is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. It was also the most bombed Italian city during World War II. The historic centre is the largest in Europe and it is also a UNESCO world heritage site. We wanted to get to know the home of pizza and ice cream and spent a couple of days exploring this fascinating city which lies an hour away on the train from Gaeta.

Naples old town

                                                          Neopolitan kitsch
                                                     

Pulcinella statue, Naples old town

Piazza Bellini

The Duomo

We arrived at Napoli Centrale station and set off on foot. We started in the old town and a walk along

Sign for the doll hospital

Spaccanopoli (split Naples), a lively narrow thoroughfare dating back to Roman times. It is like an open air museum with a rich array of churches, squares and historic buildings. It is even home to a unique doll hospital! We detoured up the famous Christmas alley passing stores selling glorious Neapolitan kitsch including endless nativity scenes despite it being January. We had a passing glimpse of Naples cathedral, The Duomo, an impressive medieval building with a neo-Gothic facade added in the late 19th century and stopped for a welcome coffee at the arty cafe-bookstore in trendy Piazza Bellini.

Piazza Dante

Galleria Umberto I

Naples from the Lungomare

The locals having a swim
or was it a wash?!

Outside the old city walls we passed through the 18th century Piazza Dante and on down Via Toledo, aka shopping street. We popped into the 19th century Galleria Umberto I with its impressive iron and glass roof and sumptuous marble floor. The Palazzo Reale was completely covered for redecoration but we had fun with our backs to the palace trying to walk blindfolded up to the statues of horsemen in the elegant Piazza Plebiscito. Something to do with the ground camber makes this an impossible task! We wandered on to the glamourous Chiaia

Castel dell'Ovo

quarter with its expensive shops before dropping down to the seafront which afforded wonderful views of the city and bay including some locals enjoying a swim! We continued to walk along the upscale Lungomare with its five star hotels and restaurants and on past the Castel dell'Ovo, the oldest standing fortification in Naples. Of course we had to have a pizza for dinner!

Bay of Naples

The Lungomare

There was no time left for any more sightseeing. Two days on foot gave us a tiring but good taster of this vibrant city. We look forward to returning as we still have the Naples National Archaeological museum and its collection of treasures to explore.

The pizzeria made famous by Julia Roberts
in the film Eat Pray  Love