Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
chairs where corpses were placed to decompose for this macabre wall art. The tour
takes about half an hour and is as grisly as it is engrossing.
Mergellina & Posillipo
The port of Mergellina has a real waterfront feel. The trendy cafes, wine bars, and
restaurants here are a lively place to spend a summer or fall evening, but on a cold
winter day, you'll be positively miserable here. Along the promenade from Castel
dell'Ovo (p. 499) to the Mergellina is a charming park called
Villa Comunale
(May-Oct 7am-midnight, the rest of the year until 10pm).
Tucked inside this park
is the
Acquario
(
%
081-5833111;
€
1.50; Tues-Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 9:30am-7pm).
The first aquarium in Europe open to the public, it is likely to be closed for ren-
ovations when you visit.
The highlight of this part of town is the
Posillipo,
one of the most romantic
spots in Naples, judging by the many couples who visit. The modest will turn
their eyes from the activity in the cars that line the streets on the main Via
Petrarca. For others, it will be voyeur's paradise. In summer, this is the best place
in Naples to sunbathe, if you don't mind paying for beach space. These beaches
are not suitable for children, though, because the water is deep and the shoreline
is unpredictable and hard to navigate. It's an enchanting area to explore if you
have time (and good shoes), with highlights like the
Grotta di Seiano
5
(Discesa
la Gaiola, 36, or Discesa Coroglio;
%
081-7952003; for private guided tours; bus:
140),
a 720m (2,400-ft.) tunnel with many galleries and stunning views of the sea
right off the Pisillipo cape. Tours cost about
€
15 a head.
Vomero
Until the 1800s, this area was nothing more than a grassy field, accessible only by
the winding steps of the Pedamentina a San Martino. These steps are still intact,
and I highly recommend them as a way to get back down to center city in about
15 minutes. But going up these steps should best be avoided unless you're a glut-
ton for punishment, or in great shape. Most people prefer to take the funicular or
bus instead.
The present-day Vomero is a swank residential area that is not very enticing
compared to the vibrant city core below. But Vomero is worth visiting, if only
for the glorious
Certosa di San Martino
(Largo San Martino, 5;
%
081-
5781769;
€
6; Thurs-Tues 8:30am-7:30pm; metro to Vanvitelli, funicular
Montesanto to Morghen, or bus no. 4),
the large monastery that dominates the hill
above the city. This is inarguably
one of the highlights of Naples.
Built as a
Carthusian monastery in the 14th century, it now houses an art museum, a mind-
boggling display of nativity scenes, a cloister, and a glorious church, not to men-
tion the best view of the Bay of Naples. When you enter the courtyard, pass the
ticket stand and bookstore, and head left through the first set of arches, directly
past the ornate carriages and out onto the tiled overlook. Here you can't help but
be transfixed by the view of both the terraced gardens that seem to cascade down
the hill, and the whole of historical Naples. You can pick out the Spaccanapoli
from here and count the domes and spires of the city's numerous churches below.
Ships and ferryboats dot the turquoise waters. Whether it's the tranquil atmosphere
of the monastery or the improved quality of the air, there's something completely
mesmerizing about the view from here, which should definitely be savored.
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