Overview of Naples
Located just southeast of Rome and northwest of Sorrento is the city of Naples. The third most populated municipality in all of Italy, this city is also the capital of Campagnia and one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world. It has been said that people already lived in Naples during the Bronze Age, when Greek settlements were established here, and has continuously been populated ever since.
Panoramic View of the City of Naples with Mouth Vesuvius in the Distance
Naples has a rich 2,800 year history that has brought about the construction of numerous historical buildings, monuments, churches, and castles. The city also has its own collection of ruins, and more than 400 historical churches, which makes it one of the most Catholic cities not only in Italy, but all over the world. The historical buildings here come in Baroque, Renaissance, and Medieval styles, which are some of the more interesting and intricate styles of the past.
Where to Go and What to See
With a city as big and as populated as Naples, it can be quite daunting to choose where to go and what to see. There are, after all, hundreds of historical sites and buildings that you can explore here, and hundreds of churches that you can visit on a tour. How can you choose which ones to go to? You might want to ask a local or a guide for recommendations. To give you a clue, here are some ideas:
Castles, Piazzas, and Palazzos – If you love castles and palaces, then Naples is indeed the right place for you to visit. Here you will find dozens of palaces like the Palazzo Firrao, Palazzo Giordano a Via Medina, and Palazzo Orsini di Gravina, as well as castles like the Castel Nuovo, Sant’Elmo, and Carmine Castle, for you to visit. The main city square is the Piazza del Plebiscito, and this is surrounded by more interesting places for you to visit like the San Francesco di Paola church to the west and the Royal Palace to the east.
Museums – Just like palaces and castles, Naples is also home to lots of museums. These range from museums that carry ancient Greek and Roman artifacts to those that carry artifacts gathered from Pompeii to those that feature Medieval and Renaissance art. There are also museums here that carry modern art pieces, a combination of paintings, sculptures, and decorative pieces, collections that pertain to science, and zoology collections.
Religious Buildings – As mentioned earlier, Naples is home to hundreds of churches and this presents tourists with a dilemma. Which churches should one visit while on a trip to this part of Italy? One of the religious buildings that you should not miss while here is the Cathedral of Naples or the Duomo with its neo-Gothic façade and gilded coffered ceiling. Other religious structures that are worth considering include the Certosa di San Martino, Archbishop’s Palace, San Paolo Maggiore, and the Spires of Naples.
What to Do
As big as this city is, it is also rather difficult for you to squeeze in as many activities as you can to truly enjoy your trip. Doing too much can simply tire you out and give you undue stress, which is not what you want on vacation. To help you out, here are some suggestions you might want to consider when it comes to things you should do in Naples:
The Ruins of Pompeii
Try out authentic Neapolitan Pizza – Naples lays claim to inventing the cheesy and crusty round disc of dough people love to eat, which is the pizza. When you eat the authentic Pizza Margherita here, you should be aware that strict rules preside over the making of such a classic, and this is governed by the Associazione Vera Pizza Napoletana. If your pizza in Naples does not have a pizza dough made only out of pure wheat flour, does not have Neapolitan yeast, and has more than the requisite toppings of local buffalo mozzarella and marinara (with some not even having any cheese on top), then you are not having authentic Neapolitan Pizza.
Explore the ruins of Pompeii – Mount Vesuvius laid waste to this majestic city in 24 August AD 79, burying it in 25 meters of pyroclasts or tephra which decimated this once prosperous city at the base of the mountain. Even before the city was buried however, the people already perished from the heat of the eruption, killing them almost instantaneously. This tourist destination is one of the most popular in Naples and has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.
Brave the San Gennaro Catacombs – Conquer your fear of enclosed spaces and the inevitability of death by visiting these massive underground network of caves that contains approximately 3,000 buried individuals within its maze of tunnels. If you are too scared to venture underground, you can stay on the first floor and enjoy the frescoes as well as artwork found there.
These are just a few of the things you can expect on a trip to Naples. There is actually a very long list of options for you to choose from when it comes to visiting this metropolitan city in Italy, but you can opt to go for an escorted tour to reduce any stress from choosing where to go, or have Tour Italy Now customize your trip to Naples for you.
