Naples: To Know You is to Love You
Rachel Donadio’s Naples story that ran in this past weekend’s New York Times Travel section made our hearts sing. Those who haven’t visited but are familiar with the capital of Campania may instinctively put up a red flag when asked if they’ve traveled–or are planning to travel–to Naples. Some are afraid and we’ve heard countless stories from people who deliberately forego visiting Naples solely for this reason. Sure, it might not be the safest city in Italy but a lot of it is keeping your guard up and using street smarts to guide you through its serpentine streets–as you most likely would anywhere else. Also, street theft is rife, sadly, so it’s important to take some extra precaution in terms keeping a tight hold on your bag, not wearing visible jewelry and minding your camera. But, as Donadio implies, once you get past Naples’ rough-around-the-edges exterior, this beautifully chaotic city will grip your heart causing you to fall fast and hard for it. To know Naples really is to love it, and a visit to this city is an experience that one should capture with all the senses from the sounds of the traffic and the Neapolitan dialect to the tastes of the pizza, fried foods and sfogliatelle to just feeling yourself there, present and in that moment to its unmistakeable scent that’s part ocean air, part street food and part–well, just Naples!
If you’d like to explore the city yourself, it’s just about an hour and ten minutes from Rome by train. Italy’s Best also offer several tour options should you be vacationing in Naples or Campania, as well as some interesting day trip options from Rome. It can be coupled with visits to Capri, Pompeii and the nearby Vesuvius. Contact Luca and Lorenzo, info@italysbestrome.com, if you’re considering a trip to Naples or if you have one planned and are interested in a tour or nearby excursions. We’d be happy to assist you in any way possible.