Metropolitan City of Naples, Campania, ItalySeptember 5 - 8
I think I’ll be saying this about everywhere we go but . . .
already I wish we had more time in Naples!
After an uneventful bus ride from the airport to the Metro and a short subway ride we
arrived at our home for 3 nights. A few wrong turns and mixed signals on how we were being met by the owner but, eventually we did get in:-) . . . a fabulous B&B (M99 Design Rooms)
with a friendly & helpful host and great location – in Centro Storico.
Giuli recommended we
try Sorbillo for authentic pizza alla Napoli and warned us to get there early
as it’s very popular. It opens at 7 so we headed out around 6,
stopping for a drink at Enoteca the bar next to Sorbillo.
While waiting, we wandered over to see the Pulcinella statue and rub his beaked nose . . . apparently it brings good luck and is, as a result, one of the most 'touched' statues in Naples.
By 6:30 people were starting to line up so
we moved into line (with our drinks, of course). Made it in for the 1st seating .
. . 2 fantastic pizzas, 2 half litres of wine (white & red) and 2 hours later we were ready for
a good nights sleep and a day of discovering.
There is no shortage of pizza or pastries. We found a nice little cafe for espresso & yummy chocolate croissant for breakfast . . .
fortification for a morning of wandering.
Starting in the historic centre, we walked the streets for a few
hours taking lots of photos, eventually working our way over to the Spanish Quarter.
In photography they say that sometimes the best shot is behind you . . . guess the same is true for funiculars. We've taken funiculars in both Spain and Portugal so, after lunch we headed off to find the station to take one up to Castel St Elmo. We walked the streets and lanes for almost an hour before finding the funicolare station – right behind where we stopped for lunch! And no I wasn’t reading the map! They also say that the best way to discover a new place is to get lost . . . this too is true!
Up to Castel St Elmo, a midieval fortress for some
great views of Naples.
A lovely man overheard us discussing the way to the castle and showed us to the entrance, stopping at his factory on the way -- The Cameo Factory. A quick tour to meet his brother, who demonstrated the art of carving a cameo. Fascinating. This family has owned and been producing cameos here for generations.
A brief stop for refreshment with a view before heading back down ... and home to relax and plan dinner.
The Bourbon Tunnel was first conceived (but never completed) by Ferdinand ll in 1853 as an escape route from the Royal Palace to the harbour. It built is part of the aqueduct system built in the early 17th century that supplied water to the Monte di Dio district until 1866. During WWll it served as an air raid shelter and military hospital. After the war it served as an impound lot until the 1970's. It was 're-discovered' in 2005 and after 5 years of cleaning and restoration it opened to the public in 2010. An interesting 1 hour tour on Friday morning.
After lunch, a walk along the via Francesco Caracciolo promenade checking out the views and Castel dell'Ovo.
Tomorrow we say addio to Naples ... Ciao to Sorrento!
2025-05-23