Visiting Napoli

[Yuri]

Another last minute trip: Napoli!

You Americans don't have May 1st - Workers Day, but the rest of us does. So I decided to take 3 days off and spent 6 days in Italy!

Came back on Wednesday and I opened to thread to share my thoughts and and mostly hear people that visited or want to visit it.

[craigs]

Not that it's important, but we had some 3,000 May Day events in the US. Some 6,000 marchers passed by my building last Friday.

[Yuri]

- That was my second visit to Italy. The first time I spent 5 days in Rome back in Dec 2018. This time I went straight to Naples and only yhe least day I went to Rome;

- Italian HSR is perfect. Incredibly high frequency (up to every 15 min at peak times) and covers the 200 km between Rome and Naples in 1:10. It peaked at 300km/h at one point. We are so behind here in Americas;

- I stayed in Chiaia, the upmarket neighbour just west of Centro Storico. Speaking of hotels, they're surprisingly rare there. Apparently people stay in B&B and AirBnBs. Those are not for me;

- I didn't find Naples neither chaotic nor poor as people often describe. It feels like any big European city with high streets full of people. Very few immigrants but there were a high number of European tourists: French, Spanish, German, British and many Italians from other regions. Not overwhelming as Rome, Florence or Venice as they don't walk in big packs and are more normal. Napolitan people are quite diverse in terms of appearance;

- Naples is dense. So many narrow streets packed with people and activity. Unlike other Italian cities that were overrun by mass tourism, Naples is a city for their inhabitants. Walking around in the Quartieri Spagnoli, you see the laundry hanging out, people speaking from inside their homes. It's a real city;

- The layering of history there is mesmerizing. First, it's historical part is massive. I guess only maybe Paris have such continuous extension of historical buildings. Also, the Greek origins, Roman remains, medieval streets, Baroque churches, Bourbon architecture, all pilling up together. The city visually shouldn’t work, but somehow it absolutely does;

- Pompeii. I decided to go there as an "obligation", a check list of a visit to the Naples alrea. My mistake: it's mind blowing. What shocked me how massive it is and realizing how sophisticated ordinary Roman urban life already was 2,000 years ago. Streets, apartment blocks, shops, infrastructure, public spaces a city that would be recognizable today;

- Speaking of Pompeii, Vesuvius: it completely dominates the atmosphere of the city. You see it constantly in the background, even before arriving from the windows of the train. It gives Naples this strange dramatic feeling all the time, especially near the waterfront;

- Food is incredible. Simple and extremely well executed. It's an art. As it happens everywhere in Italy, you only find local, regional food. Roman food there is as available as Vietnamese or so;

- Naples became much more enjoyable once I stopped trying to optimize the trip. Less photos, less pressure to “see everything”, more just walking around and absorbing the atmosphere;

- Gay life in Naples, as in Rome, is minuscule, although pleasant;

- Spent my last day in Rome. After days in Naples, it was bizarre seeing a city completely taken by tourism. After getting used and give up taking pics, I managed to remember why I find Rome the most beautiful city I’ve ever visited. Unmatched in terms of overall urban harmony and accumulated civilization.

[muppet]

Naples had the largest medieval city in Italy, Genoa just behind. Both of them are largely unrestored and full of life still, riddled with alleyways and working class neighbourhoods where Italian life is still authentically so. What was the pizza like?

I recommend Bologna also (which is more upmarket, said to have some of the best food in the country), and Siena (which is a depopulated city, but the urban realm is mesmerising, like a neverending castle on a hill).

If ever you're back in Yoorop, Yuri -some real gems:

1. Slovenia is like heaven. Unreal everywhere you go in the countryside. I like to cross the border after Venice and catch the classic train snaking through the mountains and canyons and rivers, stopping in tiny medieval villages where they have a wolf problem. Your destination: Lake Bled, Vintgar Gorge, Lake Bohinj all next to each other.

2. Budapest is stunning at every turn (where you can swim through palaces), yet still affordable, and enjoy luxury for ducats. Every building is intricate -the only cityscape more is Vienna.

3. And if Turkey ever gets out of its economic crisis and becomes affordable again, Istanbul for the mishmash of people, culture and history. And that damn sweetcorn seller, who's single handedly keeping the entire tourism industry afloat.

4. Symi, Greece. It's literally Mamma Mia, with multi-coloured houses climbing the mountain around the bay, and the light and colour of the water is crystalline. One of those places where everywhere you look is beauty. Id recommend leaving the village, perfect as it is, and explore the coast by foot. Look out for the echo wall (you'll just need to keep trying) where you can bounce your yell of the neighbouring mountain across the sea.

5. Ghent, Belgium is the most cozy, pretty place imaginable, utterly off the tourist radar. You literally walk the medieval streets and islands, beneath the many fairy tale towers, and come across castles. You can combine it with Lille, the French version of Belgium next door, and also gorgeous. The nightlife districts on the weekends is amazing, and the French are surprisingly friendly once you're out of Paris.

[Docere]

Originally Posted by Yuri

Another last minute trip: Napoli!

You Americans don't have May 1st - Workers Day, but the rest of us does. So I decided to take 3 days off and spent 6 days in Italy!

Came back on Wednesday and I opened to thread to share my thoughts and and mostly hear people that visited or want to visit it.

Ironic given May Day's origins (in the Haymarket Affair).

Though I should say Canada also observes the Northern American holiday of Labo(u)r Day. May Day is embraced in left-wing circles however.

[niwell]

Lots of union events / left-wing stuff on May Day here, but not a holiday. It was a big deal when I lived for a bit in South Africa as "Worker's Day", perhaps not unsurprisingly.

Anyways Naples is high on my list of places I'd like to visit, though an Italy trip probably won't happen in the near future unfortunately. As with many places in Europe it will still be there in my 50s. Well, hopefully.

[DCReid]

Originally Posted by Yuri

- That was my second visit to Italy. The first time I spent 5 days in Rome back in Dec 2018. This time I went straight to Naples and only yhe least day I went to Rome;

- Italian HSR is perfect. Incredibly high frequency (up to every 15 min at peak times) and covers the 200 km between Rome and Naples in 1:10. It peaked at 300km/h at one point. We are so behind here in Americas;

- I stayed in Chiaia, the upmarket neighbour just west of Centro Storico. Speaking of hotels, they're surprisingly rare there. Apparently people stay in B&B and AirBnBs. Those are not for me;

- I didn't find Naples neither chaotic nor poor as people often describe. It feels like any big European city with high streets full of people. Very few immigrants but there were a high number of European tourists: French, Spanish, German, British and many Italians from other regions. Not overwhelming as Rome, Florence or Venice as they don't walk in big packs and are more normal. Napolitan people are quite diverse in terms of appearance;

- Naples is dense. So many narrow streets packed with people and activity. Unlike other Italian cities that were overrun by mass tourism, Naples is a city for their inhabitants. Walking around in the Quartieri Spagnoli, you see the laundry hanging out, people speaking from inside their homes. It's a real city;

- The layering of history there is mesmerizing. First, it's historical part is massive. I guess only maybe Paris have such continuous extension of historical buildings. Also, the Greek origins, Roman remains, medieval streets, Baroque churches, Bourbon architecture, all pilling up together. The city visually shouldn’t work, but somehow it absolutely does;

- Pompeii. I decided to go there as an "obligation", a check list of a visit to the Naples alrea. My mistake: it's mind blowing. What shocked me how massive it is and realizing how sophisticated ordinary Roman urban life already was 2,000 years ago. Streets, apartment blocks, shops, infrastructure, public spaces a city that would be recognizable today;

- Speaking of Pompeii, Vesuvius: it completely dominates the atmosphere of the city. You see it constantly in the background, even before arriving from the windows of the train. It gives Naples this strange dramatic feeling all the time, especially near the waterfront;

- Food is incredible. Simple and extremely well executed. It's an art. As it happens everywhere in Italy, you only find local, regional food. Roman food there is as available as Vietnamese or so;

- Naples became much more enjoyable once I stopped trying to optimize the trip. Less photos, less pressure to “see everything”, more just walking around and absorbing the atmosphere;

- Gay life in Naples, as in Rome, is minuscule, although pleasant;

- Spent my last day in Rome. After days in Naples, it was bizarre seeing a city completely taken by tourism. After getting used and give up taking pics, I managed to remember why I find Rome the most beautiful city I’ve ever visited. Unmatched in terms of overall urban harmony and accumulated civilization.

It seems that you did not go to the Amalfi coast to small cities and towns like Sorrento and Capri. I found them much nicer than Naples.

[JManc]

My wife lived in Naples as a kid.

[Yuri]

Originally Posted by muppet

Naples had the largest medieval city in Italy, Genoa just behind. Both of them are largely unrestored and full of life still, riddled with alleyways and working class neighbourhoods where Italian life is still authentically so. What was the pizza like?

I recommend Bologna also (which is more upmarket, said to have some of the best food in the country), and Siena (which is a depopulated city, but the urban realm is mesmerising, like a neverending castle on a hill).

If ever you're back in Yoorop, Yuri -some real gems:

1. Slovenia is like heaven. Unreal everywhere you go in the countryside. I like to cross the border after Venice and catch the classic train snaking through the mountains and canyons and rivers, stopping in tiny medieval villages where they have a wolf problem. Your destination: Lake Bled, Vintgar Gorge, Lake Bohinj all next to each other.

2. Budapest is stunning at every turn (where you can swim through palaces), yet still affordable, and enjoy luxury for ducats. Every building is intricate -the only cityscape more is Vienna.

3. And if Turkey ever gets out of its economic crisis and becomes affordable again, Istanbul for the mishmash of people, culture and history. And that damn sweetcorn seller, who's single handedly keeping the entire tourism industry afloat.

4. Symi, Greece. It's literally Mamma Mia, with multi-coloured houses climbing the mountain around the bay, and the light and colour of the water is crystalline. One of those places where everywhere you look is beauty. Id recommend leaving the village, perfect as it is, and explore the coast by foot. Look out for the echo wall (you'll just need to keep trying) where you can bounce your yell of the neighbouring mountain across the sea.

5. Ghent, Belgium is the most cozy, pretty place imaginable, utterly off the tourist radar. You literally walk the medieval streets and islands, beneath the many fairy tale towers, and come across castles. You can combine it with Lille, the French version of Belgium next door, and also gorgeous. The nightlife districts on the weekends is amazing, and the French are surprisingly friendly once you're out of Paris.

I’m obsessed about Naples and Genoa. Did Naples and now my next trip to Italy will cover the Milan-Turin-Genoa triangle.

From those, I only visited Ghent and it’s indeed beautiful. Istanbul I want to visit because of the cats. Eastern Europe not on my radar for now.

[Yuri]

Originally Posted by DCReid

It seems that you did not go to the Amalfi coast to small cities and towns like Sorrento and Capri. I found them much nicer than Naples.

I went to Positano by boat and returned via Sorrento. Costa Amalfitana is indeed like a dream.

But no, I cannot compare a tiny village there packed with a 2500 year old 3.5 million people metropolis. The amount of accumulated history, culture, architecture there makes Naples one of the world’s greatest cities.

Originally Posted by JManc

My wife lived in Naples as a kid.

That’s so cool! You guys returned there afterwards?

[montréaliste]

I was in Naples in 1981. I remember fondly when a small aircraft dropped leaflets iver a very narrow packed street advertizing a furniture store. Lol.

Pompei was stunning.

Stayed at a youth hostel that had been commandeered by the govt to house refugees from Southern villages that had been destroyed by an earthquake the previous year. Travelers only had a small section left to stay in and we had been told to check our belongings.

Nice street food too. A local specialty was octopus soup in a clear salt and pepper broth served in a tall glass.

[MolsonExport]

I was in Naples in 2015. Best pizza that I've ever had. Extremely interesting, chaotic city. The Spanish Quarter is very interesting if a little intimidating (avoid after dark). There are some amazing metro stations. Avoid Scampia.

Of course, you must also go to Pompeii and Vesuvius.

[JManc]

Originally Posted by Yuri

That’s so cool! You guys returned there afterwards?

We were supposed to go in 2020 but then Covid happened. She actually learned Italian and then promptly forgot it when she returned to the states.

One of these days, we also need to fit in the town in Calabria where my grandfather was from.

[Yuri]

Forgot to mention something about Naples: graffiti. At the beginning I found a bit shocking to see clearly very old historical buildings with them, specially as my main reference used to be Rome.

After a while, they actually favour the whole Napoli experience: they city feels alive, authentic, made to serve its own inhabitants. São Paulo is the graffiti mecca, but Naples' ones are pretty good too.

[Crawford]

Originally Posted by Yuri

I’m obsessed about Naples and Genoa. Did Naples and now my next trip to Italy will cover the Milan-Turin-Genoa triangle.

Genoa's gritty core neighborhoods are much smaller than in Naples. I don't think Genoa is worth more than a day or two.

[New Brisavoine]

Originally Posted by montréaliste

Pompei was stunning.

I found Herculanum more stunning than Pompei (but many tourists overlook Herculanum). Herculanum was much better preserved than Pompei, due to the particular volcanic material that buried it.

But for me the most stunning thing in Campania was the crater of Mount Vesuvius (although I've seen larger and more impressive volcanoes since).

Naples itself is meh... except for its museum of antiquities. European tourists usually don't go to Campania for Naples.

[mrnyc]

Originally Posted by Yuri

Another last minute trip: Napoli!

You Americans don't have May 1st - Workers Day, but the rest of us does. So I decided to take 3 days off and spent 6 days in Italy!

Came back on Wednesday and I opened to thread to share my thoughts and and mostly hear people that visited or want to visit it.

you assumers -- i wasn't able to travel that day, because i was in a may day event.

[MonkeyRonin]

Naples is awesome - beautiful, gritty, lively, historic, and not so completely overrun with tourism as much of Italy is. Spent a day there as part of wider trip a couple years ago and the only regret is not spending more time there! Would definitely have sacrificed a night or two in Rome (which is also great, but less enjoyable than Naples IMO) to spend a bit more time there.

[Yuri]

Originally Posted by Crawford

Genoa's gritty core neighborhoods are much smaller than in Naples. I don't think Genoa is worth more than a day or two.

Interestingly when I was asking for advices with Chat GPT in Naples, I actually asked it if I'd find Turin and Genoa underwhelming compared to Naples and if there were pockets of them that would look like a big European city.

It said Genoa Centro Storico is as big as Naples and as it's more medieval instead of the Greek grid of Naples, I believe I could spend lots of time there without getting bored.

I guess it's a matter of adjust expectations. I believe I can have a great time in Genoa. Two days I believe it's not much. At least a 3 full days. More if going to Cinque Terre and other parts of Liguria.

Originally Posted by mrnyc

you assumers -- i wasn't able to travel that day, because i was in a may day event.

Probably working...

Originally Posted by MonkeyRonin

Naples is awesome - beautiful, gritty, lively, historic, and not so completely overrun with tourism as much of Italy is. Spent a day there as part of wider trip a couple years ago and the only regret is not spending more time there! Would definitely have sacrificed a night or two in Rome (which is also great, but less enjoyable than Naples IMO) to spend a bit more time there.

If you want to get deep into it, Naples could be endless. So so many layers to explore, from Greek to Barroque, from food to nature, from history to urban life, incredibly.

And yes, after 5 days in Naples, I went to Rome, getting out Spagna metro station and the first thing you see this huge horde of tourists taking pictures in front of the Scalinata...

Contrast couldn't be worse. Rome is beautiful, but it sadly can look like an empty shell at the first glance, specially after getting one of the best and more authentic urban experience in Napoli.

Originally Posted by New Brisavoine

Naples itself is meh... except for its museum of antiquities. European tourists usually don't go to Campania for Naples.

On Saturday I couldn't even walk on the main streets of Centro Storico as they were completely taken by (European) tourists. They're a not annoying as the international crowd in Rome, but they were too many.

I guess it's a good thing many avoid Napoli otherwise it would be ruined as Venice, Florence and even Rome.

[montréaliste]

The thing about Naples is it has such a bad rap for being controlled by the Camorra. It seriously repels tourists who would rather pick and choose safer Italian cities. Naples was once one of the two or thre richest cities in Europe in the baroque era, so it has attractions in spades.