Introduction to the city of Napoli
A view back over Naples from a ferry leaving the bay
Napoli. Again, I did not give her a chance in my first (too many) years of living in Rome. I had passed through to access the Costiera Amalfitana, but I did not do her justice. Here is my public apology in the form of a love letter and appeal to dear readers so that you do not neglect this beguiling city if making a trip to the Campania region. I will quote Goethe, a writer I love. I wrote a large portion of my MA dissertation about Goethe’s travel writings from Rome and how they might have influenced Byron, but I digress. On Napoli, Goethe wrote: “I won’t say another word about the beauties of the city and its situation, which have been described and praised often. As they say here, “Vedi Napoli e poi muori! — See Naples and die!” One can’t blame the Neapolitan for never wanting to leave his city, nor its poets singing its praises in lofty hyperboles: it would be wonderful even if a few more Vesuviuses were to rise in the neighbourhood.” Goethe visited Napoli in 1787 during the course of his two year stay in Italy. His enthusiasm can be easily applied today, and one of the most relevant things about his remarks is in fact the implication that you must see Napoli with your own eyes to believe it. His tone suggests that he was in fact ‘surprised’ and only believed the poets and their ‘lofty hyperboles’ after experiencing the city for himself. As I have alluded to, I believe Napoli still has this effect on people today. The splendor of Venice, Florence and Rome precede them; I imagine many people would vouch for the allure of these cities even before having visited. But Naples, Naples takes a conversion. Then, as often happens, recent converts preach their conviction with fervor. I do think that this phenomenon has happened over the last 10 years, and it is not a bad thing for the city of Naples. Even 8 years ago, while teaching English in Rome, I had two wonderful Neapolitan students. We had a lot in common. They loved literature, and they sang the praises of their city in compelling Italian and with growing confidence in English. I always remember being struck by the pride they felt; truly embodying Goethe’s observations about “the Neapolitan… never wanting to leave his [or her] city.”
Still, 10 years ago, I was seduced by the story that Napoli was dirty and dangerous. It was wise to skip Naples and head straight for the Amalfi coast; I followed that advice, but I urge you to do otherwise. If you have been following the political situation in Rome (or if you live in Rome), you will know that the capital city now has a rubbish problem. Here is one example of an article published recently by the Financial Times. But a quick Google search for ‘Rome Rubbish problems’ will yield many more results, unfortunately. To hit home, here is a humorous ‘love song’ to the Roman rubbish crisis. Even ten years ago, predominant news stories about Naples focused on the waste management; you can read more about it here.
An evocative Neopolitan street
Focus on garbage has shifted from the capital of southern Italy to the Caput Mundi, and Naples has received increasingly positive press in Anglo publications. Another recent literary phenomenon that has turned many eyes to Naples in a positive light is the Neapolitan novels (starting with My Brilliant Friend) by Elena Ferrante. The book series has also been turned into a TV show which is a joint production between the RAI and TIMVision in Italy and HBO in the United States. I highly recommend these books if you missed the moment when the first was published in 2011. I am passionate about travel writing, both fiction and non-fiction. Ferrante’s novels strike that perfect balance of narrative and a compelling human story, set in the context of real places around Naples and on the island of Ischia. Although poverty is a central concern in the characters’ lives, the spirit of Naples is palpable and provocative. You will be compelled to visit. As many devoted fans have remarked, Napoli and the surrounding neighborhoods, the Rione Luzzatti in particular, are rather humanized in Ferrante’s novels. Read more about the specific locations in this article.
Piazza Del Plebiscito
Perhaps the grandest piazza in the city is the Piazza Del Plebiscito, named after Naples joined the unified Kingdom of Italy in 1860, but constructed between 1809-1846. The striking church, San Francesco di Paola, was inspired by the Pantheon in Rome. Just near this piazza, you will find the Gran Caffe Gambrinus. There is an interesting Netflix documentary called Coffee for All which came out in 2017. It features this caffe and highlights the coffee culture in Naples at large.
From the Piazza Del Plebiscito, you are in an advantageous position to stroll along the Via Francesco Caracciolo (the lungomare di Napoli). Find out more here.
Now, Napoli is not Milano (duh), but that is not to say it is not safe. Probably the most popular adjective used to describe the city is ‘chaotic’. For as much as I love to travel, I am quite paranoid by nature. I will not get into my own psychological assessment, but my dad always uses the phrase ‘situational awareness’ and I would say it is advisable to be ‘situationally aware’ in Napoli. That is not to say you should not wander the tangled streets of the Quartieri Spagnoli because you definitely should. In fact, the historic center of Naples, including the Decumani area, has been granted (you guessed it!) UNESCO world heritage status; you can learn more about the mix of cultures and architectural influences on the website. There is still evidence of the Greek settlement present in 470 BCE, the Argonese (Spanish) who ruled in the 15th-17th centuries, and the Bourbons in the 18th century. Then, get ready for sensory overload when you take in the palimpsest of sights while at the same time being bombarded with local dialect and the smells of fritti from open window fronts.
Just like in every city I have recommended, an unscripted wander is always a good idea. I recommend spending ample time wandering the ancient streets of the Decumani and making discoveries of your own. In addition to the Quartieri Spagnoli, the Decumani area is fascinating to explore. The origin of the name comes from the three prominent east-west roads in ancient Roman Naples.
You do want to be ‘aware’ when you wander in Naples, however. Explore in a group, if at night. During the day anywhere is fine, just don’t flaunt a Rolex. I include this example not to sound cliche or unfair, but from one personal anecdote of seeing a tourist have an expensive (literally) Rolex taken off his wrist. Granted, this is one memory of many positive experiences walking around the city of Napoli.
Update 2023