Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
you somehow, whether by merely pilfering a couple of extra euros for a taxi ride
or double-charging you for bread at a trattoria. But, I promise, if you can turn a
blind eye to its faults, Naples will win you over.
DON'T LEAVE NAPLES WITHOUT . . .
WALKING DOWN THE SPACCANAPOLI
Quaint and quiet it is not, but
walking down the long strip known as the Spaccanapoli (so called for the way it
“splits” the city in two) is exhilarating. Shop owners, selling everything from
handmade nativity ornaments to Pulcinella, a classic Neapolitan mask with the
nose in the shape of a beak, haggle with both locals and
stranieri
(foreigners).
Nearby antiques sellers hawking silver sets and antique print figurines vie for
available space on the cobblestone streets and church steps. It's here that
Neapolitan culture is most revealed, and most accessible.
LISTENING TO MUSIC
No matter what your musical interests, you shouldn't
leave Naples without savoring
la canzone napoletana
—the traditional Neapolitan
song. It's easy to find, too. Whether you've booked a seat for a famous opera at
the San Carlo Theater or you happen to catch the fishmongers at the Porta
Nolana market as they belt out “O Sole Mio,” it's hard not to appreciate the way
Neapolitans love to share their music.
GOING UNDERGROUND
Naples has been able to capitalize on its incredi-
bly well-preserved underground network of tunnels and caves, which have housed
everything from graves and clandestine worshipers to cisterns of drinking water.
Take one of the guided tours offered by
Napoli Sotterranea
(p. 495), but only if
you aren't thick at the waist or claustrophobic—some of the unlit tunnels are just
a foot wide.
CATCHING A VIEW
The best place to gaze out over the Bay of Naples is from
the terrace of the glorious
Certosa di San Martino monastery museum
(p. 502)
or nearby
Castel Sant'Elmo
(p. 503). Or, if you are down at the waterfront, the
expanse of the bay from atop the
Castel Nuovo
(p. 498), across from the ferry
port, is a good option. Better still—if you don't mind a short hike—is the per-
spective from the top of
Monte Echia
(p. 500).
HAVING A PIZZA
Neapolitans truly believe that they invented pizza and that
Neapolitan pie is second to none. One of the best places to decide for yourself is
at
Pizzeria Gino Sorbillo
(p. 490). Claiming that 21 family members have all
been
pizzaioli
(professional pizza makers), this restaurant has been a staple in the
historical center since 1935, and the pizza is nothing short of amazing.
DINING ROMANTICALLY ALONG THE WATERFRONT
In the shadow
of the Castel dell'Ovo is a small restaurant mecca known as the
Borgo Marinaro
(p. 501), which is basically a tiny fishing village stuck onto the edge of the city.
Many of the restaurants are carbon copies, romantic all the same, offering only
slight variations of classic Neapolitan seafood dishes, but one stands out among the
rest.
Zi Teresa
(p. 491) was a famous eatery after World War II and still meets the
test of time.
