There are two types of Italians...those that love Naples and those that can't stand it. I haven't met anyone yet who is in the middle ground, but even those that love it admit that it can be a rough town. I could see how that conclusion is drawn...there is trash spilling out of the dumpsters, there is always traffic with angry horns and Italian being shouted out windows, and everyone walks with purpose and an unapproachable demeanor. It seems like every other major metropolitan city I have been to, but it did have a tougher feel. Despite what it looked and felt like, every person I talked to (with one exception, but we'll get to that) was kind, polite and friendly. On two occasions when we were lost, we were walked to our destinations by locals who wanted to make sure we made it. I'm not sure if that speaks more about our (lack of) senses of direction or the generosity of Naples' citizens. One man who spoke broken English even made a phone call in Italian on our behalf and relayed the message in English. So Naples the city is definitely rough. But the people of Naples are top notch.
I arrived by bus in the morning. It's about a 3 hour ride from Bari, and it cost less than 10 euro. I stayed in UNA Napoli the first night and was very happy with it. It was nestled in the Piazza Garibaldi, a busy central square that is currently being renovated. It was within walking distance of the bus station and the central train station, which is ranked third for passenger traffic in Italy. Since check-in wasn't until 3, they held my bags for the day so I wouldn't have to drag my suitcase around Pompeii. I used booking.com and got a great deal about 2 weeks out...plus a breakfast buffet included on the rooftop terrace. I learned a new lesson checking in to this hotel. I had always been told to not take my passport out with me in case it is lost or stolen, so I didn't bring my passport. Well, I didn't think that plan through. Apparently a Texas driver's license for identification doesn't count for much in Italy. Imagine that. Thank goodness Melissa had her passport on her, otherwise I'm not sure we would have been able to check in. The staff was gracious and even joked with me that my punishment was that I wouldn't receive the WiFi password. As an international hotel, I'm sure they have foreigners that come in often making dumb mistakes, but they handled it with a sense of humor and gave us a great recommendation for dinner. The balcony was my favorite part of the room...it had the wrought iron railing, tall doors, and a great view of Piazza Garibaldi and the statue of Giuseppe Garibaldi. Melissa and I drank wine while watching the city below until dinner time.
I arrived by bus in the morning. It's about a 3 hour ride from Bari, and it cost less than 10 euro. I stayed in UNA Napoli the first night and was very happy with it. It was nestled in the Piazza Garibaldi, a busy central square that is currently being renovated. It was within walking distance of the bus station and the central train station, which is ranked third for passenger traffic in Italy. Since check-in wasn't until 3, they held my bags for the day so I wouldn't have to drag my suitcase around Pompeii. I used booking.com and got a great deal about 2 weeks out...plus a breakfast buffet included on the rooftop terrace. I learned a new lesson checking in to this hotel. I had always been told to not take my passport out with me in case it is lost or stolen, so I didn't bring my passport. Well, I didn't think that plan through. Apparently a Texas driver's license for identification doesn't count for much in Italy. Imagine that. Thank goodness Melissa had her passport on her, otherwise I'm not sure we would have been able to check in. The staff was gracious and even joked with me that my punishment was that I wouldn't receive the WiFi password. As an international hotel, I'm sure they have foreigners that come in often making dumb mistakes, but they handled it with a sense of humor and gave us a great recommendation for dinner. The balcony was my favorite part of the room...it had the wrought iron railing, tall doors, and a great view of Piazza Garibaldi and the statue of Giuseppe Garibaldi. Melissa and I drank wine while watching the city below until dinner time.
Naples is credited with being the birthplace of pizza. Now, I usually eat pretty healthy. I usually don't have a hard time saying no to sweets and I rarely eat fast food. I at least pay attention to what I eat and try to maintain a balance between health and enjoying myself. But pizza is my kryptonite. It doesn't matter what kind...delivery, frozen, homemade, deep dish, thin crust, I don't care. Pizza is the junk food that I can never turn down. I don't allow myself to even keep Bagel Bites in the house because I have no self control when it comes to pizza. So going to Naples almost felt like a religious pilgrimage for me. On my way in, I vowed to eat pizza at every meal while I was there...because why the hell not! And I sure did. I even found my new favorite- capricciosa. It's wood fired and thin crusted, which makes the middle gooey and unable to hold up any of the mozzarella, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, ham or olives if you pick it up. I ordered it at two different restaurants and each put their own spin on it...but it was equally delicious in both places. So while in Naples, I had pizza and red wine every day. What's not to love about this place?!
Our hotel was very accessible for getting to public transportation. However, it was about a 10 minute cab ride to the harbor where the night life and iconic sights were located. We walked along the Gulf of Naples promenade enjoying the lights of the city up the hill. We saw the Castel dell'Ovo, which literally translates to Egg Castle. In summary, there is a legend that says a sorcerer named Virgil put a magical egg in the foundation of the castle to support it, and if the egg was broken then Naples would be in trouble. It is the oldest standing fortification in Naples, with the first structure being build in the 12th century. Since it was late, it was hard to see and appreciate the landmarks. We spent most of the night jumping from cafe to cafe to compare the limoncello. At the end of the night, we went back home to our pizza leftovers from dinner. Is there anything better than late night pizza? Yes. Late night pizza in the heart of the birthplace of pizza.
We stayed in Naples one night, left for a couple days for exploring other neighboring cities and then came back for another night on our way back home. Did you know that if you are checking in to a Bed and Breakfast, an AirBNB or any place without 24-hour reception, they consider your check-in time you set at booking as an appointment? Melissa didn't and then we had a miscommunication. It was the perfect storm. She had booked our room the second night we went through Naples and we were two hours late to the check in time that she had said. It was a good guess on her part...but it took longer to get there than we had thought and we got lost. So that's how we wound up still eating pizza at some cafe with our luggage at 11:30pm. But it was more pizza and red wine, so any frustration we had was short lived.
I was technically staying in Naples for a few days, but I hardly spent any time there. I plan on going back in August when my parents visit me. For the next trip, I will see the city by day, I will see a view of the harbor at sunset, and I will stand in the long line to eat the pizza at L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele...because I just read that part again in Eat Pray Love. Also, I will continue my vow to eat pizza for every meal. I guess I've picked which side of the fence I'm on in the Great Debate of Napoli. Sorry, Naples critics...why wouldn't I want to go back?