A Travel Guide to Naples and Pompeii, Italy
This is a long one, but if you ever visit Naples, you need to be prepared. Trust me.
If
you've been following me for a while, you'll know I love Italy and I
go there whenever I have a chance. Some weeks ago I shared with you my daytrip to Positano. Today, let me share about my experience in Naples, which was our base during the trip. I went to
there with two of my very good friends - we've travelled around
together before, and went to Sicily a couple years ago which we
loved.
This
year, we settled for Naples, a historic city south of Rome, with
plans of visiting the infamous Pompeii and its volcano, the
Vesuvius. This post will be a long one since there's a lot to say and I've gathered so much advice to share.
Before
I start with my tips and tricks, I need to write a little disclaimer:
Naples is a messy city. It's chaotic, raw, loud, there is smoke in
the air and motorcycles will probably almost knock you over if you're
not careful. Naples is not a destination for everyone - in fact, I
think it's actually a destination that only very few people would
thoroughly enjoy. Personally, I felt very unsafe on the first day we arrived, but after having a couple days to adapt, I felt much better and
more comfortable walking around the city. At any rate though, if you
plan a visit to Naples, make sure you don't take valuable belongings
with you and try to avoid the 'tourist look' - in some parts of town,
Neapolitans will single you out straight away and you will get looks
and stares.
The
main thing I was excited for about going to Naples was visiting
Pompeii, which I already went to seven years ago (time flies!) and
absolutely loved.
POMPEII, THE MUST-SEE
Do
I even need to introduce Pompeii? The vast, impressive Roman
settlement was frozen in time following the eruption of the Vesuvius
in 79 AD, and left to us are the remains of beautiful, complex
buildings, mosaics, paintings, statues - and of course corpses - that
give us a glimpse into the lives that the people of Pompeii, rich and
poor, led. I strongly advise that if you are in the area, you visit
Pompeii - if you're not familiar with its history, you should 100%
get an audio guide or a guide who will talk you through the most
important points to know about the city. The
site is incredibly large, so make sure to arrive early and you will
probably spend the day there. You can take food with you, but there
is a restaurant on site and a lot of public fountains with drinking
water available.
When
you get there, your map in hand, the ancient town is yours to
explore... Always with the terrible Vesuvius in sight.
Since
Pompeii is such a big space - and is composed of a lot of bricks and
semi-destroyed walls, I've put together a little list of the most
interesting sights there, for those of you who want to go straight to
the point and avoid random walking around:
-
the Cave Canem ("beware of the dog") mosaic,
-
examples of termopolia, which are basically antique fast food shops.
Spot them by the counters in which round crates are built in - that's
where the takeaway food was preserved for people to come in a buy.
See, we haven't invented anything - name something, the Romans made
it!
-
the House of the Faun, with its beautiful impluvium and gardens,
-
the Villa of the Mysteries, famous for its beautiful and intriguing
painting which depicts a mysterious ritual,
-
the House of the Vettii, for its wonderful, bright paintings,
-
the House of the Small Fountain (Casa della Fontana Piccola), which
as the name says houses a beautiful fountain covered in
well-preserved, colourful mosaics.
I
could go on forever about what to see in Pompeii, but my biggest
advice would be to go there for yourself and spend time exploring the
ruins, which seem surprisingly familiar and let History speak for
itself.
How
to get there: take
the Circumvesuviana train line from the Garibaldi station, to the
stop Pompeii - Villa dei Misteri.
Tickets: 15€,
half price if you are a EU national under 25 years old. Make sure to
buy the tickets on site, don't get them through other ticket offices
around the station.
NAPLES: MUSEUMS, PIAZZAS AND THE HARBOUR
Naples
feels very overwhelming, and its historic centre is full of narrow
streets, churches which you're not too sure you can visit or not, but
it also has its fair share of museums and interesting sights. Do not
miss the Archaeological museum, which contains one of the most
beautiful antique collections I've ever seen, from breathtaking
statues to all the beautiful mosaics found in Pompeii, and preserved
from rain and decay at the museum. There's also flying penises, if
that's what you're into. Crazy how the Romans liked penises. (Never thought I'd ever write that sentence on my blog, but there you go!) I
won't include any pictures of that though, and just leave that to your imagination...
The
Palazzo Reale is also a beautiful palace to explore. It faces the
stunning Piazza del Plebiscito, which is really worth exploring. The
Palazzo contains the most beautiful hall and staircase
I've ever seen.
Even just for that, you should definitely go there.
If
you fancy doing some shopping, walk along the Via
Toledo,
where you'll find Victoria's Secret, H&M, Zara, Lush and all the
mainstream shops. While you're there, stop at Casa Infante and get
gelato with their signature hazelnut and white chocolate or salted
caramel sauce... Best ice cream I've ever had, and ridiculously cheap
at 2,50€ for a medium cup. Also look out for the street of love,
with its cute messages that will instantly make you smile.
Finally,
for those beautiful views of the bay of Naples and the Vesuvius, head
to Lungomare, on the west side of the city. It is a beautiful walk
near the port, where you'll find lots of restaurants specialised in
sea food, and amazing panoramic views on the bay. I would suggest you avoid the bars on the seafront - we had a really bad experience at Rosso Pommodoro, where we got served ridiculous (and disgusting) cocktails after waiting for thirty minutes even though the place wasn't crowded. Restaurants aren't the best feature of Naples I have to say - it is hard to find anything apart from pizza, so do venture into the little streets to find the right place.
From
this trip to Naples, I come back with contradictory feelings: I have
enjoyed the place, how authentic and raw it is, the glimpse into the
real life of the inhabitants. But I would say that if you would like
a laid back, safe and stress-free holiday, chaotic Naples is not for
you. Let not the bad things prevent you from visiting though - there
are some amazing sights and places to discover, and although I might
not be going back any time soon, I do not regret stepping into this
crazy whirlwind of a city.
Would you visit Naples? Do you want to see Pompeii one day?
Lots of love,
Julia x
Lots of love,
Julia x
