Naples - great base for visiting Amalfi coast

Why do they say "See Naples and Die?"

Naples is older than Rome. It was founded as a Greek colony Partenopa, named after a mythical mermaid 2800 years ago, and the name Napoli comes from the Greek words Nea polis – new city. Its historical centre is the biggest historical centre of an European town and was listed as UNESCO historical heritage since 1995.

Naples is situated in the middle of Neapolitan gulf at the coast of Tyrrhenian sea, as the biggest town of the Italian region of Campania. Together with the suburbs it has over 4 million inhabitants, which makes it the third largest city in Italy, after Rome and Milan. Besides the official Italian, the Neapolitan language, or dialect, is also spoken here.

Thanks to its rich history Naples bears the traces of many rulers and centuries. The vicinity of the city is also very interesting. It is situated below the active volcano Vesuvius, in the beautiful Neapolitan gulf, and the lovely Amalfi coast and the islands of Capri and Ischia are both very near.

The famous saying – See Naples and die – became known throughout the

world mostly thanks to the great German poet Goethe, who mentioned it in his work Italienische Reise – Italian Journey, based on his diaries. It is certainly true there is a lot to see in Naples, and even more in its vicinity. It is especially interesting that this amazing city still resists the mass tourism, making it possible for a traveller to enjoy it without the usual crowds which have almost “devoured“ many world attractions and destinations, making the stay in them tiresome and sometimes even impossible. However, walking through Naples you can still feel the genuine atmosphere of te city and not be hustled by hoards of tourists milling around incessantly at all times.

Several famous attractions are in the very centre of Naples. Those are, first of all, Castel Nuovo, or The New Castle, from the XIII century, which was the seat of the kings of Naples, Aragon and Spain until 1815. In its immediate vicinity are also the National Library, San Carlo Theatre, Gallery of Umberto I, as well as the main square in Naples, Piazza del Plebiscito, situated between the royal palace Palazzo Reale and the basilica of San Francesco di Paola. Almost from the same point you can see amazing views of the gulf and the Vesuvius, and on the top of the hill above stands the Castel Sant'Elmo. If, however, you start walking from the square and along the sea coast, you will soon see the famous Castel dell'Ovo.

The fact that Piazza del Plebiscito was a big parking just a decade or so ago, clearly shows how successfully Naples resists the mass tourism. Today, however, luckily, the parking is gone and you can enjoy the views. Here, in the centre of the city you can have coffee or delicious cakes in the famous old café Gambrinus, which is almost always full. From the centre you can also start walking in several directions. If you go down the elegant street of Chiaia, in a side street you will soon see the famous pizzeria Brandi where, according to the legend, the first pizza in the world was made in 1889 – named Margherita in the honour of Marhgerita of Savoy. However, you can have a great pizza in almost every restaurant in Naples, and of course much cheaper, and the choice is incredible. From the centre you can also walk down the famous street Toledo, or take a cable to the above mentioned castle Sant'Elmo. Wherever you go, be sure to walk through the picturesque streets of Naples and try some of the gastronomic specialities such as fried pizza – pizza fritta, lemon liqueur pica, pržena pica frita, osvežavajući liker od limuna limoncello or the famous sweets named baba. Also, grab the chance to see the museums – the tickets are rather cheap compared to some other cities, and, of course, the churches of which there are so many. Among those you should miss is certainly the San Severo chapel, with the famous sculpture of The Veiled Christ. If you however get tired from walking or go much further from the centre, it is good to know that Naples has the metro which functions very well and also connects the city with the suburbs.

The vicinity of Naples is certainly very special. From Naples you can easily go for a trip to the amazing Amalfi coasts, with the towns such as Amalfi, Positano, Sorrento. You can reach them in several ways, by car, by train, by bus or by boat. The drive along Amalfi coast is a wonderful adventure, but in season it can also be tiring, because of the crowds, so maybe it is more convenient to go to trips by boat. You should also grab a chance to sail to the famous islands of Capri and Ischia. First-rate tourist attractions in the vicinity of Naples are certainly archeological sites Pompeii and Herculaneum, which were devastated by the eruption of Vesuvius almost two thousand years ago. And speaking about the day trips from Naples, if you haven’t seen Rome yet or if you wish to see it again, you can easily travel from Naples to Rome.

Obviously, Naples is definitely worthy of the famous saying – See Naples

and Die, the title of the novel Eat, Pray, Love, but also, the popular hit song from the sixties – Napoli, That's Amore – Naples, that is Love.

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